2023 was Broad Arrow’s second auction at the Monterey Jet Center coincident with the Hagerty Motorlux kickoff party. Last year was Broad Arrow’s first live auction, although the Broad Arrow team has decades of experience, coming mostly from RM.
I’m going to put the numbers first to get the details out of the way:
The sale rate of 79.9% was far better than Mecum’s 55.3% and marginally better than Bonhams 73.4% and Gooding’s 79.2%, but also not up to RM’s 85% despite Broad Arrow having two largely no reserve collections (Gateway and Academy of Art University).
Here are the overall numbers:
| Year | Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Sold < Low Est | Sold > High Est | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
| 2023 | 135/169 | 79.9% | 58% | 7.7% | $568,185 | $196,000
[34.5%] |
$76,704,940 |
| 2022 | 80/90 | 88.9% | 42.5% | 23.8% | $729,374 | $390,000
[53.5%] |
$58,349,900 |
What’s going on?
The Gateway and Academy of Art collections offered an insight, being largely made up of cars bought at auctions which gives a look at the 2023 values compared with what the same cars (by VIN) have brought before.
Between the two collections there were 58 lots. All of them, even the few from the Gateway collection with reserves, were sold. 40 of them were Marques and VINs already in my auctions database. That is, to me, like hitting a home run or the lottery number when it comes to seeing what’s going on in the collector car market. I’ll focus on those 40 lots.
There were four lots sold on hammer bids over $1 million. Another four lots achieved successful hammer bids between a half-million dollars and a million. The rest ranged down from there with the most affordable, a 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, selling on a hammer bid of only $32,500.
Half of the lots sold on bids over half a million sold for less than their prior successful transaction values.
The numbers can be carved up any way you want, but at the bottom, 22 of the 40 lots sold for less than they had before. 16 sold for more, leaving a paltry two lots hitting their pre-sale estimates. Successful hammer bids totaled $16,900,000, a total that was $3,013,000 (17.8%) less than the pre-sale low estimates.
Despite the auction companies trying to keep estimates in line with the market’s willingness to pay, the inclination of buyers is to be even more conservative. Rising interest rates are making it less attractive to park money in non-earning assets like collector cars. Similarly interest rates are making it more expensive to finance a purchase. Even billionaires respond to economic reality where, at the collecting margin [I like this car a lot, but I have others like it and do I really need it?] decisions are conditioned by the business environment.
This is what seems to be going on today and while Broad Arrow and the other Monterey auctions were successful and had a consignment with quality, history, design and rarity never before seen on the Peninsula, the prices they achieved only rarely entered into world record territory.
People are bidding with their heads, not their hearts
Broad Arrow lots were viewed on-site by Rick Carey, Andrew Newton and Greg Ingold and are sorted by lot number.
Lot # 110 1995 Honda NSX-R Coupe; S/N NA11300280; Championship White/Red; Estimate $550,000 – $650,000; Unrestored original 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $570,000 plus commission of 10.88%; Final Price $632,000. – 2,977/276hp, 5-speed, air conditioning, radio, Recaro carbon-Kevlar seats, forged aluminum Enkei wheels, titanium shift knob. – One of 483 first series NSX-Rs built from 1992-95, all for the home market. Excellent paint and body, everything presents like-new. The mechanicals, interior and underbody are immaculate. It looks new, and with just 6986 km (4341 miles) showing it practically is. – In sharpening the already brilliant NSX into the NSX-R, Honda shaved over 250 pounds of weight, stiffened the chassis and suspension, increased the final drive, added a higher locking limited-slip differential, and blueprinted/balanced the engine. This is one of those cars that enthusiasts of a certain generation are certainly aware of and have drooled over, but have never actually seen one other than on the internet or on PlayStation. It’s a JDM dream car right up there with special edition Skylines, and at $632,000 this one is the most expensive NSX ever sold at auction, besting the previous $305,993 record (another NSX Type R) by over double. As modern JDM cars mature in the collector car market, though, there’s an argument to be made that this halo Honda still has plenty of room to grow.
Lot # 111 1993 Vector Avtech WX-3 Prototype Coupe; S/N 1V9VW2629PW048001; Brilliant Aquamarine/Black leather; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,100,000. – 7.0/1000hp twin-turbo V8, automatic, modular wheels, Pirelli P Zero tires, fire system. – Prototype for the follow-up to Vector’s debut W8. Displayed at Geneva painted silver and without a powertrain, then went back to Vector for aquamarine paint and the 1000-hp engine. The model was never put into production but Vector founder Jerry Weigert kept this car until 2019 and it has received a reported $300K in restorative work under the current ownership. Light scratches on the paint, windows, and wheels. Large crack on the right rear and another on the tail. A wild car. – This outrageous Vector prototype sold for $615,500 at RM Arizona in Scottsdale four years ago. It’s had a lot of work put into making it drivable and appreciation for loud, brash ’90s exotics has only increased since 2019, but surely the $1.1M high bid should be very close to an acceptable number for an otherwise notably unsuccessful design that never advanced even to limited production.
Lot # 115 2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFZS49A5Y0121530; Grigio Titanio/Blu Scuro leather; Estimate $240,000 – $280,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $201,600. – 5,474/485hp, 6-speed, black calipers. – Small chip on the hood and a few tiny chips on the windshield. Lightly worn leather. Showing 20,314 believable miles. PPF on the mirrors has dirt in the edges. A lightly used 550. – And sold for lightly used 550 money, which is nearly twice what it was five years ago but it is what it is today.
Lot # 120 1953 Bentley Mk VI Drop Head Coupe, Body by Graber; S/N B184MD; Engine # BC95B; Green, Gold coachline/Beige leather; Beige leather top; Estimate $425,000 – $475,000; Older restoration 1- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $350,000. – RHD. 4,257/150hp, floor shift 4-speed, wheel covers, whitewalls, Flying B mascot, sun shades, boot cover, wood dash and window trim, dual mirrors, original radio, fitted luggage, picnic hamper. – Rare Graber bodywork represented as original to this chassis along with the original engine and gearbox. Exhibited at the 1952 Geneva Motor Show and delivered new in Switzerland. Some light wear on the leather and discoloration on the boot cover, but it’s mostly gorgeous with all its tools and books in French. Best in class at Pebble Beach last year and still gorgeous. – It was sold by RM at Amelia in 2017 for $253,000 and while its condition has been greatly improved it is still a Mk VI Bentley. The bidders weren’t taken with it nor particularly enticed by the Graber coachwork, but it is still an outstanding car worth a bid much closer to the low estimate.
