Gooding & Company, “Geared Online”, August 7, 2020

Gooding & Company sailed into the COVID-19 canceled Monterey Car Week with the first of the three online auctions, creatively called “Geared Online”. It was Gooding’s first online only auction.

Contrasted with Gooding’s usual Pebble Beach auctions it wasn’t a big sale, with just 54 lots. There were some heavy cars with six bid to over $1 million. Of them four sold. They all were Ferraris. The two 7-figure cars that didn’t sell weren’t Ferraris (a Bugatti Type 57 and a 300SL Gullwing). That is, in some significant degree, a sign of the online only times where easily assessed late model Ferrari (in this case an F40, F50 and Enzo) are, if anything, known commodities in the market.

The remaining 7-figure Ferrari was a steel-bodied 275 GTB 6C, the top sale in “Geared Online” at $3,080,000.

Some things were notable in the “Geared Online” auction.

  • It was much smaller than Gooding’s usual Pebble Beach auctions with just 54 lots offered and 36 sold for a 66.7% sale rate;
    • Last year’s Pebble Beach auction had 140 lots of which 106 sold, a 75.7% sale rate;
    • In 2019 28 lots hammered on 7-figure bids of which 11 sold;
  • Many of the most important lots were conservatively bid, advancing to near their final bid on or before the morning of the closing day and progressing little, if any, thereafter;
  • But a few of the modestly-estimated lots sparked bidding contests of nearly epic proportions and closed far over their pre-sale estimates.
  • There was some opaque negotiation “behind the curtain” that produced a few aberrant results, some of which are noted in the auction report, however none of it was any different from the post-block negotiations that take place in Gooding’s live auctions.

The results suggest there is a pent-up enthusiasm for acquiring among socially-isolated car collectors that is manifested in irrational bidding for moderately-priced lots, but isn’t borne out in the more measured bidding for top lots where a pair of bid bumps could buy even the massively overpriced Jaguar XJ-6 sedan. Some of both are described in the report that follows.

Here are the numbers for 2020’s “Geared Online” only; anything else is not comparable:

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $
2020 36/54 66.7% 50% 13.9% $398,857 $80,300

[20.1%]

$14,358,850

Observations are by Rick Carey and Andrew Newton. Photos are © and courtesy of Gooding & Company although they’re overprinted here as © Rick Carey’s Collector Car Auction Reports to deter unauthorized reuse by internet trolls.


Lot # 27 1959 Triumph TR3A Roadster; S/N TS41225L; Red/Black leather piped in White; Black top; Estimate $20,000 – $30,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500. – 1991/100hp, 4-speed manual, painted wire wheels, dual wing mirrors, top and side curtains, tonneau cover, leather-wrapped steering wheel. – From the Blake Nordstrom Collection. Engine rebuilt three years and 900 miles ago, but the rest of the restoration is older. Very little age to the leather. Tiny dent in the right front fender. Very clean engine bay. A straightforward, tidy TR with only some light general age and nothing serious to worry about. – Triumph freshened up the TR3 in 1957 with a wider grille, standard door handles, a locking trunk handle and larger bumpers. Although the company never officially called the facelifted roadster the TR3A, that’s the name that stuck, and with a six-year production run, most TR3s built were TR3As. The gap in prices between great ones and not-so-great ones is big for these cars, and since most TR3s out there fall into the not-so-great category, this one was a standout even if its restoration wasn’t done yesterday. Two people just had to have it, as bidding in the final hours soared from $20,500 to this above-market result. Gooding’s $20,000-$30,000 estimate was prophetic of the enthusiasm that seized the TR3A bidders and a few others bidding on modestly-priced cars in this auction.

Lot # 29 1972 Jaguar XJ-6 Sedan; S/N UC1L66824BW; Green/Light Green leather; Estimate $12,000 – $18,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700. – 4235/186hp, automatic, chromed steel wheels with hub caps, wood dash, power windows, pushbutton radio, books, tools, spare. – From the Blake Nordstrom Collection. Repainted in 2015. Drivetrain rebuild in 2017. New upholstery and carpets in 2018. Early XJ-6s in any condition are not a common sight, so one as clean as this is seriously impressive. – Classic Jag sedans offer tempting style per dollar, but being bargain classics means that a lot of them lead lives of neglect. Plenty have issues, and swapping Chevy V-8s into old XJs is practically a cottage industry. Such a clean and correct one as this therefore got people’s attention, and even though the high bid sat at 15 grand for two days, it nearly doubled in the final hours of the auction. It’s the most expensive price for an early XJ-6 we’ve seen in a while, but it also bought one of the best ones we’ve seen in a while. If nothing else the bid history of this XJ6 proves that online bidders can, and will, get excited and leave their sense on the table.

