RM Auctions Amelia Island 2011 – Report

Lot # 109 1947 Talbot-Lago T-26 Record Sedan; S/N 101035; Dark Blue/Dark Blue leather; Estimate $50,000 - $75,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 -- RHD. Chrome wire wheels, blackwall Michelins, sliding sunroof, radio. Imported to the U.S. in 1953 and used at the French Consulate in Denver until 1961 with three subsequent owners. Cracked old partial repaint and worn leather. Thin chrome. Sound old body. Usable as is and a bit too good to restore. No Reserve. While much more common when new than the more sporting custom bodied examples a standard sedan like this is rarely seen today making it an unusual find, particularly in such well preserved and largely original condition. Some recent mechanical work makes it drivable, and a good buy for the new owner.

Lot # 115 1903 Oldsmobile Model R Curved-Dash Dos-a-Dos Runabout; S/N 17281; Black with red accents/Black leather; Estimate $50,000 - $75,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $55,000 -- Black wood spoke wheels with gold pinstriping. Dual Neverout oil lamps, bulb horn, road bell, Lester whitewalls. Plenty of touring badges on the kick plate under the seat. Lots of road wear under the fenders. Plenty of paint chips on the chassis and stress cracks in the body. Seat leather worn but still usable. An older correct restoration that has been driven since. Restored by Jack Tallman in 1952 with new body, chassis and suspension. Stated to be tour ready. From the Tallman Collection. No Reserve. Although the catalog states that the body, chassis and suspension are 1950's era replacements the price paid here reflects the older restoration more than the originality of the components. It's a car that has its own, long history and has earned a certain legitimacy, as well as a chance at a Brighton Run entry. It is fully valued at this price.

Lot # 116 1903 Cadillac Model A Rear-Entry Tonneau; S/N 455; Burgundy, black fenders/Black leather; Black buggy top; Estimate $75,000 - $100,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $99,000 -- Red spoke wheels and natural rubber tires. Single Atwood headlight and matching side lamps, wicker side baskets, umbrella holder, bulb horn, carriage bell. Older restoration with well worn leather upholstery and light stress cracks in the paint but not heavily used. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. Heavily optioned for a brass car and already vetted by the VCC with a dating certificate that confirms its eligibility for the London to Brighton Run. This Cadillac was nicely presented but not too nice to use; the VCC certification and past entries for London to Brighton pushed the bidders to be more competitive and brought this healthy if not quite expensive price.

Lot # 117 1913 Cadillac 40-50hp 4-Passenger Coupe; S/N 56479; Engine # 84001; Black, White pinstripe, wicker door insets/Grey cloth; Estimate $40,000 - $60,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500 -- RHD. Dual turtleback-mounted spares, whitewall tires, Warner speedometer and clock, Delco ammeter, Gray & Davis headlights, cowl lights. Correct but worn older restoration. Carpet in front of driver's seat soiled and worn. Paint worn off the gearshift lever. Wheels have chips and cracks in the paint and stress cracks on the body although finish is shiny. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. Although not a fresh restoration the body is absolutely charming with its unusual mounting of the spare tires and rear-facing front passenger seat. Although not a fresh restoration it is an excellent car for fair money.

Lot # 120 1910 Peerless 30hp Open-Drive Landaulet, Body by Brewster; S/N 5862; Red, Black fenders/Red leather, Red cloth; Black leather top; Estimate $100,000 - $150,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; Hammered Sold at $85,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $93,500 -- RHD. White wood spoke wheels, whitewall tires, opera lights, luggage trunk, dual right-hand sidemounts, Peerless script sidemount mirror, Warner Auto-Meter, clock, passenger to chauffeur speaking tube, jump seats, red cloth headliner. Older restoration with lightly worn interior. Chips and scratches on the paint. Cracks in wheel spoke paint. Underside presentable but road worn. Provenance includes James Melton and Henry Austin Clark. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. The price paid here reflects not the presentation but collectors' preference for the larger six-cylinder models which soon superseded this T-head 4-cylinder model. An elegant and distinctive automobile that will tour with pride, as it has for many years.

