007 May 2022

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PRIVATE BUSINESS

Automobiles as Archeology

Collier’s new book is a deep dive into the material legacy of the collector car

by JIM PICKERING

MILES C. COLLIER is the steward of some of the Your book takes a long look into an area of the
world’s most historic automobiles. He’s also the collector car world that hasn’t been explored to this
founder of Revs Institute in Naples, Florida — a depth before. What was your initial goal?
nonprofit that specializes in automotive history and
research, as well as education, and houses one of the One of the objectives was to have a book that is
world’s most extensive automotive libraries. evergreen throughout the collecting lifecycle, so
that when you’re first getting involved, you read the
Collier’s new book, The Archaeological Automobile, book and you learn that there are various reasons or
takes a deep dive into the material legacy of the motivations to collect, and some make more sense
collector car, and into the reasons to preserve and than others.
honor it as a cultural artifact — and he does so in a
way that’s as inviting as it is provocative. There’s the fetishistic, which basically means you
collect something and owning it makes you feel
I caught up with Miles at The Amelia to go behind good. And conversely, there’s the nostalgic, which
the scenes of this new book, and to find out more means you collect something because its important
about the thought processes that led to it. to you, and the fact that you find it important is the
thing that makes the object important. That’s kind of
the reverse of fetishistic collecting. And then there’s
systematic, or didactic, or whatever you want to call
it, which is sort of the object… it’s the way museums
do it — here’s the thesis, and people can understand
it, and they can accept it or reject it or whatever. So
those are the kinds of things you get involved with in
the early stage.

The middle stage, it’s issues about understanding
the thing that makes any object from the past
important is its individuality. The individuality of its
contact with time, its contact with the people that
used it.

Finally, when you’re a really experienced collector,
you get into much more metaphysical things.
We’re really talking about objects literally being the
memories of the past itself, where relics… analyzing
for the archeological viewpoint is really memory
work. And that’s a very significant part of how we
understand our culture.

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PRIVATE BUSINESS

What does it take to get to that final level? How long Probably the most obvious one is the idea that
do you have to be a collector before you get there? toolroom-quality replicas — and I’m talking about as
exact as you can make them, and not necessarily from
It’s probably a function of the effort that a an appearance standpoint, but from a performance
collector puts in, the sensitivity the collector has, standpoint — are actually valuable things.
and how prone they are to this rather demanding
and intellectual approach — it may be somewhat If you have an incredibly rare and original object,
demanding and somewhat intellectual, but I also you probably don’t want to extend it to the limits
think it’s very valid. So, some people may never get of its performance envelope, because of the cost
there. Other people may be born there. But I would that’s involved if you damage it — historical value,
say, in general, you need a fair amount of experience monetary value or originality goes down the chute
before you get past the “it’s shiny and its red” view of and you don’t want to do that.
the world, where everybody starts.
On the other hand, if the car replicates the
Right, what looks good on a Saturday night. original’s performance absolutely exactly, why not
use that to race at Goodwood rather than a very
And God knows that’s where I started. valuable original?

And I still live there. If you had done your job properly, and the
performance is what it ought to be, it will run just
And there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s the like the original, it will be competitive just like the
other thing I’m trying to tell people. One thing I original, and in that high-consumption high-risk
really, strongly try to avoid in my book is being
prescriptive. “Listen you idiots, I know so much more
than you, and these are the words from the mountain,
and if you don’t believe me you’re a bad person!”
That’s not true. There’s many, many ways that you can
think about things, and all I’m trying to do is to have
you understand the arguments, and then you can
make your own decisions.

It’s a challenge, and a fine line to walk, to write
a book that doesn’t try to answer questions for
people, but rather raises the awareness of the
questions and lets readers figure it out on their
own. Now I know you’ve written about some of
these topics before — what made you decide to
draw these themes together into a book now?

Well, there are two reasons I think why people
write nonfiction. One is, you’re the sage on the stage
and you’re sprinkling your consummate knowledge
among your readers. That wasn’t me.

The other one is writing a book in order to
formalize and fully understand what you, the writer,
thinks about your subject. So you’re going on a
voyage of discovery, and you hope that other people
can join you in it, and derive some benefits. That’s
me. I wrote the book to find out what I thought about
this whole field, which I’m very interested in.

Along those lines, how did your views of the subject
matter change throughout the process of writing
the book?

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environment — if, God forbid, something goes wrong is, “was it a good show, and did I get to see the relative
— a valuable legacy artifact won’t be lost. And the performance, and this vast difference mechanically of
reality is that the audience doesn’t care. assorted cars?” The answer is yes.

How do we know that? There have been numerous So I think that replicas have a role in life. I think
studies done in the heritage industry about what is much more so than people are willing to accept.
the reaction of the visiting public to reconstructed
villages and things of that nature. The German From that standpoint, I don’t have a problem with
government did a lot of this… They’ve had to rebuild continuation cars. Now I do have a problem with a
medieval cities from the ground up after World War replica or a continuation car that is presented as an
II. Everybody knows that they’re replicas. When you original. That’s not what it is — that’s a bad thing to
analyze the visitors to those places, they say, “Yeah, do.
we know it’s a replica and we don’t care. As long as
our experience is authentic, as long as the experience The key thing to all of this — it’s the two sides of
we have is representative of what it would be like to a coin. The heads of the coin is the fact that it’s an
walk through a medieval village that has evolved into artifact from the day, that the molecules that make up
the 20th century, we’re happy.” that thing were born and created in — pick your date,
1926 — and they have survived to the present. That’s
Same thing is true with watching a fantastic race what I call the Artifactual, or the thing as a thing from
of historical automobiles, all of which turn out to be the past.
replicas. The audience isn’t going to care. Their view
The other side of the coin — the tails side of the
coin — is the automobile as phenomenon. That is
the automobile as an operating entity that we can
experience — how it accelerates, how it brakes, how
it corners and how it smells, how hard or easy it is to
start, and how smooth the ride is or isn’t, and so on.

So we have the idea of matter — that’s the
Artifactual side — and we have motion — that’s the
phenomenological or experiential side. And you
can dissect those two halves of the automobile, and
impound in a replica perfect phenomenological
authenticity. Once you’ve done that, why not enjoy
the thing, and understand the car, and learn about
the car in parts of the performance envelope that
you’d dare not address with an original?

Right — There’s something to be said about
operating a car the way it would have been
operated in period without the ballast of history
weighing it down. That value is such an interesting
component to how people want to treat their cars.

A good example of all of that would be the yellow
156 Ferrari Formula One car that Jim Stokes made.
None of those cars exist, so it’s not a bad thing to
build one, because now we know how they went.

The point of that car was, it hasn’t been improved
in any way, it was not designed to go faster… they just
wanted to try to make as accurate a copy as they can
make, and we learn something from that. That’s a
replica that’s good in every way.

But often a replica is useful if only as a stunt double
for the original in dangerous situations. Maybe that’s
the way to think about it. You need a stunt double
sometimes.

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PRIVATE BUSINESS

You cover a lot of ground in this book, all the way Theoretically that’s all true, but human behavior is
through the history of the automobile from the not going to be that malleable.
beginning until now. Do you think the colossal
change the car brought to society is behind us, or is The Chinese communists had everybody dressing
it still ahead of us? in Mao suits, but the minute the regime changed,
nobody stayed in a Mao suit. People don’t want that
I think the changes that the car brought to us, as far kind of uniformity. Why? Because genetically, we are
as change is concerned — which means we were one programmed to assess other human beings along
way, and here comes the automobile, and now we’re vectors of status, wealth and power.
a different way — that’s not going to change much
from here on in. But has the automobile played out And so, an awful lot of what we do and how we live
its string, and are we at the end of the automobile as is designed to signal what our position in the pecking
personal mobility? Absolutely not. order is, and that ain’t going to change. That took
hundreds of thousands of years of genetic evolution
Now, the reason for that is, if we look at history, to appear. It isn’t going away because some idiot says,
and consider the ecosystem of things, where things “we’re all going to light rail. We’re going to a sharing
compete with each other, or cooperate with each economy.”
other, or whatever the case may be, the automobile
emerged as the dominant predator. It went up against That’s why Chapter 6, which talks about the
the horse and the wagon, it went up against the archaeological car of the future, takes this position.
electric trolley, it went up against light rail, it went up
against… fill in the blank, whatever you want, and in
every case, it absolutely annihilated the competition.
Why? Because the experience was so much better.

You had privacy, which had not existed in the
world before the advent of the automobile — it was
one of the few places where you could climb into
something… you didn’t have the maddening public
around you in any way. You could go where you
wanted, when you wanted, how you wanted, with
whom you wanted, which was nothing that you could
do with public transportation. People really liked
that. They still like that. It isn’t going to change.

People who think that we just need to put in more
light rail and we’ll turn into nirvana have no idea
what they’re talking about. And as I say, those wars
were fought in about 1910, 1915 in Los Angeles,
when all the surface traction systems of the light
rail systems in Los Angeles were annihilated by the
automobile. Game over.

