Marque1

THE SHRINKING OF THE PANEL VAN

Have you noticed that as pickup trucks keep getting bigger and bigger, we are starting to see trucks that are noticably smaller? Ford was first to recognise the need for a compact urban van with its Transit Connect, a versatile cargo and people hauler. Now Chrysler is about to introduce something similar, based on one of Fiat's European models. Such vehicles make sense in today's environment but the industry was slow to catch on, unwilling to believe that North American truck buyers would actually accept something small.

Ah, but how small is small? Feast your eyes on what Barrett-Jackson calls a "micro panel van." The photos are misleading. This isn't small, it's what the Scots would describe as a "wee thing."

The extremely rare Mochet CM125Y micro panel truck was manufactured by George Mochet, inventor of the recumbent bicycle, in Puteaux, France, from 1938 to 1956. The engine is (are you ready for this?) a 1-cylinder unit, a Zuzcher 125cc motorcycle engine. It has a 3-speed transmission with reverse.

The Mochet may be small but for certain specialised jobs in areas with narrow streets and alleyways, may have been quite practical. And it's downright pretty with its white exterior and red interior. It has been restored to concours condition and runs and drives like new. No doubt the fuel economy is remarkable and as for service, how much work does it take to tune a 1-cylinder engine?

It is being offered with no reserve. I'm wondering if our Nigel Matthews will be on hand to bid. When he sent me the link it was with the comment "this has my name written all over it." The Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction takes place from Jan 12-19 and the Mochet is lot #771. Move over, Nigel. I love it, too.

MATCHING UNRESTORED AND RESTORED 300 SL COUPES COULD MAKE HISTORY

"You say tomato, I say tomahto... you say potato, I say potahto." At least that's the way the song (Let's Call the Whole Thing Off) goes, and it illustrates how differently people see or say things. This applies to collector cars, as well. For example, in the last few years we've seen a trend to classes for survivor cars at major concours d'elegance, including Pebble Beach.

The proponents argue that cars showing their age are more realistic and consequently more interesting than those that have been restored to perfection, often to the point where they look better than the day they rolled out of the factory. Those folks certainly have a point, especially when you consider the vast amounts of money spent on restorations, making the cars absurdly expensive to buy and therefore totally inaccessable to all but the wealthy.

One unfortunate by-product of survivor classes is the rapidly increasing value of such cars, now beginning to approach that of the restored examples. Which makes the upcoming Gooding auction at Scottsdale on January 17-18 especially interesting. Two black-with-red-leather-interior 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupes will go on the block, one an unrestored survivor, the other restored to as-new condition. How much will these cars attract and if the survivor wins, will it upset the status quo in classic car values?

The unrestored 300 SL, chassis number 198.040.6500299, seen in the top photo and above, is rich with patina and in need of attention after years of storage. Inside, the red leather interior shows its age, says Gooding, with seats that are both stained and cracked from use and long-term storage. Some will see it as only needing a sympathetic mechanical refurbishing to be perfect while others look on the car as a candidate for body-off restoration.

The restored black-with-red-leather 1956 300 SL, chassis number 198.040.6500214, is a three-owner car in possession of a single Toronto family from 1957-2006. It was treated to a frame-off restoration in 2007 under the care of its second owner, and reportedly no detail was overlooked in the car's refurbishing.

The car made its show debut at the 2012 San Marino Concours d’Elegance in California, where the 300 SL took Best in Class honors. Driven a mere 150 miles by its second owner and a little more than 1,000 miles by its current owner, it has seen only 57,000 total miles since new.

So which 300 SL will attract the bigger bucks? Gooding anticipates a selling price between $1.1 and $1.4 million for the survivor, $1.37 and $1.7 million for the restored example.

I must confess to having my own prejudices in this matter. Concours d-Elegance began as beauty contests for manufacturers and coachmakers and through the decades have remained much the same. Obviously the automobile manufacturers and designers would have wanted their products to be displayed in the best possible way, which means shined, polished, and tuned to perfection. What we now call a "survivor" would have been considered a "used" car and thus have no place on the lawns of concours d'elegance in earlier eras.