Lot # 121 1908 Packard Model 30 7-Passenger Touring; S/N 6277; Royal Blue, white coachline/Red leather; Black top; Estimate $150,000 - $200,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000 -- Solar headlamps, Parkland side lamps, New Haven clock, Jones speedometer. White wood spoke wheels with whitewall tires. Electric start and Klaxon horn added. Leather upholstery worn but has been oiled over the years and acquired a comfortable looking patina. Chips and scratches on the wheels, fenders and underside. Body exhibits stress cracks but no major paint loss. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. Restored in 1955 using an abandoned chassis and original body from another car which is not unreasonable for a car of this vintage. None of the Tallman cars are fresh out of the restoration shop but they have the allure of being well sorted for touring with no stories to make the bidders shy away and that character was reflected in the prices they brought.

Lot # 122 1932 Cadillac 452-B V-16 Special Phaeton, Body by Fisher; S/N 1400044; Light Metallic Blue, Dark Metallic Blue/Dark Blue leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Estimate $150,000 - $200,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $160,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $176,000 -- Painted wire wheels, wind wings, dual sidemounts with metal covers and Cadillac script mirrors. Rear clock and speedometer. Light stress cracks in the paint. Chrome very deep and blemish free. Top looks new as does the interior with light wear to driver's seat. There is more wear from being polished over 20 years than from being driven. AACA Senior Badge from 1993. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. Assembled from original parts using a V16 engine and chassis mated to a V12 Fisher phaeton body. Grand classics that have been assembled in this manner are still just as beautiful as their more authentic counterparts but trade at a huge discount. On tour or around town the difference will not be apparent either in the pleasure of driving or in the eyes of onlookers. The price discounts the origin of the parts and fully values this attractive car's utility.

Lot # 123 1930 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton, Body after LeBaron; S/N None; Engine # J-237 bellhousing; Maroon with red sweeps/Saddle leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $300,000 - $400,000; Rebodied or re-created, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $330,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $363,000 -- Chrome wire wheels, dual sidemounts with mirrors, dual taillights, wide double sided whitewall tires, outside exhaust headpipes, small Pilot-Rays, Tan leather covered trunk. Polishing marks in the chrome with delamination on wheels and light polishing marks in the paint. The top is lightly soiled. Interior unworn except for driver's seat. Underside very clean but with some road wear. CCCA Winner in 2002. No Reserve. A bitsa engine constructed around J-237's bellhousing with replica frame, chassis, coachwork and presumably everything else. Attractive coachwork, assembled to high standards and well maintained. The buyer is reasonably safe here given that the cost of purchasing the engine and building the car around it would far exceed this price today but this result is just $70,000 hammer less than Auctions America got for 2330/J315 last weekend in Ft. Lauderdale and that was a real engine, chassis and firewall with only a reproduction Murphy-style dual cowl phaeton body.

Lot # 124 1912 Packard Model 1-48 Custom Runabout; S/N 23698; Ivory with Black moldings/Red leather; Estimate $300,000 - $400,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $370,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $407,000 -- RHD. Rear-mounted trunk, dual rear-mounted spares, Neverout spot lamp on driver's running board, round bolster fuel tank, leather trunk, Westinghouse air spring shackles, full weather equipment including side curtains. Electric starter, Klaxon horn and pressure oil pump added. Ivory wheels with red hubs and rims. This car has lots of patina in the form of paint chips and road wear on the underside but is an imposing, sporting automobile with 535 cubic inch inline sic-cylinder power. From the Tallman Collection. No Reserve. A beautiful car -- massive but well proportioned and fast for its day. Generally thought to have been built for Packard director Frederick Alger but RM disclosed that the story of the creation has not been verified conclusively but rather strongly supported by people who were around in the period it was built. It seems the tale has lapsed into lore and didn't hurt the bidding one bit.

