RM Sotheby’s, Amelia Island, March 6-7, 2020

The End of the Beginning

We didn’t know it at the time, but RM’s last session of its two-day Amelia Island auction at the Ritz Carlton marked the beginning of the end of live collector car auctions in 2020, at least until the so-called novel coronavirus (designated “2019-nCoV” by the WHO, distinct from the acute respiratory disease it causes which is called “COVID-19”) subsides, infects everyone or is counteracted by a vaccine. Mecum’s sale in Glendale, Arizona March 11-14 was all that remained.

RM had assembled a large consignment, typical of their now well-established Amelia Island auction, with a mix of new, old and unusual cars. Seven had been built before the U.S. entered the First World War, a further 35 were built before Pearl Harbor, and 26 were built after the turn of the century (this century, that is, not the last one; us old folks think “turn of the century” means 1901.)

Other than a few outliers at both ends of the “market” scale, the vast majority of results were consistent with recent transactions, as is the distribution of sale prices against their pre-sale estimate ranges.

At the auction’s conclusion Saturday afternoon everyone headed out. Some dressed for the Concours dinner, others crowded the Ritz Carlton’s lobby bar, some headed into Fernandina Beach for a leisurely dinner on a lovely north Florida evening. No one evidenced much concern about 2019-nCoV’s effects. More were concerned with setting clocks ahead an hour in order to get onto the Concours field in time to greet friends, have a Hagerty donut and see the very special display of Roger Penske’s cars before the gates opened.

That would all change in a week, but to quote Jim Weed in Ferrari Market Letter, “if [Amelia Island] is the last one this year, at least it was the best one to attend.”

Here are the numbers:

Year	Cars Sold/ Offered	Sale %	Sold < Low Est	Sold > High Est	Average Sale	Median Sale	Total $
2020	135/146	92.5%	66.7%	9.6%	$262,789	$145,600 [55.4%]	$35,476,500
2019	117/141	93%	61.5%	12.8%	$325,219	$173,600 [53.4%]	$38,050,640
2018	87/102	85.3%	64%	10.5%	$308,031	$173,600 [56.4%]	$26,798,720
2017	135/150	90%	51.1%	11.9%	$528,701	$286,000 [54.1%]	$71,374,600

On-site observations are by Rick Carey and Andrew Newton. Megan Boyd was there and concentrated on Pre-WWII cars; the report will be updated later with her contributions.

55 of the 146 cars on the docket are reported; they are sorted by Marque, Model and Year.

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Lot # 139 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Coupe; S/N ZARJA181280039694; Metallic Red/Black leather; Estimate $280,000 – $320,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $241,071 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $270,000. – 4,691cc/450hp V8, paddle shift 6-speed, telephone dial alloy wheels, Red calipers, carbon fiber interior trim, PZero tires, fitted luggage, window sticker documented. – 3,650 miles and like new. – Just over $300,000 when new (without options), this 8C Competizione was sold by Auctions America at Santa Monica in 2016 for $319,000 and the price it brought here is almost exactly the $250,000 that Gooding & Company got for a 900-mile 8C Competizione earlier today. It’s hard to beat that kind of consistency.

Lot # 134 1952 Allard J2X Roadster; S/N J2X3062; Red/Tan; Estimate $375,000 – $425,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 11.67%; Final Price $335,000. – Cadillac V8, log intake with six Strombergs, 3-speed, 4-spoke Bluemels steering wheel, chrome wire wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, dual sidemounts with mirrors, cycle fenders, chrome headlights with stoneguards, chrome driver’s roll bar, dual aeroscreens. – Cadillac engine installed during restoration. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. The seats show some miles. Crisp, bright gauges and engine turned dashboard. The underbody is better than new. Freshly restored and flawless. – This is a beautiful, meticulously restored J2X with all the right stuff and it is a sound value at this price while also being fair to the seller.

Lot # 149 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III Coupe; S/N AM30031518; Engine # DBA1312; Cardinal Grey/Carmine leather; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $320,000 plus commission of 11.56%; Final Price $357,000. – Silver painted wire wheels, Dunlop Road Speed RS5 bias ply tires, woodrim steering wheel with finger buttons. – Restored to showroom condition by RM for Edward Herrmann. First owned by David Brown Industries, perhaps fitted with a high performance engine before its first private sale to Carroll Shelby, winner of the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours driving for Aston Martin. Excellent paint, surface creased upholstery, bright chrome. Impossible to fault. – Sold by RM at Arizona in 2002 from Ed Hermann’s collection and fresh from restoration, it has held up remarkably well and is still impeccable, just worth four times as much and earning a healthy premium for its double-celebrity ownership.

Lot # 135 1993 Aston Martin V8 Virage Volante Convertible; S/N SCFDAM2C0PBL60074; Suffolk Red/Parchment leather piped in Red; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $130,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $145,600. – 5340/330hp, automatic, “wide body”, OZ Racing wheels, fog lights, Goodyear Eagle tires, automatic, Alpine CD stereo, power windows, rear spoiler. – Ordered new by Georges Marciano, who founded Guess Jeans. Represented with two owners since new and showing just 4,702 miles. Reportedly one of just 20 Virage Volantes originally sold in America. Some long cracks in the bottom front lip. Otherwise really good, clear original paint. Clean wheels, and they’re enormous. Light wear and discoloration on the seats and the shifter looks tired, so the interior presents a little older than the mileage would suggest. Nevertheless lightly aged and barely driven. – Although RM’s catalog stated “The current owner purchased the Virage in June 1997”, they reported it sold in Monterey last year where it flew way under the radar at a bargain price of $95,200 (against a $175,000 estimate). It has done just 7 miles since then, and the result in Amelia is more realistic to the car’s rarity and preservation.

Lot # 251 1927 Bugatti Type 38A Grand Sport; S/N 38470; Engine # 209; Burgundy/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $320,000. – RHD. Cycle fenders, Black wire wheels, Michelin tires, Marchal headlights, single sidemount. – Reportedly sold by Paul McInnis from Terry Bennett’s collection in 1991 as a short chassis GP car. Restored in 1993 by Donald Koleman’s Competition Motors in its original configuration with this body reproducing the original coachwork and fitted with a reproduction supercharger. Very good paint and brightwork. Good lightly worn upholstery. The engine and chassis have some age and oily mist but are orderly. Looks like a 3 month old car with cosmetics that are better than Molsheim ever did which is quite remarkable considering the restoration’s age. – There’s a bit of a catch. I was at the 1991 Terry Bennett auction and the only T38 there had number 38275. It was, however, characterized as the “engine number” which well could be the engine no. 209 in this car, taken from chassis 38275, perhaps? In any event, this is a quality car with lovely Bugatti-style 4-seat coachwork and enough power to keep up with traffic. The reported high bid was appropriate for it and its history.