Now, will people want to continue with
automobiles? Yes they will. Will they be powered
by hydrocarbon engines? I say in the future ecology
of the automobile, that there will be a broader
spectrum of inhabitants of that ecological niche. It
will range from normal hydrocarbon cars, to hybrids,
to electric plug-ins, and maybe someday we’ll see
fuel cell-powered hydrogen cars, and so on. The need
that people have, the desire they have for personal
mobility, is going to remain. And no, we’re not
going to go 100% into a sharing economy — that’s
the other thing. “Oh yeah, once we get to a sharing
economy, the number of cars that are required to
support everyone’s transportation will drop by 83%.”

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We are genetically programmed in one way, and the The most challenging thing about the book was to
archaeology of humankind shows us — from as early always be cognizant of and employ what I think some
as we can go — that things made with art, things that call the Theory of Mind, which means that you need
are luxury products, have always been with us. You to be aware of what your reader knows and what your
can go back to Acheulean handaxes of 70,000 BC, reader doesn’t know, and be really careful about what
or 50,000 BC, and you can literally find utilitarian assumptions you make about what they know.
ones, and you can find Acheulean handaxes that
have clearly been made to be luxury items. They’re The book is designed not for experts, but for a range
so beautifully made, so fine. You realize that it’s of people. The range is from complete newbie novices
completely unnecessary for the thing to function. So to experts, and consequently, as you go through the
there were some shooters even back then… “Oh, give book, you’ll see places where, even through the end
me the luxury model!” You know, it’s how it is. notes — I’ll use the word “Le Mans,” and there will be
an end note number, and you’ll go to it and it explains
What did you find most challenging about such to you what Le Mans is. Now, I didn’t want to waste
a comprehensive project? And are there other the time of knowledgeable readers by putting that
thoughts to add, based on shifts in the car market in the body of the text, or hanging it on the end. So if
or the car world since publication? somebody says, “Well I’ve never heard of that before,”
well there you go. So that’s one attempt to try to deal
with the Theory of Mind.

The other is to build up the arguments, so that
at each level they are necessary and sufficient for
getting across the point that I want. So the idea that
there are five different restoration strategies, and lay
them out pretty clearly, and explain what we mean by
restoration.

Is there one takeaway that you hope that your
readers take with them when they finish the book?

The one thing I hope they absorb is that the
historical artifact, in this case the car — the
archeological automobile — is by its nature an
individual. That the thing that we cherish about old
things is the mellowing hand of human use and time,
and the stories impounded in the artifact that are
represented by those marks and wear.

Here’s the analogy: When we’re born, we all look
the same. We all look like Mr. Magoo. By the time
we’re 40, we all look like individuals. We all have a
history. When the mass-produced industrialized
product was first made, they were all the same except
for the color of the paint, just like people.

By the time they’ve had tens or hundreds of
thousands of miles, and decades of use, they’re all
individuals.

If we have any respect for that artifact’s ability to
survive to the present day, we need to celebrate those
differences. That’s where the interest is.

So when it comes to having the interesting story —
let the artifact talk to you about its life experiences,
because that’s the thing that we respect the most
about people, and what we respect the most among
acquired things.

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INTERVIEW

New Ways
to Buy and
Sell Cars

J.D. Pass, a cowboy turned
veteran auctioneer, is shaking
up the collector-car world with
SonicBidder and The Vault

by CHESTER ALLEN

J.D. PASS HAS been a car auctioneer for You’ve made a significant splash with If it was a live auction being simulcast
35 years — he got his start with Kruse SonicBidder and The Vault. Briefly, how on the Internet, I had to turn the sound
International at age 22. As an auctioneer, he does each platform work, and how are they down and watch the screen because it was
has moved more than $5 billion in all kinds different from other methods of selling and anywhere from a five-second to two-minute
of assets, including thousands of cars. Now, buying collector cars? delay from what the auctioneer was saying
at age 57, Pass has made some big waves and what the price display was presenting
in the car collecting world with his unique SonicBidder was developed because I on the bid button.
SonicBidder website and The Vault collector felt the online experience needed to have a
car showroom in Jackson, Mississippi. Pass more energetic and lively online event. As a I felt that I could do better, so
recently sat down with Linkage magazine to collector myself — and a dealer — I found SonicBidder was born. We developed an
tell the inside story of his businesses. myself watching online auction platforms online platform that we call the first 4-D
and feeling that I was watching paint dry — collector-car experience. Our platform
J.D., you’ve been in the collector-car no emotion, no energy and no reason to stay offers the feeling of a live auction without
business for a long time now, and you’ve tuned. the delays of an online broadcast — and
seen a lot of changes. What is the biggest
change you’ve seen over the past five years?

The Internet has brought a greater
audience and more buying power to
the collector-car market, which we have
witnessed in growing sales numbers over
the last five years. At the same time, there
have been issues to buying online that can
be detrimental to a good experience in car
purchasing.

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provides an upbeat tempo embedded into looking at our inventory. We believe that our Electric cars have been around since
the program. customer is looking for a great experience the 1820s and have never dominated the
with their purchase, and we strive to deliver marketplace. I laugh because we only have
Bidders can watch live video of the cars it every time a 300-mile range on electric cars now, and
operating and driving, and many of the in the 1900s we had 150-mile ranges and the
vehicles offered have over 100 photos on You’ve been an auctioneer and a car same problems. The internal-combustion
the site. collector for a long time now. Which came engine will be around long after we’re gone
first? — and not only for day-to-day use in my
We added a star-rating system to give opinion.
bidders a better idea of the vehicle’s Auctioneer!
condition. With a push of a button, we can Where would you like to see your
communicate with everyone online in real What types of cars do you think will hold businesses in five years? Ten years?
time. value over the next decade? 
In five years, I would like to see
All these things enhance the experience, As we speak, people are buying memories both platforms — thevaultms.com and
encourage participation by keeping the of those cars they wanted in high school. sonicbidder.com — expanding to better serve
bidder engaged and promote consumer However, over the next decade, if you’re our customers while providing good, honest
confidence. And we stand behind the sale going to invest in cars, you should buy opinions about the market.
after you have won. We are building a long- the best of what you can afford in limited-
time customer base by eliminating what we production vehicles of the 1970s 1980s and We want to hire young, energetic and
call the “online auction surprise.” 1990s — those vehicles are the future. For enthusiastic individuals who have a passion
those with deeper pockets, special Ferraris, for the automotive industry.
Most all the cars we offer are located exotics with racing history, limited-
in one of our warehouses. We personally production hyper and supercars — all will We want to continue to build on our
inspect each one and describe it accurately. always have a strong value. If you have strong foundation with longevity in mind
Personal inspections are encouraged — and money to sit on for 10 or 15 years, maybe — and building consumer confidence by
we can usually just walk out the door and pre-war cars. When electric cars, like Tesla, providing great service at a reasonable price.
show customers the car via FaceTime. become commonplace, the old Detroit cars Finally, our customers are treated as we
will be must-haves for collectors. Massive would like to be treated ourselves.
The Vault was born out of a need for Packards, Duesenbergs and the like are
me to warehouse my personal collection art. They will always have their place in the In 10 years, I hope that we have a strong
of cars that I had accumulated. I looked upper echelon of the collector car world global relationship with both buyers and
at buildings to bring everything into one sellers that provides us with a strong share of
location because I had things scattered all Why should a car collector do business the marketplace.
across every corner of the United States. with you? 
Now, our headquarters building is 153,000 What is the next big thing in the collector-
square feet and made of 20-foot concrete We are a full-service company, whether it’s car world?
walls, a concrete roof and a four-foot-high with The Vault and our retail facilities or with
foundation. The Vault was born. I was SonicBidder. We can offer you full service Well, of course, we are (laughter).
walking out the door one day, and I jokingly and support from the beginning to the I think that lifestyle events are going to
said to my wife, “I’m going to The Vault,” end of the entire process with experienced grow in the near future. Public auctions only
and it stuck. professionals that will get your car placed in provide so much of an experience — and
a market that is proven to provide more net they’re expensive.
Our customers don’t want to take the profit to the seller. Without a lot of hassle, we Rallies and car shows at great locations,
time to go after one of the bigger events, do it all for the seller. Our global presence car travel experiences and all-inclusive
pay the fees, pay the transportation fees is driven by providing a quality product to events are where our new customers will
and then pay for hotel rooms — just to sell proven buyers in seamless transactions. come from. Just this past week, The Vault
their car with massive commissions on top had a car show, and we fed over 800 people
of that. Or, worse yet, not sell their car and Do you have a particular favorite kind or steaks and baked potatoes. We had 10,000
bring it back home — and now their $50k era of car? What is your all-time favorite spectators and 1,000 cars. We have to
car is $60k, and they still own it. car — and why? introduce the new and younger generation
into the marketplace, and what better way to
The retail side of The Vault became a way I absolutely love Brass Era and Prewar cars do that?
for these car people to have more control of — Pierce-Arrows, Packards, Duesenbergs,
their sales destiny, and they believed in my Auburns, Cords, Railtons, Rolls-Royce and You’ve got the car of your choice. Where do
process and have witnessed the global sales Delahaye — just to name a few. you go drive it, and who is your co-pilot?
that we were producing on our inventory.
The car world is changing, and electric I would pick a Bentley 8 Liter and drive it
In just a few short years, The Vault has vehicles are moving in fast. Do you think anywhere with Stephen Plaster. He makes
grown from just me to 22 employees, the market for collector cars will hold up me laugh, and the ride would be amazing.
millions in sales, thousands of customers for the next 20 years or so? Why?
— and a global presence delivering cars all For more information, visit www.thevaultms.com and
over. Just last week, we sold cars to Germany www.sonicbidder.com
the Czech Republic, Canada, Australia,
Mexico and several states in the U.S. We
usually have people from 45 to 133 counties

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GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING

A Full-Throttle
Weekend

A look inside the 79th Goodwood Members’
Meeting, presented by Audrain Motorsport

by RUSSELL HAYES

UNLIKE THE GOODWOOD Revival, the season
opener Goodwood Members’ Meeting isn’t limited
to racers from 1948-1966. So this year’s weekend,
held April 9 and 10, consisted of 14 races that offered
everything from 1920s and ’30s chain-driven Frazer
Nashes to motorbikes and saloon car racers up to
1983.

