Around the houses, June 2010
– Mecum Auctions –
On May 19-23 Mecum is offering more than 1750 collector cars for sale at its Dana Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction. Among these are a handful of interesting Corvettes in the shape of a pair of 2003 Chevrolet Corvette C5-R racers (chassis eight and nine) and the first Corvette to be raced by Bob Johnson, a 1966 big block that is also known as ‘the 8 ball car’.
The C5-Rs both raced at Le Mans in ’03 and were placed second and third in class respectively. Although chassis nine was wrecked by Dale Earnhardt Jr in a practice lap at Infineon Raceway in ’04, the car has been completely rebuilt and has only done 25 miles of testing since then.
The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Coupé provided stiff competition in the SCCA Central Division’s A Production Class between ’66-68 and has also undergone a recent full rebuild.
– RM Auctions –
RM’s Fort Lauderdale sale on March 30 was deemed a success after 365 cars sold, raising a total of £10.5 million. Many of the cars came from the estate of John?M?O’Quinn and accounted for over £4.5m of the final sum. One of these was also the auction’s top seller: the restored 1935 Auburn 851 SC convertible sedan which fetched an impressive £139,265.
Next up for RM are its sales in Michigan (April 24/25) and Monaco (May 1), but following those the company is offering “over 30,000 horsepower without reserve” on June 19 in San Diego. The Classic Muscle and Modern Performance sale includes over 80 examples of cars from a private Southern Californian collector. One of the stars of the show promises to be a rare 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88. An estimate for the car was not available at the time of going to press, but for details please contact RM on 020 7851 7070.
– Graham Budd Auctions –
Graham Budd has organised a sporting memorabilia sale on May 12 in association with Sotheby’s to include an original Dion Pears oil painting of Graham Hill in the ‘Lobsterclaw’ Brabham BT34 (estimated at £6-800), a Williams OZ wheel from Damon Hill’s 1994 French GP car (£3-500) and, perhaps most interestingly, Barry Sheene’s leathers that he raced and crashed in during the 1981 British Grand Prix. They are expected to reach £7-9000.
– Bonhams –
The company recently sold the first vintage plane to be auctioned in Manhattan. The 1917 Curtiss MF Seagull flying boat (below) was the product of Glenn H Curtiss, an arch-rival of the Wright brothers. It was also the successor to the ‘F model’ – a design the US Navy had been using since 1912/13. The flying boat sold for just above its £200-300,000 estimate at £328,270.
Bonhams has announced the sale of a rare collection of TAG Heuer watches on December 15 to celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary. The single-owner collection comprises over 100 pieces, including models such as the Silverstone, Autavia, Carrera, Daytona and Monaco. The company has created a watch especially for the sale, based on the new Silverstone model. Before the timepieces arrive in London for sale, a selection will go on a world tour that ends at the Paris Motor Show on October 2-17. You can also view them at various Bonhams sales including the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2 and the Revival on September 17.
Bonhams is now the Bugatti Owners’ Club’s official auctioneer partner. “On the back of some outstanding results we have achieved for the sale of Bugattis at auction, Bonhams is a natural partner for the BOC,” said Tim Schofield, head of Bonhams UK motoring.
– GoIndustry DoveBid –
The global asset sales and valuations company has taken on the task of selling the assets of A1GP, the World Cup of Motorsport on behalf of creditors in a private treaty sale. This will include over 20 of the second-generation Ferrari cars from 2008 and 14 of the earlier Lola rolling chassis from ’05. Support equipment is also included, as are the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT and Ferrari 599GTB safety cars.
“The intention is to market the series as a complete package,” said Tony Murphy, a partner at Bridge Business Recovery, liquidators of A1GP’s parent company. “We are confident that a buyer can be found for the combined pool of assets and with it the prospect of A1GP returning to our TV screens in the future.” For more information visit www.go-dove.com.
