Gooding & Company Scottsdale 2014 – Auction Report
McLaren F1 GTR at 2014 Gooding Scottsdale
Gooding & Company, Fashion Square, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 17-18, 2014
Report and photos by Rick Carey, Auction Editor
$49,446,095 in sales, a 94% sale rate (110 of 117 cars offered) is a huge result for Gooding & Company.
More to the point, however, are the number of cars that achieved exceptional, over-estimate prices: 14.6% of the lots offered. They were in some cases astounding and reflected in most cases collectors’ continuing fascination (perhaps better stated as ‘obsession’) with unrestored, barn find cars, contributing to Gooding’s Scottsdale result of hammer bids that exceeded their low estimates by 108.6%, the best in Scottsdale.
Gooding’s total was down substantially from last year’s benchmark total of $57.7 million, a comparison that reflects the intense competition among the top auctions for the best consignments. This is a see saw battle that pits auction companies and their specialists in a tooth-and-nail battle to secure the most valuable cars. Consignors can pick and choose among five premier auctions in Arizona in January, each offering a tailored mix of bidders, consignments and customer service.
David Gooding and Charlie Ross work some special magic on the auction block. Only a few cars fell short, but it is disappointing that they were not able to convey the appeal of cars like the rally equipped TR3 to the bidders, a car that should realistically have brought as much as or more than it had at Ft. Lauderdale last March. That is missed the market here at Gooding’s Scottsdale sale says a lot about the makeup of the consignments and the desires of the bidders.
Andrew Newton’s contribution to this auction report was indispensable.
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Gooding and Company Scottsdale 2014 – Auction Report
Lot #7 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO; S/N ZFFPA16B000052475; Red/Black leather; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,600,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $1,275,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,402,500 – Clarion cassette, P/W. – Clean but visibly used although without nose or fenderwell lip chips. Scuffed driver’s seatback. Grey market car converted to US and California emissions. – For a long time 288 GTOs were under appreciated, especially when considered along with the later and more powerful F40, F50 and Enzo. That seems to have changed, a good thing for people who appreciate their advanced technical and engineering features and are prepared to deal with a ridiculously fast, lightweight Ferrari with minimal automatic driver interferences. This result is representative.Lot #11 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 14643; Engine # B1312; Red/Black leather; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $590,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $649,000 – Centerlock alloy wheels, Pirelli P4000 tires, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, P/S added, tools and manuals. – Good paint, interior and chrome. 37,185 miles. Engine is orderly and clean but not as good as the outside and hasn’t been restored. As a driver, though, it’s hard to beat. – Daytona values, if this transaction is any indication, are starting to feed off fancier and more rare Ferraris. Who knows where it ends?Lot #14 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 0475SA; Engine # 0475SA; Red/Natural leather; Estimate $2,250,000 – $2,750,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $3,000,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,300,000 – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Excelsior blackwall tires, Marchal head and fog lights, Talbot outside mirrors. – Sound paint with some checking, good chrome and interior. The painter overlooked the windshield posts when wet sanding, and who knows what else? Seats are later, but the preserved originals come with the car. Owned many years by gunsmith Stan Baker. Chassis is oily from use, engine compartment is orderly and clean but aged. Never restored, just carefully maintained from the late 60’s to the present by Baker and Ken McBride. A driver quality Ferrari that’s been driven. – That should say, ‘driven as it should be.’ A choice Ferrari, not only because of its originality and continuous history of caring owners with the determination and resources to keep up with its needs but also because it’s one of just 16 Series I 410 Superamericas. It is impossible to argue with this result, even a bit over the generous Gooding & Co. estimate.Lot #25 1973 Ferrari 246 GT Dino Chairs and Flares, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 4946; Ice Blue/Tan leather, Black stripes; Estimate $425,000 – $475,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $430,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $473,000 – Chairs and Flares, P/W, Campagnolo alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, Becker Mexico cassette stereo. – Freshly restored in 2012 by Jon Gunderson with new, excellent cosmetics. Even gaps and flat panels. Underbody like new. Believed to be one of only five US-spec Chairs and Flares 246 GTs. – $649,000 for the largely original Daytona Lot 11, $473,000 for this accurately restored Chairs and Flares Dino? Some equilibrium has been re-established to the Ferrari market when Daytonas are worth more than Dinos, even at this Dino price.Lot #29 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 2821GT; Engine # 2821; Ice Blue/Blue leather; Estimate $2,400,000 – $3,000,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,365,000 – Chrome spoke Borranis, Dunlop blackwall tires, outside plug engine, disc brakes. – Erratic design with the 250GT nose and a sexy, curved greenhouse and tail in the coupe aerodinamica style, a car that looks ordinary from the front and seductive from the back although the low, chunky rear bumper belongs on an impostor. Freshly restored better than new. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Fresh and sharp underbody. Pebble Beach 2001 class winner, 2002 FCA National Platinum and no worse for the passage of a dozen years than it was then. Impressive provenance including Lorenzo Zambrano and John Mecom, Jr. – This car should always be photographed from a high rear three-quarter angle that misses the 250GT nose, minimizes the chunky bumper and taillights and emphasizes the cute derriere. The coachbuilt 250GT enjoyed hype and brought a superior price for a car that will, seen approaching on the road, be dismissed by all but the most discerning onlookers as ‘just another 250 GT’ until it passes and they do a quick double-take at the shapely posterior.Lot #36 1972 Alpine A110 1800 Coupe Group IV; S/N 18165; Blue, White, Red/Black; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $275,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $302,500 – Halda Tripmaster, Heuer Master Time and Monte Carlo chronometers, wide 2-piece wheels, Cibie driving lights. – Works team Group IV rally car, one of 13 used by the team with overall 2nds at Ronde de Serre Chevalier, Rallye Neige & Glace and 2nd in class at the Rallye Maroc. Later rallied with some success by privateers. Cosmetically sketchy but rally ready. – Unusual here in the States but a potent and well preserved example of Alpine/Renault rally history that should be ready to campaign in desirable vintage events here and especially in Europe. The rarity, originality and condition make it well worth the price it brought.Lot #39 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet SI, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 0791GT; Engine # 0791GT; Metallic Dark Blue/Natural leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $4,000,000 – $5,000,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $5,600,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $6,160,000 – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, blackwall Michelin X tires, Marchal head and fog lights, covered headlights, updated with factory fitted disc brakes – One of 40 250GT Series I Cabriolets, described as fitted with a later Ferrari-supplied new outside plug engine stamped 0761GT by Chinetti. First owned by Buck Fulp, later by Bob Donner who drove it 11 times in the Colorado Grand. Restored to high standards of fit and finish in 1975. Orderly but lightly aged underhood. Old undercoat has peeled and been painted over. A classy car that’s had classy owners who looked after it properly and sympathetically. – How much does ‘non-original engine’ count? From this breathtaking result (for a car in no way ready for a top rank concours or Ferrari event) it would seem not to be much. On the other hand, the combination of the Series I Pf Cabriolet (a better trimmed Cal Spider) and an impressively benign history is a compelling inducement to spending generously.Lot #42 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; S/N 1980406500299; Engine # 1989806500303; Black/Burgundy; Estimate $1,100,000 – $1,400,000; Unrestored original, 4 condition; Hammered Sold at $1,725,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,897,500 – US-spec car, matching numbers, original tools but no luggage, steel wheels, hubcaps, blackwall tires. – Single family ownership for 50 years and parked since 1975. Mechanically complete but not running. Original paintwork (with some blending) and cracked, torn, seam-pulled upholstery and falling headliner. Ratty engine compartment. A classic barn find that needs everything. No rust, but dings and scrapes, interior trashed, chrome dull and dented, mechanically defunct. – Where to start? A non-running barn find Gullwing sold at Gooding Scottsdale in 2010 for $660,000. Four years later, a similar car now is three times the price. Even with prices quickly on the rise, little over half this amount can still buy a nicely restored Gullwing, like the very good example sold by Bonhams on Thursday for $1,078,000. The barn find mystique seems to know few if any bounds. This car brought irrational money.Lot #43 1979 Ferrari 512BB Berlinetta; S/N 27167; Engine # F102B00000375; Red, Black sills/Black leather, Red stripes; Estimate $180,000 – $220,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $187,000. No Reserve – Blaupunkt stereo, Cromodora centerlock alloy wheels, blackwall Michelin XWX tires, original owner’s manual, Amerispec federalized. – Mediocre repaint over old paint, erratically detailed. Good interior. 15,706km. – Believers that the Ferrari juggernaut will not soon (if ever) end should be crowding into carbureted 365 Boxers like this. Not a very attractively presented car, but sound and reasonably original, it has upside even at this market price today (for an owner who can afford the upkeep.)
