George Finley’s fascination with old vehicles knew no bounds, encompassing pretty much everything from pedal cars and motorcycles to paddle-shifted Ferraris.
He also had a few notable passions such as his three Apollos and a serious affliction for 1938 Cadillacs. Of the latter there were seven in the Old Car Museum, and that doesn’t count the Resto-Mod.
It all went under Worldwide’s hammer in Corpus Christi in a two day sale October 4 and 5, all at No Reserve.
The collection had some of the usual “museum” issues of cars that have been sitting on display for a while, but several of the lots offered that had been in restoration and were pictured and described in the catalog as in-process were actually finished and assembled in time for the sale. From that it can be inferred that in-house restoration was a specialty, but the lot that would have benefited most from restoration was offered, dull and rusty with patches of primer, as a project: the 1958 Porsche 356A Super Speedster.
Here are the numbers (which include several motorcycles and scooters):
| Cars Sold/ Offered | Sale % | Average Sale | Median Sale | Total $ |
| 187/187 | 100% | $30,275 | $16,500
[54.5%] |
$5,661,402 |
Andrew Newton attended; the final copy and comments are my responsibility.
Lots are sorted by Marque, Year and Model.
Lot # 6 1995 Alfa Romeo 164 L/S 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N ZARED33E5S6313540; Green/leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150 – 2,959cc/210hp V6, 5-speed, alloy wheels, sunroof, tinted glass, headlight washers, CD changer, books and accessories. – A one-owner car from the last year the 164 was available in the US. Represented with 60,130 miles but looks almost like a new car. There are a few scratches and chips on the nose, but otherwise the original paint looks fantastic, and the interior would pass for showroom fresh. This has to be one of the best 164s in the country. – The Alfa Romeo dealer network in the US was never very good (although some of them, like High Performance Cars in Waltham, Mass. were superb, enthusiastic and understanding (thank you, Serge Dermanian)), and after the company left in the mid-1990s, it wasn’t all that easy to keep your Alfa serviced and running. The Spiders, being sexier models and more often driven in fair weather, are more commonly found in good condition. The more mundane but still impressively engineered 164, on the other hand, is almost never seen in condition this good and there aren’t a lot of them left. Alfa owners, although as a group fanatically loyal to the marque, found it hard to get their heads around the idea of a front wheel drive Alfa. 164s aren’t worth a lot, but one would have to search far and wide for another one like this, and it’s a solid value at this price.
Lot # 113 1941 American Bantam Riviera Roadster; S/N 66229; Red, Black fenders/Black; Black top; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,200 – Later 1 1/2 liter 50hp engine, 4-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, dual sidemount spares with mirrors, fender skirts, dual spotlight mirrors, fog lights, landau hardtop. – Old tires. Good older paint and brightwork. Lightly used interior with wear on the steering wheel, but it’s mostly good. Tidy underneath. A fun, neat older restoration, although those extra goodies like the hardtop and sidemount spare wheels probably slow this car way down. – With the 1500 engine this is a Bantam that might actually pull the skin off a pudding, or at least reach safe speeds with the four occupants it has seats for. Delightfully embellished with accessories and gew gaws, it is even better than most Bantams at doing what Bantams do best: make people smile. This is a respectable price for it.
Lot # 154 1963 Apollo 3500GT Coupe; S/N 1003; Red/Dark Blue leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $220,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $242,000 – 215 cid (3,532 cc) 200-hp Buick alloy V8, T-10 4-speed, Borrani chrome spoke wire wheels, Michelin X tires, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, Jaeger gauges. – The very first of the 88 production Apollos. Very good fresh-looking paint and chrome. Very good fully restored interior with clear, bright gauges and only very light wear on the driver’s seat. Very clean underneath. The windshield and rear window look original, and there are several light scratches on the rear glass. The grille trim also doesn’t fit flush with the body. A few details aside, it’s a gorgeous car and highly significant as the first of these Italo-American hybrids. – All three of the Apollos in this sale (which is the most we’ll see in one place any time soon) were very special cars in their own way and all were in similar condition, but their prices played out differently. The Spider’s unique configuration garnered it the most attention before the sale and by far the highest price, while this one’s significance as the first of the breed put it ahead of the more powerful 5000GT that sold immediately after. The coachwork is surprisingly featureless and derivative: a bland XKE fixed head coupe with an oval Ferrari-esque grille and open headlights. Its 200hp Buick Nailhead B-O-P engine and drum brakes don’t give it much in the way of performance chops, either. It’s an interesting car but not exciting and brought a healthy price.
Lot # 153 1963 Apollo 3500GT Convertible; S/N 2001204B; Dark Blue/Tan leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $460,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $506,000 – 215 cid (3,532 cc), 200-hp Buick aluminum V8, Borg-Warner T-10 4-speed, Borrani wire wheels, Michelin X tires, cloth boot cover, woodrim steering wheel, Jaeger gauges. – The first Apollo Spider, one of five estimated remaining, and the only one with the 215 engine. Restored by Apollo co-founder Milt Brown. Shown at Pebble Beach and Concorso Italiano. Good chrome. Good paint, but it’s older and there are detail scratches. Dry windshield gasket. A few light scratches on the rear bumper. Very good lightly worn interior. Very clean underneath. A very rare, very attractive car with a few details that detract little from its desirability. – The Ron Plescia- and Franco Scaglione-penned lines of the Apollo would easily pass for a Ferrari, and if there were a Prancing Horse badge you’d have to tack an extra zero onto this price, but this is nevertheless by far the most expensive Apollo sold at auction and it deserved to be. However, there are other auction results for this chassis number, it being a Monza Spyder Prototype also represented as built by Milt Brown, a sequence ending in 2006 at RM Monterey (or perhaps at Auburn Fall in 2010.) It’s curious, but probably irrelevant given this Apollo’s apparently well-documented history through that period.
Lot # 155 1966 Apollo 5000GT Coupe; S/N 1054; Red/Tan leather; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000 – 302/250hp 4-barrel Buick engine, T-10 4-speed, Borrani chrome spoke wire wheels, Cinturato tires, woodrim steering wheel, Jaeger gauges, air conditioning. – Originally one of the later cars built after Apollo’s assets were sold, then completed and marketed as the Vetta Ventura. It now wears Apollo badges. A little dirt underneath but everything has been restored. Very good paint. Gorgeous interior. New weather stripping. Restored to the standards the car deserves but not overdone, and it offers more performance with the 5.0-liter iron-block aluminum-head Buick V8. – The least expensive of the three Apollos offered here, but still the third most expensive Apollo ever sold at auction. Being an Apollo, though, it is still a ton of exclusivity, style and performance for the money although the coachwork design remains derivative and uninspired. This car’s extra performance wasn’t enough to outshine the rarity of the Spider or the significance of the 3500 Coupe. Sold as an Intermeccanica Vetta Ventura at Russo and Steele’s Monterey auction in 2006 for $84,700 in 2006 and restored since, this is a healthy number for its specifications, design and history.
Lot # 194 1967 Austin Mini Moke Convertible; S/N AABAL889093; Yellow/Gray vinyl; Burgundy top; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,800 – 998/55hp, 4-speed, steel wheels. Has a piece of wood for each bumper. – The tires don’t have much life left. Missing the horn button. Reasonably tidy underneath. Used as a driver, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Inherently fun and charming, and not rusted away as quite a few Mokes have over the years. – There were, interestingly enough, two Mokes in this sale. While far from perfect, this is a better example than the blue Lot 103 sold earlier in the day, and it appropriately brought a higher price. 19 grand isn’t chump change, but a Mini Moke is quicker, more practical and no less charming than the little Italian beach cars we so often see commanding tens of thousands more than this at high-end sales.