Lot # 125 1930 Cadillac 452 V-16 Roadster, Body by Fleetwood; S/N 700802; Red Metallic, Black fenders/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $350,000 - $450,000; Concours restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $460,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $506,000 -- Chrome wire wheels, dual sidemounts with mirrors, radiator stone guard, wind wings, rear-mounted trunk, dual Klaxons and Pilot-Rays. Concours restoration in 1964, AACA National First Prize in 1964 with 60,000 miles since then. Front seat moderately worn and blemished by two small gashes. Top looks like new, paint unblemished with light polishing marks. Underside has been cleaned and only shows moderate road wear but engine bay is dirty and shows that it has been used. From the Tallman collection. No Reserve. Although not disclosed this car has certainly had more recent paint, chrome and upholstery work if not a complete re-restoration. That said, it is a matching numbers example of the most sporting body available on the V16 chassis. Short of an exotic coachbuilt body this is the cat's meow and the bidders were willing to pony up. A premium price for a premium car that has proved its quality on the road and the show field.

Lot # 130 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible; S/N 16762137; Reef Blue/Blue and White leather, White vinyl top; Estimate $140,000 - $180,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $92,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $101,750 -- Standard Skylark options including Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, radio, heater, Dynaflow, The interior is excellent but the doors are sagging and the fit between the doors, fenders and hood leaves much to be desired although the paint finish still looks nice. The chrome is older with small even light pits on the bumpers. Older tires are yellowing around the edges. Wheelwells finished with textured black paint. Described as a fresh ‘concours-quality ground-up restoration,’ the description was obviously written for a different car; the quality of presentation was hugely overstated and left the buyers disappointed with what they saw. The price they paid reflects what the car needs: plenty.

Lot # 131 1934 Buick Series 90 Club Sedan; S/N 2714839; Medium Brown, Black fenders/Brown leather; Estimate $80,000 - $120,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 -- Painted wire wheels wearing wide whitewall tires, dual sidemounts with metal covers and mirrors. Trippe lights, dual Klaxons, rear-mounted trunk, glove box door clock. Three or four year old concours restoration with a 2008 class third at Pebble Beach. Excellent deep chrome and flawless paint exhibiting only light polish marks. Underside still clean enough to eat off; a trailer queen. No Reserve. Ninety-Series Buicks are always sought after regardless of body style. This car was sold at Gooding's Scottsdale auction in 2009 for $150,000. The strong price here reflected interest in the car and the competitive, high quality restoration.

Lot # 134 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 40/50hp Open Drive Landaulette, Body by F. R. Wood; S/N 1797; Burgundy with Red pinstriping/Black leather, tan cloth; Black leather top; Estimate $350,000 - $500,000; Concours restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $460,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $506,000 -- RHD. Dual right-side mounted spare tires, cowl lamps, coach lamps. Maroon wood spoke wheels with red pinstriping. Older restoration showing cracking and crazing in the paint. Quite a bit of paint loss along the body lines especially where the rear of the driver's compartment meets the front of the passenger compartment. Interior barely worn. Underside lightly worn and in need of cleaning and detailing. German silver trim in excellent condition throughout. Originally a Barker Torpedo body, then a Barker Limousine Landaulet, this body was originally on a Thomas and installed on 1797's bodyless frame by David Hemmings, winning Best in Class at Pebble Beach in 1993 and at Meadow Brook in 1996. John O'Quinn Estate. Despite needing some freshening this is an exceptional early motorcar. Not many automobile bodies were constructed by F.R. Wood which adds to the appeal. It was offered but not sold at Christie's Rockefeller Center auction in 2002 in better condition where it was bid to $230,000, then sold at RM Meadow Brook in 2003 for $401,500.

Lot # 136 1938 Peugeot 402 Darl'mat Legere ‘Special Sport’ Roadster, Body by Pourtout; S/N 705516; Two tone Yellow/Brown alligator; Estimate $350,000 - $500,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; Hammered Sold at $475,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $522,500 -- Chrome alloy wheals with hubcaps, single aeroscreen behind retracting flat windshield, Marchal driving and fog light. 2004 concours restoration by Alan Taylor, still ready for the show field. One of the most striking of all French coachbuilt roadsters, a low, fast, swoopy car designed by Georges Paulin, built by Pourtout and sold through Paris dealer Emile Darl'mat. Estate of John O'Quinn. No collection of French coachwork should be without a Darl'mat, an admonition which is reflected in this car's price and even that is less than it was reportedly bid to at Bonhams Quail Lodge auction in 2009, $675,000. It really is a wonderful thing.

