Mecum Monterey 2011 – Auction Report

Lot # S149 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Tourer, Body by Hooper; S/N 301585; Blue/Black vinyl; Black cloth top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $300,000 -- RHD. Mostly original except for tired old repaint, upholstery and top. Two family owned from new. Red wire wheels, rear-mounted spare, abundant instrumentation including altimeter, Marchal bullseye headlights, fog lights, dual pane top hinged windshield, headlight and radiator stoneguards. All here, very original and very well presented. David Uihlein collection. Most H6Bs are elaborate formal cars so finding a well-equipped tourer with quality Hooper & Company coachwork with a two-family history is an exceptional opportunity to realize the quality and performance of Mark Birkigt's marque. The buyers weren't at Mecum's Monterey auction, though, and they missed their chance to pick up an unusually attractive, original and nearly pristine Hisso.

Lot # S104 1962 Jaguar XKE SI flat floor Convertible; S/N 875110; Engine # R1144-9; Red/Black leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $95,400 -- Chrome wire wheels, welded louvers, outside latch. An older restoration to like new condition with good paint, interior and chrome. Some miles and road grime under the hood but still appealing, with good eyeball appeal. This car is in essentially the same condition it was when RM sold it in Arizona in 2003 for $47,300, and probably the same as when Mecum offered it here in 2009 with a high bid of $65,000. The seller hit a home run, but the buyer got one of the very earliest XKEs, with its pure Malcolm Sayer-design, at an appropriate price. The result is fair to both buyer and seller.

Lot # S192 1947 Kurtis Kraft Midget; S/N Not Specified; White, Red/Black; Competition restoration, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $37,100 -- 4-wheel disc brakes, chromed suspension and nerf bars, centerlock mag wheels. Surface rusted chrome, dusty like it was just moved off after racing. Hilborn injected 110 Offy. A quickly checked out and then usable Midget. 1981 AACA Senior Award winner. The engine might be worth as much as the whole car, and is a work of art on its own. It needs plenty of work and careful attention before being loosed on the track, but at this price it's all within a reasonable circle of opportunity. A good car for the money.

Lot # S090 1977 Maserati Bora 4.9 Coupe; S/N AM117US1028; Ice Blue/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $92,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $98,050 -- Runs well. Good paint, chrome and interior. Clean up, detailed and serviced. Runs well. 987 miles from new. One of the "stored for over 30 years in a Texas storage facility cars" that achieved widespread notoriety on the Internet in the last six months. All original and in sound and usable condition. The seller should have been entirely satisfied with this result which pushes the boundaries of good sense in Bora values even with the low miles. Intrinsically a great value in style and performance among its Italian contemporaries, the modest price reflects the Bora's lack of esteem, or at least appreciation, among collectors. It is expensive in present-day terms, but a rare value in an attractive, fast and rare Italian supercar of the late Seventies.

Lot # S099 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 Coupe; S/N AM11749US682; Red/White leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $43,460 -- P/W, CD stereo. Good repaint. Surface cracked original upholstery. Clean chassis with old undercoat. The odometer on this Bora reads 55,143 miles, to all appearances all it's covered since new, yet its price is half the 978 mile barn find that preceded it across the auction block and is indicative of more reasonable Bora values.

Lot # S151 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 Birdcage Sports Racer; S/N 2459 (see text); Red/Red leather; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,850,000 -- RHD. Silver wire wheels. Fresh and better than new. Like a bride: something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Although in this case the new vastly outnumbers the old. Freshly completed by Steve Hart Racing in the UK with a 2-litre engine using an original cylinder head, crankcase, sump, cam covers, 45DCO3 Webers and gearbox/differential. The frame and body are newly built. Some miscellaneous bits thought to be from 2459, the crashed and parted-out Cunningham car, include taillights, front wheel hubs and dashboard switches, which are cited in support of the "borrowed" part, its identity number. Vetted by Richard Crump and with an FIA Historic Technical Passport, it is one very pretty and accurate "tach needle" turned into a car. There is little 'Birdcage" about this car except its exceptionally accurate and meticulous re-construction. Christening it with the chassis number of Briggs Cunningham's comprehensively crashed and parted-out 2459 is a disservice that the seller attributes to the 'taillights, front wheel hubs and dashboard switches', hardly the core of an automobile. In the marquee at Mecum's Monterey auction the bidding stopped somewhere way short of the announced high bid. It is a marvelously accurate resurrection with FIA papers that will admit it to many important and enjoyable events. It would be a good value at the $750,000 high bid it brought at Worldwide's Houston auction in 2010. The reported high bid here is a pipe dream.