Lot # 241 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, Body by A. d’Ieteren; S/N 57589; Black, Maroon sides/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,500,000 plus commission of 10.33%; Final Price $1,655,000. – RHD. Wheel discs, Michelin tires, Scintilla headlights, Bosch fog lights, unrestored luggage – Beautiful coachwork with teardrop fenders, long tapered tail and lightly finned rear fenders with a matching center spline. Excellent paint, chrome, interior and top. Beautiful interior woodwork. The engine compartment and chassis are like new. Donnie Gould says it runs, drives, handles and stops flawlessly. There is nothing to criticize at all, and this for a car that apparently has never been fully restored. – Sublime 3-seat coachwork by Albert d’Ieteren in beautiful colors and with an extensive history by historian Pierre-Yves Laugier, owned by Fauvist painter Andre Derain 1952 until his untimely death in 1954. Gorgeous with the top up or down. This result is not at all expensive for the beauty and quality of this Bugatti.

Lot # 260 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Cabriolet, Body by Gangloff; S/N 57834; Engine # 103C; Black/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $800,000 – $950,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $720,000 plus commission of 10.69%; Final Price $797,000. – RHD. 3,257cc/160hp supercharged inline eight, chrome wire wheels, Michelin tires, Cibie headlights, Bosch fog light, cowl-mounted semaphore signals, hydraulic brakes. – Restored for Keith Crain by Brian Joseph’s Classic & Exotic Service in 2007. Very good chrome, paint, interior and top. The upholstery shows no wear at all and the interior woodwork is unblemished. The engine and chassis are like new. A gorgeous Stelvio. – As 57C Stelvio prices have gone in recent years this is a realistic result that reflects the caliber of the car and the staying power of its restoration.

Lot # 274 1931 Cadillac 355-A V-8 Convertible Coupe, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 810655; Engine # 810590; Beige, Caramel fenders and accents/Brown leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $84,000. – Orange wire wheels, wide whitewalls, metal luggage trunk, rumble seat, golf bag door, dual cloth covered sidemounts with mirrors, Trippe lights, Depress Beam headlights, headlight stoneguards. – An unusual 355-A V8 with Fleetwood coachwork. 1992 AACA National First Prize and Senior, 2004 AACA Grand National winner. Not fresh but well-maintained. The muted colors date the restoration. There is a developing crack on the driver’s seat back but the rest of the interior is sound and presentable. – Despite the butterscotch paint job this is a handsome and desirable ’31 Cadillac Convertible. It could have brought more, but the muddy colors held it back and this is reasonable for its condition and presentation.

Lot # 270 1930 Cadillac 452 V-16 All-Weather Phaeton, Body by Fleetwood; S/N Engine No. 700503; Engine # 700503; Black, Carmine accents/Black leather Black cloth; Estimate $225,000 – $275,000; Older restoration, 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $178,571 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $200,000. – Carmine wire wheels, dual sidemounts with mirrors, wide whitewalls, luggage rack, rollup division window, Tilt-Ray headlights, Cadillac branded Trippe lights, radiator stoneguard, Cadillac build sheet documented. – CCCA National First Prize # 2210, and Senior, Cadillac LaSalle Senior, class winner at Amelia in 2017. The cosmetics, engine and chassis are every bit as good as the Amelia class win suggests. – The design of this Cadillac would be better served without the bright Carmine Red hood vents and wheels, but it is still a marvelous example of a concours winning car that deserved every bit of the price it brought in this post-block transaction

Lot # 278 1949 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special Touring Sedan; S/N 496081739; Engine # 496081739; Metallic Burgundy/Burgundy leather, tan cloth; Estimate $40,000 – $50,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $42,000. – 331/160hp, wheel covers, Firestone whitewalls, fender skirts, pushbutton radio, dash clock, power steering, 12-volt electrics, added air conditioning. – Restored in the late 1990s and consistently maintained since. Formerly in the Wayne Davis collection. Solid older paint and chrome, although the paint looks like it has more metal flake in it than would have come from the factory. Slightly uneven panel fit. Excellent interior with no wear to speak of. Very clean underneath. It’s rare to see a four-door this beautiful and well prepared. – Sold out of the Art Astor collection in 2008 for $88,000, at RM Monterey in 2010 for $49,500, here in 2012 for $52,250 and at Worldwide’s Dallas auction in 2017 for $37,400. It’s safe to say that a few years ownership of this Cadillac (the first year for the overhead valve V8) is enough and it brought a healthy price here at Amelia.

Lot # 222 1949 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet, Body by Chapron; S/N 801355; Engine # 801355; Light Green/Brown leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $350,000 – $450,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $215,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $240,800. – 3,557cc/115hp, triple carburetors, wire wheels, wide whitewalls, landau bars, Cotal pre-selector transmission, dual wing mirrors, Marchal driving lights, wood dash and window trim, dash clock, original radio, suicide doors. – In the same collection since 1972. Recent cosmetic restoration with gorgeous paint and a brand new top. The chrome looks a little older. A few minor flaws in the wood and very light wrinkling in the leather. Older restored underneath. Light pitting on the wheels that is only visible up close. Not a concours winner, but a CCCA Full Classic (TM) that is still gorgeous and good enough to win a Lion Award at Meadow Brook in 2018 – A fascinating history since the 1970’s with the Nagler family in Detroit and obviously from the care and frequent attention it has received, a car that has never been neglected or mistreated. It is, however, a good looking driver-quality 135M with attractive but common Chapron coachwork and the result here is realistic.

Lot # 263 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe, Body by Murphy; S/N 2167; Engine # J-143; Green/Tan leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,800,000; Older restoration, 1- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,025,000 plus commission of 10.49%; Final Price $1,132,500. – Chrome wire wheels, Lester tires, dual sidemounts with mirrors, luggage rack, rumble seat, Twilite headlights. – First owned by Jake “The Barber” Factor, an accomplished swindler who ended up running the Stardust casino in Las Vegas during the mob era. Restored by Joe Kaufmann with the engine from J-174 (but retaining the original bellhousing). Restored for S. Ray Miller by LaVine Restorations in 1995. CCCA National First Prize #1940 and Senior, Class 2nd at Pebble Beach in 2006. Good older paint, chrome, interior and top. Restored long ago and sparingly used since while being consistently maintained. The chassis has a little lubrication weeping and a touch of road dirt but is still remarkably clean and presentable. Keith Crain Collection. – Sold for $880,000 to Keith Crain at RM’s auction of the S. Ray Miller collection in 2004. Sparingly used and superbly maintained since then, it is in pretty much every way as good now as it was sixteen years ago, just a little bit older. Its lovely Murphy coachwork and crisp presentation brought it a healthy but fully deserved price here at Amelia Island.