Lot # 137 1968 Lola T70 MK III GT Coupe; S/N T73-135; Engine # ;/; Estimate $150,000 - $250,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000 -- RHD. 355 Chevy V8 with four Webers, ZF 5-speed. Sbarro badge on dashboard. Headlight covers foggy. Rock chips in nose and fenders. Repaired chips on left front fender. Poor paint, freshened engine compartment. There is no certain attribution of its history, aside from various conjecture and a 1999 letter from Lola Cars International expressing their opinion it is a real T73 with a chassis number that is unknown to them. Possibly used in McQueen's Le Mans movie. Tidy and orderly, appears to be historic race ready. Comes with FIA paperwork. No Reserve. Sold by RM in Monterey in 2004 for $110,000 with a 4-barrel and in need of some attention, which it has gotten. It is now a much better car, ready to hit the track, and brought an attractive price for anyone interested in running what it surely one of the most beautiful automobiles ever to turn a lap on a racing circuit. As presented here and at this price the uncertain history is not a concern.

Lot # 138 1934 Packard Twelve 1107 Convertible Sedan; S/N 902424; Cream, Peach beltline/Brown leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $275,000 - $375,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $320,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $352,000 -- Dual sidemounts with cloth covers and mirrors, rear-mounted trunk, Packard radio, Solar headlamps and fender lamps. Orange wire wheels, whitewalls, trim rings. Deep even chrome, straight bodywork with excellent gaps. Good paint. Top fits well and is clean. Interior shows no wear but the dash clock is missing. John O'Quinn Estate. 1934 is THE year to have for Packard enthusiasts. The convertible sedan is an attractive body and this restoration is still competitive on the field. The money paid is in line with the transactions of other '34s.

Lot # 141 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car Prototype; S/N S02491; Black, Black leather padded roof/Black and Beige leather; Estimate $500,000 - $750,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $460,000 -- Sabre wheels, sliding divider window, telephone, bar, vanity kit, WonderBar radio, A/C, gold-plated flask, cups and vanity. Saved by Joe Bortz, later owned by Roy Warshawsky and eventually restored by RM. Deep mirror concours-quality chrome. The black paint is flawless although the front fenders are both very wavy. The odometer reads zero but this car has surely been moved and the gravel on the insides of the front fenders attests to that. No interior wear to speak of. John O'Quinn Estate. Sold by RM at Boca Raton in 2006 for $781,000 at the peak of the frenzy over GM Motorama concept cars. Today's bid (and RM's estimate) reflects a moderating market and interest in the genre.

Lot # 142 1925 Duesenberg Eight Speedway Roadster; S/N L333; Yellow, Black frame/Black; Estimate $200,000 - $275,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $320,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $352,000 -- Black wire wheels. Reconstructed engine built around an original Duesenberg 3-liter aluminum block, crankcase and cam drive gear tower. Frame and body created by Joe Silnes from original drawings from the IMS Museum. Engine built by Chris Leydon. Cams ground by Joe Gemsa. A roster of unquestioned experts assembled by David Uihlein. Patterned after Pete De Paolo's 1925 Indy-winning ‘Banana Wagon.’ Clean older restoration showing some age and use. Sold by RM in Monterey in 2007 for $330,000 in essentially the same condition as here, an historic artifact with its own provenance and obviously appreciated by the bidders here who paid 20% over the high estimate to own it.

Lot # 143 1934 Packard Eight Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton; S/N 378984; Two tone Grey/Red leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $140,000 - $180,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $140,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $154,000 -- Red frame. Black wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual sidemounts, trunk rack, spotlight, wind wings. Very good paint, chrome, upholstery and interior wood. A quality older restoration completed in 1979 with a few years and tour miles on it that is holding up amazingly well. No Reserve. It is not often that late 70's restorations were done to the standards that let it survive in such good condition for over thirty years. Think about it, this Packard was only 40 years old when it got the restoration it still has today, 32 years later. It has received a little, helpful, attention, including losing the cranberry red fenders it had when it was offered at the Branson Fall auction in 2005 (no sale, $125,000) and when it was sold at Hershey in 2007 for $187,000. The modest color revision has helped update its appearance as has general attention and the new owner got good value for every dollar of the price paid.