Gooding and Company Scottsdale 2014 – Auction Report Page Two
Lot #48 1956 Austin-Healey 100/M Roadster; S/N BN2L232183; Engine # 1B/232183M; Black, Red/Red leather; Black leatherette top; Estimate $125,000 – $165,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $125,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $137,500. No Reserve – Overdrive, silver painted wire wheels, blackwall tires, dual mirrors. – Very good older restoration to like new condition, then driven carefully. A little over-chromed and -polished under the hood but still an exceptional car. BMIHT and Le Mans registry documented correct 100/M. – Sold by RM at Amelia Island in 2008 for $82,500, a result that compares with what it brought here today to reflect the increase in Healey 100/M values in the past six years.Lot #50 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 15773; Metallic Dark Grey/Black leather; Estimate $175,000 – $225,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $225,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $247,500. No Reserve – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Tiger Paw blackwall tires, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, P/W. – Flawed, corner cracked clear coat repaint. Decent chrome and interior. Flawed body color side window frame paint. Just a car. – Bonhams offered this C/4 at Quail Lodge in 2002 with a high bid of $50,000. Fourteen years later it has 587 more miles on the odometer, and is neither better nor worse in condition. It was ‘just a car’ then and it’s no more now, just roundly $200 thousand more expensive, really expensive.Lot #51 1947 MG TC Roadster; S/N TC3625; Engine # XPAG4279; Light Olive/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $50,000 – $70,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; Hammered Sold at $46,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $50,600. No Reserve – Silver painted wire wheels, cowl mirrors, beautiful burl wood dash, tool kit. – Excellent fresh restoration and far better than new everywhere. – An unusual but reportedly correct color that sets this TC apart from most of its contemporaries and attracted serious attention from the Gooding bidders.Lot #54 1960 Triumph TR3 Roadster; S/N TS58623L; Engine # ;, /; Estimate $55,000 – $75,000; Modified restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700. No Reserve – Overdrive, top bows but no top, side curtains in trunk, full tool roll, jack, owner’s manual, BMIHT certificate. Silver painted wire wheels, radial blackwalls, rally equipment including hardtop mounted Lucas spotlight, Halda Speedpilot, rear Lucas driving light, map light and two dash mounted stopwatches, a Heuer and a Leonidas. – Restored to nearly like new condition with very good paint, interior and chrome, desirably equipped with an abundance of rally equipment. A Triumph to be proud to own, and even more proud to drive. – Sold at Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale auction last March for $37,400, this Triumph failed to find an appreciative audience in Scottsdale with the result that it is a huge value for the new owner, a bargain, pure and simple.Lot #56 1985 Aston Martin V8 Volante; S/N SCFCV81C6FTL15397; Engine # V/580/5397/S; Mercedes-Benz Silver/Brown leather; Estimate $160,000 – $180,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $125,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $137,500. No Reserve – 5340/375hp, quadruple Webers, 3-speed automatic, Ronal wheels, BF Goodrich tires, split-chin air dam, Alpine radio, leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Excellent interior. Very good paint and chrome. Originally delivered in France. Cosmetically restored in 2012 and looking like a new car. One of the last Weber-equipped cars before the switch to less powerful fuel injection. Body modifications like the wheels and air dam were made to match the much rarer Prince of Wales-spec Vantage Volante, and they suit the car well. A