Lot # 172 1952 Bentley R-Type Saloon, Body by Hooper; S/N B25RS; Black, Gray/Light Gray leather; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $40,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $44,000 – RHD. 4,556cc/150hp, 4-speed, aluminum Hooper Empress coachwork, dual wing mirrors, rear seat tables, dip beam light, spats. – The paint is lightly faded, especially behind the front bumper, and the chrome is tired. The left mirror is cracked. Uneven fit on the doors. Very light cracking in the leather up front, but most of the interior wood is rough. Clean underbody. Looks like it was restored, but years and years ago and could use another round of major work, which is never cheap on these cars. – Not all Hooper bodies are particularly graceful, but this one is and it is worth saving. It will be expensive to redo and it will take longer than estimated, as it always does, but at this price the new owner isn’t too far into this coachbuilt R-Type and that is the right way to buy a project car, but this is Standard Steel Saloon R-Type money for a coachbuilt Hooper.
Lot # 144 1952 BMW Isetta 300 Convertible; S/N 502608; Red, White/Red, White; Enthusiast restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400 – Hub caps, luggage rack. – Fresh paint, but there are several runs in it. Pitting in the door hinges. Clean vinyl top. Very good freshly done interior. Recently restored to microcar standards and as cute as ever, plus it’s a somewhat rare convertible model. – Pictured in the auction catalog as a half-finished restoration, it was complete by the time of the sale itself but looked a little rushed. Despite the freshness of the restoration and despite being a convertible, it brought the kind of price a driver-quality coupe tends to go for. Even if it requires further work to remedy things that may have been shortcut during the hurried completion of its restoration it is a very good value at this price.
Lot # 57 1954 Buick Skylark Model 100 Convertible; S/N 7A1063150; White, Red wheel wells/Dark Red; Cloth top; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $72,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $79,200 – 322/200hp, automatic, Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, whitewalls, boot cover, power windows, power seat, electronic radio, dash clock. – One of 836 built. Rust on the lug nuts. Long paint crack on the passenger’s door and a huge chip below it. Crazing on the tail. Dull brightwork. Good, lightly worn interior but the brightwork in there looks tired as well. An ancient restoration (October 1989 Collectible Automobile magazine cover car) that is still a usable driver, but these cars are so rare and collectible that it would be more appropriate to just give this car another round of attention. – 1954 Skylarks are marvelous automobiles and many of the 836 built survive because they’ve always been seen as near-Motorama showcars. But many were restored, like this one, decades ago. They’ve earned their accolades and their magazine features and then sat with little care or attention, like this one. Worth twice as much in pristine over-restored condition, this is a long way from that standard and brought an appropriate price for the restoration’s age and the implied cost of returning it to showcar quality.
Lot # 73 1963 Buick Riviera Sport Coupe; S/N 7J1032117; Arctic White/Brown; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $13,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $14,300 – 401/325hp, automatic, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, floor shift, console, air conditioning, pushbutton radio. – Several touch ups and scratches on the nose and a large blister on the hood, but most of the paint is original. Decent, lightly faded original chrome. Excellent original interior with very light wear on the seats and carpets as well as light pitting on some of the trim. The wheels and underbody are a little dirty but sound for the most part. With the first owner for 45 years, it’s the typical ‘driven by an old lady to the shops on Sunday’ type of car that at this point looks too well-preserved to restore. – From the first year for the Riviera, this car appeals to those who appreciate the car’s sharp, restrained design as well as value originality. Nevertheless, this is a bargain price. It also sold at Bonhams Greenwich in 2014 for $16,500, which was itself a sound value, and the odometer shows just 233 miles driven since then.
Lot # 21 1968 Buick Riviera Sport Coupe; S/N 494878H918984; Gray, Gray vinyl roof/Gray vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 430/360hp, automatic, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, horseshoe shifter, pushbutton radio, power windows, aftermarket under dash gauges. – Represented as a two-owner car with 41,937 actual miles. Good but older paint and roof vinyl. Decent older paint with a small but deep scratch on the passenger’s door. Very good all original interior, but the plastic around the steering wheel is cracking. Impressively preserved and never restored because it never needed to be. – This car was given more of a premium for its originality five years ago at Auburn Spring, where it sold for $26,400. This more modest result is still reasonable for a solid driver, and is a good value for the new owner.
Lot # 111 1971 Buick GS 455 Stage I 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 434371H105988; Burnt Orange, Tan vinyl roof/Tan vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $30,250 – 455/345hp Stage I, automatic, bench seat, column shift automatic, sport steering wheel, pushbutton radio, power brakes, heavy duty suspension, 3.42 gears. – Fairly tired older chrome but good paint. Clean, tight roof vinyl. Very good interior. Tidy underneath. Not fully restored but not totally original, either, it’s a solid driver with desirable equipment. – A fast and handsome car, Gran Sports and indeed many similar Buicks represent a tempting muscle car value relative to other, better known cars. Even so, this is a modest price for this one, especially considering it sold at RM Auburn Spring in 2014 for $35,200.
Lot # 120 1938 Cadillac Series 60 Special 4-Dr. Sedan, Body by Fisher; S/N 6272856; Fairhaven Blue/Gray cloth; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $30,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $33,000 – 346/135hp, 3-speed, hub caps, wide whitewalls, column shift, dash clock, heater. – Long scratch on the right front bumper and touch ups at the back of the hood, plus a few chips, scratches and spots of crazing on the roof. The side windows are delaminating. Very good interior. Clean and older restored underneath, but probably never fully taken apart. Attractive, desirable and usable with no serious issues, just showing its age. – The Cadillac 60 Special was an important milepost in American automobile design even aside from its recognition as the first “Big Three” sedan without running boards and it set a design standard that was emulated by GM and other manufacturers in following years. This is a sound, usable example that should serve its new owner well in CCCA events. The Museum had seven different 1938 Cadillacs, clearly a favorite.
Lot # 42 1938 Cadillac Series 75 Convertible Sedan, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 3271067; Purple/Black; Tan top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $54,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $59,400 – 346/135hp, 3-speed, hub caps, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, banjo steering wheel, division window, amber fog lights. – Light crazing in the paint on the fenders. Orange peel on top of the doors, and a large crack on the right rear door. Some of the body side trim doesn’t fit flush. Clean running boards and very good interior with almost no wear. Erratic panel fit. A striking, rare car but showing its age. – Sold for $55,550 at RM Auburn Fall in 2012 and repeated here at a realistic price among the seven ’38 Cadillacs that formed the core of the Corpus Christi Museum collection.
Lot # 102 1938 Cadillac Series 75 Touring Sedan, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 3270431; Black/Gray cloth; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,800 – 346/140hp, 3-speed, hub caps, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, mascot, banjo steering wheel, clock, jump seats. – Old paint with numerous chips and scratches. Lightly pitted trim. Very good interior. Tidy underneath. A solid but aged car in a rare body style, it doesn’t look to have ever been fully restored but got major attention when needed. – It’s a CCCA Full Classic ™ beloved by Captains of Industry, Titans of Finance and self-important politicians. It has plenty of presence and room for a whole family. And its condition and preservation are notable but even with all of that going for it, this result is no more than it deserved.
