Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report
Auctions America by RM, Auburn Fall, Auburn, Indiana, August 29-September 1, 2013
Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor
For years the Auburn Fall auction has been the spiritual home of the car collecting core, folks who buy $20,000 cars because they love them, want to give them good homes and preserve them.
In its heyday, Auburn Fall never attracted the ‘Thousands of Cars’ its promoter boasted, but at its peak 1,601 cars crossed the Auburn Fall block.
It was a treasure hunt across acres of Indiana with everything from cars fresh from the Lawn at Pebble Beach to musty relics, abandoned puppies begging to be adopted by caring homes. Collectors’ motor homes filled more acres and the party spilled across Auburn to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival celebrating the rich automobile history of Indiana.
That went into eclipse a few years ago. Then Rob Myers recruited Donnie Gould to resurrect it. They put in the money to refurbish the Auction Park and brought fresh principles to the Auburn auction process.
Progress was evident in 2011 and 2012. It took a while, but in 2013 it took hold with 1,135 cars crossing Auburn’s two auction blocks in a four day extravaganza that brought bright memories to the minds of veterans. This is the place, the time and the atmosphere where car guys and gals gather to celebrate the successes, take advantage of the opportunities and sometimes accept the market’s judgment of misguided purchases.
The fluff, champagne and confetti of Monterey just two weeks before is a distant memory in Auburn, another world. This is real car collecting where the median car costs $24,475, not six- or seven-figures.
Car collectors owe a large debt of gratitude to Rob Myers, Donnie Gould and the whole Auctions America/RM team for resuscitating Auburn Fall. It hardly made sense in 2010 when they started this odyssey with 878 cars and a $13 million sale but they persevered and the hobby is much, much more rich for their determination.
[table id=84 /]
Auburn Fall is back, and all car collectors should rejoice in its return.
The Fox Good Humor cart isn’t written up, but it may just be the poster vehicle for Auburn Fall. Where else will one show up? It sold for $7,700 with commission.
Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report
Lot # 1192 1979 Triumph Spitfire 1500 Roadster; S/N FM100148UC; Orange, Orange hardtop/Black vinyl, cloth; Black top; Unrestored original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $4,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $4,400 – Two tops, luggage rack, silver steel wheels with trim wings, Michelin XZX tires, dual fender mirrors, Sanyo cassette stereo – Stone chipped original paint, sound but aged original interior. An old but not mistreated original Spitfire. – One of the real pleasures of Auburn Fall over the years has been that honest, interesting, sound offbeat cars like this were always spotted around the Auction Park. It made Auburn Fall a car guy’s (or gal’s) treasure hunt. On every row there was something that gave reason to stop and reflect. Auctions America has reinvigorated this sale and restored the sense of adventure, as with this sound, old two-top Spitfire, and made it reasonable for consignors to bring cars like it to find new homes. At this price it is impossible for the new owner to go wrong. Lot # 3022 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 6100619; Gold, White accent/Gold vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $29,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $32,175 – 289/275hp supercharged, automatic, pushbutton radio, wheelcovers, whitewalls, dual rear antennas – Fair old repaint, decent chrome and stainless, good interior. Orderly engine compartment. Old undercoat in fenderwells. Doors could be fit better. Solid body sills. A usable older cosmetic restoration. – With 275hp the Golden Hawk was a serious contender on America’s highways, even if it was a bit porky at over a ton and a half. Production was healthy – by Studebaker standards – at 4,356 and they are still an attractive car with collectors today for their performance, rarity and idiosyncratic styling. This result is representative for this Golden Hawk’s condition and is something of a bargain among its contemporaries. Lot # 3118 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder; S/N 30967W161001; Black/Black; Black vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $15,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $16,500 – 145/150hp Turbocharged, 4-speed, pushbutton radio, wire wheel covers, narrow whitewalls – Quick older repaint, sound upholstery, decent chrome. Orderly original engine compartment. Surprisingly sound, complete, original and presentable. – The Monza Spyder