Lot # 121 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Coupe, Body by Scaglietti; S/N ZFFPA16B000054809; Engine # 124; Rosso Corsa/Pelle Nera, Red cloth; Estimate $4,250,000 – $4,750,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,550,000 plus commission of 10.14%; Final Price $3,910,000. – 2,855/400hp, 5-speed, BFG tires, power windows, air conditioning. – Showing 4095 km (2545 miles). Very good body paint, but some of the black paint is chipping off the GTO badge. The seats show light but noticeable wear, and the windshield is delaminating at the edges. Maintained at DK Engineering, Bob Houghton Ltd, GTO Engineering, and Ferrari of Newport Beach. One of 272 examples built, highly original and well-preserved. Ferrari Classiche Red Book. – As the rarest of the modern halo Ferraris (288, F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari) the 288 GTO doesn’t come to market often, but the last several to sell at auction have brought in the near-$4M range, whereas low- to mid-$2M was the going rate just a couple of years ago. This strong result suggests these higher 288 prices are here to stay.
Lot # 127 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R Fastback; S/N SFM5R212; White, Blue stripes/Black; Estimate $900,000 – $1,100,000; Competition restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $800,000 plus commission of 10.63%; Final Price $885,000. – 289/306hp, 4-speed, Goodyear Blue Streak tires, side exhaust, hood pins, roll bar, fire bottle, woodrim steering wheel. – One of 36 built, 2nd in class and 18th overall at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona. Decent older paint with chips on the bottom front lip and a crack in the hood. Aged wheels and tires. Erratic panel fit. The gauges are faded, the steering wheel and floors are beat up, but the seats are good. Tidy underneath. It has the wear and tear of a race car, which is exactly what it is and should be. – The famous ex-Ken Miles “Flying Mustang” GT350R has sold for nearly $4M, but that car is an exception and other genuine GT350Rs to cross an auction block in recent years have brought closer to this one. Competition history is everything in the historic race car market, and this one has a good but not exceptional on-track record, so most of the price here is in its rarity and authenticity. A fair sale.
Lot # 130 1962 Jaguar XKE SI Roadster; S/N 877396; Engine # R5893-9; Black, Black hardtop/Crimson leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $160,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $179,200. – 3,781/265hp, 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, red line tires, Blaupunkt AM/FM radio, two tops. – Good paint except the hardtop is pocked with silicone fisheyes. Very good upholstery, soft top and chrome. Clean engine compartment with peeling exhaust porcelain. Paint chip on the back of the bonnet A great car let down by the hardtop paint. Good gauges and console aluminum. Spotless wheels and underbody. A JCNA judge’s restoration with some miles. – Sold for $297,000 at RM’s Arizona auction in 2016, then at the same sale two years later for $193,200. I will benefit from some attention but that should not be difficult or expensive and it will be a show car again when the work is done. The price it brought here recognized its needs, but left plenty of headroom for the work it needs.
Lot # 132 1991 Isdera Imperator 108i Coupe; S/N W09108215JWJ02017; Guards Red/Black leather, cloth; Estimate $800,000 – $1,000,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $725,000. – M117 6 litre V8, ZF 5-speed, AVS tires, gullwing doors, Recaro seats, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, Kenwood cassette, climate control. – Showing 3495 km. Believed to have been owned by Kiwi racer Mike Thackwell. Long scratches on the left front wheel. Scratches on the headlight covers, faded windshield wiper and delaminating at the edges of the windshield and rear quarter windows. Good, lightly worn interior. A wild, wild car with production numbering just 30. – Eberhard Shulz’s Isdera (Ingenieurburo fur Styling, Design und Racing) built a production version of his gullwing-doored, Mercedes-powered CW311 concept car at great expense and in very low volume. The last 108i to sell publicly was a silver 1991 car that brought Euros 690,000 in Monaco two years ago. The reported high bid here was similar enough and probably could have seen the car off to a new home.
Lot # 133 1965 Citroen DS21 Concorde Coupe, Body by Henri Chapron; S/N 4350009; Midnight Blue, Shell Gray roof/Natural; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $78,400. – 2,175/109hp, column shift 4-speed, wire wheels, dash clock, Radiomatic radio. – Ordered new from Chapron for a French architect. Lightly restored in 2000 and cosmetically freshened more recently. Sound older paint but some tires brightwork, including a few chips in the chrome on the light bezels. Dry weather stripping, and both doors stick out. Sound interior with dry leather in front. A gorgeous shape and an inherently desirable coachbuilt DS, but definitely not perfect. – This special Chapron-bodied Citroen was a $140,000 no-sale at Quail Lodge in 2019, then RM sold it online in 2020 (when everything was online) for $159,500 before it sold in 2020 at Gooding’s Scottsdale auction for $115,500. It had a realistic, even modest estimate at the Monterey Jet Center but crossing the block at no reserve it didn’t get much attention and sold for half as much as it did three years ago. Not all prices are up after the collector car boom. But rare postwar French cars aren’t always an easy sell. This one might have brought closer to its 2020 price if the right people were in the room bidding, but they weren’t and the new owner went home with a bargain although one that is clearly showing a declining value.
Lot # 134 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago Reventon Coupe; S/N ZHWBC77S58LA03237; Reventón/Gray leather, Alcantara; Estimate $1,800,000 – $2,100,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,750,000. – 6,496/650hp, books, canvas flight bag. – Number 5 of 20 produced. Only two previous owners. Represented with 463 miles and a recent service in March of 2023. Excellent condition, like-new inside and out – This car was a no-sale on Bring a Trailer this April at a $1.6M high bid. The owner gambled on getting more in Monterey and indeed got more, but apparently that still wasn’t enough. It should have been. Although just a handful of Reventons have sold at auction over the past few years, they’ve all sold in the same high-$1M range as the reported bid here which was in commission-compromise range of the low estimate. But sometimes it’s not about the money, it’s about the principle.