Lot # 131 1938 Cadillac Series 90 Touring Sedan, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 7271119; Fairhaven Blue/Light Blue cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $79,545 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $87,500 – Hub caps, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, Flying lady mascot, Trippe Safety Lights, suicide rear doors, rear jump seats, banjo steering wheel, robe rail, heater, turn signals added. – Very good older paint and chrome other than a minor scratch on the left front fender. Even gaps. Very clean underneath. Very good interior. A straightforward, lightly aged older restoration on a rare V16 Cadillac, finished with the first metallic paint available on a production automobile. – There were seven 1938 Cadillacs at the core of the Corpus Christi Old Car Museum in a wide variety of models and body styles. This V16, the first year for the new 135 degree L-head engine, was at the top of the pile, one of only 315 V16s built this year and as elegant and imposing an automobile as existed at the end of the Thirties. Its color, Fairhaven Blue, is the first instance of metallic paint on a production car (if a 1938 Cadillac 90 V16 can be called a “production” car.) This result on a No Reserve car is anomalous but is as reported by Worldwide following the sale. Confirmation has been requested but has not been received.
Lot # 175 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham 4-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 58P006355; Engine # 58P006355; Light Blue, Stainless steel roof/Light Blue, Dark Blue leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $120,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $132,000 – Wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, Autronic Eye, pushbutton radio, rear seat speaker, working air suspension. – One of 304 Eldo Broughams built in 1958. Very good paint and chrome with a handful of very light scratches on the stainless roof and the windshield trim. Clean and restored underneath. The interior is mostly very good, but there are a few rubbed through spots and some wrinkling on the driver’s seat. A few light scratches in the rear glass. Gorgeous from even a short distance and clearly well restored, but it shows its age upon close inspection. – The Light Blue paint complements the brushed stainless steel roof and two-tone blue leather interior. It was sold by Worldwide at Auburn in 2014 for $159,500 and has to be in similar condition today, augmented by the recently re-installed air suspension, an expensive exercise in authenticity that was not rewarded here. These Eldo Broughams are complicated and mind-blowingly expensive cars to restore, let alone maintain, and this is a seriously good and attractive one which was bought for a realistic price that credits its quality.
Lot # 176 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special 4-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 59M069402; Black/Blue cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $45,100 – 390/325hp, wheel covers, whitewalls, Autronic Eye, power windows, steering, brakes, seat and mirror, dash clock, pushbutton radio. – Sound original paint and chrome, but they are 60 years old. Dry weather stripping. Old tires. Original but sound and maintained underneath. With mechanical freshening, it’s plenty good enough as is, but it would look gorgeous if it was restored, which would be a fairly straightforward process. – An internet entrepreneur could do worse than driving up to a meeting with venture capitalists in this Fleetwood 60 Special and saying, “This is a new paradigm in original thinking.” It is original 60’s thinking, like Andrew Neumann’s WeWork fiddle, but this sleek fastback Cadillac will never go out of style and it is a realistic buy in this transaction.
Lot # 49 1960 Cadillac Series 62 4-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 60A075699; White/Blue; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $19,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,900 – 390/345hp, Wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, WonderBar radio, Autronic Eye, power everything. – Represented as a two-owner car. Presentable mostly original paint with only a little dullness and a few chips. Good original brightwork. Excellent original interior that looks like it could be six years old, not 60. Clean wheel covers. Unrestored but tidy and maintained underneath. Would make a straightforward restoration project, but this relatively rare four-door needs nothing to drive and enjoy. – It’s really too good to restore, an exercise in futility that would add little value despite significant cost and would render it probably too good to drive, a White Elephant in more ways than one. This result reflects a meaningful but not onerous premium for its preservation.
Lot # 27 1965 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible; S/N E5143921; Gold/Tan; Tan top; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500 – 429/340hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, fender skirts, dash clock, AM-FM radio, power windows, power top. – Dull, probably original chrome with a few sizable scratches on the front bumper. Attractive older repaint. Nearly spotless replacement top and restored top frame. Well-kept interior with newer carpets and seats. Unrestored but maintained underneath. New chrome would make a massive difference, but as it sits it is a handsome driver that never needed to be restored. – A lot of car, both literally and figuratively, for the money. This Eldo could have brought somewhere on the other side of 30 grand without being expensive, and the new owner doesn’t need to do anything to it to enjoy top-down, velvety-smooth drives in one of the nicest and most stylish cars one could buy in the mid-1960s.
Lot # 179 1965 Cadillac Sixty Special 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N M5109004; Beige, Beige vinyl roof/Beige leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400 – 429/340hp, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, power windows, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Represented as a three-owner car. Dull but presentable original chrome and brightwork. Good paint, probably not original but free of major blemishes. Good roof vinyl. Sound original leather but there are some deep wrinkles in the front. A neat old four-door Cadillac that isn’t worth a lot but offers tons of style and has been well kept. – This exaggerated Cadillac devalues the Sixty Special designation with a mundane design misusing a name from Bill Mitchell’s original 1938 Sixty Special. At least it doesn’t have running boards, but beyond that this is nothing more than an exaggerated ’65 Cadillac boat that the Corpus Christi bidders paid little attention to.
Lot # 181 2006 Cadillac XLR-V Convertible; S/N 1G6YX36D265603086; Silver/Gray; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $40,700 – 4.4-liter/443hp supercharged Northstar V8, automatic, cross-drilled rotors, HUD, heated and cooled seats, Bose stereo, original paper documented. – Light wrinkling to the driver’s seat. Curb rash on the right front wheel. Clean underneath. A top-spec V model, light used but used nonetheless. Represented with 18,816 miles, so likely was never a daily driver. – The XLR was Cadillac’s flagship model for the mid-2000s. It rides on the same platform as the Corvette and was assembled in Bowling Green but, unfortunately, uses a Northstar V8 rather than an LS V8 like the ‘Vette. That said, 443hp in the top-spec XLR-V is nothing to laugh at. The XLR-V was also a six-figure car when it was new, but this price is perfectly in line with what other ones are asking. It’s still more used car than collectible, but it might not be overlooked for long.
Lot # 11 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza 900 Spyder Convertible; S/N 30967W285001; Monaco Blue/Blue vinyl; White vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 4 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – Single carburetor turbocharged flat six, 150hp, 4-speed, aftermarket alloy wheels, boot cover, aftermarket radio, wood shift knob. – Dull, flat old paint with blisters on the engine cover. Tired chrome. Dirty top. Musty smelling original interior but it is complete. Very grubby underneath. Barely presentable and in need of a lot if anyone wants to drive it with confidence. – For some reason Corvairs have been turning up everywhere in recent months, often with the pioneering turbocharged engines. This is the early single carburetor version, a little less powerful than later ones but still desirable. It’s a project, however, (as many Corvairs are) and brought project car money.
Lot # 119 1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS Pickup; S/N 1D80U2L536602; Cranberry Red, Black stripes/Black vinyl, cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400 – 402/240hp LS3, automatic, power brakes, power steering, Rally wheels with hubcaps and trim rings, Cooper Cobra tires, column shift, later Kenwood cassette stereo, spray-in bedliner. – Dull original chrome and older repaint. Lightly scratched window frames and brightwork. Dry old tires. Unrestored underneath. Original other than a repaint and attractive but a bit tired. – The ’72 El Camino shared the same fate as its cousin the Chevelle with power way down from earlier years and the figure measured in net rather than gross hp. It offers a similar look and still adequate performance, however, and appeals to folks who want the muscle car looks but are on more of a budget. This one is a driver-quality El Camino bought at a spot-on price that’s only a touch more than the $13,250 it sold for at Mecum’s Houston auction in April 2013.