represents a rather daring attempt by Chevrolet to reposition its mundane Corvair as a 4-seat, open air, sports car. Today it is valued at little more than its 95hp naturally aspirated sibling and will draw plenty of admiring looks for not a lot of money. This result is appropriate for this car’s presentation with no appreciable premium for its originality. Lot # 3144 1963 Chevrolet Corvette FI Coupe; S/N 30837S112783; Engine # 3112783 F0403RF; Riverside Red/Black; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $112,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $123,750 – 327/360hp fuel injection, 4-speed, WonderBar radio, spinner wheel covers, blackwall tires – Represented as original engine and stamped appropriately. A very good older restoration to like new condition that has held up very well. Looks like it was done much more recently and shows negligible use or age. – Appropriately priced for a desirable combination of color, body style and powertrain, this is a lot of Corvette in very good condition for this price. Lot # 3157 1955 Ford Thunderbird Doane Spencer Custom Convertible; S/N P5FH173000; Black/Black leather; Modified restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000. No Reserve – – 320/350hp Ford V-8, dual quads, kidney bean centerlock alloy wheels, Super T-10 4-speed, aluminum radiator, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, Recaro seats, ’61 Lincoln/’62 Ford brakes, lowered and beefed-up suspension – Built by Doane Spencer as a road race style T-bird, with all the goodies and superb fabrication and finishing. Magazine featured and, according to the seller, Mille Miglia Storica eligible. Good older cosmetics showing age and use. Kirk F. White collection. – Wouldn’t the Italians love this all-black, sinister, loud, fast T-bird on the Mille Miglia? It is an historic car with a laundry list of high performance and custom details that is well worth the amount paid for it here. Lot # 3161 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 409 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 21637F206398; Engine # F206398 T0110QB; Black/Red cloth; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $84,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $92,400 – 409/409hp, dual quads, radio and heater delete, no P/S or P/B, steel wheels, hubcaps, bias ply blackwall tires, bench seat, 90 degree steering column tach – Freshly restored and better than new everywhere. Represented as ‘Equipped with its original 409hp 409cid V-8 and 4-speed manual transmission’ and stamped appropriately for that configuration. – Accepting the seller’s statement that it is the original engine and transmission this is a extremely rare and desirable Bel Air, and it is in impeccable freshly restored condition. It brought a deserved premium price that could have been more without being expensive. Lot # 4032 1956 Chevrolet 3100 Shortbed NAPCO 4×4 Pickup; S/N 3A56K027956; Turquoise Blue/Grey leatherette; Truck restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $39,000 – Turn signals, heater, trim wings, 700-15 LT tires, chrome bumpers, wood bed floor, stainless bed strips – Fresh truck restoration. Very good paint, interior and chrome. Chassis has been done but not to the standards of the rest of the truck. – It seems like no auction these days is complete without a NAPCO, Power Wagon or FJ40, and Auburn Fall had all of them. The restoration of this NAPCO is not as good as it might have been and bidders are becoming conditioned to expect perfection. In this case they turned up their noses but a grand or two more probably would have bought it and the new owner would not have been disappointed with that transaction. Lot # 4168 1952 Nash-Healey Roadster; S/N AZ124140; Red/Black leatherette; Black cloth top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $66,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $72,600 – Wire wheel covers, whitewalls, pushbutton radio, overdrive – Fair paint, decent chrome and interior. Paint is cracked and chipped. Chassis is oily. Arizona assigned chassis number. – Sold a year ago at Worldwide’s Auburn auction for $58,300, this Nash-Healey hasn’t gotten any better with age and is expensive at this price. Lot # 4177 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible; S/N VC57A146243; Black/Red, Silver vinyl; Modified restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $65,000 – Turned Port V-8, automatic, P/W, power bench seat, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, P/S, P/B, alternator – Stock appearing modified car. Good cosmetics. Clean and orderly. – Sold at Russo and Steele in Arizona in 2005 for $68,040, then at RM’s Charlie Thomas auction last October for $66,000, it is an appealing driver with updated drivetrain and accessories, but no better than the reported high bid here.
Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report Page Two
Lot # 5039 1970 Ford Torino Cobra 429 Fastback; S/N 0A38J144840; Orange, Black hood/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $45,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $49,500 – 429/375hp CJ Ram Air, 4-speed, Hurst shifter, shaker hood, buckets and console, chrome rim Magnum wheels, Radial T/A tires, pushbutton radio – Good paint, chrome and interior. Dash, instrument, console and shift boot are unrestored and aged. Underbody is like new. – A choice example of a rare car. One of these days the 429-powered Torino Cobra will be recognized for its combination of power and comfort, like its sibling the Boss 429 has been. Until then it remains an intrinsically sound value for collectors who value tire-shredding power at an affordable price like this. Lot # 5046 1958 Packard Series 58L Coupe; S/N 58L7222; Copper, White roof/Beige vinyl, Copper cloth; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,800 – 289/225hp, automatic, cassette stereo, whitewalls, wheel covers, P/S, P/B, oil filter – Beginning to show the shortcuts in its cosmetic restoration. – Sold by RM at Meadow Brook in 2010 for $27,500, a much more appropriate price for it than what it brought here. Lot # 5058 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible; S/N 17055106; Light Yellow/Red, White leather; White vinyl top; Older restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $148,500 – Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, White front wheel wells – Excellent paint, chrome and interior. A sharp older show quality restoration. – Sold by RM at Meadow Brook in 2007 for $165,000, then at Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale sale in January of this year for $121,000. It showed 8 miles on its odometer in 2007, 74 miles at Ft. Lauderdale and 94 miles here and is still in show quality condition. Its price today is a fair representation of its value. Lot # 5059 1958 Chevrolet 3100 Cameo Pickup; S/N V3A580101596; Engine # F930D; Teal Blue, Black roof and accent/Silver, Black vinyl; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $92,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $101,750. No Reserve – – 283/185hp upgraded with a Rochester 4-Barrel, Powerglide, P/S, P/B, radio, heater, wheel covers, whitewalls, black painted bed floor, windshield visor – Exceptional paint, chrome and interior. Engine compartment beautifully restored better than new. Outstanding, and distinctive in unusual colors. – A no-sale here last year, it sure came into its own a year later. The colors are outstanding, and unusual on a Cameo, which gave it serious eye-appeal on the auction block. The seller should be extremely happy to get this much for it. Lot # 5060 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 Convertible; S/N 11867B164265; White, Red accent/Red vinyl; White vinyl top; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $82,500 – 409/360hp, 4-barrel, 4-speed, P/S, P/B, 90 degree tach on the steering column, pushbutton radio, bench seat, skirts, dual rear antennas – Restored like new with excellent paint, bright chrome and sharp interior and top. Engine compartment is like new, as is the underbody. A beautiful AACA National First Prize winning car. – This is a highly impressive car, not only in its configuration but also in its restoration. The only thing that would make it better would be a claim that it is the original drivetrain, or at least original drivetrain configuration. Then it might be worth more than the amount of the high bid. Lot # 5061 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RM23V0A162346; White, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $125,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $137,500 – 440/390hp, Six Barrel, column shift automatic, bench seat, pushbutton radio, P/S, P/B, Rallye wheels, Polyglas GT tires, instruments, hood-mounted tach – A 29,767 mile Superbird, restored nearly like new. Good paint and chrome, fair interior, Fiberglas nose cone fits well. – It is incongruous for Superbirds and Daytonas to have automatics, but that’s the way most of them were configured. It is a good, competently restored example and it brought all the money for its presentation. Lot # 5064 2006 Ford GT; S/N 1FAFP90S86Y401484; Blue, White stripes/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $205,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $225,500 – – 3,200 miles and like new. – This is what it costs to own one of Ford’s homages to the GT40, and it’s not getting any less expensive. Lot # 5065 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4, Body by Pininfarina; S/N F101AC10016025; Dark Blue/Beige leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $172,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $189,750 – 5-speed, Becker Mexico cassette stereo, P/W, chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, A/C – Decent paint and chrome. Very good new upholstery. Underbody is clean and orderly. – This C/4 looks great in dark blue and is attractively presented with new upholstery. Not restored but reassuringly presented, it brought an appropriate price for its performance and eye-appeal. Lot # 5066 1952 Jaguar XK 120SE Roadster; S/N S673263; Red/Biscuit leather; Black cloth top; Recent restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 – Chrome wire wheels, whitewall bias ply tires, fender mirrors, tribar headlights – Polished, painted, chromed engine compartment. Show quality paint, chrome and upholstery. Underbody is very good, but not as good as areas more readily apparent. – It is hard to fault this XK 120SE except subjectively and its price is appropriate to its nearly impeccable condition. Some time, attention and a few containers of cleaning concoctions should freshen it right up to show quality condition. Lot # 5067 1956 Jaguar XK 140MC Roadster; S/N S811956; Engine # G6546-8; Maroon/Biscuit; Biscuit cloth top; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $145,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $159,500 – Chrome wire wheels, blackwall bias ply tires, Lucas driving lights, bullseye headlights – Block and head numbers match. Very good paint, chrome, interior and top. Sharp engine compartment and trunk. Underbody is like new. – This XK 140MC is a very good example and brought a price appropriate to its condition and equipment.
Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report Page Three
Lot # 5068 1962 Chevrolet Corvette FI Convertible; S/N 20867S108324; Engine # 2108324 F0306RF; Copper, Copper hardtop/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $102,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $112,750. No Reserve – – 327/360hp, 4-speed, WonderBar radio, hardtop only, spinner wheel covers, narrow whitewalls – 51,424 miles from new, NCRS Silver Survivor and Five-Star Bowtie. Very good original car with some paint work. Otherwise aged as expected. – One would expect from the NCRS awards that the drivetrain is original, but it would be nice to see it in writing. Offered at Mecum’s Dallas auction a year ago, the result here is a smidgen better than the reported high bid there and bought an unusually original Corvette with the most desirable engine of all under the hood. The buyer got more than might be inferred from the price. Lot # 5069 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe, Body by Murphy; S/N 2347; Engine # J-331; Metallic Grey, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,400,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,540,000 – Chrome wire wheels, double-sided whitewall tires, dual sidemounts with chrome bands and fenders, polished trunk rack, rumble seat, dual taillights, small Pilot-Rays – The catalog represents the car as fully numbers matching including engine, chassis, firewall and body, ACD certified, CCCA Senior winner, known history from new. An older concours quality restoration with well preserved paint, chrome and interior, this Duesenberg will show with pride anywhere. – Sold by RM at Amelia in 2011 for $962,500. The colors are a bit dated but the car is otherwise impeccable and brought what a generous price that is 60% more than it brought just two years ago. Lot # 5077 1976 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser Utility; S/N FJ40219760; Red, White roof/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,800. No Reserve – – White wheels, Mud-Terrain T/A tires, Warn hubs, Ramsey winch, rollbar, center-facing rear seats, rear-mounted spare – Good paint and interior. Otherwise superficially and quickly redone to take advantage of the current FJ40 fad. – With a flood of FJ40s coming to market (every major auction seems to have one or two) buyers have the luxury of being picky. There are a few that are magnificently restored. They claim high 5-figure prices. The rest, like this one, don’t and bidders are understandably careful in evaluating them. This is the right money for this FJ40 even in today’s market. Lot # 5078 1936 Ford Model 68 Deluxe Convertible Sedan; S/N 182552050; Dark Blue/Brown; Beige cloth, Brown binding top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $29,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $31,900. No Reserve – – Radio, Eureka heater, defroster fan (aimed at driver for summer), chrome wheel spiders, whitewalls, fog lights, banjo spoke steering wheel, trunk back body – A sound, usable, presentable older restoration to like new, now showing age. Water stained top, decent chrome and stainless, sound interior. Cracked steering wheel rim. Orderly but aged chassis and underbody. – This is a solid old car with a desirable body style that someone took home at a very advantageous price. It didn’t have a whole lot of eye-appeal, a handicap that severely limited its performance on the auction block. For someone looking beyond the obvious, or willing to accept it for what it is, a usable driver that will reward some rudimentary attention, it is a great value. Lot # 5104 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Convertible; S/N F58S187624; Engine # T122H; White/Red vinyl; White vinyl top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $62,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $68,200 – 348/250hp, upgraded to 280hp three deuces, Powerglide, P/S, P/B, P/W, dual remote spotlights, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, dual rear antennas, WonderBar radio, continental kit, skirts – Very good paint, chrome and interior. Restored like new a while ago and still very attractive but showing age and use underhood. – This Bel Air Impala is no longer a