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Pre-war French classic, Delahaye sedan is priced affordably

Pick of the Day

November 7, 2018

Pre-war French classic, Delahaye sedan is priced affordably

Editor’s note: November is Import Month on the ClassicCars.com Journal. Get all the news you could ever need about German, English, French, Japanese and lots of other cars at our dedicated page.

For the collector without a multi-million-dollar income, owning a full pre-war classic from France can seem like an impossible dream. But there are still some out there that can be bought for reasonable money.

Sure, they would be more sedate than a flashy Saoutchik or Figoni coachbuilt masterpiece, and they are not likely to be in concours condition. If you settle for a lower-rung, driver-quality French classic, they can be affordable.

The Pick of the Day is a 1933 Delahaye 122A, a rare survivor from a storied French marque with low mileage and offered at an affordable price.

The ad on ClassicCars.com, posted by the sedan’s private owner in Montreal, has decent pictures of the car but just a short description with not much information and apparently translated from French, with interesting results.

The ad does say that this Delahaye is one of just six known to exist of the 300 versions of this model originally built. It is powered by a 4-cylinder, 1,800 cc engine with a single Solex carburetor. The coachwork was done by Société Industrielle Sical Carosserie Levallois Perret, the ad says.

The car has covered just 3,692 kilometers (2,294 miles) since new, the seller adds, though providing no information about the sedan’s history or its essentially undriven condition. Also, there is no confirmation in the ad that the mileage is original.

The Delahaye runs perfectly, the owner says, although it would benefit from some bodywork and a good repaint.

The pictures show a car that appears quite original, and while the paint has lots of lacquer checking, it has a nice patina. Although you could repaint it, we would work to first discover if the paint is original.

The pictures show that the car seems to have all of its original trim as well as what could be an all-original interior, which appears to be in good, usable condition.

The pictures of the undercarriage show what looks like surface rust only, and overall, the car looks like a solid-driver level car.

Coachbuilt Delahayes usually have prices that start in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. This car, with an asking price of only $37,500 Canadian ($28,599 US), looks like an extraordinary opportunity.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day

Leake’s Dallas auction features 100 vehicles at no reserve

Media

Bob Golfen

November 6, 2018

Leake’s Dallas auction features 100 vehicles at no reserve

Of the more than 400 collector cars, trucks and motorcycles set to be auctioned by Leake on November 15-17 in Dallas, about 100 of them will cross the block at no reserve, providing a range of opportunities for bidders hoping to snag a fun classic from the diverse selection.

Among the highlights of the no-reserve offerings are a 1969 Ford Shelby GT500 fastback equipped with a 428cid Cobra Jet V8 and 4-speed manual transmission, a pristine 1965 Chevrolet Corvette L84 327/375-horsepower convertible, and a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with a fuel-injected V8.

Leake’s final auction for 2018 figures to be a crowd-pleasing three-day sale boasting a popular lineup of classics, muscle cars, ’50s cruisers, customs, Broncos, Corvettes and Hemis, headlined by a number of American performance icons.

Early this year, the auction company was acquired by Ritchie Bros., a global auctioneer of heavy construction and agricultural equipment, which should provide Leake with strong growth possibilities. Former owner Richard Sevenoaks remains on board as general manager of Leake.

“Our November Dallas auction is consistently strong, and as the line-up has continued to evolve over the past several weeks, we anticipate a strong sale to close out 2018,” Sevenoaks said in a news release. “Now that we are integrated with Ritchie Bros., we have opened the door to 3.3 million online registered bidders in 155 countries. This expands our reach and positions us to have the largest bidder base in the collector car industry.”

Former Barrett-Jackson executive Gary Bennett was hired in May as collector car general manager for Ritchie Bros. Bennett, who notes that he started in the auction business with Leake founder James Sevenoaks, brings a wide breadth of experience and personal contacts to the company

Bennett spoke about one of the overall highlights of the Dallas sale, a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88, one of just 80 built, featuring its original 427/430hp engine, M22 Rock Crusher 4-speed and 3.70 rear end. The Corvette has its original factory build sheet still glued to its gas tank.

“The L88s have been in demand over the last couple of decades, domestically and internationally,” Bennett said. “This particular car is special because it is a documented three-owner car, with the tank sticker still in place, and under 25,000 documented miles.

“It has been repainted to its original color and is being offered now in its original color combination of white/red interior. We are very excited and proud to offer this special 1968 L88 coupe.”

Other featured cars at the auction, which will be held at Dallas Market Hall, include a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette FI, a 2005 Ford GT, a 1948 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet, a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner convertible, a 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible and a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190SL convertible.