beautiful, well maintained piece of British muscle and an ideal cruiser. – Aston Martin enthusiasts claim the 1980s V8 are the next cars to start climbing in value, but probably not the ones that were restored like this. This is a surprisingly strong price, considering the modifications, but should prove to be a satisfying driver. The result is not expensive enough to be unreasonable.Lot #59 1973 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 135BC0004008; Silver/Blue cloth; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500. No Reserve – 2418/180hp, triple Webers, 5-speed, Fiat Cromodora wheels, Sumitomo tires, wood-rimmed steering wheel. – Decent paint and chrome. Clean but used engine bay. Worn interior, including controls. Driver’s seat has several small tears and popping seams. Cracks in the steering wheel. Mechanics were working under the car on the day of the sale. A final-year example, it was recently serviced including new brakes and tires, but is still a tired-looking car cosmetically, and seeing it wrenched on so close to the sale was disconcerting. – Sold for $26,400 at Worldwide’s Houston auction in 2009, this Dino is past its DOT sell-by date (1967 is the last year Dinos were US-homologated). Its condition shows the five years that have passed since it was last sold at auction and it is no bargain at this price. Still, if a 246GT Dino is out of reach at today’s nose-bleed prices this could be a satisfying acquisition.Lot #60 1989 Alfa Romeo 2000 Quadrifoglio Spider, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZARBA5566K1064711; Red, Red hardtop/Grey leather; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $46,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $50,600. No Reserve – 1962/115hp, Bosch fuel injection, 5-speed, alloy wheels, Pirelli Radial tires, digital radio, hardtop, manuals, tools. – Very good paint, plastic and interior. Barely used, as the 1,925 miles indicates. Quite out of place at a sale like this, but completely unspoiled and surely one of the nicest examples that can be found. – A real time capsule Alfa, valued much more for its originality and low miles than for any intrinsic appeal of its plastic-clad bodywork (designed by Pontiac?) This price is half for the car and half for the originality and low miles, a formula that will quickly depreciate with every mile put on it.Lot # 101 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL Roadster; S/N WDBBA48D9KA094198; Engine # 94198; Petrol Blue-Green Metallic, Petrol Blue-Green hardtop/Cream leather; Estimate $35,000 – $45,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $52,800 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $58,080. No Reserve – 5547/230hp, Bosch fuel injection, 4-speed automatic, removable hardtop, alloy wheels, Pirelli P6000 tires, Becker Mexico stereo, two tops, owner’s manuals, tool kit. – Excellent original paint and interior. Very clean engine bay. Almost in showroom condition. Very clean, well kept and finished in a striking color combination. Prime example of a 107 Mercedes. – This is the pinnacle of the 560SL market by nearly $20,000, a tribute to its low miles and meticulous preservation. It would have been a better value within its estimate range but preservation class automobiles were the dominant flavor at the Gooding auction in Scottsdale this year. The seller gets full credit for timing by bringing it here and letting David Gooding and Charlie Ross work their magic.Lot # 106 1957 BMW-Isetta 300; S/N 507984; Engine # 499476; Red, Cream roof/Cream vinyl; Grey vinyl top; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $37,400 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,140. No Reserve – 4-speed, four wheels, BF Goodrich Silvertown tires, luggage rack. – Very good chrome and interior. A little bit of orange peel in the paint. Lightly worn vinyl sunroof top. A driver quality car that has a rebuilt engine and general freshening up. – Isetta money, and exceptionally cute.