Lot # 138 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car; S/N S02491; Black/Black, Beige; Estimate $450,000 – $600,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Post-block sale at $359,091 plus commission of 11.39%; Final Price $400,000. – 365/305hp, dual quads, automatic, 1956 GM Motorama Dream Car, leather interior, intercom system, front and rear radio. – Excellent paint and body. The endless chrome trim is very good. The engine and underbody have been kept in excellent condition. The seat upholstery in the front shows some stretching. Overall a very well-maintained restoration that still well represents this incredible one-off GM concept from the 1956 Motorama. – Sold post-block for a reported $400,000. RM sold this Motorama Cadillac at Boca Raton in 2006 for $781,100 in nearly fresh showcar condition. At RM Amelia in 2011 is was bid to $460,000, then sold at RM Arizona in 2012 for $258,500. A fabulous example of 50’s aspirational design with abundant unique details, it is reassuring to see it be recognized by the Broad Arrow bidders as the exceptional piece of Detroit history that it is.
Lot # 139 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica Convertible; S/N ZFFGT61A050145418; Rosso Corsa/Beige leather, Red bars; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 11.67%; Final Price $335,000. – 5,748/540hp, Speedline modular alloy wheels, Bridgestone tires, red calipers, carbon discs, HGTC package, SF shields, CD changer stereo, books, manuals, car cover, battery tender, tool kit. – Excellent original paint and unblemished interior. Good roof panel glass. Like new with 5,000 miles and belt serviced three months ago. – There is a slight but realistic premium in this result for the low miles, uncompromised roof panel and HGTC handling package.
Lot # 143 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 5695; Engine # 5695; Grigio Fumo/Blue leather; Estimate $1,900,000 – $2,300,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,550,000 plus commission of 10.20%; Final Price $2,810,000. – 2,953/240hp, 4-speed, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Dunlop tires, tool kit, manuals, jack. – Excellent cosmetics and freshly restored to better than new appearances. Represented as the matching numbers engine, transmission and differential. Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified. – Lusso buyers run the risk of reverting to the discredited idea that the time to buy is now, before they go up more, but that rationale is more than supported by Lusso prices in Monterey this year led by this heady price at Broad Arrow. It was no surprise that the bidders swooned over this car’s restoration and condition, giving it a successful bid well over the high estimate. It is that good.
Lot # 144 1929 Aston Martin 1 1/2-Litre International Tourer; S/N 129R; Engine # LM3/2; Green/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $600,000 – $800,000; Competition restoration 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $550,000. – RHD. 1,495/56hp, 4-speed, driving lights, Bosch headlights, folding windshield, rear-mounted spare, black painted wire wheels, Blockley tires. – One of only seven works team Aston Martins built before 1932. Raced at Brooklands in the 1929 Double Twelve and the 1929 and 1930 Irish Grands Prix. Factory rebodied in 1932 and continued to be raced in the UK. Restored in the 1980’s and represented as the chassis, engine, running gear and coachwork are correct. Restored again in 2016. Mille Miglia competitor 2015-17. Sound but aged paint and upholstery. Rusted paint chip on the hood. Sound but old brightwork. Huge gap at the back of the hood. Orderly chassis shows age and miles. A quality but ultimately driver condition Aston. – Sold after the auction at an undisclosed price but taking the reported high bid on the block as the benchmark it cannot but represent an exceptional value in a proven, documented, correct works Aston with proven eligibility for important and desirable events.
Lot # 147 1982 Lancia 037 Stradale Coupe; S/N ZLA151AR00000106; Rosso Corsa/Black cloth piped in Red; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $475,000. – 1,995/205hp, 5-speed, Bridgestone Potenza tires, Abarth leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Showing 31,412 km. Tidy engine bay. Small crack in the left front at the bottom and another near the windshield, but mostly good paint. Clean plastic. Very good interior. Lightly used Group B monster, restored by ex-factory Lancia technicians in Turin in 2017 and showed at The Quail the same year. – Other Lancia 037s, both road and rally versions, have sold for more than the reported high bid here, including the car at RM Sotheby’s across town that brought $654K. Given other recent sales as a reference and that this is a very good example, it’s understandable why the owner would hold out for higher than $475K. The reported high bid here is oh, so close to the low estimate, a judgment call for the seller, buyer and auction company on whether to compromise on some of the commission to make the deal work. It didn’t happen, but it was close.
Lot # 148 1967 Iso Grifo GL Coupe; S/N GL710121; Azzurro Metallizzato/Brown; Estimate $375,000 – $450,000; Older restoration 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $350,000 plus commission of 11.43%; Final Price $390,000. – 327/300hp, 5-speed, silver painted centerlock alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, dual mirrors, power windows, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, dash clock, leather seats. – Slightly dull chrome and rough paint that has a shiny finish but lots of blemishes, cracks, and touch ups throughout. Aged wheels. Slightly bent bodywork at the front of the passenger’s door. Pitting on the mirrors. Reasonably tidy underneath, and represented with recent mechanical refurbishment. A lovely Italy-American hybrid from a distance but a little rough up close. – It’s amusing to read the catalog describe this engine as a “Corvette-derived small block” when in fact it was an OEM Corvette engine dropped in the hole exactly as it came from Chevrolet. That is not, however, to detract from the performance effect of a 300hp Small Block in the Grifo chassis, which was as good as it got in 1967 and much more reliable and easy to maintain than its competition from Ferrari or Maserati. This is a real-deal car with recent mechanical service and the blotchy metallic paint is par for the course in 1967. It was bought right on the money.