As an enthusiast, I take great delight in seeing these rare automobiles in "as new" condition. Faded paint, dirty engine bays, and torn leather have no appeal to me. Let me see the cars as the designer saw them. What's more, I think the idea of giving awards to survivor cars is absurd and makes a mockery of their very existence. By all means invite them to the shows but in a separate category with no awards.

Mind you, my feelings are influenced by a personal reaction to man-made objects in general. As one with fairly strong design instincts I like to see them new or perfectly preserved. One reason, I guess, why I'd much prefer spending time in the Museum of Modern Art than a museum where antiquity is the objective. But hey... that's just me. As I said in the beginning, we're all different and we all have unique tastes. I'll be curious to see the numbers when the hammer falls in Scottsdale.

Update January 21: Well, now we know. The restored Gullwing sold for $1.4 million and the un-restored for $1.9 million! Go figure... 

Photos of the unrestored car by Brian Henniker, courtesy Gooding & Company
Photos of the restored car by Mathieu Heurtault, courtesy Gooding & Company

COLLECTOR'S ALERT: SEVEN GREAT CLASSICS TO WATCH IN 2014

It's that time of year when everyone in the media business makes a list, either celebrating the past or predicting the future. I've not made mine yet (nor have I made any New Year's resolutions) so here's one I'd like to recommend to well-heeled individuals heading for the Arizona auctions. The emminent British car magazine Classic Driver has prepared a list of seven cars to watch in 2014. Wisely, the editors have chosen experts to make the selection. With little comment necessary from me, a guy who'd be at Barrett-Jackson looking for the best car under $15,000, herewith the list.

LAMBORGHINI MIURA
Up top is the Lamborghini Miura, as chosen by Max Girardo, RM's lead auctioneer. He says "I'll take all the Ferraris out of the equation and stick my neck out a little by going for something different. I think the Lamborghini Miura represents great value for money at current prices. It's from that era of cars that everyone understands and loves, it's from a great brand, it's got a 12-cylinder engine, and it looks great... "

ASTON MARTIN DB6
Jonathan Kaiser of Hexagon Classics believes "Aston Martin DB6 prices in 2014 are too inexpensive at the moment. They're selling for around half the price of a DB5, but they're not half the car. We've sold a lot of DB6s during 2013 because people don't want to spend half a million pounds plus on a concours DB5."

FERRARI 512 BB
James Cottingham of Ferrari specialist DK Engineering sees a potential rise in interest in the Berlinetta Boxer Ferraris, in particular the 512 BB. "I think they've been tremendously underrated for a long time, and they're a true classic, produced in the mid-70s and early 80s. They're relatively rare compared with what other manufacturers were producing at the same time, and in the Ferrari world they look like tremendous value for money." (I love this car, having driven a Boxer over some lovely Swiss mountain roads back in '79.)

PORSCHE 911 (996) GT3
Wilfried Hallier, owner of Hallier Classic Cars, sees real potential in the 911 GT3 road/race car, particularly the much-overlooked 996 series. "The 996 GT3 goes back to the original philosophy of Porsche. This civilian racing car allows private owners to test their abilities, and I'd recommend a 996 GT3 or GT3 RS to those with little racing experience."

BUGATTI EB110 SUPER SPORT
Think modern: Dylan Miles of Fiskens will be monitoring the success of the Veyron's predecessor in 2014. "Should any of the 30-or-so EB110 Super Sports come up for sale this year, I can see them doing well. Just think – a quad-turbo, quad-cam V12, 600bhp, four-wheel drive and one of the most illustrious badges in the business, all for one-eighth of the price of a McLaren F1."

LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH
Simon Kidston believes that alongside the Miura, Lamborghini's show-stopping Countach will also enjoy success in 2014. "I would say a Countach is one of the 'cars to watch' in 2014, particularly the early examples. It seems there's a generational change underway, and cars from the 70s, 80s and 90s are beginning to enjoy their period in the limelight."