For more information about Leake’s Dallas sale, visit the auction website.

Bertone treasures head to auction in Torino

News and Events

November 6, 2018

Bertone treasures head to auction in Torino

You may recall back in February, the amazing exploration of the warehouse that had hidden the treasures of Italian design house and coachbuilder Bertone, which traced its history to 1912 when Giovanni Bertone opened a shop to form sheet metal for motorcars.

The warehouse was discovered during the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. A few pieces were sold at an auction in early summer, with more on the docket of Aste Bolaffi’s “Auto Classiche: Classic motor vehicles, Yountimers & Memorabilia” auction scheduled for November 17 in Torino, Italy.

Pair of car doors turned into a piece of wall art that’s 47 inches tall and 86 inches in length

All of the Memorabilia at the auction is automobilia from the Bertone Stile bankruptcy, including several 1:5 scale models of Bertone-designed vehicles, press-office documents, spare parts — many of them one-off items built by Bertone, as well as Bertone insignias and sculptural artwork from the company’s buildings.

Here are just a few examples:

• A pallet stacked with large Bertone promotional posters,

• A single lot that includes five large-format photos printed on fabric and seven wall banners celebrating the history of Bertone,

Wall clock with scale-model cars is 56 inches in diameter

• A wall clock featuring six models of the Z.E.R. electric-powered speed vehicle.

• The left-side front and rear door prototypes turned into wall art.

• Bertone’s distinctive lower-case letter “b” emblems in powder-coated styrofoam and standing 6 feet, 8 inches in height.

• The individual capital letters B-E-R-T-O-N-E that once stood atop a Bertone facility in Grugliasco, Italy.

• Marcello Gandini’s drawing board.

• The unique hatchet that Giovanni Bertone used to mark his initials into the timber he selected for use in the coachbuilding workshop.

• Wooden cases containing samples of the interior materials for vehicles such as the Lamborghini Miura, Maserati Khamsin and Lancia Stratos.

• Assorted wheels, gauges, seats, and engines.

Among the vehicles being offered at the collector car portion of the sale are a 1991 Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione I, a 1985 BMW M635 CSI and a 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal described as “perfect,” a rare 1959 Fiat Nuova 500 Sport, an ex-NATO 1965 DKW Munga, and a never raced 1979 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus 2.2.

To view the auction catalog, see the Aste Bolaffi website.

Car that inspired ‘Smokey’ Trans Am won’t be offered at Indio auction

Media

Larry Edsall

November 6, 2018

Car that inspired ‘Smokey’ Trans Am won’t be offered at Indio auction

The vehicle that inspired the use of a Pontiac Trans Am as the featured vehicle in the Smokey and the Bandit movie will not be offered at a the EG Auctions sale scheduled for early in 2019 at Indio, California, the son of the car’s owner informed the ClassicCars.com Journal this week.

EG Auctions principal Todd Schwindt also said the car will not be on the docket for the Spring Cars, Stars and Rock N’ Roll Collector Car Auction in early February.

“The car was maybe going to be there,” David Martino said, adding that the consignment was “contingent on me going out there (from Miami). But it’s not a fit for this car. We view the car as more of a superstar legacy piece of artwork, as more than just a car.”

He said he plans to place the car with an auction company soon, but that he anticipates it will not be a typical collector car sale but one with an audience with wider interests than automobiles.

Schwindt said he believed he had a verbal commitment for the car’s consignment, and made his announcement based on that, but added that no contract was signed.

Police may have found Wild Cherry van at center of theft allegations

Commentary

Carter Nacke

November 6, 2018

Police may have found Wild Cherry van at center of theft allegations

A 1975 Chevrolet van in a police impound facility may be the controversial Wild Cherry van, though it appears to have been painted and the interior partially stripped.

The Los Angeles Police Department took possession of the van last week, more than a month after 39-year-old restorer Chris Carter was arrested in the case of the van’s disappearance from private property, an official told the Belleville News-Democrat.

“The dashboard, the engine, the transmission and the plates are missing,” Cheryl Peralta told the publication. Another lot employee, who did not want to be named, said the van was painted black. Only the roof was red.

Peralta said the van had VIN No. CGY144U143803, which was registered to a Vicki Carter in Collinsville, Illinois. She is Carter’s grandmother.
The controversy around the van began more than two years ago, when Carter first spotted the vehicle on social media.

“After I saw the picture, I just couldn’t get it out of my mind,” Carter told the News-Democrat in February. “To see that van abandoned with a tree on it, and to know its former glory, how nice that it looked, how it was in a movie … I knew I had to do something.”

