Join The World's Best Iconic & Vintage Car Community >>

Gooding & Company Scottsdale 2014 – Auction Preview

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet

The Gooding and Company Scottsdale 2014 Auction will be held January 17-18 nearby the Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 7th annual Gooding Scottsdale auction will see more than 115 automobiles on offer, headlined by the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail; 1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton; 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet; 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale; 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe and 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe.

The 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail offered at Gooding Scottsdale 2014 was the first GTR Longtail race winner with accolades including wins at Hockenheim and Helsinki, as well as several other podium finishes.This car, chassis 021R, was campaigned by the Works BMW Motorsport Team and raced by star drivers J.J. Lehto and Steve Soper. The GTR Longtail is consigned from a significant private collection in its original factory-delivered form with iconic FINA livery. With limited owners from new, this GTR Longtail will arrive at auction having been restored by McLaren and maintained by Lanzante Ltd. Chassis 021R carries a pre-sale estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000.

1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail
1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail (photo: Mathieu Heurtault)

David Gooding, President and founder of Gooding & Company, said, “We have a celebrated history of offering unique, rare to market McLaren cars. During our Pebble Beach Auctions in 2013, Gooding & Company set a world auction record for the McLaren marque with the sale of a 1997 F1 for $8,470,000. We look forward to continuing the tradition of success at our Scottsdale Auctions.”

The tri-color red, white and blue 1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton (J-129), with its classic, two-tone “sweep-panel” LeBaron coachwork, is the quintessential open Duesenberg. Correct and genuine, this well-documented car was delivered new to John Duval Dodge of the Dodge Family and is believed to be the only Model J originally sold in Detroit. This American classic was completely restored by famed Duesenberg specialist Fran Roxas of Chicago. J-129 has won many accolades that include Best of Show at Meadow Brook in 2010 and major awards from both the Pebble Beach Concours and the Amelia Island Concours. The Duesenberg is estimated to sell for $2,000,000 to $2,300,000.

1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton
1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton (photo: Mike Maez)

Leading the coachbuilt offerings is a dark blue 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet (estimate: $4,000,000 – $5,000,000), the 14th of 40 Series 1 Cabriolets built. Since leaving the factory in spring 1958, this Series 1 Cabriolet has only had four owners, including racing drivers John “Buck” Fulp and Robert Donner Jr. This car has been a consistent Colorado Grand entrant for more than two decades and is an ideal candidate for leading international events.

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet (photo: Brian Henniker)

The history of the one-of-a-kind 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale (estimate: $2,400,000 – $3,000,000) begins in June 1961, when Ferrari sent this car to the Pinin Farina factory in Torino. Consistent with its mid-1961 build date, this chassis was equipped with all of the latest advances introduced for the 250 GT series, including four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes, an outside-plug Tipo 128E engine, and a central gearshift location. When the bare chassis arrived at Pinin Farina, the decision was made to create a unique Coupe Speciale that combined the basic elements of the 250 GT Coupe and the recently introduced 400 Superamerica Coupe Aerodinamica. As completed in September 1961, this 250 GT was finished in Celeste, a pale metallic blue, and upholstered in blue Connolly leather. Eager to promote their latest custom-bodied 250 GT, Pinin Farina took a number of photographs with the Coupe Speciale around Torino, which appeared in Style Auto: Architettura Della Carrozzeria, the Italian review of automotive design. From there, the Coupe Speciale was shipped to England and unveiled to the public at the 46th London Motor Show held at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre October 1961. The Coupe Speciale boasts provenance that includes sportsman John Mecom Jr. and two decades with custom-bodied Ferrari aficionado, Larenzo Zambrano. This car made its post-restoration debut at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours, where it was selected as First in Class from a field of Pinin Farina-bodied Ferraris. Following its result at Pebble Beach, the Coupe Speciale was shown at the Ferrari Club of America National Meeting and Concours in Los Angeles, where it received a Platinum Award.