ASTON MARTIN V8
Karl-Helmut Larkamp of E. Thiesen Berlin singles out the post-DB6 Astons for their potential, in particular the DBS and AM V8. "These high-quality vehicles are completely undervalued and now that DB6s are barely affordable, the later cars look like they might enjoy an enormous increase in demand in the near future."

With thanks to Classic Driver for the article inspiration and the quotes in this authoritative list. Click here to see the complete article. [Photo credits: Tim Scott for RM Auctions, Aston Martin, DK Engineering, Hallier Classic Cars, Kidston SA, Bugatti]

RM's AUCTION CATALOG, A TRIP TO THE CANDY STORE

With the annual Phoenix auction extravaganza just over two weeks away, RM Auctions has made its 2014 catalog available for downloading. The rationale, of course, is to present its offerings to prospective buyers, but for the rest of us this online catalog is like a trip to the candy store. It is packed with beautiful photos and mouth-watering descriptions of cars we'd love to own.

As always with RM, the range of vehicles to be sold is part of the attraction though all the cars are of a very high quality, regardless of size, type or rarity. So, for example, folks like me who have a fondness for small economy cars will find one sitting next to a multi-million dollar Deusenberg from the 1930s while folks with an interest in racing cars (also like me) will find a Ferrari or Porsche ready to join a museum collection or be used in vintage competition.

Incidentally, while I'm not an expert prognosticator of future trends, I've noticed a growing number of historic race cars being auctioned world-wide during the last year. The next big thing? Well, classic car collecting does go through periods of change. Not so long ago it was all about muscle cars but that category appears to have faded. I suspect the race car trend will be short-lived and after that... who knows?

You may come up with the answer to that one after perusing the RM catalog but even if you don't I guarantee a half-hour of good fun viewing and if you're a collector, don't head for the airport until you've seen what's inside.

Of course there are other auctions to visit during the week, all of which have interesting cars coming on the block. But what I like about the RM auction is the location. The Arizona Biltmore hotel is famous for its architecture, on which architect Andrew McArthur collaborated with Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most influential American architects and certainly the best known, even years after his death. McArthur had worked as a draftsman in Wright's Oak Park Studio.

It's too late to book a room at the Arizona Bilmore but while you're there be sure to go inside for  a meal in the dining room and then take a stroll around the property.

It all starts with the catalog so click here and be transported to a collector's wonderland. Tell them I sent you.

[Photo Credit: RM Auctions]

FAST LADY'S PINK RACE CAR GOES TO AUCTION

When I first spotted this item on the Hemmings Daily newsletter I had to stop and think for a moment: "So who is Donna Mae Mims and why should I care?" The name seemed vaguely familiar but the pink Austin-Healey Sprite failed to register. I soon learned that this lady was the Sports Car Club of America’s first female National Champion. In 1963 she captured the SCCA H-Production Championship, driving a 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite Mk I whose first owner was Dr. Jonas Salk, originator of the vaccine that eradicated polio by the end of the 1950s.

I was very much involved in road racing that year as a commentator and occasional competitor but my activities were focussed on the Canadian scene, which probably explains why I'd overlooked the American championships and, therefore, Donna Mae Mims. Now that I've been brought up to date I realise that her racing accomplishments were exceptional, and why the car she raced will be of such interest at Gooding & Company's Scottsdale auction on January 17 and 18.

Mims would capture three SCCA National wins driving the Sprite plus enough points to deliver her the H-Production championship with a 10th-place finish in the final event of the season. By taking the championship, Mims had proven her abilities to handle a race car.

In 1964, she campaigned an MGB in D-Production, but reliability issues prevented capturing back-to-back championships. Mims would then go on to race everything from a Formula Vee to a big-block Camaro, and even drove a rented Cadillac limousine with co-drivers Judy Stropus and Peggy Niemcek in the 1972 running of the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. Following Mims’ ownership, the Sprite became just another used race car, though it was raced as recently as 1987.

The current owner acquired it in 2005 and completed an extensive restoration to 1963 specifications (assisted by Mims) in time for the Sprite’s 50th Anniversary celebration at Mid-Ohio in 2008. It will cross the block with no reserve, carrying an estimated price of between $70,000 and $90,000. The market for vintage race cars seems to be hot at the moment so it'll be fascinating to see what the Sprite will bring, especially with its winning history. Perhaps it's time to Think Pink again.