Lot # 243 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 2587; Grigio Fumo/Beige leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,400,000 – $1,700,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,225,000 plus commission of 10.41%; Final Price $1,352,500. – Marchal headlights, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli tires, Ferrari Classiche certified, owner’s manual, tool roll – Represented as the original drivetrain. Excellent clearcoat paint, brilliant chrome, inviting barely used upholstery. The carpets have some soiling, mostly covered by newer floor mats. The fender wells are undercoated, the frame and chassis are restored like new. – Between taking the catalog photos with 56,303 miles and presenting this Cab II on the Ritz lawn with 56,609 miles someone put over 300 miles on it, exercise that it probably hadn’t had in a decade but which its gorgeous presentation and originality deserved to be experienced. This is a spot-on result for its condition.

Lot # 236 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 5183 GT; Engine # 5183; Dark Blue/Beige leather; Estimate $1,300,000 – $1,600,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,450,000 plus commission of 10.34%; Final Price $1,600,000. – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli tires, Marchal headlights and fog lights, tool kit, owner’s manual. – Represented as the original engine, internal number 1620 62. Excellent fresh clearcoat paint, bright chrome, fresh, tight leather. The engine compartment and chassis are restored like new. Restored by Bob Smith Coachworks in the naughts in the present livery, Platinum at Cavallino in 2009, again in 2019 after some corrections and freshening and about as good as it gets. – Lussos have been up and down but they are one of the most beautiful of all Ferraris, an artful blending of the aggressive design of the Superfast and its counterparts with the more elemental and conservative 250 GT thread. 5183 GT is an exceptional example restored and presented to consummate (and really expensive) concours standards. It is impossible to fault in any meaningful way and the successful bid settled right in the middle of RM’s pre-sale estimate range. In other words, at a time when the low estimate is settled as a high boundary the bidders blew right through it by fifteen percent, and the Lusso deserved every dollar of their enthusiasm.

Lot # 161 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’ Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 19397; Rosso Chiaro/Beige leather, Black stripes; Estimate $150,000 – $180,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $147,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $165,200. – 5-spoke alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Borletti air conditioning, power windows, original tools and manuals. – Very good paint and interior. Engine compartment is like new. Cosmetically restored in the 90’s and meticulously maintained since, it presents like a fully restored car but has only 12,403 miles from new. – Sold by Gooding at Pebble Beach in 2015 for $247,500 showing 12,211 original miles, it was sold in 2017 from the Ming Collection by RM at Monterey for $192,500 with 12,342 miles all the while being in pretty much exactly the same condition. Although the early fiberglass bodied 308 GTBs are lighter than their later steel bodied counterparts and much more rare (712 built) its auction history is not encouraging and reflects a declining assessment among collectors of their desirability. This is a realistic result in 2020.

Lot # 156 2004 Ferrari 360 Spider; S/N ZFFYT53A240138805; Red/Beige leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $117,600. – 5-spoke modular alloy wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, Red calipers, SF shields, paddle shift. – 392 miles and showroom fresh. – Originality and low miles are valued attributes. This 360 Spider has both but neither are reflected in any significant degree in this result. It could have had 9,607 more miles, i.e., under 10,000 total, in the same original unmolested condition and brought this much without being expensive. It is a brag-worthy acquisition in this transaction.

Lot # 249 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N 16109; Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $500,000 – $575,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $450,000 plus commission of 11.11%; Final Price $500,000. – Campagnolo alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Ansa exhaust, Simpson lap belts, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, factory air conditioning, power windows, later Alpine cassette stereo, Marelli ignition modules. – Fully restored in the 1990s and 8,000 miles ago, represented here as 48,985 miles from new. Very good paint other than a chip at the back edge of the hood, two more small ones at the back edge of the passenger’s side door and at the corner of the left headlight door. Lightly scratched window frames. Very light wear to the steering wheel and seats but otherwise very good interior. Lightly used but tidy underneath, but the engine compartment is getting grimy and desperately needs a thorough detailing. Well restored in the first place but showing its age and consistent neglect. It will be a 3+ soon. – This is a legendary Daytona, not because of any remarkable history but on account of its long auction history at Mecum Auctions. It’s been recorded some 14 times, but never sold, beginning in 2016 when it appeared at Kissimmee where it was reported bid to $800,000. It’s gone from there to Monterey to Dallas to Kissimmee to Houston to Indy to Las Vegas. It took a detour to the Hollywood Wheels auction here at Amelia in 2018, then on to Mecum Kissimmee, Monterey, Chicago, Kissimmee again and Glendale, AZ almost a year ago before going into remission until it appeared here. Its last reported Mecum bid at Glendale was $575,000 and it has accurately traced the decline of Daytona values for four years as the consignor chased Daytona values down while adding 214 miles (accumulated largely by Mecum Transport drivers going on and off auction fields) never catching up until today. This is a sad end for a decent but shopworn Daytona. Overexposed doesn’t nearly describe 16109. It’s a relief to see it sold, a car that doesn’t deserve its treatment as the poster-child for declining Daytona values. And it’s actually a solid value in this transaction.

Lot # 142 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFJA09B000052817; Rosso Cina/Tan leather, Black bars; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $225,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $252,000. – Pioneer cassette stereo, Borletti air conditioning, centerlock alloy wheels, Michelin TRX tires, power windows. – Odd protective channel over the side window frame and around the nose in the groove normally painted black. Good polishing swirled repaint, outie dinged over the right front wheel with some fly specs for character. Engine out serviced in 2017 with new TRX tires. Not as good as it should be. – The seller should be quite content with this result, a reasonable price for a quality car but one with material flaws and odd features.