Special demos at this year’s event were of the high-
speed variety, done to mark the 40th anniversary of
Group C Le Mans Porsche 956s and 962s at dusk, and
of 1990s F1 cars. For the second year running, our
very own Audrain Motorsport was the title sponsor.

How time passes. The 79th meet already? The
Members’ Meeting re-ignited the spirit of British
Automobile Racing Club (BARC) Members’ Meetings
held at the circuit until it shut in 1966 with the 71st.

Founded by the Duke of Richmond, the new
event began in 2014 with the 72nd edition. It aims
to recreate the atmosphere and camaraderie of the
original.

Members only

The Members’ Meeting, like all the events at
Goodwood, is run on a strictly invite-only basis. All
vehicles are hand-selected to create an eclectic-yet-
competitive grid. The races are spread across both
days, as are the practices (qualifying), but you get to
see the whole range of cars tear round the track both
days. Practice can be as full-on as the race.

The venue is the same as the Revival in September,
which with its dressing up and ‘50s and ‘60s vibe is
all very swanky, but this is more relaxed. It still has a
degree of exclusivity though; tickets for the Members’
Meeting are only available to Members and Fellows of
the Goodwood Road Racing Club. Currently joining
the Fellowship (the route to being a Member) is the
only way to be able to buy a ticket — £43 for the year.

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GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING

It’s also the smallest and most intimate motor speed its maker never intended and a Morris Minor
sport event at Goodwood. This year’s attendance was circulated with the passenger door gently flapping
36,000 across the weekend, while the Revival sees open on left-handers.
150,000 visitors. There are fewer hospitality buildings
but more space to stand and watch. The grandstands For thunderous GTs, the Graham Hill Trophy for
cost extra, but you can stake a place leaning over the closed cockpit GT cars and prototypes that raced up
roof of the pits. The paddock offers every chance to to 1966 gave you Cobras desperate to go sideways,
get up close and personal to cars and their owners. E-Types and a 1965 Bizzarini-Chevrolet. Even rarer
There’s no dress code, but a lot of tweed was on show, was Ian Burford’s 1964 Cheetah — a Chevy-powered
along with many caps and a score of cravats. Cobra chaser.

A diverse field Oddities are welcomed at Goodwood, none
more so than the piranha-faced McKee-Chevrolet
For the Sopwith Cup (named after popular British “Mahryra,” a peculiar one-off which competed in
racer Tommy Sopwith), the field gathered an unlikely USRRC races in the early ‘60s. The only trophy it ever
grid of very small and very large family cars from the won was Custom Car of The Year in 1963.
1950s. Austin A35s avoided a Lincoln Cosmopolitan
and a Cadillac Coupe (which nearly kissed in the For Brits of a certain age, the Gerry Marshall
chicane), a Nash Metropolitan beetled around at a Trophy evoked 1970s Saturday afternoon TV
watching Dad’s car tussling in saloon car racing. On
this April Saturday, that meant Minis jostling with

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Camaros, Ford Capris, a Boss Mustang and Rover they and the drivers score points over the weekend
SD1s, one of which was biffed at both ends and for their House. It’s a playfully posh in-joke. The
trailered away. houses names are taken from the Duke of Richmond’s
titles, Aubigny, Darnley, Methuen and Torbolton.
New races for 2022 included the A.F.P. Fane Trophy
celebrating 100 years of Frazer Nash. The grid was full The team captains are racers, and around the track
of chain-driven Super Sports, Shelsley single-seaters visitors can join in with such japes as duck herding,
and racing specials. The Robert Brooks Trophy — ferret racing, laser clay shooting, axe throwing, quoits
named after the auctioneer and original Governor and the Tug of War. If nobody explains it to you, it’s a
of the modern meetings — recreated Goodwood bit baffling. I had to look it up. At the prize giving on
club races of Lotus Elevens, Cooper T49s and Lola Sunday, the winners don school caps and gowns.
Mk1s. For small and big kids, there were drift car
demonstrations leaving smoke and ample tire marks So, the Goodwood charm continues. Part of the
across the track. skill of offering is that if you only have to go to one
motoring event a year and choose between the
Off track there were copious retail and eating Members’ Meeting, Festival of Speed or the Revival,
opportunities. Gordon Murray Automotive (the man there’s no wrong turn — each gives a particular
himself ) unveiled the new and already sold-out T.33 pleasure.
supercar in its first-ever public appearance. All guests
are assigned to one of four Goodwood Houses, and With thanks to Carlton Stokes for extra
photography.

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MARKET FOCUS

The Best and equal rates. Blue-chip cars — Blue chips
the Rest the Cal Spiders, Gullwings, and blue skies
Type 57s and beyond — also
Market momentum carried into spring, with felt the same cooling as At Barrett-Jackson’s Palm
sports and muscle leading the charge American muscle, but, as the Beach auction in April, totals
saying went, “at the end of the came in at over $60.7m all-in.
by JIM PICKERING day, it’s still a Ferrari.” I won’t Compare that to the last Palm
say these cars were insulated Beach sale in 2019, where they
WHEN THE COLLECTOR car For buyers whose finances from the era, just that their sold $30.2m in cars. Here, it was
market took a dive alongside the were closely tied to the values owners were less jumpy about the same story as I pointed out
housing crisis in 2008, just about of their homes, it was a rough the period market conditions in Linkage #006 — a greater
everything was impacted in go — especially when they’d — or they had more distance volume of sports and muscle at
some way, from Full Classics to leveraged that value to own a from the impact of the housing better than average pricing.
American muscle and beyond. Hemi ’Cuda or LS6 Chevelle crisis. Those of us watching the
But above everything, muscle when interest in those cars was market saw increased no-sales Mecum set a new record in
was hit the hardest, no doubt booming in the early 2000s. on blue-chip cars, but not so Houston the weekend before,
due to the demographics of that many fire sales. too, selling $34.5m worth of
segment’s buyers at the time, In the classic car auction cars compared to the $21m in
and their general proximity world, numbers fell nearly That era is long over now, sales at the same spot in 2021.
to the factors that caused the across the board due to and our current market is on a In Glendale, they sold $66.3m
market to fall in the first place. downturn attributed to the different path. As I noted in the in mid-March — again beating
housing crisis — but not at last issue, enthusiasm has been last year’s numbers by 53%. As
up nearly everywhere, and the of this writing, prior to their
same market that once brought annual Indy blowout, Mecum
us significant drops in value has pushed their year-to-date
for Chrysler Hemi cars and total past $300m. For those
no-sales on Ferrari Daytonas of you counting, remember
has been flying high, both back that the company set a new
in January, as noted, and now. auction record in 2021 with