FILM STAR MEETS ITALIAN BEAUTIES IN ARIZONA

With the 2014 Arizona Auction Week just a month away the auction houses are releasing photos of their most spectacular and costly consignments. From a business point of view I understand that. But I sometimes wish they'd include cars of lesser status because I know from visiting Phoenix in years past that all sorts of fascinating vehicles come up for sale at very affordable prices. We stay-at-homes just never get to see them. That said, there's no denying the cars shown here meet all the requirements of rarity, design, and historical interest.

You'd be forgiven if you thought the automobile up top was a Ferrari or some other Italian supercar. Well, super it may be, but this is actually a Fiat. A 1954 Fiat 8V Coupe with body by Ghia. It is one of just 114 beautiful sports cars made during a brief period when the company wavered a little from its normal job of creating cars for the average Italian motorist. Power is supplied by a unique 1996 cc ohv V-8 capable of 118 mph. It was also the first Fiat to feature an all-independent suspension, in this case by wishbones and coil springs. To be sold by RM at its Phoenix auction.

If you loved Driving Miss Daisy (and who didn't?) you might want to bid on the actual car that starred in the award-winning movie. The 1949 Hudson Commodore Custom Eight sedan was driven, first, by Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy), then through most of the film by her chauffeur Hoke (Morgan Freeman). It features the innovative "step-down" design and full envelope bodywork that made this Hudson a sensation when it was introduced. It comes equipped with a 3-speed transmission, turn signals, radio, heater, large hubcaps with trim rings, white wall tires, grille guard and rear fender skirts. I'd be delighted to own this car, not just for its role in the movie but because I've been a fan of those step-down Hudsons since I first rode in one. And yes, that was long, long ago. See it at the Barrett-Jackson auction.

Alfa Romeo is Italy's oldest sporting marque, dating back to 1910. Over the decades it gained a great racing reputation and even though the firm eventually became a mass production automobile it never stopped offering sports cars of extraordinary beauty. The auction car is a 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Touring Berlinetta, one of 13 examples built by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan between 1930 and 1940. In 1990, it was acquired by Charlie Morse and Malcolm Harris, a world renowned Alfa Romeo expert who commissioned a restoration by a number of Seattle-area craftsmen beginning in 1994.

Completed just before the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, it won a Second in Class as well as the Most Elegant Closed Car Award. At the 2004 Ironstone Concours, and the 2004 Kirkland Concours, it was again given the Most Elegant Closed Car award and finally, at the 2012 Quail Motorsports Gathering, it garnered the Best Pre-War Alfa Romeo prize. Also to be offered by Barrett-Jackson.

FIRST RHD AUSTIN HEALEY HAD A LEGENDARY FEMALE DRIVER

On a recent sunny November day I spotted an Austin Healey being driven down the main street of Sidney, BC. Top down, which must have taken  courage considering the temperature of only +5c (40 fahrenheit). What really got my attention, though, was the age of this Healey. It's not unusual to spot a big six-cylinder Austin Healey in our neighbourhood but a four-cylinder Healey 100? If the driver had stopped I'd have thanked him just for the privilege of admiring his classic sports car.

It was also a moment of deja vu, for I'd been at Abbotsford Airport back in the 50s, attending a day of sports car racing, when a gentleman from nearby Washington State appeared with a brand new Austin Healey 100. It was the first time any of us had seen one and we all rushed over to chat with the owner. Though disappointed by its 3-speed transmission, albeit with overdrive on the top two gears, we were impressed. We then persuaded him to demonstrate the acceleration but that, too, was less spectacular than expected. (The 3-speeder was later changed to a 4-speed with overdrive, which made a considerable difference in performance.)

In spite of my initial reservations I was still enchanted by the new car and those earlier concerns were quickly forgotten when one day I was asked to drive an Austin Healey 100S, the aluminum bodied competition version, which had been prepared for racing by the late Jim Ferguson. Driven, not on the track unfortunately, but through the streets of Toronto, sans muffler. To say that I attracted the attention of onlookers that day is a gross understatement.