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Lot # 107 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 SII, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 8551; Engine # 8551; Verde Pino Metalizzo/Lipstick Red leather; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $270,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $297,000 – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli Cinturato tires, Becker Grand Prix AM-FM, dual outside Talbot mirrors, P/W, owner’s manual, tool roll. – Good repaint with small cracks at window corners. [Original?] upholstery is lightly stretched. Thoroughly undercoated underbody. A driver quality older cosmetic redo. – A Christmas car, at least in livery. This is almost 1/3 of a million dollars (let that sink in for a few moments) for a shaky 330 GT 2+2. It may be ‘under the low estimate’, but not by half enough.Lot # 109 1973 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino; S/N 05724; Rosso Cordoba Metallizato/Beige leather; Estimate $350,000 – $450,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $390,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $429,000 – A/C, P/W, Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin X tires, original books and tools. – Freshly restored, excellent paint, chrome and interior. 2012 FCA Platinum winner with sub-200 miles since the restoration. – This is a bit of a quandary, a beautifully restored Dino 246 GTS in its original unusual color, judged Platinum by the experts at FCA. So why isn’t it, in line with other egregiously expensive Dinos, more expensive? On the surface, as Dinos have been valued recently, this is a modest result. Not a ‘good value’, mind you, but not ‘expensive’, either.Lot # 112 1976 Triumph TR6 Convertible; S/N CF57938U; Engine # CF48228UE; Yellow, Black/Black; Black top; Estimate $30,000 – $40,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $32,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $35,200. No Reserve – US-spec, two tops, trunk rack, original redline tires, overdrive. All appropriate papers. – 8,240 original miles, so basically a new TR6 with average factory finish. Seats not collapsed, as usual by now. Single owner from 1976-2011, refreshed and serviced with new top. – Sold right on the money, which is something of a surprise given the current state of low-mile, original cars. Truth of the matter is that every mile added to the clock will diminish its value, so it likely won’t see much use from here on out.Lot # 117 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America; S/N B24S1077; Engine # B241098; Dark Blue, Dark Blue hardtop/Dark Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,100,000 – $1,300,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,650,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,815,000 – Blaupunkt multiband radio, Fontana hard top, Nardi performance kit, steel wheels. All documents, tools and manuals and FIVA passport. – Restored in 1995, then freshened to good effect in 2012. Good paint, major chrome and interior. Scratched windshield and some scuffed trim. Good engine compartment, orderly underbody with fresh undercoat. Looks great with the hardtop. – The B24S Spider America has become one of the most sought Fifties Italian sports cars. This one has all the right stuff, and two tops for good measure. It is beautifully presented and brought a seriously over-estimate price in a record-setting transaction that begs the question, how much if anything is left?Lot # 119 1963 Jaguar XKE SI 3.8 Roadster; S/N 877793; Engine # R67209; Opalescent Silver Grey/Red leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $200,000 – $250,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $230,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $253,000. No Reserve – Chrome wire wheels, blackwall Dunlop tires, AM-FM radio, handbook, JDHT certificate, tools, jack, unrestored hardtop included. – Repaint, upholstery and interior trim, chrome work has created an attractive driver. However the rest of the car is old, clean and usable when the outside appearance suggests it would be better. – Sold by RM at Meadow Brook in 2000 for $52,800 with 13,274 miles, now showing 15,388, then by Gooding at Amelia in 2010 for $99,000. Its condition is getting better as time goes on, but nowhere close to good enough to make sense at this price.Lot # 121 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider, Body by Pininfarina; S/N AR379814; Engine # AR0011212842; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $121,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $133,100. No Reserve – 1570/104hp, 1×2 Solex, 5-speed, Vredestein tires. – Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Clean engine bay with non-original engine. Only light signs of age in the interior. An older restoration with some miles, but has been well documented and very well kept with recent mechanical and cosmetic work to make it even better. 1990 AROC Concours 1st in class, special award winner at Meadow Brook in 1991. – Sold here in 2010 for $82,500. This is an exceptional Giulia Normale, but it also brought an exceptional price 61% more than it warranted just four years ago.Lot # 125 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Roadster; S/N 11304410003896; Engine # 13098310001076; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $75,000 – $95,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $74,250 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $81,675. No Reserve – 4-speed, Cooper narrow whitewalls, Pagoda roof, Becker Europa AM/FM radio, dash clock, two tops. – Decent original engine bay and undercarriage. Seats lightly worn. Excellent, fresh paint and chrome. A lightly used and cosmetically freshened up original W113 that would make for a beautiful and reliable classic driver. – 4-speed 280SLs are rare and finding one so zealously preserved with only a fresh repaint separating it from original is highly unusual. The seller got all the money for the car, but the buyer got all the car for the money, with little premium for preservation, a reasonable compromise.Lot # 127 1957 Fiat-Abarth 750GT Coupe, Body by Zagato; S/N 100585940; Engine # 694213; Light Blue/Black; Estimate $150,000 – $180,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $122,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $134,750. No Reserve – 747cc/43hp, double bubble body, spotlights, Tony Knapp engine, some modifications including Zagato seats, but most of the original equipment is included, such as the bumperettes. FIVA papers and competition history. – Poor older paint job with many surface blisters and edge chips. Dull aluminum trim, scratched windshield and rear window. Usable upholstery. Crazed speedometer face. A neat little car, but in need of comprehensive attention. – Easy to get running and driving, attractive and fun on tours (especially on winding roads) and potentially a sound and usable vintage racer, not to mention the Zagato body. This price appropriately handicaps its many condition issues with its innate desirability and reaches an appropriate compromise.Lot # 128 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N 0257EU; Engine # 0257EU; Black, Metallic Green roof/Green leather; Estimate $1,700,000 – $2,200,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $1,625,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,787,500 – RHD. Chrome wire wheels, Dunlop Road Speed tires, tool kit, original owner’s manual. – First owned by Leader Card racers’ owner Bob Wilke, Jr. Freshly restored to better than new condition with much better paint, chrome and interior. Exceptionally well and sympathetically restored. Cavallino Classic Platinum in 2013, shown at Pebble Beach last August. Represented as re-united with its original engine before the most recent restoration. – Sold by RM at Monterey in 2007 for $495,000 before the most recent restoration and discovery and rebuild of the original engine, the $1.2 million increment since then is largely, if not more than, justified by the effort that gone into its superlative and accurate presentation here. This is one spectacular Ferrari by Vignale that will more than hold its own wherever it appears. Compared with a Lusso, this is a great value.
Gooding and Company Scottsdale 2014 – Auction Report Page Four
Lot # 129 1963 Lancia Flaminia 3B Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 823024872; Engine # 823026523; Gray, Black/Tan; Estimate $65,000 – $80,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $87,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $96,250. No Reserve – One of only 948 Flaminia 3B coupes built, with 3-barrel carb V-6 and rear transaxle, Becker pushbutton radio, Michelin X tires. – Three-year, documented mechanical and cosmetic restoration, with many NOS parts. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Ready for concours or touring. – An unusual, angular Pininfarina design, with typical eccentric Lancia touches. Values on rarely seen cars like this invariably come down to condition, as a wobbly example will be an endless project. The excellent condition here brought an equally excellent price.Lot # 131 1964 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider, Body by Touring; S/N AR*192790; Engine # AR00601*06686; Black/Tan leather; Tan top; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $160,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $176,000. No Reserve – 2584/145hp, triple Solexes, 5-speed, front disc brakes, Borrani wire wheels, Carello driving lamps, Michelin X Radial tires, heater. – Excellent paint and chrome. Very good interior. Clean, not overdone engine bay. Recent interior restoration shows very well. Fresh tuneup. A very strong example of a car that was once somewhat unloved but has now gained serious appreciation