He located the van in Lancaster, California after months of research and drove 1,900 miles just to ask around. The way he tells it, locals said the vehicle had been abandoned and one even opened a gate so Carter could load the van on a trailer.

Carter restored the van to its movie glory — it appeared in the 1979 film Van Nuys Blvd. — and began touring around the country. In June, a stolen vehicle report was filed.

“We didn’t know it was missing,” said Laura Godin, who co-owns the property where the van was left. She said her husband, Steven, bought the van in 1980 and the couple had dreams of restoring it.

“(Carter) has no idea the sentimental value that I hold in my heart for that van,” Godin, 54, told the News-Democrat in September. “… It’s been mine since I was 16. He has no idea what it means to me.”

Godin acknowledged the van had not been registered since the 1990s when filing the report.

Carter was arrested in Illinois after the allegations were made. He was reportedly extradited to California to face felony charges. Should he be found guilty, he could be sentenced to more than four years in prison.

The controversy around the van and its possession has dominated online conversations among classic van fans. Multiple Facebook groups have popped up so either support or criticize Carter, while at least two GoFundMe pages have been created to help pay legal bills. As of publication, both failed to reach their goals.

Coys offers trove of exotic car parts at upcoming auction

Media

Larry Edsall

November 6, 2018

Coys offers trove of exotic car parts at upcoming auction

Auction house Coys International says it will present “an extremely rare opportunity to acquire sought after spare parts for Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and Lamborghini models” at its November 23 auction at its showroom in Richmond, UK.

The parts, from a single-owner collection, range from those for sports cars from the 1950s to current models, the auction house added, listing, among others, “dozens of starter motors, alternators, brake servos and calipers from 1950s 250 Ferraris to 3500 Maserati’s which are no longer in manufacture.”

The docket for the “Bellissime Parti di Automobili & The Best of British” sale includes around 200 lots.

A pair of AP Lockheed servos for Aston Martin

“It is a one-off opportunity for parts providers, restoration facilities and collectors to acquire these parts that are no longer available elsewhere,” said Nick Wells, Coys’ senior auction director.

Coys’ announcement said the docket also includes “complete sets of all the Bosch K-jet and Bosch KE-Jet fuel injection equipment fitted to 1980s and early 1990s Ferrari V8 and V12 which are no longer in manufacture with Bosch. The sale will also present variety of dash parts for early 250 cars, assorted body panels, wheels, suspension and engine and other electrical components.

“Core parts of Maserati Cars going under the hammer are several early V8 engines, bellhousings, S5-325 gearbox, brake calipers and hydraulic components for pre-1980s Maserati Straight 6 and V8 engine cars.”

Sets of hydraulic components for the Citroen-era Maserati cars and Lucas fuel injection components for early six-cylinder cars are also up for auction. It includes large variety of suspension parts for early front engine cars, assorted body parts, wheels, suspension, engine and electrical components.

“Collection of Aston Martin spare parts going on sale are the all starter motors, dynamos and alternators from DB4 up to late AMV8, brake servos and calipers from DB4-AMV8. A variety of NOs components for DB5/6 cars and all water pumps from DB4-late AMV8 will also go under the hammer.

“Lamborghini parts that can be seen in the auction include a selection of koni shocks fitted to early Lamborghini cars, a variety of brake hydraulic components for early V12 cars and core components for early V8 cars.”

For more information, and to see the full docket, visit the Coys website.

Early Toyota Land Cruiser FJ25

Pick of the Day

Bob Golfen

November 6, 2018

Toyota re-established itself from the shambles of World War II with the rugged Land Cruiser, which helped the Japanese automaker in 1958 to enter the U.S. market, where the company also introduced the Toyopet Crown sedan. Sales started modestly, with only about 250 vehicles sold during the following year.

The Pick of the Day is a 1957 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ25 built just before Toyota arrived here, and it displays the original purity of design that morphed into the popular FJ40, a popular choice both for classic car collectors and for off-roaders who appreciate its intrepid 4X4 capabilities.

This FJ25 has been totally restored to an original Jeep-like style, and it stands in show-ready condition, according to the St. Louis, Missouri, dealer advertising the Land Cruiser on ClassicCars.com.

The Dealer’s ad offers a brief history of how the FJ came to be.

“The genesis of the Land Cruiser came with a post-war agreement between Toyota and the U.S. Military,” the dealer notes, recalling the American occupation of Japan after World War II. “In 1950, the U.S. government commissioned Toyota to build 100 Willys Jeeps that were to be used by soldiers and Military Police stationed in Japan during the Korean War. Toyota obliged but immediately saw room for improvement on the venerable American design.