Lot # 154 1993 Ferrari 512 TR Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina-Scaglietti; S/N ZFFLG40A8P0096223; Engine # 33538; Red/Tan leather; Estimate $150,000 – $200,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $205,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $229,600. – 5-spoke alloy wheels, PZero tires, power windows, air conditioning, Assembly No. 13179, Ferrari Classiche certified. – 10,094 miles. Very good original paint and barely broken in driver’s seat. The engine compartment is as-built and showing age on the bare castings. Late 2018 engine-out belt service including a new exhaust system, fuel system cleaning and new fuel pumps and A/C service. – Sold by Mecum at Kissimmee in 2014 for $113,400 with 9,816 miles having added just 278 miles to the odometer in the last six years. This 512 TR would have been no bargain at the low estimate and why it brought a 1/3 premium at the hammer bid is difficult to comprehend. It is one of few cars at Amelia this year to have a successful hammer bid over the high estimate, an exceptional result not supported by its presentation.

Lot # 265 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina Roadster, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFZR52B000121680; Red/Black leather; Estimate $425,000 – $475,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $380,000 plus commission of 11.32%; Final Price $423,000. – 5-spoke modular alloy wheels, PZero tires, 6-speed, Ferrari stereo, carbon fiber console and shift knob, SF shields, air conditioning, custom helmets and a German-designed soft top. – One owner and 3,053 miles like new except for a curiously deteriorated fabric cover on the driveshaft hump that looks like it’s had its surface eaten by worms. Prototype 001 of 448. – This is an intriguing 550 Barchetta, not only the prototype shown at the Geneva Motor Show but also enhanced by a top that can be driven in rain and snow at over the 60mph (100kph) of the factory handkerchief soft top. [Imagine driving down the Autostrada in a blinding rain storm at 100kph in a 550 Barchetta being passed left, right and center by Scania trucks and Fiat 500s: mortifying.] The result here is a meaningful premium for this 550 Barchetta’s status as the Geneva Show car and its high performance top.

Lot # 145 2003 Ferrari 575M Maranello Berlinetta; S/N ZFFBV55A730133420; Grigio Ingrid/Cognac leather; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $97,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $109,200. – Paddle shift, alloy wheels, Potenza tires, all the bells and whistles. Assembly No. 133420 – Rare Grigio Ingrid paint. A handful of chips on the nose and mirrors but mostly very good paint. Very good interior. Not perfect and could be better given the 6,129 miles represented, but a pretty car. – Sold at Mecum Monterey in 2015 for $110,000, then at Bonhams Scottsdale in 2019 with about 200 fewer miles than it shows today for $112,000. The history is remarkably consistent and only the auctions are making money on this 575M nor is anyone getting any driving enjoyment out of it.

Lot # 127 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO Berlinetta; S/N ZFF70RCA2B0177175; Rosso Corsa, Metallic Grey roof/Black leather; Estimate $525,000 – $625,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $510,000 plus commission of 10.98%; Final Price $566,000. – Matte Grey alloy wheels, silver calipers, carbon ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot tires, rear parking sensors, SF shields, carbon fiber splitter, side skirts, rear facia and interior trim, Ferrari Classiche certified. – Two owners, 1,330 miles and still like new. – Sticker was $410,000 + $25,000 in options = $435,000 and the result here at nine years old and with only [sic] 670hp is a rather startlingly strong result. The “GTO” name may be working its magic, but this isn’t the 250 GTO of generations ago. This is a powerful, comfortable, luxuriously equipped road car with no competition creds at all.

Lot # 146 2003 Ferrari Enzo Berlinetta; S/N ZFFCW56A530132654; Rosso Corsa/Red leather; Estimate $2,750,000 – $3,000,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,525,000 plus commission of 10.20%; Final Price $2,782,500. – Black calipers, carbon ceramic brakes, SF shields, Tubi Extreme exhaust (factory exhaust system included), documents, books and records. – <1,700 miles and like new. Lingenfelter Collection. – Not represented as Ferrari Classiche certified, but that should be a simple process largely consisting of bolting on the original exhaust system and paying the not-inconsiderable price of having it inspected. Both the low estimate and the reported bid in this transaction are reasonable and Ken Lingenfelter (as usual) wisely converted it to liquid assets in a timely fashion.

Lot # 141 1992 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta; S/N ZFFMN34A3N0092978; Red/Red cloth; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,400,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,000,000. – A/C, polished modular wheels, PZero tires, U.S. spec with catalytic converters, air conditioning, tools, manuals, service records, Ferrari Classiche certified. Assembly #10178. – Repainted but otherwise a sound, lightly used F40 in condition appropriate to the 12,759 miles on the odometer. – The F40, Ferrari’s last analog supercar, is enjoying a resurgence of interest and has been steadily increasing in value over the past few years, a trend that is reflected in the pre-sale estimate range but not in the bidders response to this orderly but visibly aged example. It was sold by Gooding at Pebble Beach in 2015 for $1,375,000 and has added only 42 miles to its odometer to this point. Having largely sat on display in the interim and had one fuel pumps, injectors and spark plug service in September 2019, it is telling that the service included a battery recharge signifying static display for years, something that is not good for any car let alone a Ferrari F40. The bidders weren’t impressed, as they should not have been.

Lot # 121 2006 Ferrari Superamerica Convertible, Body by Scaglietti; S/N ZFFGT61B000146649; Engine # 102314; Rosso Corsa/Beige leather; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $240,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $268,800. – Fiorano package, 5-spoke modular alloy wheels, Bridgestone tires, Daytona style seats, climate control, paddle shift, electrochromic roof, Decker CD stereo, personalized for Paul J. Ostling, red calipers, SF shields, red tach face, Ferrari Classiche Certified. – 8,300 kilometers and remarkably unblemished except for light creasing on the seat bolsters. The Revocromico glass roof panel shows no defects. – This Ferrari is a particularly good value if you’re Paul J. Ostling who is memorialized on the console tag, or after paying this much money even for a nearly like new Superamerica it might be worthwhile to change the new owner’s name to match the console tag. The price is appropriate for condition, equipment and mileage.

Lot # 285 1962 Fiat 600 Jolly Beach Car, Body by Ghia; S/N 100D1207724; Engine # 1000001321095; Coral/Wicker; White top; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $151,200. – 633/29hp, 4-speed, hub caps. – Dull chrome and brightwork. Average quality paint with a handful of chips throughout and a long crack on the driver’s side. Some scuffs in the interior, and the wicker shows noticeable wear. Clean top. A Jolly used for its intended purpose and showing its age, but that takes away little of the charm. – Famously dreamed up by Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli and sold to wealthy customers who had boats or homes on the water, the Fiat Jolly is as much fashion accessory as it is automobile. And it’s an accessory people are willing to pay extreme amounts of money for. Other ones have brought six-figure prices at auction before, but those have generally been fresh from a high-quality over-restoration, not with mediocre paint and chewed up wicker like this one. While not a record result, it’s still very expensive, even by the standards of these adorable status symbols.