1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale
1961 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale (photo: Mathieu Heurtault)

The offered 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe (estimate: $2,250,000 – $2,750,000) was constructed with coachwork by Pinin Farina in late 1955, the fourth of 16 Series I 410 Superamericas built on the 2,800 mm wheelbase. Possibly the first 410 in the US, this car was included in the Chinetti Motors display at the New York International Auto Show in 1956 and boasts well-documented provenance that includes DuPont heir William Kemble Carpenter and is offered from the McBride Estate. Refinished in dark red, this Superamerica was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours in 1984 and was a participant on the Colorado Grand in 1997 and 2007.

1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe
1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series I Coupe (photo: Brian Henniker)

Also in the Ferrari coach built lineup for the 2014 Gooding Scottsdale Auction is a 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe (estimate: $1,7000,000-2,200,000). Upon its completion in 1952, this 212 Inter chassis, was shipped to Carrozzeria Vignale in Torino. Dubbed the “Geneva Coupe,” the basic design shared many similarities with the Vignale-bodied 340 Mexico Berlinettas, with their forward-thrusting front fenders, imposing eggcrate grille, low-set headlamps, swept-back roofline, and small, ornamental tail fins. Many Vignale-bodied Ferraris were painted in dramatic two-tone color schemes and this 212 is certainly no exception, as it was finished in black with a green top and matching accented fins on the hood and rear fenders. Following its public debut in the 1954 San Remo Concours d’Elegance, Sig. Fontanella, Ferrari’s official agent in Torino, returned this car to the Ferrari factory, where it was prepared for delivery to Robert Wilke of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Since restoration, the Vignale-bodied 212 achieved a 99-point score and received the Ferrari Club of America Platinum Award at Cavallino Classic and was invited to take part in the Pebble Beach Concours, where it completed the Tour d’Elegance. In addition to research documentation, archival photos, correspondence, judging sheets, and restoration records, this 212 is accompanied by a history report compiled by Marcel Massini, the marque historian and author of Ferrari by Vignale.

1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe (photo: Mike Maez)

Gooding commented, “These spectacular Ferraris are some of the most beautiful cars created by the marque. As the demand for unique 1950s and 1960s Ferraris increases, we are excited to present these cars at public auction.”

Additional Ferrari highlights from the 2014 Gooding Scottsdale sale include a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (estimate unavailable); 1966 275 GTB Long Nose (estimate: $1,800,000 – $2,000,000); 1966 330 GTC (estimate: $550,000 – $700,000); 1971 365 GTB/4 Daytona (estimate: $500,000 – $600,000) and a 1973 Dino 246 GT (estimate: $425,000 – $475,000).

In addition to the headline offerings, other significant consignments include:

  • 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, (estimate: $1,000,000 – $1,300,000)
  • 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, (estimate: $1,350,000 – $1,700,000)
  • 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, (estimate: $1,100,000 – $1,400,000)
  • 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Coupe, (estimate: $500,000 – $700,000)
  • 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS Coupe, (estimate: $600,000 – $850,000)
  • 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport, (estimate: $1,500,000 – $2,200,000)
  • 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America, (estimate: $1,100,000 – $1,300,000)

In 2013, Gooding and Company offered 104 automobiles for sale, with 101 finding a new owner, reflecting a 97.1% sales rate. Total sales volume was $52,492,427, inclusive of buyer’s premiums. The average price per car sold was $519,727. Top sale went to the 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider that sold for $8,250,000, followed by the 1959 Porsche 718 RSK at $3,135,000 and the one-off 1957 Maserati 150 GT Spider that made $3,080,000.

The Gooding and Company Scottsdale 2014 Auctions will be held on January 17 and 18, starting at 11 a.m. both days, nearby Arizona’s Scottsdale Fashion Square, located at the corner of North Scottsdale Road and East Highland Ave. Guests may preview the cars Wednesday through Friday, January 15–17, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, January 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. An auction catalogue for $100 admits two to the viewing and auction. General admission to the viewing and auction can be purchased at the tent for $40 per person.

For additional information, visit Goodingco.com or phone (310) 899-1960.

[Source: Gooding & Company]