Lot # S165 1954 Maserati A6GCS Tipo MM, Body by Fiandri; S/N 2065; Maroon/Dark Blue leather; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,700,000 -- Lefthand Drive. Good paint, otherwise a soundly restored car to like new condition with years, miles and good maintenance since it was done. Privateer history in the mid-50's including first in class at the Tourist Trophy in 1956 driven by Adrien Leons and Jo Bonnier, but otherwise little of note. Restored in 1998. Offered by Bonhams at Goodwood in September 2004 with a high bid of $491,950, then reported sold by Coys at Monaco in 2007 for $1,499,184 (a -- very -- high water mark for A6GCS values) and showing little age or use since either of those transactions. Ignored by most collectors, seven figures is a stretch (a big stretch) for an A6GCS.

Lot # S171 1980 McLaren M29 Formula 1; S/N M29-4; White, Red 'Marlboro'/Aluminum; Competition restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $325,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $344,500 -- Very good cosmetics and race ready showing some use and very good preparation. Raced by Alain Prost in 1980 with no notable finishes. Race prepared and track ready. Appropriately priced for a historic racing prepared and competitive Cosworth DFV-powered F1 racer.

Lot # S148 1912 Mercer 35C Raceabout; S/N 35C456; Engine # 35D456; Yellow, Black accent/Burgundy leather; Rebodied or re-created, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $625,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $662,500 -- RHD. Rushmore acetylene headlights, Prest-o-Lite tank, Dietz kerosene sidelights and taillight, Jones speedometer, 'Ever Ready' 8-day clock, monocle windshield, Boa Constrictor horn, Fletcher carburetor. Converted from a Runabout by David Uihlein in the late 40's. Good old paint, some dull brass. original seat seams torn. It's not pristine, but it would be a shame not to use it as is. David Uihlein collection. This is the definition of a sports car: light, lithe, powerful and quick. That it came from America in the teens, and was later built in this configuration by David Uihlein only adds to its appeal. Raceabouts built by Mercer are the ultimate goal of collectors of early American performance cars. This isn't, but it's close and its provenance gives it great character. The buyer got a great car that will hold its head high at any event or show for a reasonable price a half-million dollars below that of a Raceabout that left Trenton in that configuration.

Lot # F189 1949 MG TC Roadster; S/N TC7636; Cream/Red leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $21,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $22,790 -- RHD. Chrome wire wheels, blackwall tires, badge bar, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel, Lucas driving light. Very good chrome and interior. Quick recent repaint over old paint and minimal prep. Hood improperly installed. Clean chassis. An auction car. The shoddy repaint appears to have been applied to dress the car up for auction, and it worked. It looked great at 10 feet, but revealed its shortcomings upon a closer look. It will make a positive impression on the road. Just don't attempt to fool an MG judge.

Lot # S147.1 1931 Miller Bowes Seal Fast Special; S/N Not Specified; Engine # 2; White 'Bowes Seal Fast'/Black leather; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,000,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $2,120,000 -- Chromed suspension, 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, Miller 151 cubic inch eight with four Winfield SR carbs, Black wire wheels. 1931 Indy 500 winner. An older restoration with plenty of demo miles on it. A late addition to the auction consignment from the David Uihlein collection. This transaction came out of nowhere, fought to this exceptional result between two committed bidders in the tent, one of them talking constantly on the phone for advice and the other, who was ultimately successful, acting on his own. A prized piece of American racing history from David Uihlein's storied collection, it set a new benchmark for American oval racing cars, joining Gooding & Company's 2006 sale of the Duesenberg 'Mormon Meteor' at $4 million and their sale of the Duesenberg J LWB 'Whittell Coupe' today in setting markers for other cars -- and auctions -- to meet.