show car but would be better than this with attention to cosmetics and cleaning. Fundamentally it is sound and shiny and could still be the queen of the road as it was in ’58. The buyer could have paid another $10K and not felt bad about it the next morning. Lot # 5127 1956 Dodge Power Wagon Personnel Carrier; S/N 1599777; Black/Red vinyl; Black vinyl top; Customized restoration, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $38,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,800. No Reserve – – 230/120hp flathead six, gold plated trim, upgraded seats, center-facing wood slat rear benches, jerry can, winch, single side-mounted spare – Decent paint (which deserves to be called ‘very good’ on a Power Wagon), chassis has been cleaned up and repainted assembled. Drivetrain is oily. A truck is still a truck, even when its trim is gold-plated. – With FJ40s and NAPCO 4WD conversions commanding mid-five figure prices this rare, rugged Power Wagon is both unusual and not expensive. The gold trim is over the top, though, unless it is going to be backed up by similar over the top treatment on the rest of the truck, which this one hasn’t had and is disappointing for what it doesn’t have. A new Cummins diesel would look so good under the hood. Lot # 5143 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RM23U0A163495; Tor-Red, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $97,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $107,250 – 440/375hp Magnum, automatic, pushbutton radio, Rallye wheels with trim rings, Polyglas GT tires, bench seat – Good repaint, dash top, roof, interior and chrome. Old undercoat in wheelwells. Sound, straight body, even gaps, flush fits, good nose cone fit, Headlights close flush. – A sound, straight, honest Superbird, with a run of the mill engine and transmission but in a gorgeous color, as outrageous as the Superbird’s body. It will not be hard to find in the Christmas Crush at the shopping mall parking lot, especially since it’ll have to be parked at the outer fringe to find a space big enough to accept its nose cone. It’s an easy car to like, particularly at this price. Lot # 5164 1939 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 Convertible Sedan; S/N 5290067; Dark Green/Tan leather; Biscuit cloth top; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $126,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $138,600 – Red steel wheels, large hubcaps, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemounts with mirrors, rollup division, footrests, smokers kits, Trippe lights – Mediocre older restoration of a very rare car, the fourth of four built with this body style. Weak chrome, pitted grille chrome, cracks in paint, good upholstery and top, very good interior wood. Orderly engine. A great tour car but not ready to show. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson 2002 for $92,880, then at Worldwide Houston in 2009 for $170,500 and offered without success at RM Amelia in 2011 at a reported high bid that makes this price look cheap. It isn’t, though, for the quality of this old cosmetic restoration and its many defects. It is going to be hard to turn it into a show winner with this as the cost basis without submerging, but not hard to drive it and add psychic income to its overall ROI. Lot # 5165 1934 Pierce-Arrow V-12 Silver Arrow 2-Dr. Sedan, Body by Pierce; S/N 3530082; Silver, Black fenders and accent/Tan cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $135,000 – Dual enclosed sidemounts with mirrors, large hubcaps, wide whitewalls – A highly original car with a weak old repaint and chrome, good interior. Engine and chassis are original, orderly and cleaned up. Curdled window seals. Tired and aged but sound. – Pierce-Arrow tried a Hail Mary with the ’34 Silver Arrow V-12 to bring the company back into the public’s perception as a style setter. It didn’t work, but that doesn’t lessen the effect of the Silver Arrows. This isn’t a very good one, but it is sound, all there and has real potential. That doesn’t, however, mean that the seller shouldn’t have let it go at the reported high bid. It’s going to take a lot – along the lines of ‘everything’ – to make this car pierce the bullseye in the value target.
Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report Page Four
Lot # 5166 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Fastback; S/N SFM6S316; White, Blue stripes/Black vinyl; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $115,000 – Bucket seats, 4-point belts, Torque Thrust style 5-spoke alloy wheels, woodrim steering wheel, Hurst shifter – Tidy race prepared car with fresh paint, not originally an R model, but now fully up to GT350R specs and neatly prepared. – Someone paid $154,000 for this GT350 at RM Amelia in March of this year, peddled it at Mecum Indy in May without success and is still peddling it today. It’s a neat car, but not what it appears to be and would be fully valued at $15-20K more than the reported bid here. Lot # 5167 1969 Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback; S/N 9F02R480948; Black Jade Metallic/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $82,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $90,750 – 428/335hp, 4-speed, Hurst shifter, AM-FM, 5-spoke Shelby wheels, F60-15 Polyglas GT tires, P/S, P/B, underbumper fog lights – Very good older restoration to like new condition. Good clearcoat paint, lightly scuffed stainless, good major chrome, weak quarter window frame chrome. Not quite like new, but very good. – The Shelby name commands a superior price but with limited distinction from high performance ’69 Mustangs. That rationale and the good but not great presentation weigh on this GT500’s value and make this a reasonable price for it. Lot # 5169 1933 Auburn Twelve Boattail Speedster; S/N BB2338; Black/Red leather; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $337,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $371,250 – Chrome wire wheels, dual enclosed sidemounts, whitewalls, mechanical tach on steering column, dual ratio rear axle, clock in rear view mirror. – Good older restoration now showing age but little use. Sound paint, bright chrome, good but aged upholstery. – There’s no history laid out for the Auburn which is more than a little troubling but its condition in excellent if ageing and it is a stupendous automobile. At this price it should be. Lot # 5170 1929 Duesenberg Model J Sport Sedan, Body by Murphy; S/N 2163; Engine # J-139; Metallic Grey, Black fenders, Dark Grey leather roof/Grey cloth; Older restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $875,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $962,500 – Chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemounts with strap on mirrors, Pilot-Rays, raked vee windshield, Jaeger chronometer, altimeter, black leather covered luggage trunk – An older concours quality restoration, 1984 AACA Senior, CCCA National First Prize #1169. Represented as original engine, chassis and body from new. Excellent paint, chrome, upholstery and interior wood. Sharp dash and gauges. Original chassis, engine and body. Still could be show quality with a thorough detailing. Beautiful coachwork, even for a sedan. Ross McEachran collection. – A really sharp, impressive Murphy sedan with great coachwork even if the top doesn’t go down. It sold for $792,000 at RM’s Hershey auction in 2012 and brought a similarly superior price here today. The age of the restoration in almost irrelevant to its condition, so well has it been done and maintained. The seller should be highly satisfied with this price. Lot # 5171 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 16961; Red/Black leather, Red stripes; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $395,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $434,500 – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Michelin XWX tires, A/C, pop-up lights, painted nose panel – Flawed, chipped old repaint, thin trim chrome, creased but sound original interior. Underbody is dry, aged and lightly surface rusted. An honest but far from fresh Daytona. – This Daytona doesn’t appear to have had more than a scintilla of use in many years. That’s both a blessing (it hasn’t been messed up) and a curse (it will need expensive attention before it can be driven.) The price it brought accurately reflects both those considerations and should be a good value for the buyer, but not cheap enough (or tired enough) to warrant a nut-and-bolt redo. Lot # 5177 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster; S/N 121426500183; Silver/Black leather; Black cloth top; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $91,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $100,100 – Aftermarket A/C, hubcaps, trim rings, whitewalls – 66,817 miles. Decent repaint with some small fisheyes. Good new interior and major chrome. Thin trim chrome, and particularly weak hubcaps. A/C is nicely integrated in the dashboard. Hood latch jammed. Good eye appeal but not supported on a closer look. – The craze for 190SLs continues, even with this modestly priced – but equally modestly presented – 190SL. Look at it this way: it’s an anemic T-bird, at