Lot # 149 1995 Ferrari F50 Coupe; S/N ZFFTA46B000103495; Rosso Corsa, Rosso Corsa hardtop/Nero leather, Red cloth; Estimate $4,000,000 – $4,500,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,850,000 plus commission of 10.13%; Final Price $4,240,000. – 4,699/513hp, 6-speed, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, carbon fiber shift knob, hardtop, Tubi exhaust (factor exhaust included) books, tools, luggage, tonneau cover, flight case. – Very good paint. Clean wheels and interior. Just 11,368 km (71,50 miles) and only light age. – The top sale of day one in Monterey, this euro-spec F50 brought less than the $5.175M F50 Broad Arrow sold here last year, but this is still a fair result. It wasn’t so long ago that F50s were worth half this much, but $4M-$5M has been the going rate for them lately, especially in this case with the hardtop.
Lot # 151 1967 Toyota 2000GT Coupe; S/N MF1010110; Bellatrix Yellow/Black; Estimate $850,000 – $1,100,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $850,000 plus commission of 10.59%; Final Price $940,000. – LHD. 1,988/150hp, 5-speed, AM radio, Goodyear Eagle GT tires. Includes books, tools and copies of service records going back to the 1960s. – One of 62 LHD, US-market examples. Very good older repaint and chrome with only one noticeable paint chip on the left front of the hood. The engine compartment is detailed, but not overly polished, and the same can be said for the underbody. The interior presents very well and shows little usage. A beautiful example of a rare, well-configured 2000GT. – Reported sold at the Keno Brothers auction in NYC in 2015 for $683,200 and adding fewer than 2,000 miles to the odometer since then but has been treated to and engine rebuild and other work at 2000GT champions Maine Line Exotics in Biddeford, Maine since then. This result hits the nail on the head and is fair to both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # 153 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe; S/N DB51437R; Engine # 4001492; Silver Birch/Black leather; Estimate $575,000 – $675,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $525,000 plus commission of 10.95%; Final Price $582,500. – RHD. 3,995/282hp, 5-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Avon tires, Motorola radio, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, upgraded suspension, alarm. – Restored in the UK in 2020 and represented as the original engine, verified by BMIHT certificate. Nearly spotless engine. Beautiful paint and chrome. Very good interior with few signs of use and represented as 1,527 miles since completion of the restoration. A mostly lovely DB5 in the classic colors. – The least expensive of three DB5s here in Monterey this year, but also the only one with the steering wheel on the right side, a tough sell in lefthand drive North America. The tradeoff is that the buyer got a high quality DB5 for a relatively modest price.
Lot # 157 1968 Ferrari 206 GT Dino Coupe; S/N 00268; Engine # 0004888; Viola Metallizzato Dino/Nero vinyl; Estimate $750,000 – $950,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $700,000. – 1987/180hp, 5-speed, Cromodora wheels, Michelin X tires, woodrim steering wheel, vinyl seats. – Already rare as a 206 GT, but the Viola Metallizzato Dino color is even more special even though it’s a color change from the original Blue Notte Metallizzato. The chrome shows a little age but the paint finish looks great, as does the interior. Ferrari Classiche certified, all matching numbers. Restoration finished in 2008 and still looking very good. – Sold after the auction at an undisclosed price so it’s impossible to state a rational opinion but no matter how it ended up it is a handsome price for a handsome car.
Lot # 158 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Coupe; S/N 1G1Y52D99K5802702; Black/Black; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $224,000. – 376/755hp, automatic, chrome wheels, red calipers, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, ZTK Track Performance and 3ZR Preferred Equipment options.. – Represented with fewer than 400 miles and still looks like a new car. From the last year for the front-engined Corvette. – The mid-engined C8 may be the latest and greatest Corvette, but the C7 ZR1 is still one of the most extreme and fastest cars on the road. It has also defied the laws of depreciation and trades hands for much more than it cost new. This sale price is about 100 grand tacked onto the original MSRP, and this kind of money is not at all out of the ordinary for a highly-optioned C7 ZR1 at the moment.
Lot # 164 1930 Packard 745 Deluxe Eight Roadster; S/N 182152; Engine # 182246; Black, Dark Green coachlines/Dark Green leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $475,000 – $600,000; Concours restoration 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $435,000 plus commission of 11.15%; Final Price $483,500. – 385/106hp, 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, dual sidemounts with mirrors, folding windshield, dual spotlights, Depress Beam headlights, Pilot-Rays, wind wings, rumble seat. luggage rack, chassis no. 181480. – Excellent paint, interior, chrome and top. Clean, sharp engine compartment. Bright crisp gauges. 1998 and 2022 Pebble Beach class award winner and still has show winning potential. – This Packard has an award winning history that’s longer than some of the collectors around it, a staple of the show circuit still with many details from its 1990’s RM Auto restoration that has been maintained in pristine condition and updated as needed. A known quantity responsibly bought with full recognition of its history and condition.
Lot # 169 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo “RUF THR” Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZTS372295; Grand Prix White/Flamenco Red leather, Black piping; Estimate $550,000 – $650,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $445,000 plus commission of 11.12%; Final Price $494,500. – 490hp, X50 upgrade, 6-speed, RUF wheels and brakes with Yellow calipers, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, sunroof, Continental radio, suede and leather steering wheel. – Japan-only THR model upgrade on a factory Turbo S. Very good paint and interior. No real flaws or blemishes. Showing 36,359 km but it could be a car with a tenth of that. – This is almost double the current value of a factory 1996 Turbo S, an appropriate increment for a rare RUF variant in exceptional condition.
Lot # 173 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 14229; Engine # B1976; Rosso Nearco/Nero leather; Estimate $650,000 – $750,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $625,000. – 4390/352hp, Veglia air conditioning, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, power windows, painted nose panel, popup lights, centerlock alloy wheels. – Excellent paint other than being there painted over chips on the nose panel. Tiny chip on the back of the left front fender and back of the door. Excellent upholstery. Restored like new other than nearly invisible paint prep flaws and small chrome trim issues. – Sold by Gooding & Company in 2014 for $627,000, then offered by Keno in NYC and Gooding at PB in 2017 where it no-saled at $600,000 and $620,000. Why it didn’t sell here is not clear as this is close to the low estimate and a responsible offer in today’s market for Daytonas.