Lot # 122 1956 Chrysler 300B Hardtop; S/N 3N562149; Black/Tan vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $54,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $59,400 – 354/355hp Hemi, dual quads, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, dual mirrors, pushbutton automatic, pushbutton radio. – Good chrome. Decent older paint with a handful of chips up front. Lightly scratched window frame. Very good interior. A straightforward lightly aged older restoration. – Chrysler set the world passenger car speed record at Daytona Beach with the 300B with a 133.9 mph top speed and sold 1,102 examples. The 300B is the second of the “Letter Series” Chrysler 300s that lasted from 1955 until 1965. Many credit them as the predecessors of the muscle cars that became all the rage in the ’60s, and they are quite valuable today even if the market for them isn’t all that dynamic. This one sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2005, when its restoration was much fresher, for $62,640. Prices haven’t changed all that much since then relative to other classics, and this discount for the restoration’s age is a sensible one.
Lot # 125 1958 Citroen 2CV 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 2432647; Gray/Red cloth; Dark Gray top; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $19,800 – 425/12hp flat twin, 4-speed. – Some oxidation underneath, but the chassis looks solid. Flat older paint with a large scrape in front of the right front door. Some light surface rust around the edges of the windows and hinges. Lightly worn interior. 2CVs are charmingly minimalist, but they do look better in flashy colors rather than drab gray like this. This one is a solid barn find that wouldn’t take too much to make it a cute driver. – The 2CV was famously conceived for French farms and country roads, but it became a massive hit in many countries all over the world. The U.S., however, was not one of those countries, as the deux chevaux’s top speed of about 40 wasn’t suited to our traffic. But despite being slow, noisy and not at all elegant, 2CV’s are delightfully quirky and it’s hard not to spend time in one without becoming a fan. As for values, this early example is relatively rare, but at this price the new owner has little room to put in the kind of restoration work that this car needs. It is one of the few results of the auction that seems expensive.
Lot # 124 1974 Citroen 2CV Camionette Panel Truck; S/N 104K9752; Dove Grey/Gray; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $10,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,000 – 602cc/28hp twin, 4-speed, Green steel wheels. – Dull old paint. Oxidized and grubby underneath. Decent interior, at least what there is of one. Showing 25,488 km, but no telling if that figure is accurate. A relatively rare Camionette (also known as the Fourgonette) model that would make a cool business runabout after a little mechanical sorting. – Part of the charm of a 2CV is that you can take your friends around comfortably in it, but this commercial version doesn’t offer that. It’s a nifty little thing, but other than using it to promote a business, its uses are limited compared to one of the standard sedans. That, the slightly worse condition and the later build date help explain this much lower price compared to the 1958 sedan (Lot 125) that sold immediately after this one.
Lot # 127 1956 Continental Mark II Sport Coupe; S/N C56J3345; Burgundy/Burgundy, White leather; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $43,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $47,850 – Wheel covers, whitewalls, power windows, later cassette stereo, factory air conditioning. – The paint looks fantastic from a short distance, but there are blemishes and tired spots up close. Lightly scratched window frames. Lightly wrinkled and discolored leather but mostly good interior. Light road wear underneath. A much older restoration that wears its age openly. – The Corpus Christi bidders hedged their bets appropriately on this Mark II, holding a good bit of value in reserve for the work that it both needs and deserves.
Lot # 128 1973 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe; S/N THPNMS04877; White/Black; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $80,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $88,000 – 351 Cleveland engine built to 441hp by Bill Stroppe, ZF 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, aftermarket exhaust, later stereo cassette, 5-point belts, original engine on a stand comes with the lot. – Clean bumpers and good older paint. Lightly scratched window frames. Good restored interior. Tidy and restored underneath with very light road wear. A clean Pantera L in relatively muted colors but packing a serious punch underneath with 175 more horsepower than the Pantera L came with stock. – Although this must be a thrilling and possibly scary car to drive, modifications (even by a famous tuner like Bill Stroppe) can hurt a car’s value and they seemed to in this case. Despite the impressive preservation and the extra performance, it brought about what an average driver-quality Pantera L is worth and is a good value. These days 441hp is not very scary.
Lot # 130 1957 Dodge D100 Pickup; S/N 84290404; Coral/Gray cloth; Truck restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 315/204hp V8, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, single spare wheel, wood bed, pushbutton automatic. – Orange peel in the paint. Mostly straight, clean bed. Fully redone and nearly spotless underneath. Old tires. This truck could stand a detailing, but it was restored to truck standards, and in these colors it will stand out anywhere, and especially among the sea of vintage Fords and Chevys. – This attention-grabbing Dodge sold at Mecum Indy 2015 at a $31,500 hammer price, $34,020 all-in. Even if it was much fresher then, that was a seriously expensive result and this price makes a lot more sense.
Lot # 134 1979 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 Coupe 2+2, Body by Bertone; S/N 15448; Rosso Chiaro/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $46,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $50,600 – 2,927/255hp, 4 Webers, 5-speed, 80mph speedometer, Campagnolo wheels, Yokohama tires, sunroof, Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, Borletti air conditioning, Alpine radio, books and tools. – Represented as the last US market example built and with service records dating back to 1981. Dull original paint with several big chips on the nose and crazing on the tail. Dirty wheels. Sound interior with light wear to the seats. Light dirt underneath. A fairly tired GT4, but this has always been a budget Ferrari and there are far worse ones out there than this. – Introduced in 1973 as the replacement for the 246 Dino, the 308 GT4 is nowhere near as attractive or as valuable as its predecessor despite being both more practical and more powerful. It is one of the few classic Ferraris with room to take your kids (or contorted adult friends) that can still be had for a relatively affordable price. Most are in driver-quality condition like this car, and this one brought an appropriate result.
Lot # 135 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider F1 Convertible; S/N ZFFYT53A320130144; Grigio Alloy/Dark Blue leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $67,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $73,700 – F1 gearbox, yellow calipers, Pilot Sport tires, Scuderia shields, Pioneer CD stereo, power seats, power windows, power mirrors. – Light wear and scratches to the seats. A few scratches on the shift paddles. Small but deep scratch on the right front fender. Some light dirt and scuffs on the top. An unremarkable, used 360 Spider F1. – And it brought a perfectly appropriate price that takes its age and wear into account as well as falling out of favor (and probably adding some miles) since it sold at Mecum’s Dallas auction in 2014 for $91,880.
Lot # 51 1937 Ford Model 78 Deluxe All Weather Convertible Sedan; S/N 184127204; Washington Blue/Brown leather; Gray cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400 – 221/85hp Flathead, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, wide whitewalls, fog lights, banjo steering wheel, floor shift, dash clock. – Good older paint and chrome. Clean, tight soft top. Clean top frame. Very good interior. Very clean underneath. Restored to high standards and lightly driven. – An unusual body style of which Ford built just 4,373 in 1937. The quality and preservation of its older restoration are notable and for all those reasons it is a solid value in this transaction.