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Porsche 550 Spyder, Teardrop that made $13.4m Experts Pick
sold for $4.185m at and set the bar for the entire
Bonham’s Amelia 2022 Amelia weekend. Again, Sales that Mattered
auction compare that to 2020: $20.8m.
HONDA’S NEAR-PERFECT NEW Sportscar eXperimental
$578m in sales — and when the Drive to buy (NSX) thrilled many journalists, car fanatics and kid dreamers
final hammer fell in Houston worldwide over a 15-year run.
this year, the clock still had 9 I point this all out to
months of 2022 to go. highlight something important: Pristine 6-speed cars are top of the pyramid (as usual), with
Muscle cars and customs the best-of-the-best special editions now going for over $200k.
Now, you can’t paint either are continuing to see some Plenty of pre-’97-update and higher-mileage ones still sell for
of those companies as muscle- significantly boosted pricing under six figures.
only events. Both Mecum and in the market, while blue-chip
Barrett-Jackson sell plenty of cars are growing as well, but The 2004 NSX-T that RM Sothebys sold for $154,000 at Fort
blue-chip cars at their auctions, at a different rate. To me, it Lauderdale in March came from a noted collection and was
but they’ve got more muscle, feels like the inverse of what I just one of 186 in the penultimate year.
customs and trucks than saw back in 2008, powered by
anyone else, too, and that’s a hungry buying public that All that makes this a fair deal. — Chad Tyson, American
reflected in lower average continues to chase collector auction analyst
prices per lot, at least generally. cars as a fun place to park
resources. But no matter how THE ILL-FATED EDSEL is a part of American folklore. As
Compare all that to the you look at it, buying an A12 such, it’s also become an icon among late-1950s-era cars. The
blue-chip-rich Amelia Island, Road Runner isn’t the same 1958 Pacer convertible that Worldwide sold for $47,040 at the
where auctions are smaller and thing as buying a V12 Enzo- Enthusiast Auction in April has a one-off color combination,
feature a greater percentage era Ferrari. The end uses are since it was special ordered by a member of Edsel’s engineering
of high-end cars. There, prices different, as are the users. team. More telling that it does not have the infamous Teletouch
were strong on many lots, but automatic transmission, ordered instead with a 3-speed
growth in 2022 wasn’t as stark As I see it, there’s one column shift manual with overdrive.
— at least not overall. important difference here over
2008, and that’s the pandemic. Given a frame-off concours quality restoration within this
For example, at Bonhams’ In the years leading to the decade by a marque specialist, most folks figured that the no-
$15m Amelia sale in 2022, market crash, speculation ran reserve car should’ve brought more. I feel this was a textbook
the top lot was a Porsche 550 rampant. A bunch of people case of most 1950s glitzy cars now adjusting downward in
Spyder, which hammered bought to make money rather value for better-quality examples — they aren’t completely
sold for $4.185m after some than to simply enjoy the cars falling out of favor, it’s just a new normal. — B. Mitchell
tense, drawn-out bidding. Just they were buying, and I don’t Carlson, American auction analyst
as a comparison, in 2020, the see that happening in the same
company achieved $21.6m. way now. In fact, it seems that   Linkage 007  119
today’s buyers, maybe more
At RM Sotheby’s single-day than ever before, just want to
Amelia event at the Ritz, the enjoy the cars. At the end of the
total was $46.6m, led by a 1934 day, a GTO convertible is still a
Packard Twelve Dietrich at GTO convertible, right?
$4.1m You can read more about
that car on p. 150. The total Beyond that, and key to
there in 2020? $35.6m — an what’s happening here, is the
$11m difference, which could quality of lots on offer. Buyers
represent as little as one or two are eager to buy across the
blue-chip car sales. board, but it takes a great car to
really bring the money — and
Gooding & Company we’re seeing a lot of great
achieved their biggest Amelia examples cross the auction
result ever: $69m in sales. blocks these days. That’s
Their consignments featured a making a difference.
number of rare Porsches — an
Amelia staple — as well as a What’s in store for the rest
1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS of 2022 remains to be seen,
but you can bet we’ll see more
records broken before the
summer is out. Some of the
best lots of the year are yet to
come.

THIS SEASON’S CHURN

FOR THE MOST up-to-date information on 1938 Jaguar SS 100 3.5 Litre Roadster JUNE JULY
sales, dates and auction information, go to
www.linkagemag.com. traditional or honorary start of the party. VANDERBRINK / The Kerry ARTCURIAL / Le Mans Classic
This is also the first time that there’s been Droog-Moser Collections July 2 Le Mans, FRA
An SS at Goodwood an auction on-site at the Monterey Jet June 3-4 Mobridge, SD BONHAMS / The Gstaad Sale
Center since Christie’s left the space in SILVERSTONE / Ferrari July 3 Gstaad, CHE
CONSIGNMENTS ARE STILL coming 2007, and Broad Arrow is going to do it Owners’ Club GB OSENAT / Youngtimers &
together for Bonhams’ annual Goodwood in fine form, offering 80 high-end lots at June 4 Northampton, UK Collector Cars
Festival of Speed auction on June 24, but auction on the day after Motorlux closes. LUCKY / 2022 Spring July 4 Versailles, FRA
one early confirmed lot is a 1938 Jaguar SS Talk about an auction preview event. Classic MECUM / Orlando 2022
100 3.5 Litre Roadster, registration DHP735 June 4-5 Tacoma, WA July 7-9 Orlando, FL
— an ex-Works example that won the 1938 Motorlux takes place August 17, with RM SOTHEBY’S / Sand Lots HISTORICS / Windsorview Lakes
RAC Rally. Bonhams has estimated the car Broad Arrow Auctions’ first-ever live sale May 25-June 1 Online (US) July 16 Dachet, UK
at £400,000 to £600,000 (or about $520,000 following on August 18. Watch linkagemag. MECUM / Tulsa 2022 VANDERBRINK / Tri-Five and More
to $782,000). com for updates on the consignment list as June 9-11 Tulsa, OK July 16 Commerce City, CO
they become available. COLLECTOR CAR GAA CLASSIC CARS / Classic Car
Broad Arrow Joins PRODUCTIONS / Toronto Auction
Monterey Car Week Spring Classic Car Auction July 21-23 Greensboro, NC
June 11 Online (CAN) VANDERBRINK / The “Mr. GTO”
Broad Arrow Auctions’ first live event is ANGLIA CAR AUCTIONS Blatter Collection
going to be a big one, taking place alongside June 11-12 King’s Lynn, UK July 23 Wilton, ND
Hagerty’s newly reimagined Motorlux SONICBIDDER / Auto Exotix H&H / Pavilion Gardens
event. Motorlux itself is new as well — it was June 15 Online (US) July 27 Buxton, UK
previously known as McCall’s Motorworks CCA / Summer Sale MECUM / Harrisburg 2022
Revival, or more simply “the Jet Party.” June 18 Warwickshire, UK July 27-30 Harrisburg, PA
H&H / Imperial War Museum BARONS / July Classic
Strictly speaking, this event isn’t the true June 22 Duxford, UK July 29 Southampton, UK
kickoff to the Monterey Car Week festivities, BRIGHTWELLS / Platinum VICARI
but it has for years been considered the Jubilee July 29-30 Dalton, GA
June 22-23 Online (UK)
BARONS / June Classic AUGUST
June 24 Southampton, UK
BONHAMS / Goodwood BRIGHTWELLS / Classic Car &
Festival of Speed Motorcycle
June 24 Chichester, UK August 3 Online (UK)
TOM MACK / Carolina BROAD ARROW AUCTIONS /
Summer Auction Monterey Jet Center Auction
June 25 Concord, NC August 18 Monterey, CA
OSENAT / Automobiles de MECUM / Monterey 2022
Collection August 18-20 Monterey, CA
June 20 Fontainebleau, FRA BONHAMS / Quail Lodge Auction
BARRETT-JACKSON / Las August 19 Carmel, CA
Vegas GOODING & CO / Pebble Beach
June 30-July 2 Las Vegas, NV Auctions
August 19-20 Pebble Beach, CA
Broad Arrow’s RM SOTHEBY’S / Monterey
first live event will August 19-20 Monterey, CA
bring the auction ANGLIA CAR AUCTIONS
action back to August 20-21 King’s Lynn, UK
the Monterey Jet BARONS / August Classic
Center August 26 Southampton, UK
SILVERSTONE / The Classic Sale
August 28 Northampton, UK

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY

Breaking Copyright and Courtesy of Gooding & Company, Images by JOSH HWAY
Records

Gooding’s 2022 Amelia Island sale was
the highest grossing event in the auction
house’s 13 years of hosting Florida auctions

by CARL BOMSTEAD

Amelia Island 2022
Gooding & Company
March 4, 2022

Total: 93/99 cars sold / $69,209,480

AFTER A YEAR away due to COVID, Gooding &
Company’s March 2022 return to Amelia Island
ended up as the company’s most successful Amelia
event ever. In total, 93 of the 99 cars sold here,
bringing $69m in sales and putting Gooding at the
top of the heap among this year’s Amelia auctions.

The company offered their usual array of European
sports and racing cars, but there was enough of
a variety to keep it interesting. A 1963 Corvette
Split-Window Z06 coupe set a record when it sold
for $1,242,500, and a Fiat 500 Jolly sold for $145,600.
Packard fans could not help but admire the 1932
Packard Individual Custom Stationary Coupe with
coachwork by Dietrich. Owned by Packard guru Gene
Perkins since 1968, it epitomized classic-era styling.
The sale price of $1,900,000, while expensive, was in
line with the current market.

Gooding offered 35 Porsches and 11 Ferraris,
but the star of the entire weekend was the Talbot-
Lago Teardrop coupe with coachwork by Figoni et
Falaschi. It had striking fully enclosed front fenders
and the design flowed from every angle. It sold for a
well-deserved $13,425,000 — a new record high for a
French automobile.