Lot # 174 1993 Ferrari 348 LM Berlinetta; S/N ZFFUX35X000095450; Engine # F119G04028273; White, Green “Totip”/Black; Estimate $450,000 – $650,000; Competition car, original as-raced 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $400,000. – RHD. 3,405/480hp, Hewland DG300 5-speed transaxle, centerlock wheels, carbon wing, Corbeau seats, Willans harnesses, – Appeared at Le Mans in 1993 and 1994. Represented as the only 348 LM ever built. In 1993 during warm-up it was damaged and didn’t start. Raced at Vallelunga, Silverstone, Suzuka, Paul Ricard, Jerez, Jarama, Nürburgring, Donington and Anderstorp to unremarkable results. Retired at Le Mans 1994 with a broken clutch. Brought back to running condition this summer. Currently in old race car condition with chips and cracks in the paint, some rusty body panel fasteners, and aged wheels. – Represented as “the only 348 LM ever built” which isn’t surprising given its lack of success. Parked for many, many years and only recently recommissioned to run and drive, there are better ways to spend GT race car money.
Lot # 176 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Hatchback; S/N VF3741R76E5100091; Gray/Black; Estimate $350,000 – $450,000; Unrestored original 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $275,000. – 1775/200hp, 5-speed, Michelin TRX tires, roll bar, Luke harnesses, Rally instruments. – Acquired from new by General Motors via Lotus for active suspension testing, and in the GM Heritage Collection until 2018. Fitted with Lotus-engineered four-wheel steering system. Showing 15,959 km. Beat up wheels. Delaminating rear windows. Worn interior. Treated like an experimental car and looks it. It’s an interesting piece of history, but that history wasn’t with the winning Peugeot Group B rally cars. It was something a little more obscure. – When GM bought this car for testing, they bought another one as a “control,” and they left it alone. Barrett-Jackson sold both of them at the Scottsdale auction in 2018. This one sold for $146,300 and the control car sold for $187,000. The history on this car is interesting but a bit unusual, and the reported high bid appropriately reflects the greater interest in Group B-era rally cars in 2023 than in 2018. It could have sold at this number without much regret.
Lot # 178 2006 Ford GT Heritage Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S26Y401299; Heritage Blue, Heritage Orange/Black; Estimate $575,000 – $675,000; Unrestored original 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $690,000 plus commission of 10.72%; Final Price $764,000. – 330/550hp, 6-speed, BBS wheels, painted calipers, McIntosh stereo – Represented with 7 miles. A new car inside and out, the car still retains all of the protective films, seat covers and delivery stickers and has not been driven. – The game of who has the lowest-mileage Ford GT is so absurd that they don’t just talk about miles, they talk about fractions of miles. The limits people go to in preserving low Ford GT (or other marque/model) miles is breathtaking, among other things being careful to push the car with the ignition off lest it roll over another tenth. This car, for example, doesn’t have 7 miles on the odometer, it has 6.8! Which was enough to push it beyond top dollar for a Heritage Edition car with options. This price is nearly a record for a 2005-06 car, topped only by the 24-mile car that Barrett-Jackson sold in Scottsdale last year for $797,500. It is doubtful this one will ever see 10 miles on its odometer, but the price it brough here is not an aberration, just and extension of the fanaticism that saw it sell for $403,925 at Mecum’s Monterey auction in 2013.
Lot # 180 1983 Ferrari 512 BBi Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFJA09B000043721; Rosso Corsa, Black sills/Nero Stoffa, cloth inserts; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $200,000. – 4,942/340hp, 5-speed, Borletti air conditioning, alloy centerlock wheels, TRX tires, cassette stereo, power windows, manuals, tools, invoices. – Very good older paint and upholstery. Minor paint prep flaws like behind the passenger’s door, otherwise exemplary. – Sold after the auction at an undisclosed price.
Lot # 185 1980 Aston Martin V8 Volante; S/N V8C0L15209; Engine # V5805209LFM; Grace Green Metallic/Tan leather piped in Green; Green top; Estimate $250,000 – $325,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $227,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $254,800. – 5,340-cc V8 Vantage-spec engine, Weber carburetors, 5-speed, alloy wheels, BFG tires, boot cover, wood shift knob, woodrim steering wheel, Alpine CD, power windows, air conditioning, chrome bumpers. – Beautiful paint other than a small crack on the trunk lid and a masking error on the windshield frame. Good chrome. Several light scratches on the wheels. Lightly worn leather but lovely interior. Upgraded to “Prince of Wales” specs. A well configured, lovely to look at late V8 Volante. – Afforded a modest but appropriate premium for the many upgrades, this is a responsibly-priced V8 Volante, fair to both the buyer and the seller.
Lot # 188 1992 Autozam AZ-1 Coupe; S/N PG6SA101694; White/Dark Gray leather; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $20,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $22,400. – RHD. 657/64hp turbo three, 5-speed, white Volk wheels, aftermarket shift knob, added Alpine CD stereo. – Showing 58,317 believable km (36,237 miles). Good, pearly paint but some odd delaminating on top of the doors. Clean interior other than a worn steering wheel. One of about 4,500 built. – One of the cheapest cars sold anywhere on the Monterey Peninsula this year is also one of the most charming and fun, at least if you’re not too tall and/or hefty to drive it. Arguably the best of the “A-B-C” Japanese Kei sports cars (Autozam Az-1, Honda Beat, Suzuki Cappuccino), the Autozam is also the rarest and typically the priciest now that enough of them have been imported for something of a market to form. Built to Japan’s Kei class of automobile that required limited exterior dimensions and a maximum engine displacement of 660cc, the AZ-1 is more fun than it is fast, but it does have the ingredients of an exotic. If a Toyota MR2 is like a baby Ferrari, the AZ-1 is like a baby MR2. Autozam, a more youth-oriented sub-brand of Mazda, sold the car but Suzuki did much of the design and engineering and provided the 3-cylinder turbo engine. Depending on condition and mileage, Autozams in this country typically sell from the mid-teens to low-$30K range at the very tip-top. This one falls somewhere in the middle and feels about right. Fun-per-dollar, it’s probably the deal of the week.