“In 1951, Toyota developed their own prototype which drew the best the Jeep and the British Land Rover had to offer, combined into one new package. Production of the Toyota Jeep BJ began in 1953, and the vehicle was put into service by American MPs. In 1954, a civilian version (FJ) was introduced, and the Land Cruiser name was born.

“The civilian FJ25 led Toyota’s expansion into new markets, where the sturdy and dependable little truck paved the way for the hugely successful 40-series.”

The little four-wheeler is powered by Toyota’s sturdy 3.9-liter inline-6 engine and 4-speed manual transmission, fitted to the solid 4-wheel-drive system. Land Cruisers have a well-earn reputation for durability, and it’s not uncommon to find them in decent condition with well over 200,000 miles.

But this one is in essentially brand-new condition, the dealer says, after its professional restoration. The odometer shows just nine miles, or possibly kilometers, likely reset after its rebirth.

“This 1957 FJ25 is an extremely rare and desirable early-production FJ-series Land Cruiser,” the ad says. “This truck has been treated to a comprehensive restoration performed by a Toyota specialist. Freshly completed in 2018, it is very attractive, finished in dark green with brown seats. The deep green paint and body quality is good without appearing over-restored, which is appropriate for a utilitarian vehicle such as this.

“It is one of the earliest of its kind in North America and represents a significant and vital period for Land Cruiser enthusiasts. Rarely do such early pre-40 Series FJs become available, and this is an exceptional opportunity to acquire a restored and usable example.”

While it may not be over-restored, the FJ25 looks far too nice to thrash through the woods, and a potential buyer should consider it as a collector vehicle to be cherished and driven only in civilized circumstances.

The asking price is a substantial $84,500, but considering that the Land Cruiser is from the pre-importation era and a rarity in the U.S., and that values have soared for much-more-common FJ40s, this seems fair and perhaps even reasonable.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Jeff Allen unveils insane Volvo Amazon-Corvette mashup at SEMA Show

Media

Carter Nacke

November 5, 2018

Jeff Allen unveils insane Volvo Amazon-Corvette mashup at SEMA Show

Editor’s note: Get more news from the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas by checking out our dedicated page for daily updates.

Numerous impressive cars were parked at the Shell booth at the 2018 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, but this Volvo-Corvette mashup created by Jeff Allen took the cake for being the weirdest — and possibly coolest.

“I wanted to do something big to show others to think outside the box,” the former The Car Chasers host said.

Allen had long been wanting to build around a Chevrolet LS engine and he found his inspiration when he parked a 1963 Volvo 122S Amazon next to a Corvette Z06.

“I said, ‘You know, those wheelbases are pretty close’.”

Thus the mashup began and the V06 was born. As Allen put it, “What started out on bar napkins became reality.”

Rather than fabricating his own parts, Allen used bolt-on items anyone can find at a store or online. He said the point was to demonstrate to people — especially young and aspiring builders — that pretty much anything is possible.

The unveiling of the V06 drew a decent-sized crowd. | Shell photo

And the car proves it. Nicknamed Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, it has a Lingenfelter-built LS7 under the hood capable of making 600 horsepower.

“We just had a ball,” Allen said of the build.

The chassis of the Z06 would prove to be too difficult to modify and Allen did not want to drop a frame onto a body, so he turned to a 2013 Corvette Grand Sport. As expected, some tweaks were made –- an inch off here, a rocker shaved there -– but everything wound up fitting.

The V06 was one of the most unique builds at the 2018 SEMA Show, which is saying something. | Shell photo

Allen also added the widest fender flares he could find over Forgeline wheels to give the car a more unique stance and appearance. The rear spoiler was designed and 3D-printed by SEMA specifically for the car.

Of note in the interior is the headliner, a gray-and-yellow plaid pattern taken from a 1975 Porsche. The plaid was continued into the trunk lid lining.

Allen also threw in a few extra details just for fun. For example, the fuel tank and door location were taken from the Corvette and the Volvo’s original fuel door in the rear of the car was converted into a reverse light.

The BMW M4 Gold paint was a perfect choice for the car. | Shell photo

“It’s the coolest thing in the world, but it’ll blind you in reverse,” Allen laughed.

Even the Corvette’s original key fob still works. Allen used it to unlock the doors.

He knew the design would not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he was excited to see people’s reactions.

“Love it or hate it, you’ll have some kind of emotion with this car,” he said.

After SEMA, the V06 will be taken on a nationwide tour. That will wrap up at an upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction, where it will be sold to benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Supracalifragilisticexpialidocious

Car Culture

Larry Edsall

November 5, 2018

Editor’s note: Get more news from the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas by checking out our dedicated page.

We’ve seen the 2020 Toyota Supra hidden beneath racing wraps for a while, and the production version finally will be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in downtown Detroit, the company announced during the recent SEMA Show.

