Gooding & Company Scottsdale 2013 – Auction Report

Lot # 40 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi Superbird; S/N RM23R0A166204; Tor-Red, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Estimate $175,000 – $250,000; Detailed to restored, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000. – 426/425hp Hemi, automatic, P/S, P/B, HD shocks, Rally wheels with trim rings, Radial T/A tires (original wheels and Polyglas tires included), bench seat. — A well known, largely original Superbird that has been preserved since the late 80’s and was recently mechanically gone through and cosmetically detailed nearly back to original condition. Sound paint, original interior and chrome. Good body fits including the nose cone. This is a surprisingly good value in a known car with Hemi power that hasn’t lost its authenticity. It would not have been over-priced even a little above its low estimate.

Lot # 106 1958 AC Ace Roadster; S/N AEX456; Engine # CL2360; Rouge Iris/Light Grey leather; Estimate $180,000 – $220,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $195,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $214,500. – 90hp CL engine, chrome wire wheels, blackwall tires. — Crazing old repaint, surface cracked but sound original upholstery, Chassis and underbody untouched except by a stream of water. New wire wheels (a decade ago.) 28,163 miles from new. Sold by RM in Monterey in 2002 for $49,600, then by RM in Novi, Michigan later in 2002 for $47,700 with the then-new wheels, sketchy old repaint, stiff interior and 27,610 miles on the odometer that shows 28,163 today nearly 11 years later. The result here is a material but not extravagant premium for originality and preservation and shows the lengths buyers are going to in order to acquire an Ace. It wasn’t very long ago that $200,000 was good money for a 289 Cobra.

Lot # 112 1959 Porsche RSK 718 Spyder; S/N 718023; Engine # 90215; Silver/Red leather; Estimate $2,800,000 – $3,200,000; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,850,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,135,000. – Woodrim steering wheel, driver’s head fairing, wraparound Plexiglas windshield. — Confirmed by Porsche as the original engine and transmission. Raced when new by Roy Schechter including Nassau in 1959 and the 1960 Riverside GP. Restored in 2006 in its present configuration. Doesn’t appear to have been vintage raced, just consistently maintained and preserved in very good, essentially like new, condition with better paint and upholstery. Gooding sold 718060 at Pebble Beach in August for $3,465,000, a car with somewhat more illustrious race history and, like 718023 sold here, its original engine and transmission. The bidders here considered this RSK’s history and were appropriately a little more frugal.

Lot # 122 1957 Maserati 150 GT Spider, Body by Fantuzzi; S/N 03; Engine # 03; Ivory/Brown leather; Estimate $3,000,000 – $4,000,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; Hammered Sold at $2,800,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,080,000. – Silver painted Borranis, 6.50-16 Blockley blackwall tires, gorgeous Jaeger clock on tunnel. — Described extensively with a long and typically convoluted Maserati history of a frame that started life as an A6GCS driven on the Mille Miglia by Luigi Musso to 3rd overall and 2nd in class. Later used by Maserati in development of the 300S, and finally for this one-off prototype 1 1/2 liter spider (now bored to two liters and about 190hp.) Restored better than new with excellent cosmetics and a particularly attractive livery. Authenticated by Adolfo Orsi and Ermanno Cozza. Beautiful coachwork by Fantuzzi and a concours quality restoration that has never been shown. This is enough Maserati to make onlookers weak in the knees, even if they don’t particularly care about Maseratis. The coachwork is lovely, the engine is a little jewel and the restoration is beyond perfect. The bidders were quick to take it to heart at this exceptional but not extraordinary price.

Lot # 126 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 1187GT; Engine # 1187GT; Silver-Grey/Grey leather; Estimate $1,700,000 – $2,100,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,365,000. – Chrome spoke Borranis, Pirelli Cinturato HS 367 tires. — Built especially for Emanuele Nasi, married to Aniceta Agnelli, with 410 Superamerica features, unique sides with darts and attractive greenhouse, but a dowdy open headlight 250 GT nose and uncomfortable front fender side vents. Freshly restored and gorgeous in very attractive colors. Excellent paint and chrome, inviting interior. Engine internal #921-D. Nearly spotless underhood. A fresh, crisp restoration to like new. Pebble Beach second in class in 2009, FCA Platinum, cover feature in Cavallino magazine. Sold by Gooding at the Pebble Beach Auction in 2007, a somewhat scruffy older restoration from Greg Garrison’s collection, for $1.1 million. Since then it’s had the Bob Smith Coachworks treatment. It’s a singular Ferrari with an intriguing history, but not the gorgeous piece of Pinin Farina design that might be expected from the price. It is arguable that a standard Pf Coupe is more attractive and better balanced coachwork.

Lot # 128 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible; S/N 194679S721263; Engine # T1108IT19S721263; Le Mans Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $625,000 – $700,000; Unrestored original, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $750,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $825,000. – 427/430hp L88 engine, 4-speed, P/B, F41 suspension, Positraction, J56 brakes, transistor ignition, Rally wheels with trim rings, blackwall tires, rear window defroster, black vinyl hardtop. — An original, unmolested Bloomington Gold Survivor Corvette documented with its tank sticker, Protect-O-Plate, statement of origin and bill of sale. Original engine. Carefully preserved for the last 35 years with only 19,887 miles from new. A well known, highly documented Corvette with impeccable history that has met the standards of the most demanding Corvette experts, but which still brought an exceptional price over its high estimate. A piece of Corvette history, and now a piece of Corvette value history, too, setting a benchmark for ’69 L88s.

Lot # 131 1955 Porsche 356 1500 Continental Cabriolet, Body by Reutter; S/N 60873; Engine # P35295; Terra Cotta/Ochre; Beige cloth top; Estimate $280,000 – $340,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $282,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $310,750. – Bent window, hubcaps, silver painted trim rings, whitewalls, Becker Mexico radio, chrome bumpers, translucent green visors, no hood handle, tool kit and owner’s manual. — Restored like new with better cosmetics. A really pretty car in a lovely period color combination that is the way it was delivered including its original engine. A uniquely configured Porsche restored to the highest standards that will reward its new owner with admiration and respect on tour of the show field, even among its Porsche counterparts. It brought a realistic price for what it is, and for the caliber of its restoration.