Lot # 33 1971 Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S Coupe; S/N 818630001241; Engine # 81830350472; Blue/Tan vinyl; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Cosmetic restoration 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700. – 1,298/87hp narrow angle V4, two sidedraft Solex carbs, 5-speed, silver painted wheels, hubcaps. – Indifferent quality repaint over dents and some chips. Weak chrome trim. Sound interior, dash and instruments but the steering wheel rim is cracked. Clean, orderly engine compartment with exterior paint over some old, cracked, body sealer. A driver-quality cosmetic restoration to decent driver standards with recent mechanical attention. – It’s impossible to comment on a Lancia without mentioning the inherent originality and creativity that characterize all Lancias before it was subsumed into the greater Fiat empire. In the case of the Fulvia it is particularly the dual overhead cam narrow angle V4 engine, in this case with a vee angle of 12 degrees 45 minutes 28 seconds. How narrow is that? A vee with index and middle finger is more than twice that angle. This is an indifferent but usable example that brought a generous price.

Lot # 34 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 19804210002957; Engine # 19898010003010; Ivory, Ivory hardtop/Red leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $850,000 – $950,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $860,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $946,000. – 2,996/250hp, Bosch FI, 4-speed, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, radio, Euro headlights, both tops, owner’s manual, tool roll, spare keys, spare tire, jack. – Same owner since 1993, always maintained at Paul Russell’s. Older color change repaint with minor edge chips. The interior is sound but has some discoloration on the trim and hardtop headliner. Clean, organized engine compartment that is better than expected for a car that’s never been restored. A pleasing car in reassuring condition. – The originality and consistent care and attention by a specialist organization are the primary attributes of this 300SL Roadster that distinguish it from counterparts but it brought no premium at all in the final result which is a representative price for its condition. The new owner got a quality car for a moderate price.

Lot # 36 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N WDB2010361F732965; Black/Black leather; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $235,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $258,500. – 2,463/232hp, 5-speed manual, books, tools, spare. – Car 105 of 500 Evolution II models built. Delivered new to Japan. Showing 10,030 km (6,232 miles). Comprehensive service in February 2020 at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in California. The engine bay doesn’t exactly look showroom fresh, but there are no serious signs of age or neglect apparent anywhere on this car. – The Evo II version of the 190E won the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) championship in 1992, and with the fat fender flares and the big wing it’s a refreshingly in-your-face model from Mercedes-Benz. Fans of youngtimer cars love these, and they’re among the most valuable modern Benzes. Given this one’s presentation and low mileage its price was surprisingly modest, especially since Gooding sold another Evo II in Scottsdale this year for $434,000. That one had a lower 7,618 km (4,734 miles) and an optional AMG power pack, but that doesn’t go the whole way in explaining the enormous difference.

Lot # 37 1931 Packard 840 Deluxe Eight Sport Phaeton; S/N 190411; Engine # 190462; Maroon, Dark Maroon fenders and accent/Tan leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $225,000 – $300,000; Older restoration 1- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $180,000. – Vehicle no. 47196. 385/120hp, 3-speed, dual cloth-covered sidemounts with mirrors, chrome spoke wire wheels, wide whitewalls, wind wings, Pilot-Rays, radiator stoneguard, folding rear seat windscreen-side windows, spotlights, full weather equipment, – Concours quality old restoration from the 1970’s that has been maintained in marvelous condition but is showing some paint checking, a few chips, scrapes, water staining and discoloration of the top. Impressive engine compartment with wonderful finishes, even on the exhaust manifold. A car to be owned and driven proudly. – This desirable Packard got little attention during Gooding’s Geared Online auction, advancing to this bid the day before bids closed and attracting not a single bid during the final day. Its restoration’s age is barely apparent and has been carefully preserved by a succession of caring owners, but selling an older restored Classic like this online is not going to be easy under any circumstances, as the lack of interest shown here illustrates.