Toyota also announced at SEMA that the first new Supra to be offered for sale will cross the block in January at Barrett-Jackson’s annual collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, though the winning bidder won’t be able to take possession of his or her car until production begins by mid-2019.

Toyota showcased both its 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Supra and the Supra GTE racing concept at the SEMA Show, where they were displayed next two a line of vintage Supras, and with more vintage Supras parked just outside the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall only steps away from the Toyota stand.

The Supra generations, with NASCAR version closest to the camera

This isn’t the first time Toyota has showcased its history at SEMA. In 2016, its stand featured a “Past, Present, Extreme” theme with extremely modified Land Crusier, Corolla, Sienna, Tacoma, 86 and Prius models displayed next to earlier and wonderfully preserved versions. And since 2016 marked the 50th anniversary for the Corolla, the outside display included all 11 generations of the Toyota compact.

The new Supra will launch the car’s fifth generation, and has been developed in partnership with BMW, which unveiled its version in the form of the Z4 roadster a few months ago at Pebble Beach. Such joint development is a way to produce lower-volume vehicles that appeal to driving enthusiasts. Toyota’s newest 86 coupe was produced in conjunction with Subaru, which calls its version the BRZ.

While keeping the final design — quite literally — under wraps, Toyota did show at Detroit in 2014 a concept car, the FT1, that is believed to strongly hint at the 2020 Supra styling.

2014 Toyota FT1 likely hinted at design cues for the 2020 Toyota Supra

What’s next for the original ‘Bullitt’ Mustang?

Media

Carter Nacke

November 5, 2018

What’s next for the original ‘Bullitt’ Mustang?

Editor’s note: Get more news from the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas by checking out our dedicated page.

Amid all the glitz and glam at the annual SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center sat the original Ford Mustang used in the Bullitt film. The appearance, along with that of owner Sean Kiernan, was part of an international tour that won’t be coming to an end anytime soon.

“It’s been fantastic,” Kiernan said outside of the Shell booth where the car was parked.

“As long as the car is good, I’m good,” he added.

And the car looked great. Its dark green paint still shows the wear and tear put on a movie car and that original look is something Kiernan wants to leave in place, just as his father did after purchasing the car in 1974.

Kiernan pulls back the sheet on the delightfully blemished original Bullitt Mustang at the 2018 SEMA Show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. | Shell photo — Kiernan (right) pulls back the sheet on the delightfully blemished original *Bullitt* Mustang at the 2018 SEMA Show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. | Shell photo

“This is a timeline of my life and I’m not one to erase history,” he said, adding that preserving the car — paint cracks, rust and all — is far more difficult than restoring it.

Kiernan plans to continue to share that history with the world. He’s already taken the car (with the help of sponsors) across the United States and a few events overseas, including the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed. He planned to take the Mustang to California after SEMA and, eventually, to Le May – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

Kiernan stands next to the original Bullitt Mustang his father bought 44 years ago. | Shell photo — Kiernan stands next to the original *Bullitt* Mustang his father bought 44 years ago. | Shell photo

But staff there won’t be working on the Mustang. Instead, Kiernan plans to fly from his home in Nashville, Tennessee, to the Pacific Northwest to perform any needed maintenance or even to move the car within the museum, should that be needed.

“I’ll always be the one that puts in the blood, sweat and tears,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want to place the burden of caring for the vehicle on anyone else.

The Mustang won’t be a permanent fixture in the museum. Instead, it will split time between Tacoma and Kiernan’s garage.

“I’m getting good at not having anxiety with it not being in there (the garage), but I know she’ll be back,” he said.

Not that planning an excursion is simple. Kiernan said a lot of factors come into play when taking the car from event to event. He joked that the car should be nicknamed “Change of Plans” because of the frequent alterations in his schedule.

The 2018 SEMA Show was hardly the last chance to see the original Bullitt Mustang. | Carter Nacke photo — The 2018 SEMA Show was hardly the last chance to see the original *Bullitt* Mustang. | Carter Nacke photo

When asked if he planned to sell the car, Kiernan said he wouldn’t dream of it. He said the only people who he would even consider offering the car to would never buy it because they know how much it means to him.

So if you were worried about missing out on seeing the Bullitt Mustang, you needn’t worry. Kiernan said he will continue to tote the car around so fans can catch a glimpse and so he can preserve the memory of his father while raising awareness for the neurodegenerative disorder that claimed his father’s life.

“I can honor my father and bring awareness to Parkinson’s,” he said.

But Kiernan is also benefiting from the tour.

“It’s made me a better person,” he said.

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