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY
1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe

THE BASICS: Awarded First in Class at A New Record elegant due to its fully enveloped
3,966-cc 6-cylinder engine Pebble Beach and Best in Show front fenders. Only two bodies
at Amelia Island. Lot 54, #1 condition of this type were built, and this
makes 140 horsepower. 4-speed S/N 90107 is the sole example that survives
Wilson Pre-Select transmission. BOMSTEAD SAYS: Sold Price: $13,425,000 with its original coachwork.
High performance T150-C-SS The Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS
chassis with Figoni et Falaschi cars were sold with a variety of This car’s provenance is
coachwork. Alloy body with Goutte d’Eau, or Teardrop, custom coachbuilders applying known from new. In 1939, it
fully enclosed front fenders. represents a groundbreaking their creative talent to the bare joined the famed collection of
Once part of Tommy Lee collaboration between Anthony chassis, but the most elegant “Tommy” Lee, where it was
and Nethercutt Collections. Lago and Joseph Figoni. were those bodied by Figoni et timed at 117 mph at Muroc Dry
Falaschi. It is thought they built Lake. It disappeared from sight
A limited number of these as many as 12 Teardrops on the in the early 1950s and was not
Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS chassis. seen again until the early 2000s.
The example offered by Gooding It was donated to the famed
& Co. is considered the most Nethercutt Collection, which
restored it to an impeccable
standard as documented by its
numerous Best in Show awards.
As sold here, it is now the most
valuable French car ever sold at
auction, and the most valuable
Talbot-Logo in existence — but
the sale should come as no
surprise, as it is the definition of
“elegant.”

1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

THE BASICS: and 31 examples were detuned such as CSX3192, were Big-Block
427-ci V8 with twin Holley and sold for street use as equipped with several Swagger
S/C — or semi-competition early production features,
4-barrel carburetors. Estimated — models. including those Holley 4-barrel Lot 50, #2+ condition
to produce 500 hp at 5,000 carburetors. In 1990, it received S/N CSX3192
rpm. 4-speed “Top-Loader” An additional 260 were a 1,000-hour restoration by Sold price: $1,050,000
gearbox and 4-wheel Girling produced as road-going marque experts and had been
disc brakes. Upgraded with S/C 427s — less than half of the driven only 19,000 miles. It has 2000 and is finished in black
features. One of only 260 road- production of the original 289. been in a single collection since with black leather seating and
going 427 Cobras produced. rides on Peter Brock-designed
The 3100-Series Cobras, 7½-inch “Sunburst” aluminum
BOMSTEAD SAYS: wheels. With known ownership
Ken Miles, Shelby’s chief history from new and
exceptional condition, this sold
engineer, had the task of making for a touch under the expected
the already hot 289 Competition money.
Cobra even hotter, and Ford’s
427 FE was the key to competing
with Corvette’s Grand Sport.
Building a 427 Cobra required
a new chassis that had wider
rear fenders and a larger
radiator opening. The car had
an aggressive stance and offered
incredible performance. They
failed homologation for the
1965 racing season, however,

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY

1956 Porsche 356A Speedster

THE BASICS: Details Drive
1,582-cc Type 616/1 air- the Price

cooled flat-four engine with Lot 95, #1- condition
twin Solex carburetors makes S/N 82181
60 horsepower at 4,500 rpm.
4-speed manual transmission. Sold price: $379,000
Comes with numerous
restoration pics and receipts a simple folding top. It was noted marque restorer to return correct-type vinyl seating. The
from 2017. Said to have 1,000 available with any engine it to concours condition. It non-matching numbers engine
miles since completion. except the smaller 1,300, and it received a rotisserie restoration was rebuilt, as was the original
quickly gained favor with club that utilized as many of the gearbox, and it has the correct
BOMSTEAD SAYS: racers. 4,145 were produced. original parts as possible, and beehive taillights, too.
In the early 1950s, Max while it was taken down to bare
The early history of this car metal, it was repainted in its A nice resto, but this was a
Hoffman, the New York Porsche is not known, but in 2017, the original white livery with new strong result considering the
distributor, convinced the current owner sent the car to a non-matching motor.
company that a simple sports
car was needed to compete
with the inexpensive English
offerings, which were popular
in the U.S. at the time. The
resulting 356A Speedster was
stripped of any non-essential
items, but retained a raked,
curved windshield. It used
lightweight bucket seats and

1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

THE BASICS: factory build sheet. Gullwing The Gold retained The Gullwing Service
2,996-cc SOHC Inline doors. Restored by noted Standard Company — now Paul Russell
marque expert Paul Russell. and Company — to restore it.
6-cylinder engine with 4-speed Lot 77, #1- condition
manual transmission. Bosch BOMSTEAD SAYS: S/N 198.040.4500090 The seating was replaced
mechanical fuel injection. This SL was first delivered Sold Price: $1,600,000 with correct surface-dyed
Estimated 240 hp at 5,800 rpm. Roser leather and a set of fitted
Original engine with copy of to William Burden II, a descendent of the Vanderbilt luggage was added. A sport
family. It joined an impressive camshaft was installed and the
fleet, alongside a Duesenberg, engine was stamped NSL — the
Hispano-Suiza and Mercedes- standard engine on alloy
Benz 540K Special Roadster. Gullwings and an option on
Upon his death, the 300SL steel-bodied cars.
went to his grandson, who
It is complete with belly pans,
Becker radio, books and records.
It had less than 26,000 miles
showing and had been driven
only 9,000 miles over the past
40 years.

Mercedes-Benz 300SLs, both
Gullwings and Roadsters,
continue to be the gold standard
of automotive collectibles. This
sale was a touch under the
money compared to several
others that sold during the
Amelia week.

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Coupe

A Benchmark Price fans and ventilated backing
plates. The package, developed
Lot 71, #1- condition. by Zora Arkus-Duntov, set
S/N: 30837S108689 the Corvette up as a serious
Sold price: $1,242,500 competition machine.

Copyright and Courtesy of Gooding & Company, Images by JOSH HWAY This car was special, in that
it had just three owners and
THE BASICS: new with only three owners. tag was about 25% of the base 5,353 miles on the odometer.
One of just 199 Z06 The only 1963 Z06 finished in price of the Corvette. According to Bloomington Gold
Sebring Silver with Saddle tan founder David Burroughs,
Corvettes produced in 1963. leather The Z06 package included “Although there are several that
RPO L84 fuel-injected 327-ci a close-ratio 4-speed manual come close, I know of none more
V8 produces 360 hp. 4-speed BOMSTEAD SAYS: gearbox, upgraded coil springs, perfectly preserved than this
manual transmission. Heavy The Z06 competition package heavy-duty suspension and example.” It had also earned
brake option was part of Special front stabilizer. It also offered some of the most prestigious
Performance Equipment turned the Corvette into a solid a unique braking system with Corvette accolades, including
Package. Just 5,400 miles from racer. It came with a price, special drums, cooling fins and Bloomington Gold and NCRS
however, as the $1,818.45 price Top Flight, which makes sense
given its untouched condition.
An amazing example. Pricey,
but worth every penny.

2019 Ford GT

THE BASICS: built-in roll cage that creates a pedals and steering wheel are Expiring Contracts,
3.5-L DOHC twin-turbo V6 racecar environment. It features adjustable. Big Prices
a cockpit-activated race mode
makes 647 hp at 6,250 rpm. that increases throttle sensitivity I doubt the exciting race mode Lot 66, #1 condition
7-speed dual-clutch Getrag and lowers the adjustable features had been tested on this S/N: 2FAGP9CWOKH200220
PowerShift automatic transaxle, suspension while adjusting the no-miles example. Its build sheet Sold Price: $1,077,500
Brembo carbon-ceramic rear wing. The carbon fiber showed $75,000 in options,
disc brakes. Shows 21 miles seats are fixed, although the which pushed the MSRP to defended their contract with
since delivered new. Striking close to $600,000. Initially, Ford buyers, which stipulated that
“Lightspeed” livery. they would not flip their new
toy for at least two years after
BOMSTEAD SAYS: purchase. As the contracts expire,
Production of the new-gen more come to market, and as
we see here, they are providing a
Ford GT began in December of handsome profit.
2016, with 1,000 presold units
planned. Demand was such
that they added 350 in 2018
and 698 in 2019. MSRP was
in the $500,000 range, with
an expensive list of options
available.

The GT has a top speed of
217 mph and will push 0-60
in less than 3 seconds. It has
a minimalist cockpit with a

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY
1991 Ferrari F40

THE BASICS: owner in Utah who used his driven only 170 miles since it Bringing the
One of 213 U.S.-spec F40s. 2.9- as a daily driver, with over changed hands in 2013. It has Poster to Life
90,000 miles showing. For those been serviced regularly with
L DOHC V8 with twin turbos, who did drive their cars, the Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo in Lot 52, #1- condition
intercoolers and electronic fuel F40 was described as “clunky Oregon, including recently S/N: ZFFMN34AXM0090000
injection. Makes 478 hp at 7,000 and cantankerous,” and the changing both catalytic Sold price: $2,425,250
rpm. 5-speed manual gearbox. rear vision was so poor that converters.
Less than 3,800 miles from new. changing lanes was described as noted, most are strictly garage
Last production car developed requiring “leaps of faith.” The standard pricing for F40s art. Four recent sales were in the
by Enzo Ferrari. today in the market is several range of this sale, and all had
This four-owner car has been times over the MSRP, and as less than 5,000 miles showing.
BOMSTEAD SAYS: The only exception noted was
At the F40’s introduction, a U.K.-spec F40 that sold for a
touch over a million. This was an
it was the fastest and most expected price — it’s just too bad
expensive car the company that the seller was rewarded for
offered. List price was $399,150, not having this car on the road.
which included a trip to the
Ferrari factory in Italy for
driving instructions.