Lot # 38 1960 Dodge Polara Station Wagon; S/N 6705111160; Cocoa Metallic, Fawn roof/Cocoa; Estimate $40,000 – $55,000; Older restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $93,500. – 383/325hp, pushbutton TorqueFlite automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, dual mirrors, roof rack, factory pushbutton radio, nine-passenger seating. – Some scratches on the column right behind the steering wheel. Good upholstery. Clean engine bay with little use. Some paint flaking off the wheel covers. Some chips and scratches around a few panel edges, and a few cracks here and there. Represented as one of as few as five of these wagons remaining, and less than 1,800 were built in the first place. – Sold well over twice its low estimate, and over twice the $42,900 it brought at the Fall Carlisle sale in 2012. The high bid sat at 35 grand at mid-day on Friday, so things got exciting in the final hours. The price here is extreme and it is a big win for the seller, but if there are indeed just five of these wagons around, this was a unique buying opportunity. There were at least two people who realized just how unique it was; both were deluded in the frenzy of auction competition. This is a seriously extreme result likely to create an acute case of buyer’s remorse.

Lot # 39 1992 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFMN34A4N0090446; Rosso Corsa/Red cloth; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,500,000; Unrestored original 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,480,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,628,000. – 2,936/478hp V8, twin turbo, 5-speed, air conditioning, 5-spoke modular centerlock alloy wheels, Pilot Sport tires, Schedoni fitted luggage, window sticker, owner’s manual, tools, car cover. Assembly no. 08002. Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified. – Stretched cloth upholstery, lightly scuffed driver’s seat bolster. Small splitter chips but otherwise good original paint appropriate to the 4,580 miles. Major service six months ago. One family owned from new and carefully preserved. – One of 213 US-spec F40s with a benign history and even a few miles to show it’s been used at least partially as Ferrari intended, it had an unusual online bidding pattern being bid to $1.42 million with 18 minutes to go and sitting there through extended bidding until it was announced sold at this never before seen bid. Having been bid to well over the low estimate, it reasonably would have been expected to close promptly and there must have been some behind the scenes negotiation going on that never registered on the Gooding & Company online platform. Peculiar, to say the least and a generous but not excessive price for such a well-maintained F40.

Lot # 40 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster; S/N WP0CF2A9XKS172483; Aetna Blue/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $330,000. – 4.0/502hp, 6-speed manual, yellow calipers, carbon fiber interior trim, front axle lift, LED headlights, Bose surround sound stereo. – One owner car showing 252 miles. One of 1948 991 Speedsters built to commemorate the first year of the 356. The color, which looks spectacular, was a nearly $13,000 option. – Essentially a new car except for the fact that, technically, it’s used. The usual laws of depreciation don’t always apply to Porsches, however, and limited production or special order models often get more expensive when they roll off the lot rather than the other way around. The window sticker on this one, for example, reads $304,860.

Lot # 42 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE SII Coupe 2+2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 3739GT; Engine # 3739; Red/Tan leather; Estimate $375,000 – $425,000; Older restoration 2+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $265,000. – 2,953/240hp, Internal No. 340/62E, 4-speed, five chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli tires, full tool roll, jack, Marchal headlights and grille-mounted fog lights, ANSA exhaust, Blaupunkt multiband radio. – Restored with a new body shell. Competently repainted with a few flaws and subsequent scrapes and chips. The upholstery is barely creased and not scuffed. The engine compartment and trunk are like new… or better, as is the underbody and chassis. This is a superbly restored and presented 250 GTE that has not suffered at all in the years since it was restored. – An odd 250 GTE that must have been in a parlous state when the restoration began if it required a complete new body. Bidding was indeterminate with this bid reached the day before closing and sitting without advance in the final day but ending with at least two extensions without a higher bid being posted. The replacement body is a major hurdle which is manifested in the weak final bid even though the car’s presentation is magnificent.