double (or more) the value of a T-bird in comparable condition. Why? Because 190SLs are riding a wave. Lot # 5179 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton, Body by after LaGrande; S/N 2592; Engine # J-562; Dark Blue, Beige sweep panel/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $780,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $858,000 – Chrome wire wheels, whitewall tires, dual sidemounts with strap on mirrors, dual Torraine remote spotlights, wind wings, dual windshields, Pilot-Rays, Beige leather covered luggage trunk, mesh hood sides, outside exhaust headpipes, Jaeger chronometer, altimeter – Duesenberg president Lucius B. Manning’s company car. Reproduction bodywork by Harold Orchard, reproduction supercharger. An older concours quality restoration still with excellent paint, chrome, upholstery and top. Chassis is a little dusty and aged but will detail to nearly show quality again. – This car was, according to J.L. Elbert, later rebodied with Willoughby Berline coachwork. It’s now back to its original configuration with a LaGrande-style dual cowl phaeton body and supercharged. The history is checkered, as many Duesenbergs were during this difficult period. The effect of the car, on the other hand, is breathtaking and that underlines the reasonable price it brought here, fair to both the buyer and the seller. Lot # 5185 1937 MG SA 3-pos. Drophead Coupe, Body by Tickford; S/N QPHG2313; Cream, Beige fenders and accent/Biscuit leather; Beige cloth top; Cosmetic restoration, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $45,100. No Reserve – – RHD. Chrome wire wheels, blackwall tires, enclosed rear-mounted spare, Lucas driving light, fender mirrors – Erratically restored to marginal driver condition. Sound paint, interior and chrome. Many weak or overlooked details. – This MG SA may be erratic, but it also is particularly charming and it brought all the money its condition and rarity should have. Lot # 5194 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster; S/N 194677S111876; Blue/Blue vinyl; Black top; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $66,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $72,600. No Reserve – – 327/300hp, Powerglide, A/C, P/W, P/S, P/B, AM-FM, Rally wheels with trim rings and red line tires, headrests – Restored to nearly like new, then driven. Good paint with minor masking oversights, some scuffed stainless and rusty trim bits. Good interior. A well equipped driver quality car. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2009 for $99,000 and changed hands here for a price befitting its 300hp engine, Powerglide automatic, air conditioning and other features, as well as its aged and driven condition.
Auctions America Auburn Fall 2013 – Auction Report Page Five
Lot # 5195 1960 Chevrolet Corvette FI Convertible; S/N 00867S103288; Engine # 103288 F1227CS; Black, Silver coves, Black hardtop/Black; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $75,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $82,500. No Reserve – – 283/290hp fuel injection, 4-speed, hardtop only, pushbutton radio, spinner wheel covers, whitewall bias ply tires – A sound and usable driver quality restoration described as being an original FI car. – Sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2008 for $148,500. It must have been a lot better then because this is the right money for it as it appears today, even with the FI engine. Lot # 5196 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe – Indy 500 Pace Car; S/N 1Z87L8S905581; Black, Silver/Silver leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500. No Reserve – – Automatic, 8-track stereo, polished alloy wheels, GT Radial tires, A/C, P/W – Original and unrestored except for a repaint. Engine compartment is grubby and looks like it has more miles on it than the 103 on the odometer. – Pace cars are finally selling for more than they did (with mark-up) when new. Why is another question. This car sold at Barrett-Jackson WestWorld in 2007 for $46,200, which is even more of a question. Turn the odometer over a few more miles and the value drops 25%, not to mention what should be spent on it to make sure it actually operates like it’s supposed to. It’s expensive at this price. Lot # 5198 1959 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible; S/N 859P30607; Engine # B389380; White/Raspberry Metallic; White top; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $69,000 – 389/315hp Tri-Power, automatic, P/S, P/B, P/W, power top, A/C, WonderBar radio, flipper wheel covers, whitewalls, bucket seats – A sound older cosmetic restoration with miles evident under the hood but not on the interior. Very good dashboard and instruments. Old undercoat on underbody. A stylish and fast driver. – Here’s a car that sold for $34,000 at Silver’s Fountain Hills auction in Arizona in 2000 for $34,000. Why is it it didn’t sell here at twice that amount? The Tri-Power? It’s a