A bunch of collectors
bought these cars strictly for
speculation — it was estimated
that less than 10% of F40s sold
were actually driven. The vast
majority of the F40s on the
market today have very limited
mileage, although there was
a recent article about a F40

1959 Fiat 500 Jolly

THE BASICS: coil springs in the rear. Older High-priced Fiat Jolly was the perfect vehicle
Coachwork by Ghia. 479-cc restoration to stock specs. Smile for whisking Mediterranean
jet-setters from hotel lobbies to
air-cooled 2-cylinder engine BOMSTEAD SAYS: Lot 99, #2+ condition sunny beaches. It was advertised
produces 13 horsepower. Fiat boss Giani Agnelli S/N 110.072952 with a top speed of 60 miles
Equipped with a 4-speed Sold Price: $145,600 per hour and fuel economy of
manual transaxle. Four-wheel commissioned Ghia to create 52 miles per gallon, although I
hydraulic brakes. Front a beach car based on the Fiat a small fun car that would be doubt that elite owners really
leaf-spring suspension with Nuova 500 that had been carried on the back of his yacht. cared.
introduced in 1954. He wanted Ghia eventually built about
400 Fiat 500 Jollys, each priced This car had been
at about twice the cost of a authentically restored some
standard sedan. years back and had been
properly maintained in a
With its open sides, festive California collection for the
striped top and wicker seats, the past seven years. It wore an
attractive livery in bright Royal
Blue and the wicker seats were
in good order — but it sold for
an unprecedented amount, as at
least two bidders pushed hard
to own it. A Fiat Jolly 600 with
the larger 767-cc motor sold two
years ago for touch more than
we saw here, but this is the high-
water mark for a Fiat 500.

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT GOODING & COMPANY
1967 Toyota-Shelby 2000 GT

A Milestone turned over to Carroll Shelby
Model for preparation for SCCA
C-Production racing. The
Lot 42, #3 condition Toyota-Shelby team finished
S/N MF10-10001 4th for the 1968 season,
which demonstrated the car’s
Sold Price: $2,535,000 prowess. It was displayed for
several years at Toyota’s North
THE BASICS: promotional purposes. image, Toyota took on the American headquarters before
The first serial-numbered project but added their own being sold to the consignor.
BOMSTEAD SAYS: design features. The resulting
Toyota 2000 GT produced. The 2000 GT was largely car weighed less than 2,500 During the 1980s, the car
2.0-L DOHC Inline 6-cylinder pounds and offered sterling received a comprehensive
engine with triple carburetors. designed by motorcycle performance. restoration and was returned
Produces an estimated 210 manufacturer Yamaha. The to its original 1968 SCCA
hp at 7,000 rpm. Five-speed company’s Technical Research The 2000 GT presented by configuration with its unique
manual gearbox, and 4-wheel Institute was, however, closed Gooding & Co. was the first Shelby mechanical components
Girling disc brakes. Retained by in 1962, and the design was serial numbered example and metallic blue race livery.
Toyota Motor Corporation for then offered to Toyota. Anxious built and was one of three It went on to receive concours
to improve their rather stodgy accolades and participated in
several historic racing events at
Lime Rock, Laguna Seca and
elsewhere. Here, it sold in the
range of several other recent
sales, which is rather surprising
considering its illustrious past.

1932 Packard 904 Deluxe Eight Individual Custom Stationary Coupe

THE BASICS: The Individual Custom with flowing lines and exact Classic-Era Class
One of two ninth series line bodies were made in the proportions — the epitome
Dietrich shops of Murray Body of the classic era design. They Lot 36, #1- condition
V-windshield stationary Corporation — however, by were, however, expensive. The S/N 193940
coupes by Dietrich known that time, Ray Dietrich had Stationary Coupe cost $5,900. Sold Price: $1,900,000
to exist. Powered by a 385-ci moved on. Fifteen models were
inline 8-cylinder engine that presented in the Individual This car had been Beach in 1994. It was restored
produces 135 horsepower. Custom line, with most acquired by a young classic in 2010 and returned to
Three-speed manual gearbox, by Dietrich and featuring car enthusiast in 1968. He Pebble Beach in 2015, earning
4-wheel mechanical drum their distinctive windshield. participated in numerous a Second in Class award.
brakes. Recent restoration to The designs were stunning, CCCA CARavans with the The design, with its raked
exceptional standard. Same car and presented it at Pebble windshield, is one of Dietrich’s
owner since 1968. most striking offerings, and
while this price may seem
BOMSTEAD SAYS: expensive, I think it was more
The ninth series Packard was than reasonable.

introduced in December of 1931
with a number of innovative
firsts. It featured a distinctive
V-profile radiator, adjustable
ride control and a synchromesh
gearbox. Other subtle changes
included moving the radiator
badge to the crank-hole cover,
straight-topped windows, and
removing the windshield visor
on closed cars.

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MARKET MOVER 1991 FERRARI TESTAROSSA

Ferrari’s Red-Hot
Red Head

A younger crowd of buyers has been good to this
12-cylinder icon

by CHAD TAYLOR
1991 Ferrari Testarossa
S/N: ZFFSG17A0M0086751
$203,500
Lot F162.1, Mecum Auctions
Houston Auction
April 1, 2022

Photos courtesy of MECUM AUCTIONS

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MARKET MOVER 1991 FERRARI TESTAROSSA

I RECENTLY WROTE an article about the broad Testarossa had travelled 3,480 miles and remained
appeal of pickups on the Linkage website and how in near-perfect condition. The car was a prime
that has led to the scorching-hot pickup market. I also candidate to be nabbed by a new, probably younger
said that there is no other vehicle that has an equally owner, regardless of the premium it would bring.
wide-ranging audience.
Flying mirrors and low mileage
If I had to choose a car for second place, it would
be Ferrari’s Testarossa. By studying the most recent sales of these red heads,
a couple of trends have become clear. The top sales are
Popular then, popular now often either “Monospeccio” cars with the driver’s side
mirror high up on the A-pillar, or cars with less than
By the 1980s, the Ferrari brand was already 20k miles. This makes sense considering that some
legendary. It didn’t really matter if the car in question 7,000 Testarossas were produced — a massive amount
was an excellent performer or a reliable driver, people by Ferrari standards — and buyers can be discerning
still dreamt of owning one. The name, look and when making a purchase.
performance image were all enticing, with the dream
drawing in members of the whole family, including For proof, one just needs to look at the high sales
kids with magazine article cutouts and posters on of the past year, starting back in August 2021, when
their bedroom doors. Bring a Trailer sold a 3,800-mile 1989 example
for $198k. The online auction house has already
This was especially true with the Testarossa. surpassed that on two occasions this year with two
Thirty years later and the multi-generational other non-Monospeccio examples. A 1988 example
appeal lives on, not only helping the classic Ferrari with 2,300 miles and a ’91 car with 2,100 miles, selling
remain an auction favorite but also elevating it to for $288k and $246k, respectively.
top dog in the Youngtimer market. Testarossas are
coming to auction and 30- and 40-somethings are Then there’s RM Sotheby’s, which managed to sell
snapping them up. a triple-black 1991 Testarossa for a hefty $321,250.
That might have been the case for the example In addition to its non-red finish — a big selling point
Mecum sold at its 2022 Houston auction. Part of the in itself — the Ferrari also had the lowest mileage of
Dr. Sonny Rush Collection, the 1991 Rosso Corsa them all — a miniscule 666 miles.

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Thanks to high-dollar sales such as the ones at strakes made the Testarossa a star from day one. The
RM Sotheby’s and Mecum Houston, the whole of the passing of time has only made it better, elevating
Testarossa market has increased in price. Average sale it to icon. The fact that the car has shifted from the
amounts are now the highest in at least five years, and must-have object of one generation to the must-have
they’re up about $20k from just one year ago. That of another is no surprise. I hope the new owner has
movement has also helped the cars with high miles this one tucked in the garage surrounded by tons of
or condition issues at the low end of the market bring 1980s photos and magazine articles, having realized
higher dollar amounts as well. a life-long dream. He or she paid the right money to
own it, at least in today’s market.
A Ferrari badge and radical cheese-grater side

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL

Photo by KEVIN VAN CAMPENHOUT

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The Return of
Rétromobile

The auction staple roared back with
record-setting sales

by CHAD TAYLOR

Rétromobile 2022
Artcurial
March 18–19, 2022

Total: 164/200 cars sold / $40,799,905

IT HAS BEEN two years since Artcurial was able to hold its annual
Paris sale in conjunction with Rétromobile. Initially scheduled to
take place on its traditional February date, the show and auction
were postponed just weeks before the event was set to happen. Due
to travel restrictions preventing both exhibitors and patrons alike
from attending near the start of the year, new dates were selected in
March.