Lot # 137 2006 Ford GT Heritage Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S06Y400779; Gulf Blue, Orange/Black; Estimate $475,000 – $550,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $480,000 plus commission of 11.04%; Final Price $533,000. – Heritage livery, BBS wheels, grey calipers, all factory accessories and documents. – 2.6 miles, still factory wrapped, never pre-delivery prepared. – Here’s an interesting, if arcane, factoid: The odometer on a Ford GT doesn’t begin to record miles until the engine is switched on. It can be flat towed from Amelia Island to Seattle and as long as the engine isn’t running it’ll still display 2.6 miles, which is why it was towed dead stick all around the Ritz Carlton grounds this weekend although it did add 0.2 miles between being photographed for the catalog and arriving at the pre-sale preview. Here’s a car destined never to see double digits on its odometer for which a bragging rights premium on the order of $100,000 was paid.

Lot # 254 1970 Iso Grifo GL Series II Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N GL050336; Gunmetal Metallic/Caramel leather; Estimate $500,000 – $550,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $450,000 plus commission of 11.11%; Final Price $500,000. – 350/350hp Chevy, Campagnolo alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, power windows, Becker Europa multiband radio, ZF 5-speedm air conditioning, retracting headlights. – Pre-production Torino Motor Show car (in white) with unique features and possibly used by Piero Rivolta for development. Restored two years ago. Excellent clearcoat paint, fresh, inviting leather and bright chrome. Beautifully restored and show field ready. – Sold by RM here at Amelia in 2017 for $264,000 and subsequently restored to high standards, generous for a 350/350, but appropriate for this car’s history.

Lot # 144 1956 Jaguar D-Type Alloy Replica Sports Racer; S/N 1B54115BW; Dark Green/Dark Green leather; Estimate $125,000 – $175,000; Facsimile restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $125,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $140,000. – RHD. 1965 Jaguar S-Type based, 3,781cc six, 3 Weber carburetors, 4-speed, polished Dunlop Racing centerlock alloy wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, tail fin, wraparound driver’s windscreen, covered passenger’s seat. – Well done and lightly used. Polishing swirled paint, stretched upholstery and a few small nose chips. A quality replica built by Tempero. Museum displayed statically for 25 years and will need comprehensive mechanical recommissioning before being used. – This wouldn’t pay the Buyer’s Premium on a real D-Type, and in that sense is a decent value although the recommissioning bill is going to be expensive. It’s a pretty track day toy for a realistic price.

Lot # 255 1978 Jaguar XJS Group 44 Trans Am Race Car; S/N 7844; Engine # XJS003; White, Green “Quaker State”/Green; Estimate $200,000 – $300,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $185,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $207,200. – Tube frame, Weber carbs, Goodyear slicks, side exhaust, FIA papers, FIVA passport – The ex-Bob Tullius Group 44 Jaguar campaigned in the Trans Am series for the 1978 season. After winning the driver’s championship in 1977 in another XJ-S, Group 44 built up this more purpose-built car with a tube frame, acid-dipped body supplied by Jaguar and a heavily modified V12 that ditched fuel injection in favor of Weber carbs. Tullius won seven races in a row in the car, which was almost always the only Jag in the field against a horde of Corvettes, taking both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships. Today, it’s mechanically restored but still wears its original Quaker State/Group 44 livery. The paint is crazed all over, but it’s presentable and it’s history. There may not be that many actual Jaguar parts under the skin, but it’s nevertheless the world’s coolest XJ-S. – A fast car that isn’t supposed to be fast is always cool, but while this car is one of the winningest Jaguars in the company’s history, it’s still an XJ-S, a car mostly known as the disappointing follow-up to the E-Type. RM sold this car in Monterey back in 2013 for $154,000, and at this price it’s still a good value for the history it represents, not to mention the V12 soundtrack.

Lot # 273 1956 Jaguar XK 140 Drophead Coupe; S/N 819005; Engine # G91328; Pacific Blue/Tan leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $145,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $162,400. – Chrome wire wheels, Vredestein tires, Lucas driving lights, badge bar, fender mirrors, boot cover, tools, books. – Represented as matching numbers block and cylinder head. Originally finished in a lighter Pastel Blue. Sound older paint and chrome. Tidy underneath. Small ding on the right taillight bezel. Lovely interior, fully restored other than the gauges. Both the wood and the leather look great. An older restored 140 Drophead that has enjoyed careful ownership and careful driving. – XK Jags took off at Amelia this week, continuing their recent strength in the marketplace and calling into question some observers’ skeptical view of declining demographics as older collectors age-out of the market. This was a triumphant result for a drophead coupe without Special Equipment (“MC” in the States) but done to high standards and by Amelia Island auctions’ standards it is not an outlier.

Lot # 231 1961 Jaguar XKE SI Flat Floor Coupe; S/N 885065; Engine # R19299; Old English White/Red leather; Estimate $175,000 – $210,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $110,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $123,200. – Chrome wire wheels, Dunlop Road Speed tires, woodrim steering wheel, tools, jack. – Restored in 2012-15. Best in Class at Amelia two years ago along with awards at St. John’s and Hilton Head. Solid chrome with no issues, although there is some rubber hanging loose behind the front bumper and some dirt behind the headlight covers. Lovely paint other than a long but light scratch on the tail. Nearly spotless, showable engine bay. Clean and fully restored interior. A few blemishes and scratches on the door handles. Fully redone but not overrestored, and lightly driven since. – Offered at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast auction in 2017 where it was reported bid to $210,000, its journey to north Florida without reserve proved to be unproductive except for the successful bidder who got a solid numbers-matching early E-Type for ordinary E-Type money.

Lot # 133 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 829AR0001976; Engine # 829A000001248; Blue/Black cloth; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $445,000. – Shiny velour seats, gold Campagnolo alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, electronic ignition. – Four owners from new and represented as matching numbers. Very good paint and fuzzy upholstery. Scraped and dented right sill. Scratched right window. Clean restored underbody but the chassis is dirty and grimy. The engine compartment is clean and orderly but the castings are old and dirty. Cosmetically restored in 2016, mechanically freshened (but not restored) in 2017, a Stratos driver. – Sold by RM in London in 2015 for $468,006 (GBP 308,000, the reported bid here is GBP 342,000) before the cosmetic and mechanical work. It is more than good enough to be driven with pride, but aged enough that it can be exercised without undue concern for the inevitable chips and drips that come from use. The reported high bid here is skimpy but not unreasonable.