Lot # S161 1934 Packard 1104 Super Eight Touring; S/N 750-11; Engine # 752026; Maroon, Black fenders/Brown leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $132,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $140,450 -- Dual enclosed sidemounts, Maroon wire wheels, wide whitewalls, windwings, footrest, jump seats, spotlight, vee lens Solar headlights, trunk rack. Sound and attractive older restoration. Not like new or concours but very presentable and sound. Owned for many years by Michael Salvato in Philadelphia who used it for many parades. Photographed with Generals Eisenhower, Wainwright, Marshall, Bradley and Spaatz, Admirals Nimitz, Halsey and Blandy, Thomas Dewey, Wendell Wilkie and the King of Greece. Sold by Christie's in Greenwich, Connecticut in 2006 for $129,250 and by Gooding in Scottsdale in 2008 for $231,000, both in somewhat better condition than it was presented today with 557 more miles on its odometer, this is a quality CCCA Full Classic (tm) Packard for a reasonable price. Its colorful celebrity history is a plus and the new owner got good value for the money.

Lot # S097 1930 Pierce-Arrow Model A Convertible; S/N 3025231; Red, Burgundy accent/Maroon leather; Beige cloth top; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $143,100 -- Chrome wire wheels, beige cloth covered trunk, rumble seat, dual sidemounts, radiator stoneguard, Pilot-Rays, Archer radiator mascot, Dawley headlights. Very nice older restoration to like new condition. Still very good paint, chrome, interior and top. AACA Senior winning older restoration. This is a modest price for an exceptional Full Classic (tm) that demonstrates the quality of its restoration in the way it's held up over the years. The colors are still attractive to contemporary eyes and the car will give its new owner great satisfaction for the amount of money it brought.

Lot # S086 1964 Pontiac LeMans GTO Convertible; S/N 824P210424; Engine # 78XX; Black/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Recent restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $140,000 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $148,400 -- Tri-Power, 3-speed, factory A/C, no P/S or P/B, steel wheels, hubcaps, Firestone 7.50-14 Deluxe Champion blackwalls, pushbutton radio. Restored like new with a few small handling nicks. Represented as a PHS documented Tri-Power, A/C, triple black car. Block stamped 78XX suggests it has been replaced. 2006 Meadow Brook Concours Designer's Choice award winner. Triple Black, Tri-Power, 3-speed,A/C, PHS documented GTO: that's the formula for a blockbuster price, and it was realized here. Mecum offered this car at Indy in 2010 where it no-saled at $120,000. It was worth the wait to bring it to Monterey where it stood out even among the 700+ other cars on the Hyatt's fairways. With ordinary '64 LeMans GTOs bringing mid-five figures this is a home run of epic proportions for an epic GTO. Expensive, but worth every penny.

Lot # S137 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragon Snake; S/N CSX 2093; Fuscia Metalflake/Black leather; Competition restoration, 2- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $825,000 -- Good but unimpressive paint. Sound chrome, good interior. An older restoration to nearly like new condition that appears to have been static displayed since. 289 V-8, four Webers, hardtop, chrome paperclip rollbar, wire front wheels, wide centerlock alloy rear wheels with drag slicks, long tube headers ending in short side-mounted pipes. AACA Senior winner, restored to like new condition (and better than it ever was when making dragstrip passes in the mid-11's.) Dragged for years, a consistent winner driven by Bruce Larson when owned by Jim Costilow and later for Ed Hedrick. "The winningest competition Cobra in history." Reported sold by Mecum at Kissimmee in January 2011 for $927,500, the consignor's expectation in bringing it back to auction in Monterey is obscure. This is a drag racing Cobra offered in a road-racing environment and it not surprisingly fell short of garnering much excitement.

Lot # F044 1920 Studebaker EG Big Six Touring; S/N 504501; Maroon, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $22,500 plus commission of 6.00%; Final Price $23,850 -- Grey wood spoke wheels, blackwall tires, single rear spare, Spreadlight headlights. Brass trim except chrome bumpers. A quality older restoration with good paint, interior and top. Bright brass, nickel robe rail, dull iron steering wheel spokes and controls. Chassis has road grime from touring but overall this is still an attractive tour or local show car. This is no more than Model T money for a high horsepower, quality Studebaker that has stature, presence and room for an extended family. The condition is sound and the ownership experience should be satisfying. A good value in an underappreciated marque and model.