Lot # 145 1959 Ford Ranchero Custom Pickup; S/N H9RF196696; Red, White/Red, White vinyl with Black cloth inserts; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $34,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $37,400 – 352/300hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, 2.91 gears, factory air conditioning, dual spotlight mirrors, Town & Country radio. – AACA Senior in 2003. Very good older paint and chrome. Clean, straight bed, very good fully redone interior. Very clean underneath. Well restored about 20 years ago with only light general age. – Sold at Worldwide Auburn in 2011 for $57,750 and again for $38,500 at Worldwide’s Texas Classic auction in 2017 with only 48 more miles on the odometer today than it had in 2011. This is a desirably equipped and finished Ranchero, powered by the hottest engine available. It could have brought more and is a solid value to the new owner at this price.
Lot # 142 1959 GMC Series 100 Wideside Pickup; S/N 1028CS5116A; Light Blue, White roof/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $23,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $25,300 – 336/200hp, 2-barrel, hub caps, whitewalls, wood bed, 3-speed column shift manual. – Decent older paint with a few masking errors. Rechromed bumpers, but the badges are all original and lightly pitted. Faded original gauges but the rest of the interior has been redone. Clean, straight bed. Tidy underneath. Never fully taken apart but restored to truck standards and quite charming in these colors, plus it’s a GMC, which will stand out among the Chevys. – This pickup sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2010 for $35,200, which is an expensive price today and bordered on the outrageous back then. This result is much more realistic for a charming but imperfect V8-powered Series 100 Jimmy.
Lot # 170 1928 Hudson Model O Custom Convertible Sedan, Body by Murphy; S/N 807882; Gray/Burgundy leather; Black cloth top; Concours restoration, 1- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $155,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $170,500 – 289/92hp six, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, dual sidemount spares, mascot, Pilot Rays, luggage trunk and rack, suicide front doors, wood running boards, engine-turned dash. – AACA National First Prize in 2010 and class winner at Pebble Beach in 2009, right after its full restoration. Excellent paint and chrome. The whitewalls are yellowing a bit. Excellent interior with clean leather. Very clean underneath. A gorgeous, very rare early Hudson that may no longer take home a trophy but is still showable. – A rather significant automobile with coachwork by Walter M. Murphy Company although it’s more utilitarian than sleek and sexy. It was sold from the Hostetler collection by Worldwide in 2018 for $214,500 and took a hit here although it is hard to see how it is in worse condition fourteen months later. It is an outstanding Twenties Hudson, but that didn’t seem to make much difference here and it was largely overlooked.
Lot # 159 1952 Jaguar XK 120 Roadster; S/N 673895; Gold/Black; Unrestored original, 4- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $52,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $57,200 – Hub caps and trim rings, original General tires, woodrim steering wheel, map light. – All original down to the dry rotted tires, the cracked and flaking paint and the rusty underbody. The left taillight is missing and so are a couple of bars out of the grille, but the car is otherwise remarkably complete if dirty and neglected. The carpets, door handles, switches are all there. Obviously it’s a total project, but it’s one worth doing. – This price wasn’t a steal, but the Corpus bidders didn’t get wooed by barn find mystique and seemed to understand what it will take to put this car right, paying a realistic price for an XK 120 which when it’s done may be worth a hundred thousand dollars more.
Lot # 121 1966 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Fixed Head Coupe; S/N 1E32482; Old English White/Dark Red leather; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000 – Chrome wire wheels, woodrim steering wheel, later cassette stereo. – Scratched up front bumpers, which don’t fit evenly. Dirt behind the headlight covers. The wheels could stand a serious cleaning. Noted deficiencies include a windshield that needs to be replaced, poor door fit and damaged right door interior panel. Good older paint other than a large scratch on the tail. Very good lightly worn interior. Restored a very long time ago, but still needs very little for someone who wants a Series I covered headlight E-Type to actually drive and enjoy. – It’s worth repeating that when the XKE (or E-Type) first appeared it was the fixed head coupe’s design that wowed everyone with the roadster considered something of an afterthought. While the coupe’s design is still stunning, it has been overshadowed by its open two-seater counterpart in collectors’ desire and value. Even with the noted needs and recommissioning needed after long museum display this is an apparently sound example bought for a price that recognizes its needs.
Lot # 197 1976 Jaguar XJ-12C Coupe; S/N UG2G51006BW; Silver, Black vinyl roof/Black; Unrestored original, 5+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – 5343/244hp V12, automatic, hub caps, narrow whitewalls. – Represented as one of 1,800 built. Faded, chipped and cracked paint. Dirty, neglected engine bay. Severely pitted brightwork on the nose, trunk lid and rear bumper. The hub caps are pitting as well. Mostly well-preserved interior, but the seats are lightly cracking and the radio is missing. Light surface rust but no serious rot underneath. A barn find in every sense of the term. A rare sharp, smooth and relatively fast car. When it runs, anyway, and that will be a long time from now. – Even though these pillarless XJ coupes are undeniably handsome, a V12 Jag is hard and expensive to keep running even in the best of times, so this is a serious project not for the faint of heart. The Corpus Christi bidders knew this, and did not at all get carried away.
Lot # 116 1969 Land Rover Series IIA 88 Soft Top 4×4; S/N 24436601G; Blue/Black; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,100 – Tow bar, Warn Winch, hardtop, 88″ wheelbase. – Very rare original North American market Series II Land Rover. Surface rust on the wheels, and the right front one doesn’t match. A few dents in the body and the paint is very faded, but it’s part of the charm for people into patina. A little rusty underneath but not terrible. Huge crack in the windshield. The interior looks pretty rough, and any of the metal surfaces in the cockpit will remind you to be up on your tetanus shot. There’s a fire bottle in the back, but it’s ancient and there’s no way it works. Rips in the rear seat. No sign of a top anywhere although it is described as coming with a hardtop. Cool for tooling around in, but should probably be restored. – Just because an automobile is all-original of course doesn’t mean that it is well-preserved. This Land Rover clearly spent a lot of time sitting outside and it probably needs a lot. The bidders took that into account and smartly kept the bidding to a minimum.
Lot # 64 1940 LaSalle Series 40-52 Touring Sedan; S/N 4331359; Gray/Gray cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $15,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $16,500 – Hub caps, wide whitewalls, column shift, radio, heater – Light scratching on the hub caps and wheels. Light pitting on some of the brightwork. Decent older paint with a few microblisters and cracks. Light delaminating at the edges of the side glass. Tidy underneath. Good lightly worn interior. A handsome, usable older restored LaSalle represented to have 22,682 miles from new. – Gray is an appropriate color for this uninspiring LaSalle 4-door, a car whose survival is more significant than any other thing about it. 1940 was LaSalle’s final year, and no one other than perhaps the 24,000 people who bought one missed it in 1941. Its unpopularity and 4-door body doesn’t diminish its appeal as a weekend driver, however, and it brought a reasonable price for what it is.
Lot # 161 1932 Lincoln Model KB Town Sedan; S/N KB558; Blue, Black fenders/Beige cloth; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $39,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $42,900 – Black painted wire wheels, hub caps, wide whitewalls, dual sidemount spares, greyhound mascot, chrome horns, luggage rack with trunk, robe rail, Waltham dash clock. – Decent old paint with a few faded spots. Some dirt and oxidation underneath, and it looks like it’s leaking coolant. A few chips in the painted dash, but mostly good older restored interior. Inherently desirable, it would make a fine tour car once it is recommissioned and serviced. – Reported sold by Worldwide at Scottsdale nine months ago for $44,000, its presentation here is anomalous although the result is consistent.