Lot # 233 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr Convertible Sedan; S/N 86H62727; Bottle Green/Tan leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $50,400. – Hubcaps, wide whitewalls, radio, skirts, – Restored by Hibernia years ago and now with fair paint, interior and top. Bright chrome. The chassis is restored like new. Runs well, but the clutch won’t release. – This is a rare body style and one of the last convertible sedans to come from any American automaker. RM sold it here in 2012 for $110,000 but it looked much better at the time even though the odometer today displays only 8 more miles than it did eight years ago. The clutch is probably a simple fix, but the bidders were prudently reluctant to reach for it resulting in a good value for the new owner.

Lot # 213 1970 Lola T165 Can-Am; S/N SL16522; Red/Black leatherette; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Competition restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $600,000 plus commission of 10.83%; Final Price $665,000. – RHD. 427 Chevy, 900hp, Chaparral valve covers, Vertex magneto, fuel injection, Hewland LG-504 gearbox, wing, two seats, Momo foam rim steering wheel, centerlock alloy wheels, Avon tires. – Raced by Jack Hinkle from 1972-79, and once by Paul Newman at Heartland Park in 1989 with no notable results. Late 90’s restoration by Bruce Canepa. Orderly but aged and not used in some time. There’s some minor corrosion on the intake manifold, general age in the engine compartment and corroding mag wheels. Doesn’t run and the brakes don’t work. The paint and upholstery are good, the rest needs abundant attention. – At least two people saw gobs of hidden value in this Lola T165, propelling it to an eye-watering result for a car with no notable race history that doesn’t run, doesn’t stop even if it did and will need even more gobs of money before it can realize its potential on the track. The reason(s) for this result are opaque and it is fantastically expensive at this price.

Lot # 283 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster; S/N 12104210015341; Engine # 12192110015429; Black/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $110,000 – $140,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $95,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $106,400. – Becker Mexico radio, hubcaps, trim rings, whitewalls, ivory steering wheel and shift knob. – Represented as numbers matching. Decent paint, chrome and interior. The aluminum engine castings have been painted silver. Solex carburetors. The top of the engine looks good but the compartment it sits in was casually painted chassis black while assembled and the chassis is grubby and covered in road grime. A casual cosmetic redo. – Sold by Bonhams at Quail Lodge in 2018 for $131,600, 190SL values have tapered off since then as many of them have been realized to have had superficial restorations to try to take advantage of inflated prices a few years ago. At least this one kept its Solex carburetors but even at that the consignor should be pleased to get this much for it.

Lot # 230 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Convertible; S/N 11102512000622; Engine # 13098012005177; Black/Cognac leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $155,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $173,600. – Automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, power windows, column shift, Becker Europa radio. – Represented as matching numbers and 62,240 miles from new. Bright, fresh-looking chrome. No blemishes in the paint, but there is some orange peel on the body sides. Erratic fit on the trunk lid. Some age on the dash and gauges, but the upholstery is great. Fully restored underneath. Redone top to bottom, but a while ago. – This much should have bought a freshly restored car without observable flaws and is expensive even at this sub-estimate result.

Lot # 160 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG 6.0 ‘Wide-Body’ Coupe; S/N WDB1260451A476006; Blue-Black Metallic/Black leather; Estimate $220,000 – $260,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $350,000 plus commission of 11.43%; Final Price $390,000. – Modular alloy wheels, Toyo tires, power everything, Recaro Sport seats, Becker Grand Prix cassette stereo, burl wood dash and interior accents. – Very good repaint, lightly stretched seat cushions. Very good chrome. Good chassis and underbody with some road grime, recently serviced by an AMG “Flying Doctor”. – AMG’s ministrations to big M-Bs in the 80’s-90’s imparted immense power (for the smog-strangled times) that backed up their imposing bodywork modifications. This one looks fast and evil in its wide-body configuration and blue-black paint and the bidders fell for it in a big way, a third over the high estimate.

Lot # 289 1953 Nash-Healey Le Mans Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 3004; Engine # LMA277104; Black/Brown leather; Estimate $70,000 – $90,000; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $80,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $89,600. – 253/140hp Nash six, added Hydramatic transmission (it originally had a 3-speed manual), wire wheel covers, Firestone whitewalls, original pushbutton radio. – One of 62 Le Mans coupes built for 1953 and reportedly one of 30 left. Restored in the 1990s. Solid chrome but rough, discolored old paint with severe crazing and overbuffed spots on the left side of the body. Clean and restored interior. Paint chipping off the wheels. Tidy but older underneath. Rare and inherently attractive, but the paint is too bad to ignore and the transmission swap is another knock. It is otherwise a solid and complete car. – A rare hand-built hybrid of British engineering, American powertrain and Italian coachwork, this Nash-Healey sold remarkably well considering all its shortcomings and the fact that it was the very last car sold in Amelia Island this year. Then again, people shopping for one can’t exactly count on another Nash-Healey Le Mans popping up for sale next week.

Lot # 162 1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo Coupe; S/N JN1CZ24AXLX000099; Silver-Grey/Black; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $61,600. – 5-speed, cruise control, air conditioning, power everything. – 2,568 miles and untouched. – As interest in high performance Japanese cars of the 90’s continues to increase this technically sophisticated 300ZX Twin Turbo is highly desirable, as shown by the superior price it brought. Its preservation is remarkable and it would a shame to see it turned into a drift car, something that is unlikely at this price where it’s probably destined to dress up a Nissan dealer’s showroom.

Lot # 240 1934 Packard Eight All-Weather Cabriolet, Body by Glaser; S/N 110128; Silver, Blue fenders and accent/Light Grey leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration, 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $140,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $156,800. – Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual sidemounts with mirrors, rollup division, Bosch headlights and fog light – Built for Frederick Thun who made a fortune knitting silk stockings in the U.S. (not personally knitting, but through his company Berkshire Knitting Mills.) CCCA National First Prize #1966 and Premier, Pebble Beach class award in 1998. Excellent paint, chrome, interior, interior wood and top. No chips, no swirl, no road dirt. The chassis is done to better than new standards. – The unique coachwork of this standard Eight sets it apart, but doesn’t do much to overcome its very German practicality, particularly the line of the top when it’s erected (and it probably sticks up like a Sindelfingen Cabriolet D when it’s folded.) It was sold by RM in Arizona in 2008 for $258,500 and has been meticulously maintained since then which argues for the quality of the workmanship and is a sound value in this transaction.