While no one likes to see an event get postponed, it might have
ended up benefitting Artcurial. The date change was announced so
close to the anticipated February date that other auction companies
holding competing events in Paris were unable to pivot. This
allowed Artcurial to shine even brighter when Rétromobile burst to
life in March, as it was the only sale grabbing attention.

The auction was packed with Artcurial’s typical array of diverse
offerings. In addition to the plethora of motorcycles on offer,
automobiles ranged from 1910s and 1920s classics to supercars and
next gen favorites such as Group B rally cars.

By auction’s end, 164 of the 200 automotive and motorcycle lots
were sold for a total of $40.8m. Leading the pack was a 1968 Porsche
907 factory car at $4,832,952, followed by a quartet of Ferrari
supercars — an F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari — all from the same
collection. In addition, Artcurial saw 13 cars sell for over €500k and
set nine world records. Not a bad way to return after a two-year
hiatus.

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL
1950 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1100 Coupe

One of the First Every Pre-A 356 is special, but
the earliest cars from 1950 and
Lot 201, #1- condition 1951 occupy a higher tier in the
S/N: 5227 market than the rest. Had the
Sold Price: $456,832 (€415,000) seller offered this car when prices
peaked back in 2017 or 2018,
PHILIPP LÖHMANN the resulting price could have
been much higher. RM Sotheby’s
THE BASICS: 2014 and had it fully restored in This car had been restored sold a 1951 1500 Pre-A coupe at
An early split-window 356 original black over red cloth. to perfection. The black Monterey 2017 for $1,017,500.
nitrocellulose paint was flawless, Artcurial sold another 1951
coupe — the 188th car built. TAYLOR SAYS: and the engine bay was simple example a few months later at
Catalog states that by 1964 As is often the case, these early and clean as it should be. Inside Rétromobile 2018 for €894k,
the original motor had been was the same story. The only or about $1.1m. But, as with
replaced and that a “similar 356s are the purest iteration of the demerit is a dull finish on some everything, engine options and
engine” is fitted. Delivered model. Sure, later cars are easier of the exterior brightwork, most condition also factor in.
new in its homeland, the car and more comfortable to drive, notably the strip running across
has remained in Germany and but early cars like this one ooze both bumpers and the grille of Though the first examples of
Austria much of the time since. history and remain the epitome of the engine cover. the 356 continue to be the most
The seller purchased the car in the pure, simple sports car the 356 expensive among Pre-As, they
was designed to be. have cooled off. Most now sell in
the $450k to $550k range. This
one hit the lower end of that,
probably due to the unknowns of
the current engine. Still, exquisite
“four-digit” Pre-A 356s don’t
come to auction often, engine
swap or not. This was a market-
correct sale.

1968 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Roadster

THE BASICS: A Needy Roadster
A late Series I E-Type that
Lot 338, #3- condition
retains its original 4.2-L engine S/N: 1E16775
block. Originally delivered Sold price: $77,417 (€70,328)
in New York, the car has
remained in France since being PETER SINGHOF
imported in 1986. Body restored
circa 1989, mechanicals spent the last 33 years with a the gauges and much of the down to the car’s rough
overhauled in 1991. Significant single owner who oversaw its switchgear. condition. That unfortunately
maintenance performed again restoration and maintenance does not leave much room
in 2019. From the Paul Thanry work. Still, the condition left The engine was removed to restore without getting
Collection. something to be desired. The and cleaned in 2019 and the underwater. Middling E-Type
paint was bubbling in spots gearbox overhauled, but under prices are averaging about $100k
TAYLOR SAYS: and the weathered soft top with the hood it looked like a cleaned, — recent sales of late Series I cars
The E-Type convertible will a yellowed and split backlight well-used classic — not a show such as this have not done much
needed replacement. Inside, queen. But for an end-user, that’s more. The new owner should
always be a market favorite, the carpet was dirty and worn, a plus — most of the mechanical spend some time cleaning and
but there is no escaping the fact as were the bezels around work had already been done. enjoy driving it, at least for now.
that production was rather
high, and short of the early The $77k sale price came
flat-floor models, these cars are
not insanely rare. That leaves
condition and history as the two
major factors when discussing
price.

This ’68 Series I appeared
to have a solid history, having

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL

1926 Bugatti Type 37A

THE BASICS: The Dufilho 37
1,496-cc I4 with correct
Lot 147, #3+ condition
supercharger added in 1961. S/N: 37211
One of three Type 37s built in Sold price: $984,115 (€894,000)
1926. Purchased by French
actor Jacques Dufilho in 1957. BERNARD CANONNE
Restored and modified to
Dufilho’s specification from The Bugatti then ended up & Company’s Geared Online will likely need work, but in the
1958 to 1968. Has been sitting in the hands of a Parisian Scottsdale Edition in January scheme of million-dollar cars,
dormant since 1987. collector in the 1980s, who had for $935k. That example — sold the two prices were quite close.
the engine block swapped once from 60 years of single-family $900k to $1m seems to be the
TAYLOR SAYS: again, this time with a new and ownership — was sporting tons price range for Type 37s with
We wouldn’t dare personalize correct Type 37 block. The car’s of patina with flaking blue needs. Restored, ready-to-use
last outing was in 1987 at the paint and scars from use. But it cars with more in-period race
a classic Bugatti in today’s car Rallye des Amis des Grandes did retain the original gearbox, history would bring much
world, but back in 1958, this Marques. differential, crankcase and more. Entering the realm of
Type 37 was more of a used old frame. competition-bred Bugattis is not
car — albeit a special one. Bugatti Type 37 comps are for the faint of heart.
not plentiful, but we did see Both examples were far from
The 10-year overhaul one sell last year at Gooding pristine concours condition and
included the fitment of a new
body, larger brake drums from
a Type 37A and hydraulic
dampers among other updates.
The engine was swapped
with a larger 1,628.5-cc Type
49 unit and fitted with a
Bugatti supercharger, though
the original alloy block was
retained.

1936 Panhard et Levassor Dynamic X77 (140) Berline

Art Deco on a Budget but this little beauty sold for
under $40k.
Lot 343, #3- condition
S/N: 221521 Artcurial has been the auction
Sold price: $36,740 (€33,376) house to offer these Panhards
over the years. In 2015, the
PETER SINGHOF auction company sold a rough
project sedan like this one for
THE BASICS: TAYLOR SAYS: corners feature deep wheel $41k. At that same sale, they
Unique French sedan featuring One of the best parts about envelopes and a matching sold the two-door version — also
curve at the bottom. Headlights a project — for $64k. A second
Panhard’s unique valveless an Artcurial auction is the covered with individual grilles two-door example sold at
engine, a center steering wheel guarantee that you’ll see at least and a butterfly hood adorned Rétromobile in 2019 achieved
and curved glass in the A-pillars one lot that you’ve never heard with flowing chrome pieces add just under $49k. The car was
for a “panoramic” view. Original of. This Panhard Dynamic X77 extra flair. rough but also original, and it
2.8-L I6 engine produces 75 hp. may be one of those cars. did run.
It appeared in the 1987 film “La Adding to that is the attractive
Rumba” by Roger Hanin before While the center steering price. Art Deco styling often Compared to those project
being restored in 1989, and wheel and valveless engine are comes with a six- or seven-figure cars, this sedan seems like quite
has remained a part of the Paul unique, the true draw of this price tag, as it is often seen on a bargain. Restoring it might
Thanry Collection since 2006. berline is its Art Deco styling. Delahayes, Delages and the like, be out of the question if the new
Curvaceous fenders at all four owner is hoping to flip it, but it
has style for days and will attract
plenty of looks and smiles after
it’s made drivable. What more
could you want?

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL
1986 MG Metro 6R4

A Homologation this one — but was converted
Special in-period to full rally spec and
used for competition.
Lot 361, #2+ condition
S/N: 70021 The last few years have seen
Group B cars often sell around
Sold price: $217,817 (€197,872) $500k, with exceptional cars
— either exceptionally rare
PETER SINGHOF or with notable competition
history — achieving much
THE BASICS: TAYLOR SAYS: sold a collection of Group B more. Unfortunately for the
Part of the Baudoin The mean machines of Group cars at its February Parisienne 6R4, its debut near the end of
auction. The top sale of that Group Bs existence prevented it
Lempereur Collection. Road- B have a small-but-diehard group was a 1988 Audi Sport from grabbing much attention
going homologation version of following. A couple of these fire- Quattro S1 at $2.4m. in-period. As such, prices hover
MG’s Group B rally machine. breathing rally icons — in street right around the amount
In the hands of the seller since or race spec — make headlines At that same auction, achieved here. The high-water
1991, with 1,397 miles on the each year for achieving huge Artcurial also sold a 1985 6R4 mark of the last few years was
clock. Blue upper-body paint prices. In 2019, it was the 1985 similar to the one we have here that example sold by Artcurial
and race seats were added to Lancia Delta S4 Stradale sold by for $292,817. That car began last year.
make the car appear closer to RM Sotheby’s for almost $1.2m. life as a Clubman 6R4 — the
its competition siblings. Last year, it was Artcurial, who homologation street model like The good news is that
popularity of Group B cars
has not waned, and it has the
potential to increase rapidly with
the growth of the Youngtimer car
scene. They are already a favorite
of the Gen X and Millennial
crowds.