Fast forward again to 2013, and a famous Austin Healey from the 1950s is about to be offered by international auctioneers Coys at their True Greats Sale in London on December 3rd. The first right-hand-drive Austin Healey in existence, it was originally owned by the legendary Betty Haig, who raced it in 1953 and 1954. It is the sixteenth of twenty pre-production Austin Healey 100s, hand built at Cape Works before production started at the Longbridge factory.

Betty Haig took delivery in 1953, driving the car at the Great Auclum speed trials on 8th August just three weeks after purchasing it. She raced the Healey again on the Paris to St. Raphael Rally in March of 1954 with Enid Riddell. She came first in the over 2-litre class, won a Coupe de Vitesse, and finished seventh overall. Reports at the time praised Betty for beating a pair of 2.5 litre Lancia Aurelias.

This truly special Austin-Healey 100 has matching numbers and several unique pre-production features, including a lightweight aluminum body, aluminum seats, hood safety catch and fan cowling. There are believed to be fifty differences between these early cars and the production derivative. Estimated at £100,000 to £130,000.

PS: Looking at the photo reminds me of how my tastes have changed. As the Healey acquired a six-cylinder engine, then became more luxurious, almost a Grand Tourer, I snobbishly looked down on the original 100. But now much older (and pretending to be wiser) I've come to appreciate the lighter, more agile Austin Healey 100 with its sidescreens, fold down windshield, and gutsy two-liter, four-cylinder engine. Indeed, I like many cars better now than when they were new. But then, that's the joy of being a classic car enthusiast.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ONLINE: THE INSIDERS GUIDE TO THE ARIZONA AUCTIONS

If you're planning a visit to the 2014 classic car auctions in Scottsdale you need a guide to what's happening. What was once dominated by Barrett-Jackson with a couple of tasty side dishes from RM and Russo and Steele has expanded into a week-long celebration of auctions, seminars, and for the first time, a concours d'elegance. Without a guide you could miss some important events.

Fortunately Sports Car Market has published a 72-page Insiders Guide to the Arizona Auctions and made it available both for viewing online and for your cellphone and tablet. I've just looked through the Guide and was mightily impressed by the amount of information it contains. Especially useful is a timetable of events in the form of an easy-to-read, multi-colour chart. You'll definitely want to become a subscriber, then print that page before leaving home.

While turning the pages (electronically, of course) I noted that the great international auction house, Bonhams, is moving on stage with an auction that will no doubt include some rare and desireable classics. Along with RM, Russo and Steele, Gooding & Company, Silver Auctions and Barrett-Jackson the addition of Bonhams guarantees that more cars will be sold during one week in the Phoenix area than anywhere else in the world.

I enjoyed the photos and even the ads, which can be quite informative, though I do have one complaint. Looking through the Insiders Guide to the Arizona Auctions left me desperately wanting to join the crowd in January when, as I've lamented in Marque1 before, my budget has no reserves for travel. But for those among you who do plan to make the trip I heartily suggest reading the online Guide here. Smartphone and tablet readers can view the PDF here.

THREE GOOD REASONS TO WATCH TV IN JANUARY

Now that the last F1 race of the season has ended I need something to look forward to during the winter. Okay, I do have a short list of things to watch on television: The Rose Bowl Parade and the Game; The Super Bowl; The Daytona 24 Hours; The launch of 2014's F1 cars; The first reports from F1 testing with the new 1.5 liter turbocharged V-6 engines. But there's a big gap between those events, and for anyone who loves classic automobiles it has to be the Scottsdale auction week in mid-January. This is where the leaders in the auctioneering business attract the most expensive, most beautiful, and occasionally most peculiar cars.

Fortunately the auctions can now be viewed on TV or on our computer screens. I like that. My budget can't afford the two-thousand dollars needed to fly to Scottsdale and bed down in a modest hotel for a week and neither can most enthusiasts who live in the east or northwest. Of course it's more fun to be there, soaking up the excitement and the Arizona sun, but at least we'll get to admire the cars while gasping at the outrageous prices paid by wealthy collectors.