Lot # 203 1963 Citroen 2CV Sahara 4-dr. Sedan; S/N 0663; Green, /; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $67,200. – Twin 425-cc flat-twin engines, 4-speed, steel wheels, front-mounted spare, Michelin X tires. – Rare, quirky twin-engined Sahara. Very old paint with runs, cracks, and spots rubbed through from panels opening and surface rust showing in spots. Dull marker lenses and scratched door handles. Worn upholstery and interior controls, and the shift linkage is grimy. A driver-quality example of a French oddball, but it reportedly had extensive mechanical work done in Switzerland three years ago, and it is represented with known ownership from new. – Citroen introduced the Sahara (renamed the 4×4 in 1962 following Algeria’s independence) model in 1958 to provide a small, lightweight four-wheel drive vehicle for use in its North African territories. Up front it’s not much different from the standard car, but out back is a secondary engine with its own separate gearbox to drive the rear wheels. It was an interesting but odd and impractical setup, and just 700 were built from 1958-71, a relative drop in the bucket compared to the regular mass-produced 2CV. A handful of very good examples have sold for over $100,000 before, so this is on the lower end of Sahara sales but reflects its neglected condition.
Lot # 217 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible; S/N VC57S192323; Larkspur Blue/Blue; White vinyl top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $112,000. – 283/220hp Power Pack, Powerglide transmission, WonderBar radio, wheel covers, power windows, steering and brakes, seat belts, electric wipers. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Fantastic paint, body, and brightwork. The engine and underbody are immaculate and the interior shows no wear. A beautifully restored Bel Air. – This is a gorgeous car, done to very high standards and maintained consistently to keep it fresh and sharp. It is an odd-man-out at Broad Arrow but did at least as well here as it could at a more American-focused venue, a car to be driven and shown proudly.
Lot # 218 1961 Chrysler 300G Convertible; S/N 8413154368; Pinehurst Green/Tan; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $165,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $184,800. – 413/375hp, Borg Warner 3-speed, Kelsey Hayes wheels, AM radio, power windows. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Represented as one of four 300G convertibles built with this manual transmission and as the only 300G convertible in this color. Good paint overall with only a minor chip on the front lip of the hood. Very good chrome throughout. The mechanicals and underbody are immaculate. The driver’s seat has creasing and wear. The center console shows heavy wear and the rest of the interior shows more minor age. An incredibly interesting and well optioned 300G. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2002 for $52,500, then three years later also at B-J for $205,200. The dual quad 413/375hp V8 and 3-speed manual is incredibly rare, making this a banker’s hot rod that would really decimate its more common competition in 1961, or just leave them with their mouths gaping in astonishment as it made the 1-2 upshift off the line. It is a “Q-Ship” that will always attract attention, on a show field or leaving a stoplight and is a remarkably good value at this price.
Lot # 219 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 30837S105966; Engine #…RD; Saddle Tan Metallic/Saddle vinyl; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Recent restoration 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $172,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $193,200. – 327/300hp, 4-speed, power steering, spinner wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, Hankook tires, WonderBar radio, power windows. – Excellent paint, chrome, interior and like new engine compartment and chassis. Restored to high standards with nothing apparently left to chance. The engine number is illegible except for the “RD” suffix for the 327/300hp. Gateway Automobile Museum. – A 2+ condition ’63 Corvette bought right on the money for a 2+ condition price. This is a serious price, stretching right out to secure the car, but the pleasure of owning it will be remembered long after the price fades into insignificance.
Lot # 221 1957 DeSoto Firesweep Sportsman 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 60017227; Engine # 526A23625; Dusty Orange, Black/Black; Estimate $75,000 – $100,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $84,000. – 325/345hp dual quad Hemi, 3-speed, wire wheels, whitewalls, air conditioning, dash clock. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Good older paint with a chip at the bottom of the hood. Good chrome. Slightly imperfect gaps. Very clean interior. Beautiful, clean and restored chassis. Fully restored to high standards and lightly used. – A Firesweep would usually have a 325/245hp 2-barrel V-8. The catalog says this is “unusually outfitted with an upgraded Adventurer-specification 345hp Hemi V8 with dual 4-barrel carburetors [and] a column-shifted 3-speed manual transmission”. In other words, not the way DeSoto built it, but a way to enjoy it and its eye-searing Dusty Orange paint. It was reported sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2013 for $159,500, and it is worth noting that B-J honestly described it as upgraded with the Adventurer engine ten years ago. It is a street monster and it brought an appropriate price for its specification and exceptional condition.
Lot # 226 1953 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible; S/N 536269173; Aztec Red/Red leather; White vinyl top; Estimate $180,000 – $220,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $151,200. – 331/210hp, automatic, AM radio, chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, power antenna, power steering, brakes and seat, parade boot. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Paint is good with some polishing marks. The chrome is mostly good, however the grille has some deeper scuffs. The convertible top has some wrinkles from being stored down. The engine and underbody are clean and present well. The front seat has some wear and creasing, however the rest of the interior looks very good. The catalog claims that the 36,452 miles are all it has covered since new. – Sold by B-J at West Palm Beach in 2005 for $108,000 and hardly inflation-adjusted here at Broad Arrow Monterey in 2023. It is another of the Gateway cars that were carefully bought for realistic prices and have been consistently and sympathetically maintained to preserve their older restorations in exceptional condition.
Lot # 228 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko Sport Coupe; S/N 124377N241669; Butternut Yellow, Black/Black; Estimate $350,000 – $450,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $365,000 plus commission of 11.37%; Final Price $406,500. – 427/450hp, Muncie 4-speed, Rally wheels, red line tires, radio, Stewart Warner underdash gauges, Mickey Thompson headers, Traction-Masters. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Very rare early ’67 model built for Don Yenko by Dick Harrell modifying a stock SS396 Camaro with 427 power rather than taking advantage of a COPO to get 427s directly from Chevrolet.. Beautiful paint, chrome, and interior. Restored to the standards an early Yenko deserves. – Sold by Mecum at Monterey in 2013 for $374,500 and, on the hammer at least, for a tick less than that here today, but this is a niche Yenko Camaro that attempts to set itself apart by its early Dick Harrell build and unique features. There are people who value that but even Broad Arrow in its pre-sale estimate didn’t give it much credit and the new owner has a rare early Yenko with a 450hp Dickie Harrell engine (or simulacrum since no one claims this is the original engine.) Among Yenko Camaros for the most part you get what you get as they’ve been hammered throughout their lives. In this case it is a good, if not definitively pure, one at a reasonable price.