Lot # 259 1934 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria, Body by Dietrich; S/N 74747; Engine # 9022538; Black, Silver beltline, Blue coachlines/Light Grey leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $350,000 – $400,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $280,000. – Chrome spoke wire wheels with Blue rims, wide whitewalls, single Trippe light, Solar headlights, Eagle radiator mascot, dual enclosed sidemounts with mirrors, luggage rack. – Uniformly excellent cosmetics save for a scrape on the driver’s door cap and some defects on the front fenders. The interior wood is beautifully figured and finished. The chassis and engine are better than new. Restored in the early 90’s, 1st in Class at Pebble Beach in 1995 and at Meadow Brook in 1998, still a contender today. – Ray Dietrich was a master of Convertible Victoria coachwork as this beautiful car demonstrates. This Packard was sold from John McMullen’s collection by RM in 2007 for a princely $577,500 and left Amelia Island today at a scanty price that overlooks its design, drivetrain, chassis and hardy restoration. It’s hard to characterize any car as a “bargain” when it sells for a quarter million dollars, but this comes close.

 

Lot # 246 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Sport Phaeton, Body by Roxas after LeBaron; S/N Engine No. 902242; Engine # 902242; Dark Blue/Blue leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $400,000 – $475,000; Rebodied or re-created, 1- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $335,000 plus commission of 11.49%; Final Price $373,500. – Reproduction LeBaron body by Fran Roxas. Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual remote spotlights, skirts, dual windshields, Solar headlights, Pilot-Rays, vee windshield, wind wings. – If there ever was coachwork worth reproducing it is this beautiful, sleek, flowing design from Alexis de Saknoffsky for LeBaron completed in 1987. Excellent cosmetics. The engine compartment and chassis are still nearly like new. Excellent, just getting on in years. – I kept looking at this car and its Fran Roxas history and thinking, “I know I’ve seen this car before” and a mark of how memorable this design is it was 28 years ago at Christie’s Pebble Beach auction where it was bid to $260,000. There are others, too, including 902213 sold at Gooding Scottsdale in 2009 for $352,000 and offered by Mecum at Las Vegas in 2018 with a high bid of $360,000. 901982 was offered by Worldwide at Auburn in 2012 where it sold for $319,000. The consensus is that this is an appropriate result, and what a prize to own and drive.

Lot # 242 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 83301; Engine # 65352; Red/Black piped in Red; Tan top; Estimate $325,000 – $400,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $300,000 plus commission of 11.67%; Final Price $335,000. – Hub caps, gold brightwork, coupe seats, books, tools, tonneau cover. – Represented as matching numbers. Solid older paint showing light general age. A few dings in the wheels. Light wear on the steering wheel but otherwise a clean fully restored interior. Restored to like new and lightly driven since. – A clear case in just how far classic air-cooled Porsches have come. This car sold in Monterey back in 2012, when its restoration was much fresher, for $205,700. It was a strong price at the time. A little over seven years and a $120,000 later, and this result isn’t out of the ordinary.

Lot # 272 1962 Porsche 356B 1600S Roadster, Body by d’Ieteren Freres; S/N 89753; Black/Tan leather; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $280,000. – 1582cc/75hp, silver steel wheels, hubcaps, blackwall Michelin XZX 185SR15 tires, headrests, Porsche woodrim steering wheel, Porsche CofA documented. – Restored like new with some age and use but offset by consistent maintenance. Represented as the matching numbers engine. – Sold by RM in Arizona in 2004 with a fresh restoration with some presentation issues for $103,400, then at Gooding’s Pebble Beach auction in 2006 for $140,800, then at Bonhams Quail Lodge in 2011 for $172,000 noting some age. It has more age today but barely more miles, having added on 1,880 to its odometer since 2004. The Porsche people must have migrated over from Gooding’s Porsche show to RM and concentrated on this 356B Super Roadster to bring this much money, a generous price.

Lot # 151 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo Coupe; S/N 9306800170; Engine # 6860193; Silver Metallic/Black leather, Green tartan cloth; Estimate $150,000 – $175,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $110,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $123,200. – Black Fuchs wheels, Pirelli P6000 tires, power windows, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, books, tools, jack, spare. – First-year US market 930. Fresh high quality paint with two small scratches on the right rear fender. Clean wheels. Dull exterior plastic, and on the whale tail it fits loosely. Excellent restored interior that looks new. A little paint is coming off the door handles. Restored underneath. A redone first year 930, but not restored top to bottom and misses on a few details. – Aside from fresh, top notch restorations and pristine low-mile originals, 930s are struggling to get the prices they were a couple of years ago. This car, while fitted with the very cool tartan seats, otherwise isn’t outstanding and that explains its relatively low result here.

Lot # 157 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo Coupe; S/N WP0AA2957HN153114; Guards Red/Black leather; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $78,400. – 2479/220hp, 5-speed, phone dial wheels, Dunlop SP Sport tires, sunroof, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Just 1,620 miles. Fantastic original paint other than an over buffed spot on the tail. Very clean interior. Lightly run engine bay with everything still there, including the battery cover. A phenomenal time-warp 944 Turbo babied from new and hardly ever driven. – This car sold in Monterey in 2017 for $51,700, which was a monumental price at the time and would be even today. It shows just 15 more miles now, so it still one of the cleanest, lowest-mile 944 Turbos anywhere. This result is even more staggering, but serious Porsche collectors would have a tough time finding a better car.

Lot # 129 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ95ZHS900081; Engine # 65H00146; Silver/Gray leather; Estimate $1,000,000 – $1,250,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $950,000 plus commission of 10.53%; Final Price $1,050,000. – Pilot Sport tires, Kenwood stereo, power Sport seats – Fitted with the popular Canepa upgrades, which improve the suspension, headlights, wheels, tires and engine as well as add a roll cage and five-point harnesses. Showing 5,825 miles, California smogged. One small scratch and a chip on the nose. Excellent paint otherwise. Light but significant wrinkling on the driver’s seat. Not quite a like new 959, but very close. – A spot-on result for a Komfort version of the 959 and if the new owner was interested in having the Canepa work done, they essentially got it thrown in for free on this car.