Lot # 44 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Phaeton; S/N 81232465H; Engine # FC3253 (restamped?); Black/Maroon leather; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Older restoration 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $210,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $231,000. – 289/170hp supercharged, 4-speed pre-selector, radio, heater, outside exhaust headpipes, chrome wheels, hubcaps, wide whitewalls. – Blistered and swirled repaint. Flawed chrome. Good upholstery, interior trim, instrument panel and gauges. Re-stamped engine block with the correct number for this chassis. Professionally maintained and cosmetically updated by known specialists. – The lack of A-C-D certification is an issue even though this Cord’s current specification is as it was delivered in 1937. It is a beautiful car, particularly in black which accentuates Gordon Buehrig’s “coffin nose” design, and is a sound value at this price.

Lot # 46 1972 Volvo 1800ES Station Wagon; S/N 1836364; Gold Metallic/Tan vinyl; Estimate $25,000 – $35,000; Recent restoration 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $17,500. – 1986/130hp, automatic, VTO alloy wheels. – Represented as a three-owner car. Taken out of 20 years of storage in 2014 and bought by the consignor, who spent $15,000 recommissioning and detailing the car. There are some chips and scratches in the paint as well as some visible age on some of the trim pieces, but the engine bay looks very clean and the interior shows only light age. A mostly lovely car. – They don’t have much in the way of outright performance, but Volvo 1800s are very usable classics that are comfortable, famously reliable, and lovely to look at, and the last few years have seen them go from entry-level classics to one or two notches above that. The final series ES wagons with their enormous glass tailgate is the prettiest and the most desirable 1800s, but when most vintage Volvo buyers read “3-speed automatic,” they get disappointed. Automatic cars can command around 25 percent less than 4-speed 1800s, so the reported high bid on this otherwise charming car feels about right.

Lot # 47 2003 Ferrari Enzo Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFCW56AX30134948; Argento Nürburgring/Tan leather; Estimate $2,200,000 – $2,600,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $2,140,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,354,000. – 5999cc/660hp, paddle shift 6-speed, black calipers, SF shields, air conditioning, red tach face, tool kit, wheel socket, luggage, car cover, owner’s manual, window sticker. – Showing 7,130 miles, one family owned from new and showing careful preservation. Engine-out serviced this year. despite the 7,130 miles it is unblemished, essentially like new and can be used with some confidence without worrying about adding miles to the odometer. Ferrari Classiche certification applied for. – A rare Enzo not finished in red and a single owner history of consistent Ferrari specialist maintenance makes this a particular value. The MSRP with Gas Guzzler and Destination charges was $652,830 but $2.3 million is appropriate today, even with 7,130 miles. The online bidding was busy and extended several times before reaching this realistic result.

Lot # 48 1949 MG TC Roadster; S/N 10119EXU; Engine # XPAG10791; Black/Tan leather; Tan top; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $22,500. – 1250/54hp, 4-speed manual, wire wheels, single driving light, rear-mounted spare, badge bar, wood dash, banjo steering wheel, single wing mirror on passenger’s side. – Late production TC. Matching numbers. Dull brightwork. Hammer marks on the wheel lobes. Rip along one of the seams in the passenger’s seat. Paint coming off the panel on the dash that houses the gauges. Paint flaws in the top frame. Some cracks and scratches throughout. Not much history. A presentable, casual driver. – And the reported high bid was casual driver money. This TC should have changed hands.

Lot # 49 2008 Spyker C8 Laviolette Coupe; S/N XL9BA11G68Z363182; Black Olive Green/Saddle leather; Estimate $350,000 – $450,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $360,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $396,000. – 4.2-liter Audi V-8, 6-speed manual, factory fitted luggage, books, two steering wheels. – One of 58 Laviolettes built. Represented with 45 miles from new. Sold new in Belgium, then got a full service by a Spyker specialist in the Netherlands before coming to the U.S. – Spykers are neither the prettiest nor the fastest cars for the money, but they’re packed with cool little details and the craftsmanship is undeniable, so they’re beautiful in their own special way. Eccentric cars don’t always become collectible cars, but these Dutch oddballs have a following and they tend to trade for a little bit above their original base price. This one sold strongly thanks to its low odometer reading and rare (but attractive) color.