Lot # 117 1978 Lincoln Continental Mk V Cartier Edition Coupe; S/N 8Y89A944934; Tan, Tan vinyl roof/Tan cloth; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,250 – 400/166hp, automatic, narrow whitewalls, Cartier dash clock. – Showing 53,121 believable miles. Light crazing and cracking in the paint. Light scratching all over the bumpers. Excellent interior. Used and old, but well-maintained along the way and the Cartier Edition makes it relatively special. – Certainly not a ton of performance, but 4,900 pounds of malaise era magnificence for less than 10 grand seems like a sweet deal, and there are Cartier watches that cost more than this entire car. Lincoln sold the Continental Mk V “Designer Series” in several trims that included Bill Blass Edition, Diamond Jubilee, Givenchy Edition and Pucci Edition. The Cartier cars are among the more valuable ones, but they all carry similar values. Really good low-mileage examples can command somewhere in the high teens to low 20s, but this result is a reasonable one for a solid well-maintained driver.
Lot # 30 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint Drophead Coupe; S/N 7111270233K; Brown/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Unrestored original, 4- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,700 – 1558/126hp Big Valve Twin Cam with dual Webers, 4-speed, centerlock wheels, dual mirrors, wood shift knob, later cassette stereo. – Original paint with surprisingly few cracks for an old Lotus, but there are still plenty of big ones and the finish is very dull. The headlights are up, and probably stuck that way. All the brightwork is severely pitted, and the front bumper is loose. The vinyl on the soft top is mostly sound, but the rear window is so brown you can’t see through it and there are tears at the back corners. The interior is dirty with tears in the seats and faded gauges. A very rare Sprint model and a desirable Drophead, this Elan needs a heck of a lot of attention but it is solid and complete enough that it’s definitely worth saving. – This could be a $40,000 car or more after a thorough restoration, but the bidders prudently recognized the scale of the project ahead and kept the bidding modest. As total projects go, it’s not a bad value at this price and will be highly rewarding once it is finished.
Lot # 162 1982 Maserati Quattroporte III Sedan; S/N ZAMBC1109CA301610; Brown/Brown leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – 4930/280hp, quadruple Webers, automatic, Campagnolo wheels, tinted glass, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, comes with a spare stand-mounted engine and another set of seats. – Tidy engine bay with the air pump removed. Lightly worn interior with cracking leather on the console. Well-kept original paint. Slightly dull brightwork. The owner says he’s had four of these and this has been the best one with no major issues. Not perfect, but it shows a possible original relatively low 25,295 miles and it’s by far the best one seen in a while. – Solid example or not, old DeTomaso-era Quattroportes do not have a good reputation and their Giugiaro-penned lines are not for everybody. Kudos to the new owner, though, who got a seemingly solid low-mile QP III for barely more than parts car money. They are impossibly complicated and expensive to own, which makes the price appropriate: better to take the gorgeous 4-cam, 4-Weber engine out, put it on a stand and make a coffee table out of it surrounded by the butterscotch leather seats, a complete man cave.
Lot # 163 1991 Mazda RX-7 Convertible; S/N JM1FC3525M0904851; Black/Black; Black top; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – 1.3 two-rotor Wankel, 160hp, 5-speed, alloy wheels, boot cover, Pioneer CD/cassette stereo, power windows. – Light wear to the seats that matches the 50,986 miles showing, and the carpets are a little dirty. The paint matches the age and mileage as well, but there are no major blemishes. It’s a used RX-7, but the mileage isn’t high enough to be alarming. It’s also a more desirable convertible, and there are no visible mods. Most RX-7s, especially the second gen cars, aren’t anywhere near this good. – Second-gen RX-7s still offer a lot of car for the money, and when properly maintained a non-turbo 13B rotary can be a reliable powerplant. This price is a great bargain for such a solid and usable convertible, and it could have brought a lot closer to five figures without being expensive.
Lot # 208 1965 Mercury Parklane Marauder 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 5W67Z542035; Olive Mist, Light Green vinyl roof/Light Green vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $9,900 – 390/300hp, automatic, Radial T/A tires, pushbutton radio. – Mostly original paint with microblisters in spots and light orange peel. Discoloration on the vinyl roof. The rocker trim doesn’t quite fit flush with the body. Decent chrome. Scratched door handles. Good original interior. Tidy and unrestored but maintained underneath. An attractive, largely original and relatively rare Marauder. – Not to be confused with the 2003-04 Marauder that was a Mustang-powered sleeper sedan based on the Grand Marquis, the original Marauder of the ’60s, the Marauder name was originally an engine option introduced in the late 1950s and then became a trim package on the Monterey, Montclair and Park Lane in 1963 with a sportier roofline. They are not at all a common sight today, but old Marauders aren’t worth a whole lot and appeal to someone who wants a big ’60s American car but appreciates something a little different. This is a good buy at less than five figures.
Lot # 166 1986 Mercury ASC McLaren Prototype Convertible; S/N 1MEBP79M4GF615756; White/Dark Blue leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,100 – Automatic, Campagnolo alloy wheels, Toyo tires, Recaro heated seats with speakers in them, woodgrain dash, Kenwood cassette/CB radio. – One of the original prototypes of the collaboration between the American Sunroof Company (ASC), McLaren and Ford, before a Mustang version made it to production. This car has been driven, however, given the 18,425 miles on the odometer, the lightly worn seats and the light aging both to the paint and the underbody. Even so, it’s a neat and rare if somewhat obscure Fox-body. – This is an interesting car with an interesting story behind it, but just because a car is a prototype doesn’t mean it is worth a ton of money. For reference, this same car sold for $8,800 at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in 2009 and for $7,250 at Mecum Kissimmee in 2012. A prototype of a car no one cares about is not important.
Lot # 188 1961 Metropolitan 1500 Series IV Hardtop; S/N E81042; Teal, White/White vinyl, houndstooth cloth; Enthusiast restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $10,450 – Hood ornament, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, radio, heater. – Dull brightwork. Cheap respray with flecks in the hood. Dry, cracking weather stripping. Original dash and gauges. Old tires. Tons of cute factor of course, but not very valuable and that makes it easier to forgive any issues. – Built under contract by Austin in England, the Nash Metropolitan was nevertheless intended for American buyers and one of the few small cars available at the time. After 1957, AMC dropped the Nash brand and the Metropolitan simply became the Metropolitan 1500, and the Mk IV that debuted in 1959 added an external trunk lid. This one was presented and sold back-to-back with a pink ’57 Nash Metropolitan convertible that sold for more at a $16,500 final price given its soft top and earlier build date. At Mecum Dallas in 2013 this Metropolitan sold for $16,050. It hasn’t gotten any better with six years of age, but is perhaps better than the price it brought here.
Lot # 168 1980 MG MGB MK IV Roadster; S/N GVVDJ2AG509607; Black/Tan; Tan cloth top; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,100 – 1.798cc/95hp, American Racing wheels, Momo woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, Sony digital stereo, air conditioning – Relatively rare LE model from the last year of the MGB. Clean bumpers. The paint is kind of tired and there is lots of use underneath. Very good recovered seats and clean carpets. Showing 69,424 believable miles and more than good enough for what it is. – The LE package on a 1980 MGB can add a premium of a grand or more, and they’re somewhat collectible even if they are slower and less attractive than earlier chrome bumper ‘Bs. This was a fair result that takes the age and mileage into account.