One major auctioneer that will be showing its event on television is Gooding & Company. In the build-up to auction week it is now sending out media releases featuring some of the most significant cars to be sold. On January 17 and 18 the company will feature what it calls "one of the most collectible and superior offerings of post-war Mercedes-Benz to come to auction in recent years."

I've selected three to show you here on Marque1. Up top is a gorgeous 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, built to European specs with the improved "large" drum brakes. The car was delivered new to the Kingdom of Bahrain in an elegant white over black color scheme and has benefited from a recent restoration by Brian Anderson of Vista, CA.  In 2013, it placed 2nd in the Roadster class at the annual Gullwing Group Convention and won its class at the La Jolla Motorcar Classic.  Comes with factory hardtop, optional Nardi steering wheel, fitted luggage, tools and manuals. (Estimate: $900,000-1,200,000)

As a reminder that all great Mercedes from the post-war years were not 300SL's, here's an example of the firm's luxurious grand touring coupe, the 1956 300 Sc. A unique combination of quality and design it is one of the earliest fuel-injected variants and highly sought after by collectors. Recently restored, the absolutely beautiful 300 Sc is finished in burgundy with a tan leather interior and comes with factory luggage. Much as I admire the 300SL, this is the car I'd bid on from my imaginary fortune. (Estimate: $500,000-700,000)

But then, what would an auction of great Mercedes-Benz cars be without a gullwing? Gooding & Company's auction features more than one, including this 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL. With its technological firsts and iconic doors it is one of the most collectible Mercedes-Benz models in the world. Expertly restored in a stunning black over red color combination, this car is a matching-numbers, low mileage example, owned by a single family for nearly 50 years. In concours condition and ready to show or drive. (Estimate: $1,350,000-1,700,000)

So there you have it, friends, three to dream of, to bid on, to own. Reason enough to highlight my January 2014 TV viewing. (For which I make no apology. In my opinion, television is still the greatest entertainment medium ever invented.)

[Photos: 300 SLRoadster, Brian Henniker.  300 Sc Coupe and 300SL Gullwing, Mathieu Heurtault]

RAISE YOUR GLASS TO THE CARS OF MANHATTAN. AND THE MONEY.

RM and Sotheby's are celebrating (with champagne, I hope) their New York Art of the Automobile auction, which generated $62,797,500 in just two hours on Thursday, November 21st. Some remarkable prices were generated by a well-heeled audience that included international buyers bidding by telephone.

Three that caught my eye while watching the show live on my computer screen are shown here, beginning with the top money-earner, a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Carrozzeria Scaglietti (above). One of the finest examples of Ferrari’s first mid-engined car, it finished 8th overall and 1st in class at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. RM described it as "a time capsule that is being publicly seen and offered for the first time in decades." Sold for a record-breaking $14,300,000.

For sheer beauty it would be difficult to match this 1936 Delahaye Type 135 Competition Court Teardrop Coupé by Carrosserie Figoni et Falaschi. The last of six built in 1936 on the short Type 135 chassis, it was engineered for racing, including a 4-speed manual transmission, outside-mounted rear springs, lowered engine, oil cooler below the radiator, and a race-style fuel tank with dual fillers. The body is unique from the other five, with a slightly different hood and a single row of louvers. It is the only known Type 135 with headlamps faired into the front fenders. Sold for $2,420,000.

A one-of-a-kind, the 1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II ‘Supersonic’ by Carrozzeria Ghia is the 15th and last of a series of cars individually created by Ghia to variations on a race-bred Giovanni Savonuzzi design. It is the only one built on an Aston Martin chassis. Originally driven by American GP driver Harry Schell, it has a fascinating history of former owners, including the Vanderbilt family. The powerful Mk II chassis and drivetrain has been completely restored to Aston Martin factory specifications and the body returned to its original Ghia glory. Sold for $2,310,000.

To view all the cars (and some rare automobilia) on sale in this auction, complete with a detailed history of each, click here. I promise an entertaining half hour and it won't cost you a penny. Unless you're sipping champagne.

[Photos: Courtesy RM]