Lot # 52 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, Body by LeTourneur & Marchand; S/N 57644; Engine # 470; Green, Light Green sweep panel/Green leather; Green cloth top; Estimate $1,300,000 – $1,600,000; Modified restoration 1- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,040,000. – RHD. 3,257/223hp supercharged DOHC eight, 4-speed, Scintilla headlights, Marchal fog lights, skirts, body color wheel discs, trafficators. – A third series Type 57, it benefits from a stiffer frame, flexible engine mounts and hydraulic brakes. Owned for almost seven decades by Rudi van Daalen Wetters and his wife Ria. Restored by Scott Sargent and Chris Leydon, a 2018 class award winner at Pebble Beach. Represented as the original chassis, coachwork and something called “important matching-numbers components”. The replica supercharger was added during its recent restoration. Despite some tours with minor edge chips and scuffs and an odometer reading of 1,443 km it is crisp, bright and nearly unblemished with a laudable engine compartment. The coachwork with its teardrop fenders, rear wheel skirts and rear deck spline, is beautiful – There was almost no bidding on this very pretty open bodied Type 57 which sat at $620,000 with almost half an hour to go, then jumped to $920,000 and then to this final bid without stopping in between. Offered on the Gooding website after the auction closed with an asking price of $1.3 million, neither that number nor the reported high bid are unreasonable for this attractive and rare Bugatti.

Lot # 56 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB 6C Berlinetta Long nose, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 08921; Engine # 08921; White/Tan leather; Estimate $2,750,000 – $3,250,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,800,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,080,000. – 3,286/280hp, 6×2 Weber carbs, 5-speed, steel body, external fuel filler, Marchal fog lights, centerlock alloy wheels (wire wheels included), torque tube, covered headlights, console-mounted Jaeger chronometer, Blaupunkt multiband radio, tool roll, books, jack. Internal No. 634/64 – Old partial repaint with some cracks and crazing, curb rashed wheels, thin, scuffed trim chrome. Sound but soiled and faded original upholstery. Tidy engine compartment showing age and some fuel staining and oil mist residue. Never fully restored and delivered with the 6-carburetor intake and external fuel filler it has today, this is a quality car of exceptional provenance. – Even with the 6-carb engine and external fuel filler this 275 GTB brought a big premium for originality and, perhaps, the fact it’s never been painted red. Bid to $2.42 million at the start of bidding on closing day, it proceeded in an orderly fashion to this result that should make both the buyer and the seller content.

Lot # 57 2015 VLF Force 1 Coupe; S/N 1C3ADEAZ0FV510318; Midnight Blue, Bare carbon roof/Black, Red leather; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $220,000. – 8.4/745hp V-10, 6-speed manual. – Represented as a one-owner car with 1370 miles. – A joint venture started in 2016 between Gilbert Villareal, Bob Lutz and Henrik Fisker, VLF hasn’t done much other than a contract-built H1 Humvee and the Destino sedan, which is essentially an old Fisker Karma with a cleaner face and an LS9 under the hood. The “Force 1,” though, was VLF’s most serious car. It rides on a Viper platform, but it’s a little more than a Viper in a fancy suit. The body is carbon fiber, the suspension is active and the V-10 churns out 745 horsepower, 145 more than a standard Viper. VLF announced a 50-car production run for the Force 1 at a price of $268,500, but according to Gooding & Company only five cars were completed. The market for bizarre cars like this is hard to gauge. On one hand, it’s undeniably rare, fast, and exotic. On the other hand, it’s not exactly the prettiest thing on four wheels and nobody has ever heard of VLF. The reported high bid, which isn’t that far off from the Force 1’s original advertised price, seems right.

Lot # 59 1978 Porsche 928 Coupe; S/N 9288200241; Engine # 9288200241; Silver Metallic/Black leather, cloth; Estimate $110,000 – $130,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $83,000. – 4,474/219hp, 5-speed manual, Pirelli tires, Blaupunkt radio, books, tools, spare. – First-year 928 with the very desirable 5-speed. Fully restored from 2015-18 to the tune of over 100 grand, and still looks both fresh and gorgeous. – Although 928s have appreciated substantially in recent years, it’s still rare to see one get such a thorough and expensive restoration. The reported high bid is well short of the $110,000 low estimate, but it’s also well beyond the top of the market even for first-year cars, which are worth a few grand more than similar 1979-82 cars. For reference, Bonhams sold another very good 1978 928 in Scottsdale this year for $75,040 and the consignor should have given more serious consideration to the reported high bid for this one.