Forthcoming auctions
* May 1 RM Auctions Sporting Classics of Monaco, The Grimaldi Forum, Monaco Tel: 020 7851 7070
* May 3 Shannons Sydney Autumn Auction, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia Tel: 0061 2 8019 4116
* May 8 Oldtimer Galerie 100 Classic Cars and Motorcycles, Toffen, Switzerland Tel: 0041 (0) 31 819 6161
* May 12 Silver Auctions Big Sky Collector Car Auction, DAA Northwest, South Hayford Road, Spokane, Washington, USA Tel: 001 800 255 4485
* May 19-23 Mecum Auctions Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, USA Tel: 001 815 568 8888
* May 22 Bonhams Aston Martin and Related Automobilia, Newport Pagnell Tel: 020 7447 7447
* May 22 Coys Collectors’ Motor Cars, Ascot Racecourse Tel: 020 8614 7888
* May 22 Seidel *Friedrich Classic Cars Auction, Dr Carl Benz Museum, Ladenburg, Germany Tel: 0049 (0) 6203 957 777
* June 2 Historics at Brooklands Inaugural Sale, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey Tel: 0800 988 3838
* June 6 Bonhams Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, Collectors’ Motorcars and Automobilia, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA Tel: 020 7447 7447
* June 7 Shannons Melbourne Winter Classic Auction, Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia Tel: 0061 2 8019 4116
* June 14/15 Barons Classic Collectors’ and Historic Cars, Esher Hall, Sandown Park, Surrey Tel: 023 8066 8413
* June 19 Bonhams Rolls-Royce, Bentley Motor Cars and Automobilia, Rockingham Castle, Northamptonshire Tel: 020 7447 7447
* June 19 Silver Auctions Coeur d’Alene Auction, Coeur d’Alene Resort, Idaho, USA Tel: 001 800 255 4485
* June 23 Brightwells Classic Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire Tel: 01568 611122
* June 24 DVCA Classic Collectors’ Cars and Related Automobilia, The Gartell Light Railway, Yenston, Somerset Tel: 01963 363353
* June 25-27 Barrett-Jackson Orange County Auction, Orange County Fair and Event Centre, Costa Mesa, USA Tel: 001 480 663 6255
Auction results
March 26-28 RM Auctions
• 1935 Auburn 851 SC convertible sedan: £139,265
• 1954 Buick Skylark convertible: £123,070
• 1965 Brabham BT15: £22,400
• 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car convertible: £70,455
• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Pace Car convertible: £34,320
• 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass ‘Hurst’ Indy 500 Pace Car: £14,450
• 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC 1LE test car: unsold
• 1993 Jaguar XJ220: £97,564
• 2003 Ford Fusion ex-Mark Martin NASCAR: £33,240
• 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS ex-Dale Earnhardt Jr NASCAR: unsold
April 1-3 Barrett-Jackson
• 1989 Chevrolet Lumina Goodwrench ex-Dale Earnhardt: £72,325
• 1990 Coors Extra Gold Top Fuel dragster replica: £92,040
• 1992 Ford Thunderbird Budweiser NASCAR: £29,585
• 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR: £10,485
• 2000 Ford Taurus NASCAR: £23,865
• 2000 Ford Taurus Winston Cup Car: £13,015
• 2000 Holden Race Car: £15,900
• 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Shell Pennzoil NASCAR: £24,575
• 2008 Chevrolet Impala SS ex-Mark Martin showcar £8400
April 10 Coys
• 1950 Mercedes-Benz 170S: £44,160
• 1961 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato: £131,160
• 1972 Porsche 916 prototype: £234,940
• 1967 Iso Grifo Series 1: £128,070
• 1951 Jaguar Mk V: £88,780
• 1972 Ferrari Dino: £106,445
April 13 Bonhams
• 1917 Curtiss MF Seagull flying boat: £328,270
Around the dealers
1988 Jaguar XJR-9
Chassis 668 was the last ‘Silk Cut’ XJR-9 to be built. It helped secure the 1988 World Championship for Jaguar at Spa, driven by Martin Brundle. It also ran second at Le Mans in ’89. Acquired from TWR in ’03 and rebuilt since. POA
e-mail: pearsonsengineering@btopenworld.com Tel: 01604 864764
1937 BMW 328
Privateer Count Sandizell worked with Ernst Loof of BMW’s racing department and won gold medals with this car in 1937-38 German races. Freshly restored. POA
www.morrisandwelford.com Tel: 01252 845974
1975 Lancia Stratos
Raced in Italy from 1977-80, and then brought to Britain by Dino Services Ltd for further use in races and rallies. Fully restored. POA
www.mroks.com Tel: 0032 1 447 8900
1971 Dino 246 GT
This road-spec Ferrari, campaigned in the Maranello UK series in the late ’80s, comes with a full history and receipts. £120,000 after light restoration
www.dkeng.co.uk Tel: 01923 287687