Lot # 144 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe, Body by Murphy; S/N 2347; Engine # J-331; Metallic Grey, Black/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $850,000 - $1,000,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $875,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $962,500 -- Chrome wire wheels, double-sided whitewall tires, dual sidemounts with chrome bands and fenders, polished trunk rack, rumble seat, dual taillights, small Pilot-Rays. Frame number is not discernable but the catalog represents the car as fully numbers matching including engine, chassis, firewall and body, ACD certified, CCCA Senior winner, known history from new. An older concours quality restoration with well preserved paint, chrome and interior, this Duesenberg will show with pride anywhere. John O'Quinn estate. A quality automobile bought for appropriate money. Assembled-from-new Duesenberg Js are the top of the chart for rarity and value, and particularly so when the original body is a Murphy convertible coupe.

Lot # 145 1930 Packard Super Eight All-Weather Town Car, Body by LeBaron; S/N 184676; Olive Green, Black fenders/Black leather, Beige cloth; Estimate $135,000 - $175,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $110,000 -- Jump seats, pulldown shades, rollup divider, smoker's kit, vanity, chrome wire wheels, dual sidemounts with mirrors, Trippe lights, cloth covered luggage trunk, black leather padded roof. Known history from new and just 32,562 miles. Body paint, padded roof and rear compartment upholstery and fittings are original. Good paint, chrome and interior. An exceptionally well preserved automobile. No Reserve. As exceptional as it is, formal cars like this are less interesting to modern collectors. But, having accepted that, the new owner got a real showpiece that can be shown or toured with pride (just not in adverse weather, because there are no heaters.) This is a stately way to get into the classic car experience, and cost-effective, too.

Lot # 146 1930 Cord Front Drive L-29 Sedan Phaeton; S/N 2927039; Burgundy, Red fenders/Red leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $150,000 - $200,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $190,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $209,000 -- Chrome wire wheels, dual cloth covered sidemounts with mirrors, whitewalls, luggage trunk, Tilt-Ray headlamps. Overall excellent paint although there are a few light scratches. Deep chrome with scratches on one wheel cover. Seat leather lightly worn and underside shows signs of road use. Sidemount covers fit loosely. 1989 CCCA Premier winner. John O'Quinn Estate. A concours restoration that just needs some tweaking to bring it back to top quality. Sold for $192,500 at RM Meadow Brook in 2000, then a no-sale at RM Meadow Brook in 2002 and sold for $162,180 at Auburn Fall a few weeks later. The car is absolutely beautiful and the styling helped achieve a premium result for it.

Lot # 147 1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster, Body by Union City; S/N 32923E; Engine # GH5022; White/Maroon leather; Estimate $375,000 - $475,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $375,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $412,500 -- Maroon wire wheels, wide whitewalls, Dual Ratio. Good older paint, interior and chrome. An older restoration to good and presentable driver condition. Chassis shows use and age, and was never done very well. ACD certified, 1998 Meadow Brook Concours class winner. No longer show ready, but a handsome driver. This result appropriately handicaps the inherent quality of the car and the age and emerging flaws in its restoration and presentation. It has many tour miles ahead of it, however, before re-restoration becomes a consideration.

Lot # 148 1909 Thomas 6-40 Flyer 7-Passenger Touring; S/N 254; Crimson/Black leather, Black cloth top; Estimate $150,000 - $250,000; Older restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $130,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $143,000 -- RHD. Red top lining, white tires, jump seats, Gray & Davis acetylene headlights and kerosene sidelights, dual right side spares. A handsome older restoration now beginning to mellow into its own patina after being second in class at Pebble Beach in 1983. Sold by RM here in 2007 for $297,000, then at Hershey last October for $176,000, it has been spiffed up since then, an exercise that did nothing for its transaction value. Dropping $33,000 in five months ($46,000 without the commission) is hard to understand, but the buyer here got great value in an outstanding old Thomas.