Lot # 171 1995 Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4 Spyder Convertible; S/N JA3AW75K2SY829287; Caracus Red/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 2,972cc/320hp twin turbo, 5-speed, Black alloy wheels, climate control, power seats, windows and top, all-wheel drive. – The paint is a little tired, but there are no serious issues other than a small crack and scuff on the roof. The interior shows only very light wear. A few scuffs on the wheels. Light road wear underneath. Looks like a car with far fewer than the 93,820 miles showing, but although this is a very rare VR4 Spyder, that odometer reading is impossible to ignore. – The 3000GT was Mitsubishi’s last serious performance car in the U.S. until the Lancer Evo VIII hit our shores in 2003. Its appreciation has lagged behind peers like the A80 Toyota Supra, FD Mazda RX-7 and Z32 Nissan 300ZX, but the VR4 model was a technological marvel in its day and the Spyder is the rarest, most desirable variant. Being a high-mileage car, though, this example is never going to bring top dollar and the price it brought isn’t surprising although it may stand as a missed opportunity in a strong rice-burner market.
Lot # 189 1960 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Coupe; S/N 609L11511; Gold Mist/Brown, Light Brown; Enthusiast restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $19,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,900 – 394/315hp, automatic, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, dual mirrors, pushbutton radio, power brakes, power steering. – The original chrome is a little dull, and so is the rest of the brightwork. Some of the body side trim is loose. Good older repaint. Very good mostly restored interior. Mechanically overhauled but never fully restored. An attractive, usable, seldom-seen 98 Holiday Coupe. – Sold by Auctions America at Spring Auburn in 2014 for $29,700, this 98 Holiday is erratically presented and indifferently maintained, characteristics that are reflected in this generous result.
Lot # 126 1939 Packard Super Eight Convertible Coupe; S/N K1590F448; Cream/Red leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500 – Hub caps and trim rings, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares with mirrors, Cormorant mascot, amber fog lights, cloth boot cover, column shift, dash clock. – Lightly scratched and delaminating windshield. The paint shade on the radiator shell and the headlights doesn’t match the rest of the body. Same with the fenders and trunk lid. A few chips on the spare wheel covers, and unfortunately someone has opened the doors into the spare wheels, resulting in a small but deep dent at the front of each door. Very good, lightly worn interior. Attention-grabbing body style and colors, but far from perfect. – Sold at Auburn Spring in 2014 for $57,750 in unknown condition. A bit banged up and the mismatched panel colors detract from what is otherwise an attractive and usable open Packard. Given some mechanical attention to be sure it runs, drives and stops reliably and safely, though, and it will be an attractive, high quality, tour car bought a realistic price.
Lot # 191 1950 Packard Eight Touring Sedan; S/N H276082; Red/Gray cloth; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $10,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,550 – 288/135hp straight-eight, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, fender skirts, Cormorant mascot, sun visor. – Ancient repaint with water spots everywhere and large bubbles on the hood. Decent original chrome, but the trim on the sun visor has serious pitting, and so do the taillight bezels. Worn steering wheel and a few small rips in the upholstery, but mostly good original interior trim. Solid but original and aged underneath. Another restorable Packard, but one that will never be worth a ton of money. – Sold at Mecum Dallas in 2014 for $12,960, this Clipper got little attention here in Corpus Christi, which was all it deserved. It will be an enjoyable weekend driver, though, and brought weekend family cruiser money.
Lot # 190 1955 Packard Caribbean Convertible; S/N 55881169; White, Black, Teal/White, Teal leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500 – 352/275hp, dual quads, automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, fender skirts, dual rear antennas, power windows, power brakes, pushbutton radio, Torsion-Level suspension. – Small blister in the front bumper but otherwise good older chrome. Sound older paint. Significant wrinkling in the leather, but in a Caribbean you can flip the seat covers around to the cloth portion. There is a little dirt on the top but it would likely clean out and it is otherwise tight and straight. A well-maintained but older restoration. – The ’55 Caribbean is a remarkable car, not only for its good looks but for having a then-brand-new V-8 (Packard’s first), self-leveling torsion bar suspension and power everything. It cost far more than the equivalent Cadillac, and just 500 were built. American cars from the 1950s, particularly ones from orphan brands like Packard and Studebaker, have been struggling to sell lately, but the best examples of the best models continue to bring strong money. The bidders in Corpus recognized that this Caribbean, despite some light aging, is a quality car and bid it to a realistic and fair price.
Lot # 193 1955 Packard Clipper Super Panama Hardtop Coupe; S/N 55476583; Salmon, White/White vinyl with Gray cloth inserts; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,750 – 320/225hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Dull original paint with chips throughout and some surface rust poking through on the roof. Sound but worn original interior. There are no rips in the seats, but the upholstery looks dry and there are some smudges on the vinyl. Grubby but complete underneath. A solid but worn out car that is arguably worth saving, but it will cost more restore than it will ever probably be worth. – Sold for $7,700 at Mecum Houston 20 months ago, this is a disappointing old car that isn’t good enough to drive nor inexpensive enough to restore.
Lot # 67 1956 Pontiac Star Chief Deluxe Convertible; S/N P856H11306; Bolero Red, Sun Beige/Red, White; White top; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500 – 317/227hp four-barrel, automatic, wire wheel covers, whitewalls, hood ornament, Continental kit, pushbutton radio. – Tired older chrome with light scratches. Dull, dirty old replacement top. Old, yellowing tires. Lightly worn seats. Dull switchgear and steering wheel. Tidy underneath. Restored many years ago and now a serviceable driver. – This Star Chief showed up in 1993 fresh from restoration but like so many other cars in the early 90’s went nowhere. It sold at Spring Auburn in 2014 for $33,000, then at the Leake Tulsa auction in 2014 for $46,200 and at Mecum Dallas in 2015 for $41,250. Its odometer has added only 58 miles since 2014 but the years have taken their toll which goes a long way to explaining why it is worth less.
Lot # 148 1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Super Speedster; S/N 84149; Engine # 67782; Dull Ruby Red, Primer/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 4- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $192,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $211,750 – 1,582/75hp, hubcaps, bumper overriders, Kardex and Porsche CoA documented. – Surprisingly good seats, but both door cards are missing. So are the carpets, and there is a rusted through hole at the edge of the floor. All the trim is there. Reportedly runs, drives and stops. A total barn find and an unknown history, but mostly complete, retains its original engine, and it is a Speedster, which gets people excited more so than the average ratty 356. – Apart from the Apollos this was the most anticipated lot of the sale but the price it sold for is nothing crazy. RM Sotheby’s sold a barn find ’58 Speedster in slightly worse shape than this for $307,500 last year, but that was at a Porsche-only auction located at the company’s Experience Center in Atlanta, and Porsche passions were running high. This result in Corpus Christi isn’t so much a low price as it is a lack of barn find mystique with a project car selling for a realistically low number. With prices for freshly and accurately numbers-matching 356A Super Speedsters at half a million dollars the new owner of this project has reasonable headroom to get ‘er done, take some concours awards and come out ahead, or close.
Lot # 10 1975 Porsche 914 1.8 Targa; S/N 4752909775; Lime Green, Black roof panel/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $8,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,800 – 1,795cc/73hp four, 5-speed, aftermarket stereo, steel wheels. – Cheap, ancient respray with masking errors in a few spots. Cracked marker lenses. Clean bumpers. Surface rust on the wheels. Several small rips on the seats and console, and cracks in the dash top. Dirty but complete underneath. Last registered in 2012 and showing 81,169 miles. A very late 914 in project condition, but it could be casually enjoyed while working on it. – Not a surprising price given the wear and tear, and should be satisfying to both parties. Given that it has been sitting for a while, it could have sold for less, but the new owner still has room to give this car basic improvements at parts prices that come in lower than the average 911.