Lot # 229 1953 Cunningham C3 Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N 5211; Engine # IND201008; Light Yellow, Blue accent/Plum leather; Estimate $800,000 – $1,000,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $550,000 plus commission of 10.91%; Final Price $610,000. – 331/220hp Chrysler Hemi, log intake manifold with 4 Zenith carbs, Mallory ignition Fluid Torque 3-speed, woodrim steering wheel, centerlock chrome wire wheels, heater, pushbutton radio. – Gateway Automobile Museum. First owned by William Burden (a grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt who commissioned Harry Miller’s V-16 road car.) Restored in the early 00’s for Jerry Sauls, 3rd in class at Amelia Island in 2002. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Restored like new with better cosmetics and chrome and represented as the original engine but the chassis and underbody are not up to the same standard. Seeping carburetor float bowls. Color changed from Black. – The catalog credits Bill Burden for specifying this car from inception with high compression heads, polished connecting rods and the 4-carb log manifold, but Bill Burden’s history of specifying and commissioning highly specialized, unique, fast road cars stretches back to the Thirties. Seeing Bill Burden as an original owner is a guarantee that the car he bought is not just expensive, it also is blindingly fast for its day. Having put that on the record, this Cunningham sold for $374,000 at RM Monterey in 2006, then $341,000 at Gooding Pebble Beach in 2012. Its odometer showed 65 miles in 2012 and only 80 miles today but it still remains in nearly spectacularly great condition even two decades after it was restored for Jerry Sauls. It is hard to separate the history from the price it brought today, but this is a whopping great increment for a car that got the attention it deserved both in the Gateway Automobile Museum collection and in Broad Arrow’s catalog. As expensive as it is, the new owner can honor its history and specifications while being comfortable with the price.
Lot # 230 1953 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Fiesta Convertible Coupe; S/N 539M27525; Alpine White, Raven Red/White and Red; White vinyl top; Estimate $140,000 – $180,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $97,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $109,200. – 304/165hp, automatic, power steering, Super Deluxe radio, spinner wheel covers. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Excellent paint and panel fit, chrome and brightwork are all very good. The engine and underbody show extremely well. The driver’s side of the bench seat shows some wear and creasing to the upholstery, however the rest of the interior is very good. An expertly kept specimen of Oldsmobile’s flagship car. – There are so many auction appearances for this Fiesta that only one earlier sale counts, at Mecum Monterey in 2009 for $159,000 which leads to this sale which is a lot less and way under the low estimate, a missed opportunity in a signature 50’s Olds.
Lot # 237 1954 Buick Skylark Model 100 Convertible; S/N 7A1079370; Gulf Turquoise, White wheelwells/Two-tone Green; White vinyl top; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $117,600. – 322/200hp, automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, dual mirrors, power windows, Selectronic radio, dash clock. – Gateway Automobile Museum. Older paint and chrome with a touch up behind the passenger’s door and a run near the left taillight. 2004 AACA Grand National winner. Lightly worn leather and some pitting on the dash, but mostly attractive interior. A lightly aged restoration. – A solid and well-maintained Skylark with all the things that distinguish the Motorama spinoff like wire wheels, wide whitewalls and the contrasting wheelwells. The odometer shows only 71 miles and this must be all it has accumulated since it was restored twenty years ago, a superb piece at a reasonable price.
Lot # 240 1907 Cadillac Model M Coupe; S/N 21910; Red, Black/Maroon leather; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $97,440. – 98/10hp, artillery wheels, Firestone tires, window curtains, woodrim steering wheel. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection, restored years ago for Bob Gottlieb [and if that name isn’t familiar, it should be.] Beautiful paint. Mild wear to the leather and the fenders aren’t totally straight. The tires also look dry rotted. An older restoration on a very early Cadillac, built before the company came under GM ownership. – Sold at the Hershey Auction in 2004 for $92,950 and although not aging particularly well, a stately old Henry Leland Cadillac and the price it brought can’t be criticized.
Lot # 241 1930 Duesenberg Model J Transformable Cabriolet, Body by Hibbard & Darrin; S/N 2329; Engine # J-319; Red, Maroon/Beige leather, cloth; Tan cloth top; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,500,000; Older restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,300,000 plus commission of 10.38%; Final Price $1,435,000. – 420/265hp, 3-speed, wire wheels, Firestone wide whitewalls, dual sidemount spares with mirrors, suicide front doors, division window, luggage trunk, cabinets, rear clock, leather in front, cloth in back. – From the Gateway Automobile Museum Collection. Restored years ago for Ray Bowersox, later owned by the Imperial Palace. Represented as the original chassis, firewall and engine. Wear on the leather straps for the mirrors and age on the mirrors themselves. Clean wheels and tires. Gorgeous intricately grained interior wood. Good older paint and chrome with a crack on top of the driver’s window. Clean wheels. Top shows some age. Nearly spotless chassis. Solid Duesy. – Restored long ago but maintained for decades in nearly pristine condition, a car that defies the notion of a neglected old museum-display car. Freshly restored it would be a Pebble Beach contender, but for now this is an outstanding Duesenberg that will protect its occupants with its immersive bodywork and still provide open air enjoyment when the top it down. It is an outstanding value even at this modest price.
Lot # 244 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 Concept Car; S/N E54S003701; Engine # V247; Gold/Tan; Tan top; Estimate $2,000,000 – $3,000,000; Recent restoration 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,600,000 plus commission of 10.31%; Final Price $1,765,000. – 324/150hp Rocket V8, automatic, bucket seats, power windows, wheel covers, whitewalls, speaker between the seats. – Gateway Automobile Museum. Corvette-based Oldsmobile Motorama show car with Olds V8. Designed by Harley Earl and apparently spirited out of GM in parts and pieces just ahead of the crusher to E.L. Cord. Accompanied by boxes of project-related documentation and blueprints. Stored for years in obscurity eventually restored by Lon Krueger and completed by Don Williams. Later owners include Bruce Lustman and Gordon Apker. Presented in show car condition. Show quality paint, chrome and interior. – It’s quite a history that is disappointed in no way by the F-88’s presentation, or the price it brought even though it’s less than the remarkable $3,240,000 it brought at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2005. Times have changed, but it’s doubtful they’re changed this much making this a great value in a unique GM Motorama car.