Lot # 60 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce Spider, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N AR149505063; Engine # AR131531917; Red/Black vinyl; Black cloth top; Estimate $120,000 – $140,000; Older restoration 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $110,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $121,000. – 1,290/90hp, dual 40DCOE3 Webers, 5-speed, silver steel wheels, hubcaps, Pirelli tires, halogen headlights, – Represented as the matching numbers engine. Very good older paint, chrome and interior. There are small inclusions in the paint by the windshield, some faint orange peel and a few tiny chips and flaws. The engine compartment is restored and orderly but showing age and use. Once a show winner, now a superb driver. – Offered by Worldwide at Pacific Grove in 2018 where it was reported bid to $110,000, the same price it brought here at Gooding’s Geared Online sale in orderly bidding that opened on August 7 at $110,000, exactly where it closed without drama.

Lot # 61 1971 Porsche 911 ST Coupe; S/N 9111300647; Light Ivory, Black/Black leatherette, cloth; Estimate $950,000 – $1,250,000; Recent restoration 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $630,000. – 5-speed manual, rear fender flares, 40-percent locking diff, roll bar, CB radio, skid plates, dual spares, auxiliary lighting, timing equipment, Fuchs wheels. – One of the five factory 911 rally cars prepared for the 1971 East African Safari Rally, although this was one of the two cars Porsche used as trainingwagens, or practice cars for the factory drivers prior to the event. The best-placed Porsche in the event finished fifth behind two Datsun 240Zs, a Peugeot 504 and a Ford Escort. Since restored to its 1971 livery. No serious flaws visible, but more important than its condition is its history. – This car was a $280,000 no-sale at Christie’s Monterey in 2006, but the Porsche market is a lot different these days and Gooding expecting much closer to seven figures for it in 2020. The bidders didn’t quite agree, but the reported high bid is a reasonable balance between the fact that this is a restored factory 911 racer and the fact that it was just a practice car. Naturally, one of the 911s actually used in the rally would be worth quite a bit more. This lackluster result should contribute to re-setting the consignor’s expectations.

Lot # 62 1934 Duesenberg Model J Town Car, Body by Murphy; S/N 2531; Engine # J-295; Black, Silver beltline, Black leather padded roof/Black leather, Grey broadcloth; Estimate $950,000 – $1,250,000; Concours restoration 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $920,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,012,000. – 420/265hp, 3-speed, chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual sidemounts with mirrors, single Pilot-Ray, rigid chauffeur’s tendelet, no luggage rack, jump seats, sliding division window with intercom. Firewall No. 2531. A-C-D Category 1 certified. – Gorgeous Art Deco rear compartment woodwork and fittings. First owned by Ethel Dorrance, widow of Campbell’s Soup owner John Dorrance, one of six similar Murphy bodies on the long wheelbase Duesenberg chassis. Restored in the early 90’s, displayed at Pebble Beach in 1990 and 2010. Still nearly impeccable in appearance although with some deterioration of the paint and a few scratches and scrapes. The engine compartment is nearly flawless and remarkable for the restoration’s age. – RM offered this Duesenberg at Arizona in 2016 where it was reported bid to $1,025,000. The bidding here in Geared Online was as stately as the car, opening the final day at $780,000 and progressing steadily to the final successful bid without drama or extensions. The price is, if anything, a solid value for a Model J that today is just as it was when it left Indianapolis: same chassis, body, driveline and firewall.

Lot # 63 2005 Ferrari Superamerica Convertible, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFGT61A350144232; Grigio Silverstone/Natural leather; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original 2 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $250,000. – 5,748cc/540hp, 6-speed automanual, red calipers, 5-spoke modular alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, GTC handling package, Daytona-style seats, yellow tach face, Becker Silverstone CD-changer stereo, climate control, original ($339,369) window sticker documented, books, tools, accessories and service records. – Four owners from new and showing 4,792 miles. Like new. – The bidders knew what they wanted to pay for this Superamerica which opened on closing day at $245,000 and attracted only one subsequent bid. The seller wasn’t swayed by such determination, but that may prove to be optimistic.