configuration that is not verifiable from the engine number, a ‘B’ code which is for a 4-barrel. It should have been loose and selling before reaching this reported high bid. Lot # 5203 1936 Auburn 852 Supercharged Phaeton; S/N 35701H; Dark Green/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $130,000 – Dual ratio, body color steel spoke wheels, wide whitewalls, single enclosed sidemount, outside exhaust headpipes, clock, – A good older restoration to like new condition with some age and touring miles. Good paint, chrome, interior and top. Still highly distinctive. No ACD attribution noted. – The uncertainty inherent in the description (or lack of it) is reflected in the bidders’ unwillingness to pony up for this Auburn. It is a very good car, but not good enough to overcome the lack of specificity in its presentation to bidders. Lot # 6049 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible; S/N 7407961; Metallic Green/Green leather, Red plaid; Green cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $107,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $118,250 – 3-speed (not Fluid Drive), heater, remote spotlight, power top, hubcaps, trim rings, whitewalls, bumper overriders – A very good older restoration. All original wood in excellent condition. Very good paint, chrome and interior. Upholstery shows a little age and use. Engine is very clean and nearly like new. A highly impressive older restoration of a sound, original car bought in 1974 from the estate of Dr. Earl Gingles in Ottawa, Iowa for $6,525 with 31,000 miles. Odometer shows 32,137 miles. – In a world filled with mediocre Town and Country convertibles this honest, impeccably restored, slightly aged car stands out. Represented by its owner of nearly 40 years, it needs no reservations. The new owner got a car to be proud to own and drive at a price that is no more than it deserved, and quite possibly $20,000 less. Lot # 6050 1949 Hudson Commodore Eight 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 49431655; Maroon/Brown herringbone cloth; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $22,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,750. No Reserve – – 3-speed, turn signals, pushbutton radio, heater, large hubcaps, trim rings, whitewalls, grille guard, skirts – The ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Hudson. Scuffed but recoverable paint, good chrome and interior. Sound, straight body. Doors close well. Underbody is dry and orderly with little patches of light surface rust. Much better than most movie cars. – This price is no more than this car deserved without the ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ history. Most movie cars are, up close, quickly primped toads. This is a solid, sound, well maintained Hudson that needs nothing. It is a good value at this price. Lot # 6090 1923 Hudson Super Six 5-Passenger Touring; S/N 210992; Black/Black; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $18,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,075. No Reserve – – Nickel trim, varnished wood spoke wheels, whitewall tires, single rear cloth covered spare – Tired but sound old restoration. Chipped, pimply paint, better upholstery, oily chassis. – This is Model T money for a quality Hudson with 76 horsepower. It needs paint and a lot of de-greaser on the chassis but when it gets those things it will be a handsome, powerful and distinctive tour car. It is a good value at this price. Lot # 7051 1966 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Roadster; S/N 1E13743; Light Gold/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $115,500 – Chrome wire wheels, blackwall Vredestein tires, updated stereo, woodrim steering wheel, grille guard – Good paint, chrome and interior, pitted outside mirror. Better than new underhood without going overboard. A very good, sound and handsomely presented XKE. – Sold by RM in Monterey in 2010 for $82,500, then at St. John’s earlier this year for $104,500. The Series I 4.2 XKE seems to be the next car to excite fascination among new and inexperienced collectors. By the standards of Monterey two weeks ago when examples sold for over $200K this is an amazing bargain. By any other standard it is reasonably, if not generously, priced. Lot # 7067 1961 Chrysler 300G Convertible; S/N 13159091; Red/Beige leather; Beige cloth top; Incomplete restoration, 4 condition; Hammered Sold at $77,273 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $85,000 – Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls – Good paint, chrome, interior and top. Top color is more like heather and doesn’t match the interior. Park doesn’t work in the Torque Flite, transmission or master cylinder leaks. Cracked left rear quarter window. Gives the impression of not being finished or being rushed with little attention to being right. – Bought appropriately for its visible challenges. Others that aren’t so readily seen make even this price a gamble.
[Source: Rick Carey]