Lot # 212 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N SYB60; Light Green, Gold roof/Gray leather; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $33,600. – 4887cc L6, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, Lucas driving lights, dual wing mirrors, added air conditioning, original radio, rear seat tables, tools, jack, spare. – Represented as a two-owner car, first ordered by an admiral in the Royal Navy. Unusual but attractive colors. Lightly scratched bumpers. Shiny paint, but it has a fair bit of orange peel. Erratic panel gaps with some chips around the edges of the doors. Tired wood and leather, likely all original. Partially restored underneath. The tires look newer. Very clean and tidy engine bay. Attractive and straight, but never fully redone. – This is a heck of a lot of style, sophistication and sheetmetal for the money, but it’s not a surprising price. Six-cylinder Cloud Is are worth less than the later V8s, Standard Steel cars are worth less than coachbuilt ones, and RHD cars are worth less than LHD ones (in this country). Couple all that to this one’s paint and general age, and the price makes perfect sense.

Lot # 267 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 40/50hp Torpedo Phaeton, Body after Barker; S/N 2018; Dark Blue/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $600,000 – $750,000; Rebodied or re-created, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $525,000 plus commission of 10.95%; Final Price $582,500. – RHD. Silver spoke wire wheels, Silvertown tires, single sidemount, CAV headlights, sidelights and taillights, wicker luggage trunk, double Elliott speedometer, dogleg windshield, Apollo electric horn. – Restored in the early 90’s with a replica of its original Barker Torpedo Phaeton coachwork and modified with a larger radiator, high compression pistons, larger carburetor, overdrive, bigger brakes and power steering. Repainted since then. Sound but orange peely old paint. Bright nickel trim. Sound older upholstery and top. Restored well but to standards of an earlier time, then used as it should have been. Runs very well. – The “parallel bonnet” early Silver Ghosts, of which this is an example, are prized by collectors. Great effort was put the restoration and re-creation of the original Barker coachwork on this one and it was appreciated, appropriately, by the Amelia Island bidders.

Lot # 271 1937 SS Jaguar One 2 1/2 Liter Tourer; S/N 19098; Engine # 251080; Suede Green/Suede Green leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $201,600. – RHD. 2,663cc/102hp, dual carburetors, 4-speed, painted wire wheels, rear-mounted spare, Firestone tires, suicide doors. – One of 11 cars in this configuration thought to exist. Restored in its original colors in the mid-2010s and more recently got mechanical sorting. Light pitting around the headlights. Good but not show quality paint, and there is a long, deep crack on the tail. Clean, tight-fitting top. Excellent interior. Restored more for driving and looking good than for meticulous concours presentation. – We don’t often see this discrepancy, but at Worldwide’s Pacific Grove auction in 2017 I called this car concours restored. Andrew Newton didn’t see it that way at Amelia 2020, and the two results tend to confirm our impressions. Worldwide sold it for $330,000, but not so here at Amelia where it brought a third less. It isn’t often that our perceptions are this far apart, and the RM Amelia bidders took it to a notch above the low estimate. Form your own conclusions.

Lot # 208 1955 Swallow Doretti Convertible; S/N 1110; Engine # TS2878E; Green/Black leather piped in Red; Red top; Estimate $100,000 – $125,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $84,000. – 1991/90hp Triumph engine, 4-speed, chrome wire wheels, wood shift knob, Smiths gauges. – One of 276 built. Tidy, lightly run and correct engine bay. Light scuff on the grille, and the grille surround is wavy. Good older paint other than a run on the rear and a few blemishes. Good, lightly worn interior. Very rare, very attractive, and finished in lovely colors. It has been driven quite a bit since restoration but has no serious issues. – A TR2 underneath with Italian-looking but British-penned bodywork, this rare and obscure car sold for $61,600 at Bonhams Quail Lodge only a few months ago. It found a more receptive audience in Amelia, but this still isn’t an unrealistic price for such a distinctive car.

Lot # 237 1938 Talbot-Lago T23 Cabriolet; S/N 93408; Engine # 23544; Dark Blue/Red leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $225,000. – RHD. 3,996cc/140hp inline six, Wilson pre-selector gearbox, wheel covers, Blockley tires, landau bars, suicide doors, Marchal driving lights, dual mirrors, wood dash and window trim. – Restored in France ages ago by Lecoq. Older paint with the usual blemishes on the nose and some chipping at the edges of the hood. Large touch up on the driver’s door. Only light general age to the interior. Lightly driven and tidy underneath. A well-kept older restoration wearing attractive factory coachwork modified with a later curved cowling style radiator shell. – The reported high bid here is realistic for the Talbot-Lago factory coachwork and the age of the restoration, although its appearance is markedly enhanced by the more streamlined nose.

Lot # 211 1951 Tomshe-Offenhauser Indianapolis Roadster; S/N; Black/Black leatherette; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $95,200. – 270 Offy, Hilborn fuel injection, Joe Hunt magneto, 2-speed gearbox, Halibrand quick change differential, Jones tachometer, centerlock disc-style alloy wheels, 4-wheel drum brakes, transverse leaf spring front suspension, torsion bar rear, hydraulic lever shocks, chrome suspension, no engine number or plate. – Very good older paint and upholstery. The engine and chassis are orderly but showing some age. No significant history while owned by Babe Tuffanelli but represented to have been recently rebuilt at Phil Reilly’s shop. – The lack of big name drivers and a noteworthy competition history are substantially offset by recent historic event history, excellent components and good mechanical preparation and presentation. It’s a good buy at this price.

Lot # 117 1993 Toyota Supra Mk IV Turbo Sport Roof; S/N JT2JA82J1P0001473; Black/Black leather; Estimate $125,000 – $150,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $122,500 plus commission of 12.00%; Final Price $137,200. – 2997/320hp, 6-speed, alloy wheels, Pilot sport tires, spoiler, factory radio. – A Premier Edition, first-year Mk IV Turbo with just 10,000 miles and with the original owner until last year. Odd crazing in the headlight lenses, and light scratches in the paint below the right headlight. A handful of light scratches on the hood. Excellent interior. A few scratches on the wheels. Most importantly, though, low miles and no mods. It’s a few details away from perfect, but there are hardly any perfect Twin Turbo Supras anywhere in the world. – That aforementioned original owner sold this car on Bring a Trailer last April, and it brought $128,000, not a bad return on a car he paid about 40 grand (roughly 71 grand in 2020 dollars) for in 1993. Between 100 and 200 grand is what it takes to get a clean factory-correct twin-turbo Supra (of which there are precious few) these days. If this was a fixed roof coupe it might have brought even more.