Lot # 65 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 14635; Black/Beige leather, Black bars; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $460,000. – 4,390/352hp, 5-speed, painted nose panel, popup lights, power windows, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels (Cromodora alloy wheels included), Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, Veglia air conditioning, Marelli ignition modules, tool roll, jack, owner’s manual, – Flawed old color change repaint from Copper Metallic with edge chips and polishing swirl. Sound but scuffed chrome. Worn, creased and lightly soiled original upholstery. Good gauges and switchgear. Very good, orderly engine compartment with minimal seepage. A credible driver-quality Daytona. – This is a desirable Daytona, but the bidding was steady and showed no tendency at all to getting any higher than this. There was a bid extension but no higher bid was ever displayed and the result would seem to show that there was some offline negotiation going on with the consignor and/or the high bidder(s). It would be spectacular in Copper Metallic, but it is menacing in black and it could have been sold with minimal regret for the reported high bid.

Lot # 70 1970 Ferrari 365 GT Coupe 2+2, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 12665; Engine # 12665; Black/Black leather; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Visually maintained, largely original 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $160,000. – 4,390/320hp, 5-speed, five chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Ansa exhaust, power windows, Becker Mexico cassette stereo – Lightly creased and slightly worn but sound original upholstery. Flat panels, flush fits and even gaps. Sound older paint with many flaws and some edge chips. Scuffed old chrome. Good engine compartment. Needs nothing to be driven and enjoyed, but needs a lot to be shown. – Bidding opened August 7 at $150,000, advanced to $160,000 with many minutes to go and that’s where it stuck. If it had bought the car, or even buying it at the low estimate, the value would have been good.

Lot # 72 1995 Ferrari F50 Berlinetta, S/N ZFFTG46A6S0104755; Argento Nürburgring/Black leather, Red cloth inserts; Estimate $2,200,000 – $2,600,000; Visually maintained, largely original 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,940,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,134,000. – 4,699/513hp, 6-speed, SF shields, air conditioning, Assembly No. 21839, sequence 095/349. – Repainted from the original Rosso Corsa with a few small defects and chips. The interior is very good although some of the materials are faded. The engine compartment is like new. There are 113 photos, but none show the dash top which in a Texas car is susceptible to fading and shrinkage. The odometer shows 10,116 miles, for an F50 a fairly high number. – And it looks good in Argento Nürburgring, which seems to have brought a modest premium considering the higher-than-negligible mileage. The attraction is obvious in the bidding which started August 7 at $1,620,000 and proceeded through several rapid extensions in some of the online auction’s most active bidding to this entirely appropriate result.

Lot # 76 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe; S/N 1980405500457; Engine # 1989805500508; Fire Engine Red/Gray leather; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,400,000; Visually maintained, largely original 4+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,060,000. – 2996/240hp, 4-speed manual, Rudge wheels, original tool kit. – Represented as matching numbers. Sold new in California, where a worker on the Golden Gate Bridge spilled some paint on the car, which required a repaint paid for by the city. Otherwise the car is factory original, although it has sat for many years. The engine reportedly runs but the car needs sorting before serious use. The interior is complete and presentable but there are cracks in the steering wheel rim and the original leather has several large tears. Old paint with a long scratch on the nose. Several blisters and cracks. Imperfect masking around the windows. Dry weather stripping. The upholstery below the rear window is coming loose. Discolored headliner. There aren’t many unrestored 300SLs left out there. This one is complete, has the desirable factory Rudge wheels and would be a rewarding (but expensive) project. – Buying a seven-figure project car over the internet takes some bravery, but this car was documented and honestly represented. The premium for originality represented in this reported high bid wasn’t huge but it was there, and it wasn’t far off from Gooding’s $1.2M low estimate, but it is a restoration project and it isn’t going to get the restoration it needs for the difference between the $1,166,000 it would have cost with buyer’s commission and its concours quality restoration value. The seller would have been well-advised to take the money and run, a fact the bidders reinforced when they added only one $20,000 bump to the standing bid on the morning of closing.

Tags: ,
Previous Post
Next Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *