Gooding & Company 2021 annual Scottsdale Auction was held from January 18 -22 exclusively on its Geared Online platform. The sale set the new auction world record for a Bugatti Type 37, selling for a record price of $935,000.
The company raised $7,092,031 from the sale of 39 of a total of 49 lots making a sell-through rate of 80% and an average value of $181,846 per lot auctioned.
The top 5 sales at the Gooding & Company Geared Online 2021 Scottsdale auction were as follows:
- 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose, sold for $1,936,000
- 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe, sold for $968,000
- 1926 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix, sold for $935,000
- 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC, sold for $517,000
- 1965 Shelby GT350, sold for $385,000
Here is a look at the top 5 sales \:
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose – Chassis 08863
Sale Price: $1,936,000
The Ferrari 275 GTB Long nose sold being Chassis 08863 is one of the last of the very popular series of twelve-cylinder Berlinettas. In fact only 14 other examples were built following chassis 08863.
The example was made in August 1966, and its original finish was an uncommon combination of Rosso Chiaro (light red), matched with red Connolly leather upholstery with light cloth seat inserts.
The example has three Weber carburetors, Campagnolo cast alloy wheels, and its instrumentation is in miles.
It is interesting to note that 08863 was acquired new by a doctor based in Portland, Oregon, and remained in his possession for the next 54 years until it was only sold to the consignor early in the year.
Unlike most of 275 GTBs today, the example was never shown, restored, or even offered for public sale.
Instead, it has benefited from single-family ownership and for the last five decades, it was only driven for 43,000 miles. The family has kept it in active service and has ensured that it was maintained in running order. In essence, this example is in its original, unrestored condition.
The example shows visible signs of repainting in a few areas but otherwise is in an undisturbed order with a feature being the original trimmed interior.
The engine bay and undercarriage are tidy, and all the major components still bear clear factory stampings, including the engine (1278/64) and transaxle (694) and the Scaglietti body number (0444).
The spare Campagnolo wheel still has its original Dunlop SP tire.
1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe
Sale Price: $968,000
Factory records show this 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4, chassis LML/506, was finished by Aston Martin on June 9, 1953. It was ordered through the British Motor Car Distributors in California where on November 12, 1954, it was delivered to its first owner, Ms. Edith Field.
Ms. Field entered the new Bertone-bodied Aston Martin at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1955. There, she was awarded third place in the Two-Seater Sports Cars class, $4,000-$10,000.
The example went through a few owners before it was rediscovered in the mid-1980s in Tennessee. In 1986, Innes Ireland, a famous Formula 1 and former Aston Martin works racing driver acquired LML/506. Ireland eventually sold the LML/506 in its unrestored condition to David Clark from Taylor & Crawley, a known classic car dealer.
While under Clark’s stewardship, Mill Lane Engineering started a restoration project on the example though the project was never completed.
Then in 2006, the Aston Martin was acquired by the known collector and vintage racer, Tarek Mahmoud. Mahmoud sent the example to Goldsmith and Young, a known Aston Martin specialists, and tasked them to complete the restoration to Concours standard.
When the restoration was completed, a UK collector acquired the LML/506. It was not until September 2011 that the example made its debut after restoration at the AMOC Autumn Concours at the Chavenage House.
It went on to acquire First Prize in the Feltham Aston Class and since then, the example has been kept in Southern California within a private collection. Subsequently, it has joined a distinguished midwestern collection in 2017.
The Aston Martin is still in exceptional overall condition. The coachbuilt Aston Martin came complete with a proper tool kit, and an extensive history file.
1926 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix
Sale Price: $935,000
Famed Bugatti historian Pierre-Yves Laugier compiled a report that details the history of this Bugatti Type 37 – chassis 37227. Part of his report includes excellent period photographs of the example from new to the 1950s.
On December 1, 1926, Mr. René Bacon was invoiced for chassis 37227 for 46,400 French francs. Mr. Deprat delivered the Bugatti by driving it from Molsheim to Luxey where Mr. Bacon resided.
According to a contemporary newspaper account, Mr. Bacon raced the Bugatti at least once in Pau. The event was reported in L’Auto which was dated February 5, 1927, and in the article, it described the example as having a flying start in a meeting in Pau with Bacon finishing third.
On Jun 24, 1928, he had a famed driver, Louis Rigal, race the Type 37 in the first Bugatti Grand Prix at Le Mans in the 1500cc class. Unfortunately, Rigal was forced to retire after just the first lap.
On June 18, 1929, the example was sold to a famous Bugatti privateer driver Count Stanislaw Czaykowski.
The example was the first Bugatti that the Count purchased, and in the next five years until his death at Monza on September 10, 1933, he would buy twelve more Bugattis. With his Bugattis, the Count was able to score a victory at the Casablanca Grand Prix, and other famous races at the time. He was also able to break the one-hour race record at Avus in 1933 with a speed of 213.842kph.
On December 9, 1930, Count Czaykowski’s friend, mechanic Ernest Friderich from Nice, bought the example. Friderich was an engineer and racer for Bugatti, and he was also the one in charge of the maintenance and upkeep of Count Czaykowski’s Bugattis since 1929.
The example stayed in France and was passed on to other owners including a known automobile and motorcycle racer, Jean Vuira, and from 1946 to 1950, it was under the care of Mr. Claudius Alazard.
In 1960, Leonard Potter and Halfway Garages sold the example in the UK where it was purchased by Peter Larkin for $2,100. Mr. Larkin would end up being the long-term custodian of the example where it has stayed in the family ever since.
Mr. Larkin is a famous four-time Tony Award-winning set designer. In 1962, an article from New Yorker titled, “The Bugatti Upstairs” told a story about the example during the early years of his ownership of the vehicle.
By 1998, Vintage Auto Restorations based in Bethel, Connecticut, a Bugatti specialist, lead by Bugatti expert Don Lefferts, started freshening the Type 37.
The work mostly centered on the mechanical components while preserving the beautiful patina of the Bugatti.
The project also included metalwork such as replacing the dash along with the firewall to improve the structural integrity. A crack in the frame was also repaired along with some cosmetic works. They also repaired the lower sump of the engine, while engine parts were either restored or repaired.
In May 2015, known Bugatti expert and American Bugatti Club registrar Sandy Leith examined the Type 37 at the VSCCA Hunnewell Hill Climb in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She was able to examine the lower crankcase engine number (137), gearbox number (265), frame number (391), and differential number (262). It was her opinion that the components appeared to be correct and original to the vehicle.
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC
Sale Price: $517,000
The 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC sold, Chassis 11205, originally had a rare color Blu Acapulco finish and was matched with a Black interior according to Ferrari historian, Marcel Massini.
It was first delivered in Italy, and much like a lot of Ferraris at the time, it was sold to the US in the early 1970s.
In 1975, F.A. Borman from Brooklyn, Connecticut was the steward of the example and by 1985, David M. Castelhano from Cos Cob, Connecticut offered it for sale. Wide World of Cars from Spring Valley, New York offered it on sale in 1991 and during this time, it was described as a car restored in Gray with a Black interior.
It was in 2002 that the current California-based owner took ownership of the Ferrari 330 GTC and acquired the expertise of Symbolic Motor Cars to assist in its restoration. They stripped the vehicle to bare metal, removed corrosion and the 330 repainted to a Blu Ultra Scuro finish, which is a very dark blue.
It was also received a warm brown Connolly leather interior and the Borrani wire wheels were restored.
The example has since been enjoyed by the owner, successfully completing a tour at the 2014 Copperstate 1000.
The 330 GTC was sold in a state that was not completely restored but as a driver-quality example.
1965 Shelby GT350
Sale Price: $385,000
The Shelby GT350 that sold at the Gooding & Company Geared Online 2021 Scottsdale Auction, being chassis 5S291, was completed in May 25 1965.
It is an early production GT350 having the sought-after trunk-mounted battery which was arranged to improve the weight distribution of the vehicle.
On October 8, 1965, it was sold to its first owner, Mr. Craig Eton from Rock Hill, and similar to many other GT350s of their time, the example was entered into SCCA racing.
In around 2000, known Shelby collector and veteran SAAC and Mustang Club of America Concours judge, Bob Gaines acquired the example, SFM5S291. He used the car for a few years before embarking on a complete restoration to meet SAAC Division 2 Concours standards.
Mr. Gaines himself supervised the mechanical restoration which included rebuilding the BorgWarner T-10 gearbox and the 289 Hi-Po engine. He then acquired the expertise of Mustang specialist, Jeff Yergovich, from R&A Motorsports in Lee’s Summit to work on the paint, bodywork, and upholstery.
After the restoration, the Shelby was rarely driven by Mr. Gaines, to maintain the excellent show-ready condition.
The current consignor is a California-based collector who took ownership of the Shelby in 2016 and also enjoyed the car sparingly.
The example is superbly presented in Wimbledon White livery with the optional Le Mans stripes and is fitted with Cragar wheels, and correct 15-inch slotted steering wheel.
[Source: Gooding and Company. Photos copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company]