1996 Ferrari F50

THE BASICS: Outlier or Market
One of 349 produced by Value?

Ferrari. Naturally aspirated V12 Lot 162, #1 condition
produces 520 hp and is backed S/N: 105265
by a traditional 6-speed manual Sold price: $4,581,089 (€4,161,600)
transmission. Sold from the
collection of Maitre Etienne KEVIN VAN CAMPENHOUT
Leandri, this F50 was delivered
new to him in Monaco and has The F50, in comparison, were produced than either the close in the past year, too — all
only covered 1,318 kilometers. sounded more like a luxury car Enzo or F40, and it is the last of at RM Sotheby’s auctions. One
with a demure exhaust hum the group to have a traditional car achieved $3.8m in Amelia
TAYLOR SAYS: and a look that almost seemed 6-speed transmission. Island 2021, a second sold for
I had a coworker during soft. $3,965,000 at Monterey 2021,
The market has figured all and most recently, another did
my days at the local Ferrari Now I’m older, and the that out, too, and now the F50 $3,890,866 at the February 2022
dealership that was nuts for the appeal of the F50 is crystal clear. holds the high ground in terms Paris auction.
F50. Given the choice of Ferrari’s The F50 is simply more beautiful of price among its siblings.
four supercars — the LaFerrari and refined in the classic sense, This sale in Paris at $4.6m now This record-setting sale makes
hadn’t been released yet — his and if you give the throttle a tops the list of sales we’ve seen one thing clear: The F50 is far
was hands-down the F50. quick stab, the shriek from that in the past five years, and this from the forgotton middle child
F1-derived V12 is stunning. was the first to pass the $4m of Ferrari supercars. I wish I had
At the time, I didn’t Not to mention that fewer F50s mark. Three others have come taken notice sooner.
understand why. You had the
F40 before it, with its unbridled
turbocharged engine and iconic
look. And after it, you had the
Enzo, that while not necessarily
the most beautiful, was all
business, proven at first start-up
with the howl of the exhaust.

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL
1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II

THE BASICS: Best Cosworth Benz
From the Baudoin Lempereur
Lot 358, #2- condition
Collection. One of 502 Evo IIs S/N: WDB2010361F738165
produced and only two owners Sold price: $209,945 (€190,720)
from new. Features a 238-hp
2.5-L 16-valve I4 engine and a PETER SINGHOF
5-speed transmission. Odometer
reads 14,424 kms. one of the cheapest sold in the high-end of this market is well the floor on the driver’s side was
past year. The last example to above $200k. dingy. Other aspects, however,
TAYLOR SAYS: sell for less appeared on Bring did seem well preserved,
Unlike other Youngtimer a Trailer back in February of Artcurial’s description including seat leather and the
2021, bringing $185k with 236k mentioned that the seller, who bulk of the exterior paint.
collectibles that have appeared kilometers on the clock. On the purchased it back in 1997, had
on the collector car radar over opposite end of the spectrum, used it “sparingly” and made If the owner takes the time to
the past five years, Mercedes’ Bring a Trailer sold an 18,000km note of its preserved condition. do some deep cleaning and light
4-cylinder hot rod — the 190E car in February 2022 for an But in the online catalog, the reconditioning, he or she could
Cosworth — has always had a astounding $437k, proving the engine bay was grimy, the hood have a good shot at making a
spot at the table. insulation was falling apart and profit at sale time.

Prior to 2020, it wasn’t
surprising to see Evo IIs like this
example selling between $150k
to $200k, with the occasional car
bringing a few grand more. Now
it is rare to find one sold for under
$200k.

In fact, this Artcurial car is

1950 Gordini Type 18S

Fangio’s as it passed to different owners
Gordini over the following eight years
before it was retired from racing
Lot 133, #3+ condition in 1958 — the same year Fangio
S/N: 020S himself retired.

Sold price: $1,115,331 The 18S was purchased by
(€1,013,200) the race legend for display in his
racing museum in Argentina
BERNARD CANONNE in 1990. When a new owner
purchased the car in 1998, the
THE BASICS: 4-cylinder engine, it now runs — one of only four such engines Gordini’s brakes and suspension
One of two produced and the only operational Gordini produced. That was the engine were returned to original
Type 16 supercharged engine used in the car when Fangio and configuration. The only working
the only one in its original in existence. Gonzalez raced in the 1950 24 supercharged Gordini engine
configuration. Raced by Hours of Le Mans, where they was also sourced and installed in
Juan-Manuel Fangio and TAYLOR SAYS: made it 95 laps before a valve the car — a Type 16 motor, also
José-Froilan Gonzalez in the This is one of two Type 18S spring broke, ending their day. only one of four produced.
1950 24 Hours of Le Mans.
First fitted with a Gordini Type examples built by Amédée Many different engines were Finding a 1950s racer in
15C 1,491-cc supercharged Gordini and his team with a dropped into the little berlinette preserved, mostly original
supercharged Type 15C engine condition that has also been
driven by an automotive legend
is almost unimaginable. The
advantage goes to the buyer
here simply because they have
the honor to own this piece of
history.

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AAM

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AUCTION SNAPSHOT ARTCURIAL

1975 BMW 2002 Turbo Temperamental It is also worth noting that
Turbo Market 2002 Turbos sold at European
THE BASICS: auctions seem to fare worse than
The recipient of a three-year Lot 351, condition #2+ those in the U.S. Some of the
S/N: 4291603 lowest prices recorded the last
restoration, including the 2-liter few years were sold at European
turbocharged engine, interior Sold price: $111,533 (€101,320) sales. Could that be what is
and body. Of the 1,672 2002 happening here? Maybe.
Turbos produced in 1974 and CHRISTIAN MARTIN
’75, just 100 were said to have The presentation of this
been delivered new to France TAYLOR SAYS: 2019 the average was closer to car might also be a culprit.
like this example. Sold from the The market for performance $120k. The pandemic didn’t help While the auction catalog
Jean-Claude Basso Collection. things, and pricing remained praised its restored condition,
BMWs has been red-hot, but in flat in 2020. Last year was a the accompanying photos
the case of the 2002 Turbo, it’s bit better for Turbo sales. RM presented a slightly dirty car. If
just warm. Examples are still Sotheby’s sold one in Scottsdale the car appeared at the Artcurial
selling in the six figures, but 2021 for $168k, and two were preview in the same condition,
on average, prices have been sold on Bring a Trailer — one in buyers could have been turned
trending down. April for $198k and a second in off.
May for $177k.
Five years back, the $150k From a price standpoint,
range was common, but by late the buyer came out ahead
here. Some simple cleaning
and polishing will improve
appearance and potentially the
value. Or they could get behind
the wheel and spool-up that
turbocharged engine. Which is
more fun?

1951 Reyonnah 175 Prototype No. 1

THE BASICS: Ingenious French
Prototype no. 1 of a French Ephemera

microcar designed and built Lot 103, condition #2-
by Robert Hannoyer. Retains S/N: 155-51-75
its original body — made of
Duralinox — and one-cylinder Sold price: $91,851 (€83,440)
175-cc AMC engine. Sold
directly from the Hannoyer
family.

TAYLOR SAYS: Hannoyer constructed two the 50 km test at an average — almost $170k.
Inventor Robert Hannoyer, prototypes and displayed this speed of 95 kilometers per hour. Oddly, Prototype No. 1 brought
one at the 1950 Paris Auto
having realized many of cars Show, where he received orders Unfortunately, production quite a bit less here in 2022,
being driven after World War in addition to positive reviews ceased due to logistical problems. despite arguably being the more
II were occupied by only one from the press. This prototype It is believed that around 10 famous of the two cars and
person, decided to try his hand was later tested in period by the were produced. The Hannoyer remaining equally original. It is
at building a microcar. In Automobile Club de France, family held onto this car and tough to predict pricing for any
anticipation of parking difficulties including one at the Montlhéry one other — a touring version off-brand oddity, which often
due to limited space in the city, he autodrome in 1952. It completed — which Artcurial sold back at comes down to who is in the room
designed the Reyonnah — his last Rétromobile in 2014 for €125,160 when it comes up for sale.
name spelled backwards — with
front wheels that could be moved
inward, matching the narrow
rear wheels. This allowed the
already small car to fit into even
tighter spaces.

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MARKET MOVER 1934 PACKARD TWELVE INDIVIDUAL CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE VICTORIA BY DIETRICH

A Rare Chance at a
Rare Packard

Only three Packard Twelve Individual Customs still exist, and
no one knew when another one would hit the market

by CARL BOMSTEAD
1934 Packard Twelve Individual
Custom Convertible Victoria by
Dietrich
Vehicle number: 1108-15
Chassis number: 902011
$4,130,000
Lot 161, RM Sotheby’s
Amelia Island, FL,
March 5, 2022

Photos by RAFAEL MARTIN ©2022 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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