RM Auctions Monterey 2012 – Auction Report

Lot # 143 1936 Delage D6-70 Milord Cabriolet, Body by Figoni & Falaschi; S/N 50607; Dark Blue, Cream/Dark Blue leather; Dark Blue cloth top; Estimate $1,250,000 – $1,750,000; Recent restoration, 1- condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,100,000 — RHD. Marchal headlights, 3-position top, folding windshield, steel spoke wheels, hubcaps, trim rings, whitewall tires, enclosed rear spare. A concours winner when it was new, restored to concours standards. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Chassis shows a little age and use, but not much. An attractive Delage, but its Figoni & Falaschi coachwork is elegant but practical, not the flamboyant streamlined designs that are Figoni’s signature achievement. The reported high bid should have been more than enough to see it on to a new home.

Lot # 214 1955 Aston Martin DB3S Sports Racer; S/N DB3S/118; Engine # VB6K/118; Orange/Blue leather; Estimate $3,500,000 – $4,000,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $3,350,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,685,000 — RHD. Wraparound driver’s windshield, chrome spoke wire wheels. Excellent paint and interior. Overspray under the body suggests a recent repaint, supported by the age and evident use in the cockpit and trim. Uneven hood fit. Fitted with dual ignition head at the factory for first owner Hans Davids. Later brought to the US by Paul Hyatt and raced here by Fred Windridge for him and later by Bob Oker for Joe Lubin. Little used since restoration. Impressively preserved with its original engine and no significant damage during its life. One of the more rare of historic sports-racers and distinctively styled by Frank Feeley with cutaway front fenders and the first use of Aston’s characteristic radiator air intake shape. The DB3 and 3S were not much of a success on the track when new, however, but that hasn’t lessened their appeal, as this result indicates. This is a premium over a Jaguar C-type, a value relationship that isn’t unreasonable based on rarity and appearance.

Lot # 219 1930 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8AS Boattail Cabriolet, Body by Castagna; S/N 1581; Engine # 1599; Pale Green, Medium Green fenders/Green leather; Green cloth top; Estimate $1,750,000 – $2,500,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,450,000 — RHD. Chrome wire wheels, wide whitewalls, radiator stoneguard, dual rear spares, airfoil step plates, Grebel headlights and spotlight, intricate interior woodwork. Owned for many years and actively toured by Sergio Franchi. Restored years ago for Franchi, recently redone and took second in class at Pebble Beach in 2009 followed by Best in Show at the Newport Concours. Concours restoration with excellent paint, chrome, upholstery, interior trim and woodwork. Purchased from the Franchi family at Christie’s Greenwich auction in 2006 for $658,500 when its restoration was both aged and well used by Franchi, today it is beyond perfect, an over-restored example of the restorer’s art. While well short of RM’s estimate, the reported high bid is a realistic offer for this car’s history, coachwork and condition.

Lot # 221 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Berlinetta; S/N 06681; Engine # 06681; Red/Black leather; Estimate $950,000 – $1,150,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; Hammered Sold at $1,075,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,182,500 — Chrome spoke Borranis, Michelin XWX tires, Blaupunkt multi-band radio. Short nose body. Restored by Shelton Ferrari, Platinum and Coppa Bella Machina at Cavallino in 2004 and 2005. Odometer shows 34,636 original miles. Excellent paint, chrome and interior all look fresh. Engine and underhood are like new with only a little fuel and oil residue from light use. Beautifully restored and presented in original colors. Not too long ago this much money would have bought a very good 4-cam 275 GTB. Recent transactions, however, make this result more representative for such a fine example, but still a bit on the pricey side.

Lot # 223 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Roadster, Body by Brewster; S/N 255AJS; Engine # E95B; Olive, Light Olive accent, Brown fenders/Brown leather; Tan cloth top; Estimate $750,000 – $950,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3- condition; Hammered Sold at $625,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $687,500 — Orange wire wheels, wide whitewalls, dual sidemounts with mirrors, Trippe light, rumble seat, remote spotlight, overdrive. Cracking old repaint, sound interior, soiled top. Other than the repaint and replaced interior this is a remarkable old, original car with a 1978 mechanical restoration by Frank Cooke. The chassis is grimy but not gross. There is much to like about this car, from its spectacular Henley Roadster coachwork through its Frank Cooke preparation to its originality. It’s eminently usable as it sits and its return will be welcomed at R-R events. The new owner got lots of automobile, and even more R-R history, for this price.

Lot # 224 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia Berlinetta, Body by Touring; S/N 815025; Engine # 823040; Maroon/Cognac leather; Estimate $2,200,000 – $2,800,000; Recent restoration, 1 condition; No Result — RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, 5.50-18 Blockley blackwall tires, Siata adjustable shocks, slotted rear wheel skirts, Carello headlights. Concours quality paint, chrome and interior. Engine #823040 but 823023 on data plate. Engine is better than new. On-site but not included in RM’s reported results. There is no explanation in the RM Errata and Addenda notes, but it might have something to do with its ‘found in Argentina’ history. It was offered at the Kruse Monterey auction in 2006 where it was reported sold for $426,600.

Lot # 226 1967 Ford GT40 Mark I Coupe; S/N P/1059; Pearl white, Blue stripe/Black vinyl; Estimate $2,300,000 – $2,700,000; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $2,600,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,860,000 — RHD. Silver painted wire wheels, Goodyear Blue Streak tires, 289 Ford with four Webers. Originally an opalescent maroon street car but given its livery by Kar Kraft prior to being used in Ford’s promotion program. First owned by Stark Hickey Ford in Detroit, later by Herb Wetanson and Dr. Jack Frost. Cracked but sound 1985 paint, good, clean interior and engine. Cracked dash top. A lovely, mostly original car with 4,750 miles from new and just two private party owners. Even carrying a significant premium for originality, concise ownership history and low miles, this looks like a much better buy than the Mirage-GT40 1074 that sold for $10 million. The seller benefited from the buzz that still resonated in the Portola’s conference center ballroom.

Lot # 228 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT Coupe; S/N DB4GT/0104/L; Sea Green/Off White leather; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,900,000; Older restoration, 3+ condition; Hammered Sold at $1,850,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,035,000 — Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Avon radial tires. Restored in the early 90′s in its original colors and still exhibiting good paint and major chrome but has pitted trim chrome inside and out. The Off White seats and Sea Green carpets show age and use. Seats should have been cleaned Before coming to the auction. Chassis is well restored but beginning to look used. This result is, by far and away, a record price for a factory bodied DB4GT. The only comparable results have been for Zagato-bodied examples. Enter it in the record books and reset expectations even though it is exuberantly expensive.