Lot # 149 1933 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Convertible Victoria, Body by Rollston; S/N 2535; Engine # J-384 ; Black/Red leather; Estimate $800,000 - $1,100,000; Older restoration, 1 condition; Hammered Sold at $890,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $979,000 -- Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemounts with chrome rings and mirrors, Pilot-Rays, thermostatic radiator shutters, Twilite headlights, top-hinged opening windshield, crank adjustable front seats, exhaust cutouts, dual windshields. Concours restoration with a little age. Great paint, chrome and interior. Built for E.T. Foley with mechanically operated top mechanism, the only one of its kind, on 142 1/2’ wheelbase. Re-united with its original engine during restoration, AACA National First Prize, CCCA Senior, Pebble Beach 1996. Second (or perhaps third) owner was William Boyd, famed movie and television cowboy star who made Hopalong Cassidy famous. Estate of John O'Quinn. Unique coachwork which is mechanically intriguing (but not especially pretty), and a famous cowboy star history make this a particularly attractive Duesenberg and was reflected in its price when sold by Bonhams at Quail Lodge in 2009 from the Sidney Craig estate for $1,437,000. It attracted little notice here in Amelia and came up short -- although it exceeded its low estimate -- a result that should be positive for the buyer but not such good news for the O'Quinn trustees.

Lot # 151 1950 Fitch-Whitmore Le Mans Special; S/N 79456; Dark Blue/Blue leather; Estimate $175,000 - $250,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $180,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $198,000 -- Built by John Fitch, who introduced it on the auction block, for Coby Whitmore. Brief but effective cycle fendered aluminum body hammered out by Andy Salada. Won its class and 4th overall at the 1951 Bridgehampton Road Races. Restored in 1991. Chrome wire wheels, LeCarra woodrim steering wheel, braced roll bar, cutdown XK 120 windshield. Good repaint and upholstery. Wire wheels look new. Chassis doesn't. Sold on a Bill of Sale with its VSCCA logbook. John O'Quinn estate. This would be just another American road racing special except that it brought John Fitch to the attention of Briggs Cunningham and launched the career of a legendary driver. It was bought at Bonhams Greenwich Concours sale in 2009 for $403,000, a breathtaking price at the time rendered even more breathtaking by this much more modest result in Amelia. At this price, though, it can be raced with much less concern and might even be amenable to some cosmetic attention to make up for years of storage.

Lot # 152 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster; S/N 9804210002869; Silver/Blue leather; Blue cloth top; Estimate $475,000 - $550,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $570,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $627,000 -- JVC stereo, A/C, chrome wheels, disc brakes. Good recent repaint, older interior. A nice driver, sensitively upgraded including the air conditioning and more insulation to make it more comfortable. No Reserve. This is very strong money, endorsing the recent strong performance of 300SLs, both coupe and roadster, although this also is a strong and conscientiously maintained example.

Lot # 153 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N 0224 AT; Engine # 0224 AT; Red/Grey cloth; Estimate $2,750,000 - $3,500,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 3 condition; Hammered Sold at $3,900,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $4,290,000 -- RHD. Silver painted Borranis. Third place in the 1952 Carrera Panamericana (Chinetti/Lucas), then a dnf in the 1953 Mille Miglia (Castellotti/Regosa) and other races in Europe. Owned since 1979 by Larry Nicklin. Runs well and while far from pristine also far too good to anything more than detail cosmetic and mechanical work. All eyes were on this car when it came onto the block, the headline car in a sale with multiple high dollar consignments. 0226 AT, in better condition but with no racing history to speak of (and once owned by Larry Nicklin) sold for $1,377,500 at Christie's Pebble Beach auction in 1999. The 340 Mexico coupes with their vivid ‘1.2.3’ Carrera livery are vividly remembered by many people and got no few of today's collectors and vintage racers hooked on sports cars. Many onlookers were rooting for $4 million hammer, and this is plenty close enough. An epic automobile at an heroic price.