among collectors. – If this transaction is any indication the value curve for Alfa 2600s has taken a sharp turn upward. Excellent grand tourers, the big six and generous mass obscures the light, responsive handling many Alfisti appreciate but they are a worthy subtext to Ferrari 250 GTs of the period for a fraction of the money. This is a tremendous price, however, for a car that is only good, not exceptional. It is, to all intents and purposes, double the next best 2600 Spider auction result albeit for a ratty neglected example at Auctions America in Burbank last July.Lot # 132 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 19804210002582; Engine # 19898010002640; Red/Tan leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $800,000 – $1,000,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $1,100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,210,000 – 2996/250hp, Bosch mechanical fuel injection, 4-speed, locking filler cap, Michelin Harmony tires, Becker Le Mans radio, white steering wheel, fitted luggage, manuals and warranty cards. – Excellent paint and chrome. Both seats have a little wear. Engine bay shows use. Owned by producer and studio executive Ned Stone Tanen until 2009. An older restoration that has been used and kept correctly, it’s a perfect vehicle for drives and tours. If it’s a casual event, it could even be shown. – Sold by RM at Monterey in 2012 for $814,000 with a hardtop that is nowhere in evidence today. This result is close enough to a 50% increase in just two years and a few months to stand as stark testimony to the nearly vertical value curve of 300SLs in recent years. 300SL Roadsters are wonderful automobiles, but they are not – as recent auction consignment lists will verify – rare. How long this kind of nearly exponential run-up in values can continue is doubtful.Lot # 137 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail Endurance racer; S/N 21R; White, ‘Fina’/Black; Estimate $5,000,000 – $7,000,000; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $4,800,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $5,280,000 – 5,995cc 604hp, 6-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox, carbon fiber brakes, BMW Motorsport team car. – First at Hockenheim 1997, 3rd at Silverstone, 1st at Helsinki, 2rd at Nürburgring. Restored in 2002 by McLaren in 1997 livery. Others are owned by BMW, Lawrence Stroll and McLaren. Sharp, clean, fresh and ready to race. – It deserves to be said again, this is impressively sharp and clean, to all intents and purposes a brand new F1 GTR. With an excellent 1997 race history, it ticks all the right boxes. It is expensive, but the others are all locked up where they’re unlikely to be available any time soon.Lot # 142 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Roadster; S/N 194677S105574; Light Yellow, Black stinger, Black vinyl hardtop/White vinyl; White vinyl top; Estimate $175,000 – $250,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $160,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $176,000. No Reserve – 427/435hp, 4-speed, side exhausts, two tops, Rally wheels with hubcaps and trim rings, narrow whitewall tires, AM-FM, headrests, F41 suspension, P/W, 3.7 Positraction. – Well documented Bloomington Gold Corvette Survivor with some paintwork, good original interior. Stinger paint buffed through. Exceptional equipment. – Sold by Gooding at Amelia a year ago for $170,500, and today for little more, a result that underlines the stagnation in Big Block Corvette values, even such well documented and original examples as this. It could have brought another $20,000 without overpaying for its originality and documentation.Lot # 143 1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton, Body by LeBaron; S/N 2151; Engine # J-129; Blue, Crimson sweep panel/Red leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $2,000,000 – $2,300,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; Hammered Sold at $1,900,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,090,000 – Chrome wire wheels, whitewall tires, dual sidemounts with mirrors, luggage trunk, mesh hood sides, outside exhaust headpipes. – Original chassis, engine and bodywork, first owned by John Duval Dodge, son of John Dodge. Concours restored by Fran Roxas in 2010, Best in Show at Meadow Brook that year, 2nd in class at Pebble Beach, People’s Choice at Kansas City. Shows almost no age or use. – This is one of the best, not only in its history and the purity of its major components but also in its style. It is impossible to argue with the price it brought here.Lot # 147 1958 Lancia Aurelia B20GT 2-Dr. Sedan, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N B20S1763; Engine # B20*5409*; White/Blue leatherette, Grey cloth; Estimate $200,000 – $240,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $187,000 – Woodrim steering wheel, floor shift, Michelin X tires, pushbutton radio. – Failing old repaint, chipped and crazed. Sills and wheel arches clumsily filled and blistered in front of both rear wheels. Underbody covered in ancient undercoat, chassis hasn’t been touched in decades. Bumpers and upholstery have been done, instruments are clear and legible. A project car, but a potentially rewarding one. – The appeal of this Lancia, apart from its reputation for being a superb driver’s car, is the restoration possibilities it embodies. However, it is a project that is unlikely to be financially rewarding, particularly at this handsome price.Lot # 148 1937 MG VA Tourer; S/N VA0807T; Engine # TPBG1182; Burgundy/Burgundy leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $75,000 – $95,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000. No Reserve – RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, blackwall Dunlop tires, Lucas dip beam light, full weather equipment, rear-mounted spare. – Restored better than new without destroying its authenticity. Excellent cosmetics throughout. – This is just an impressively restored and presented MG, sympathetically and meticulously done to high standards of fit, finish and function. Not many people will know what it is (other than that it’s an MG), which is part of its charm and appeal, and it has room for four, something no TC or TD can offer. Its price here is enough, but should be satisfactory to both the buyer and the seller.Lot # 149 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 9343; Engine # 9343; Celeste Blue/Dark Red leather; Estimate $2,000,000 – $2,400,000; Unrestored original, 4- condition; Hammered Sold at $1,875,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,062,500 – Borrani wire wheels, Dunlop SP blackwall tires, P/W – Dirty, scruffy neglected barn find. Missing heater vents, engine belts and hoses and heaven knows what else. Lightly toasted bodywork from an engine fire, but the body is solid with no evidence of rot. One of 99 built. First owned by Dr. Samuel Scher, the pioneering collector who nearly single-handedly invented concours-quality restorations in the Fifties and Sixties. Stored as-found since 1969, engine is free. – The restoration it will soon experience is not free. Far from it. This is no preservation class car (although some were bandying about the idea of that interim step before restoration). What is important is that it brings recognition of Dr. Scher and his contribution to the whole idea of car collecting and restoration to the attention of today’s car collectors. His was a concept – perhaps based in his experience as the pre-eminent Park Avenue cosmetic surgeon of the Fifties and Sixties – that has shaped everything today’s collectors see and do: bringing a car back to the way it was, or might have been, when new. This 330 GTS deserves the same, if only as a tribute to Dr. Samuel L. Scher. Its price here is largely irrelevant.Lot # 152 1972 Ferrari 246 GT Dino; S/N 03978; Yellow/Black leather; Estimate $250,000 – $300,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $265,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $291,500 – Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, no radio, A/C or P/W. – Good recent paint, chrome and new interior after a decade and a half as a partially finished restoration project. Underbody is superficially redone over old undercoat. – The Gooding Scottsdale bidders didn’t like this Dino very much, nor should they. It brought a realistic price in the current frothy Dino environment for its superficial cosmetic redo to attractive driver quality standards.
Rick, speaking about Lot # 132 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster 300SL, you mention that these…
“… are wonderful automobiles, but they are not – as recent auction consignment lists will verify – rare. How long this kind of nearly exponential run-up in values can continue is doubtful.”
I wonder about the same thing. I’m especially baffled at the sales prices achieved recently on a couple of Jaguar E-Type prices, one here at Gooding, and one at RM’s November 2013 “Art of the Automobile” in New York (for a jaw-dropping $467,500)! E-Types are absolutely gorgeous, but they too are not rare!
Is it simply a matter of two rich guys in the room at the same time, and they both have to have THAT CAR – NOW?
Other factors? What’s going on?
Thanks for your excellent summaries and insights.
Probably one of the best reviews of an auction I have seen and I go to many in England.
I could imagine the condition of the cars being described. Well done.
I was the seller of the lot#125 Mercedes Benz 280 SL. I would agree with the overall write-up but the hammer price was $67,500 not the $74k mentioned. This car was also sold with a spare engine (not operating but original to the car) which was never really advertised. I am hoping that the new owner was pleased with how well-sorted the car is. It indeed was respectable transaction for both sides.