Lot # 114 1976 Porsche 914 2.0 Targa; S/N 4752908043; Silver/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 4 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,600 – 1,971/91hp, 5-speed, Minilite-style black painted alloy wheels, luggage rack. – Dull, chipped paint with surface rust poking through. Cracked marker lenses. Grubby underneath. Dirty interior with faded gauges, and the plastic piece that fits over the horn has fallen off. Some of the body side trim is bent up. A project final-year 914, worse than the green one also in this sale. – It isn’t hard to find a perfectly good, drivable 914, but bidders looking for a neat project gave this one a fair number that leaves room for at least a basic restoration or conversion into an enjoyable track day runner.
Lot # 129 1979 Porsche 928 Coupe; S/N 9289200126; Guards Red/Tan leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,100 – Phone dial wheels, 5-speed, later CD stereo. – Showing 94,664 miles and worn out. The paint isn’t original and has lots of orange peel and prep issues. The car also must have been left out in a hail storm given the numerous small dents on the hood and roof. Heavily worn driver’s seat. A 5-Speed in a 928 is somewhat noteworthy, but the rest of this car isn’t. – Values for 928s have appreciated significantly over the past four or five years, but for a long time they suffered from the combination of being cheap to buy while still expensive to maintain. There are quite a few used and worn 928s just like this out there, and this one brought a realistic price that takes its issues into account.
Lot # 160 1930 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Limousine, Body by Park Ward; S/N X7J; Engine # X7; Black/Black leather in front, Gray cloth in back; Older restoration, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500 – RHD. Body color wheel discs, single sidemount spare with a wire wheel, Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, suicide doors, division window, luggage rack and trunk, original owner’s manual. – Last registered in 1998 and shown at a few concours events in the 1980s. The paint is sound, but clearly very old, and the radiator shell looks tired. Imperfect panel gaps. Decent interior wood, but there are lots of wrinkles and a few cracks in the leather. Old tires. A usable and attractive car after some mechanical sorting. – Low cost entry into RREC events, but not a lot more, and bought appropriately for its age, condition and “stately” coachwork. A Rolls-Royce for a moderately successful merchant or solicitor.
Lot # 205 1964 Studebaker Avanti R2 Coupe; S/N R5299; Red/Black; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – 289/289hp R2 supercharged, 4-Speed, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, dual mirrors, bucket seats, console, pushbutton radio. – Tidy, lightly used engine bay. Very good paint other than some odd discoloration on the right rear fender. Clean brightwork. Good interior, but some of the brightwork around the console is pitted. Well restored and a genuine R2 car with a 4-speed. – Although this Avanti R2 isn’t pristine, it is very good. Details are important to Avanti fanatics and this R2 hasn’t some of the niggling features that make an Avanti special but that translates seamlessly to the price it brought here.
Lot # 165 1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mk I Convertible; S/N 382000599; British Racing Green, British Racing Green hardtop/Black; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $55,000 – 260/164hp, Panasport wheels, Dunlop Direzza tires, hardtop, aftermarket sports steering wheel. – Older paint with a few flecks in the hood, some light detail scratching and a large crack above the trunk lid. The rubber bumperettes are loose on the rear and the bumpers look original. The windshield is delaminating at the edges. Good, lightly worn interior. Tidy underneath. Restored, but not top to bottom and done a while ago. It’s a fun but driver quality Mk I Tiger. – Tiger values have come down a bit since peaking in 2016, but this is still a good value on a fundamentally good car with a factory hardtop. It is indicative of the care and attention of prior owners that this 2-barrel Mk I never got the 289 four-barrel treatment.
Lot # 202 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40V Hardtop 4×4; S/N FJ40296715; Blue, White roof/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $34,100 – Alpine cassette stereo. – US market FJ. Older restored underneath. Budget respray with orange peel in spots and a small ding on the right front. Good interior with new seats, but the switchgear looks original. Small ding in the incorrect chromed grille trim. The 21,828 miles showing are represented as actual, but his FJ40 has been restored, on a clear budget and likely before FJ prices spiked a few years ago. – That this is a U.S.-market FJ40 makes it somewhat more desirable than the ones that come here from South America and elsewhere, but this result is still on the expensive side and could have bought a fresher, better example. It was sold at Mecum’s Dallas auction in September 2014 for $30,240 and was a better value at that price.
Lot # 206 1972 Triumph TR6 Convertible; S/N CC77390L; Green/Tan vinyl; Black vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 4- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,250 – Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, Sunpro amp gauge, aftermarket exhaust. – Horrible blistery old respray. Pitted and stained bumpers. Older replacement top. Dirty carpets. The speedometer is missing entirely. Incorrect solid wood door panels. Lots of oxidation underneath. A barn find that may very well cost more to put right than it will be worth when it’s finished. – This may not seem like much money for a brawny six-cylinder English roadster, but it is already an expensive TR6. An aged but better black 1970 example (Lot 17) sold the day before for nearly twice as much at $15,950, but that car was definitely the better value. Money aside, hopefully the buyer here knows what they are getting into and will put this TR back on the road soon.
Lot # 19 1961 Volkswagen Beetle 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 3632739; Blue/White vinyl; Enthusiast restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,950 – Hub caps, folding sunroof. – Several deep gouges in the hub caps. Good paint for the most part, but there are a few spots with microblisters and the roof is scratched on a few spots. Orange peel on the fenders. Tidy underneath. One of three cars photographed as incomplete restorations for the auction catalog but finished in time for the sale itself, it also looks rush and missed on several details, but it is a Beetle, after all, and still looks ready for casual fun. – The charm, reliability, ease of ownership, interesting design and surprising fun factor despite being a four-seater with just 40hp to work with have gained early Beetles newfound appreciation over the past few years. Good, freshly restored ones and even budget restorations like this one are worth a few thousand dollars more than they were just a couple of years ago. This result is a perfectly appropriate price in today’s Beetle market.
Lot # 80 1972 Volkswagen Type 2 Campmobile, Body by Westfalia; S/N 2342072358; Pink, White /; Unrestored original, 4- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,250 – 1679/72hp, 4-speed, hub caps, Westfalia camper equipment and popup roof. – Very dull, chipped old paint. Surface rust on the wheels and hub caps. Tears in the seats and cloudy gauges. Erratic panel fit. Rusty underneath. Cracked marker lenses. Rough all around. This Westfalia recalls a time when VW buses were dirt cheap and you could pick them up for a few hundred bucks, because a lot of them looked this tired. It will take a lot to get it road trip-worth once again, but it is worth saving. – With VW vans bringing multi-thousands per window this project has real potential for restoration but also can be cleaned up and serviced for its original use as a weekend camper. It was bought right in this transaction.
Lot # 209 1951 Willys Jeepster Phaeton Convertible; S/N 473VJ13839; Tunisian Red/Black vinyl; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $17,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $18,700 – 134 cid/72hp “Go Devil” four, 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, column shift. – Painted over crazing below the windshield. Small dent in the right front hub cap. Mostly very good chrome and brightwork, but the piece at the front of the hood is pitted. Clean new replacement top. Restored interior. Clean and restored underneath. A great 20-footer. – The original Jeepster looks like it should be rugged and capable, but it isn’t. Intended to combine a leisurely soft top convertible with the looks of a Jeep, it wasn’t a big seller when new, and today its main collector appeal is as a casual beach or around town cruiser. This one would be just fine for that, and it brought a perfectly fair price.