Lot # 154 1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe, Body by Vignale; S/N 0267EU; Engine # 0267 EU; Black, Green roof/Black leather; Estimate $375,000 - $550,000; Unrestored original, 4 condition; Hammered Sold at $600,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $660,000 -- Lefthand drive, wire wheels. The 1953 Turin Motor Show car, now missing some of its chrome fender moldings. Owned by Larry Nicklin since 1977 and apparently stored in rough circumstances most of that time. Needs everything. This is as much as some restored 212 Inter Vignale coupes have brought within recent memory and as much as RM got for 0289EU, restored and prepared for vintage events, last August at Monterey. 0267EU has a colorful history, but that is fully valued and then some in this price.

Lot # 155 1906 Pope-Waverley Model 67 Electric Victoria Phaeton; S/N 3774; Black, Red and Yellow coachlines/Flowered pattern cloth; Black leather top; Estimate $50,000 - $80,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000 -- Leather fenders older and redyed. Chassis and suspension nicely painted and rubbed out. Older carpeting worn. A small handful of cracks evident in the paint. The top was dried out and the edges ripped when it was put down some time recently. John O'Quinn Estate. This result is surprising considering the age of the restoration and the work it needed.

Lot # 156 1909 Reliable Dayton 15hp Surrey; S/N 200; Engine # 904; Black, Red coachline/Black leather; Black leather top; Estimate $30,000 - $50,000; Concours restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500 -- RHD. Red wagon wheels, solid rubber tires, driver's side running board mounted spotlight, rear-mounted trunk, bulb horn, Warner clock. An older show quality restoration beginning to show its age in the form of stress cracks in the paint and wear and dirt on the drivetrain. An excellent car to look at with detailed body and brasswork, ideal for 2-cylinder car tour events. Its 2-cylinder engine and buggy wheels, however, are a sharp contrast to the Ford Model T introduced in 1909.

Lot # 157 1908 Oldsmobile Limited Prototype; S/N 60014; Blue/Maroon leather; Beige cloth top; Estimate $600,000 - $900,000; Concours restoration, 1- condition; Hammered Sold at $495,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $544,500 -- RHD. Jones clock and speedometer, wicker trunk, single right sidemount, Rushmore acetylene headlights, Gray & Davis kerosene sidelights.. Excellent paint, upholstery, top, wood and brass. Cracked tire sidewalls. A beautifully restored and maintained imposing automobile with a reproduction body and mixed features from various years added to the owner's taste during the restoration. Stories about this car's authenticity were rife in Amelia and it was adequately qualified in the catalog, none of which did anything to diminish its beauty and impact. Recent similar sales include the Swigart's unrestored 1911 at RM Hershey in 2007 for $1,650,000 and Otis Chandler's concours restored 1912 sold by Gooding in 2006 for $1,265,000. In those terms this is an outstanding car for a reasonable price.

Lot # 158 1919 Rauch & Lang C-55 Electric Coach Double Drive; S/N 90290; Red, Black fenders, orange coachline/Grey cloth; Black roof; Estimate $40,000 - $60,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $50,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $55,000 -- Black painted electric headlights and cowl lights, body color wood spoke wheels with whitewall tires, swing out windshield. Driver can sit either on the left or the right. Older restoration with high quality paint now cracking. Interior relatively unworn. John O'Quinn Estate. An excellent car for tour or display, sold right in the middle of the estimate, an impressive result for a car with flaws.

Lot # 159 1913 Ford Model T C-Cab Delivery Car; S/N 238151; Dark Blue, Black fenders/Black leather; Estimate $40,000 - $60,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500 -- E&J acetylene headlights and kerosene sidelights, bulb horn. Good older paint, brass and wood. 1996 AACA National First Prize winning restoration, chassis and suspension painted over old rust pits. A few paint cracks and chips but otherwise very attractive and showable with little work. A very cool old thing, although with no attribution of its period correctness (and represented in 2005 as a newly built body), that brought a huge price from a dealer buying for a Model T collector client. If one is needed to fill out the collection, too much is probably just right if it does the job. At least it was less than it brought at Meadow Brook in 2005 ($77,000). Now it is just expensive. Then it was over the top.