Lot # 246 2005 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S85Y401810; Black, Silver side graphics/Black; Estimate $375,000 – $475,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $365,000 plus commission of 11.37%; Final Price $406,500. – 330/550hp, 6-speed, BBS wheels, McIntosh stereo. – Represented with 4,530 miles and showing a mild scrape on the bottom of the splitter as well as some debris in the radiator, so it has at least been driven a little bit. And even though stripes were an optional extra, an all-black GT arguably looks best. – 4500 miles is on the high side for these famous drivers’ cars that never actually get driven, and in this case it’s a #2- car sold for #2- money. The new owner now has a decently discounted GT that they can actually go out and enjoy without worrying about the value slipping with every tick of the odometer.
Lot # 260 1950 Jaguar XK 120 Alloy Roadster; S/N 670146; Black/Biscuit and Red; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Older restoration 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $205,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $229,600. – 3,442/160hp, 4-speed, wide whitewalls, fender skirts, Lucas driving lights. – From the Academy of Art University Collection. Represented as matching numbers. Good, lightly aged paint and brightwork. Even gaps. Very lightly worn interior. Former AACA National Senior and Senior Grand National awards as well as three-time JCNA Class 2 National Champion, with a 100-point score in 2005. It’s a special early 120 treated like it deserves. – Groundbreaking as the XK120 was, Jaguar didn’t initially intend for it to be a production car. It was more a show piece for the new XK straight-six engine. But the attention and praise at the Earls Court show in 1948 persuaded Williams Lyons to build it, and the first 242 cars received aluminum bodywork before a switch to cheaper and easier steel in early 1950. These early alloy cars are worth well over double a standard steel roadster. Barrett-Jackson sold this one fresh from its concours restoration in 2001 for $172,800. It then aged a little bit but not much and sold for $319,000 at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2011. Again, its restoration is aged a little bit but not much today, certainly not as much as this drop in price would suggest. Despite so much movement elsewhere in the market, XK120 prices haven’t done much, but this car still could have brought a lot closer to 300 grand without being expensive.
Lot # 264 1931 Cord Front Drive L-29 Cabriolet; S/N 2927175; Engine # FDA1980; Gainsborough Blue, Blue Boy Blue accents/Grey leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Concours restoration 1- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $205,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $229,600. – 299/125hp eight, 3-speed, wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, Woodlite headlights, luggage trunk, Waltham dash clock, golf bag door, rumble seat. – From the Academy of Art University Collection. ACD Club Category 1. Beautiful paint in beautiful colors and there are only a few tiny blemishes. Very good chrome. The doors stick out slightly. Beautiful interior. Tight, clean top that fits almost perfectly. Slight yellowing on the tires. Looks like the former show car it is, a CCCA National First Prize winner – Reported sold by RM at the McMullen collection auction in 2007 for $231,000. The now two decade old restoration is holding up very well, attesting to the quality of its care and custodianship in the Academy of Art collection. It bumped right through RM’s low estimate to this very good price, one fully deserved by the inherent quality and design of the Cord Front Drive and this specific Front Drive’s condition.
Lot # 271 1937 Lagonda LG45 Rapide Sport Tourer; S/N 12172R; Engine # 12172R; British Racing Green, Black fenders/Tan leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $700,000 – $900,000; Concours restoration 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $625,000 plus commission of 10.80%; Final Price $692,500. – RHD. 4,453/134hp six, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, Dunlop tires, badge bar, single Lucas driving light, suicide doors, floor shift, Smiths gauges, semaphores. – From the Academy of Art University Collection. Gorgeous, swooping fenders and pointed tail. Lovely paint and brightwork, although there are some scratches on the grille. Some wear on the top and leather, but the gauges are clear and the wood dash is sound. Clean engine and underbody. An older restoration of an interesting car. – Sold by RM to John O’Quinn at Monterey in 2006 for $671,000 when it had 134 miles showing on its odometer. Reported sold again by RM at Monaco in 2010 for $744,919 (Euros 560,000 at the time, the Euro price today is Euros 636,800.) The two transactions are illustrative of the vagaries of exchange rates as this sale represents a modest value decline in dollars but a modest increase in Euros. The exchange rate was $1.33 in 2010 and is $1.0875 today. “Price” depends upon whose pocket is being picked but no matter where the money comes from this is an exciting looking and driving Lagonda which brought a realistic price.
Lot # 282 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A, Body by Sindelfingen; S/N 105379; Engine # 105379; Beaver Grey, Black fenders and accent/Blood-Red pigskin; Black leather top; Estimate $1,750,000 – $2,250,000; Older restoration 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,550,000 plus commission of 10.32%; Final Price $1,710,000. – 5,018/100-160hp supercharged inline eight, 4-speed, black wire wheels, dual rear-mounted spares, Bosch headlights and dip beam, Mother-of-Pearl instrument panel, Hella spotlight, Trafficators, radio. – Remained in Sweden, with its first owner Baron Silfverschiod and his descendants until 1950. Restored in the late 80’s, represented as the original engine. Class second at Pebble Beach in 2013. Good older repaint with some shrinkage under the grey. Sound lightly stretched upholstery and interior trim. Orderly but aged engine compartment with some dust and fluid leakage with a puddle under the left side. Bright chrome and interior wood. A thorough detailing would do a world of good. – Sold to the Academy of Art University Collection at Gooding’s Scottsdale auction in 2013 for $2,750,000 and beginning to age more visibly over the ensuing decade but this is still an exceptional, luxurious, attractive and well-preserved car and while it is not a Special Roadster it is a sleek, impressive automobile that emphasizes the style and quality of Sindelfingen coachwork. On the road with the top folded the supercharger’s shriek will reduce to insignificance the fact it is a Cabriolet A, particularly when the new owner reflects on the 7-figure number left in his or her bank account.