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A New My Car Quest

by Mike -

If the wind stays at my back later today, or tomorrow, I will switch My Car Quest to a new software platform, WordPress, and a new host site. This has been a lot of work but hopefully we will all like the result.

Like the Silver Surfer above I hope to be free (free from Google in my case).

The new address is mycarquest.com - no more blogspot.

Price Reduction For My Book

by Mike -

European Style with American Muscle is now available at a 20% discount - now priced at $35.99 here. It is  a few cents cheaper at Amazon.

More RM Auctions - Classic Cars For Sale In London

by Mike -

Here are some more of my favorite cars to be auctioned at RM Auctions in London on October 26 (today). My other favorites are here.

1964 Facel Vega II



Estimate: £190,000-£240,000

RM says:

355 bhp, 383 cu. in. Chrysler V-8 engine, Chrysler three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission, independent front suspension and solid axle with leaf springs in the rear, four-wheel disc brakes. 

• Exquisite French design powered by American muscle

• Recipient of a recent meticulous restoration

• Rare and desirable RHD model

You know that I love these European Style with American Muscle cars. I love them so much that I wrote a book about them. But the RHD is not a plus for me.

1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS Spyder

Estimate: £140,000-£170,000

RM says:

335 hp, 4,930 cc DOHC V-8, four Weber 48DCNL carburettors, ZF five-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with coil springs, double wishbones and anti-roll bar, rigid rear axle with radius arms, semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

• Maserati’s RHD 1970 Earls Court Motor Show car 

• Exceedingly rare RHD SS Spyder, indicating 76,000 miles

• Fully documented history in hands of Maserati aficionados

• Repainted in original Fly Yellow as part of extensive 1980-82 restoration

How can I resist a yellow Italian convertable?

1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast

Estimate: £580,000-£650,000

Look at that sleek fastback - beautiful.

RM says:

400 bhp, 4,962 cc SOHC V-12 engine, five-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel Dunlop hydraulic disc brakes.

• One of only eight Superfasts built in right-hand drive

• Matching numbers and Ferrari Classiche certification with an extensive history file

• Very late Series I example with five-speed gearbox and A/C

• The only example originally equipped with rear seats

• Less than 13,200 miles from new

It is curious that RM touts the fact that this is the only example with rear seats. Rear seats in a Ferrari usually cut the value by more than 50%.

1968 Aston Martin DBS V8

Estimate: £50,000-£60,000

RM says:

343 bhp, alloy V-8, 5,340 cc engine with Bosch fuel injection and dual overhead camshafts, ZF five-speed gearbox, double-wishbone front suspension with coil-over shock absorbers and a De Dion rear located by trailing arms and a Watts linkage, four-wheel Girling disc brakes. 

• Factory-fitted with prototype experimental engine V/535/001/PX

• Rare prototype V-8 found in a DBS

A British muscle car - so cool.

1955 AC Ace

Estimate: £130,000-£180,000

RM says:

Check back soon for complete catalog description.

Interesting that there is no information because the auction is today. This must have been a late entry. Even so it is still a real catch - the predecessor to the AC Shelby Cobra.

Please share your comments with me and other readers.

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Jaguar Eagle E-Types Speedster

by Mike -

I did not think that anyone could make the Jaguar E-Type more beautiful and exciting than the original design. But Eagle E-Types in England has done just that.

They are experts at restoring E-Types and they have taken it to the next level of modernization, performance and style. All customized to their customers desires.

The all-aluminium 4.7 litre XK engine combined with an aluminium gearbox and aluminium differential, results in a substantial decrease in weight, down to only 1008 kg (2,222 pounds)!

This beauty was at the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours On The Avenue on August 16, 2011.

Please share your comments with me and other readers.

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RM Auctions - Classic Cars For Sale In London

by Mike -

RM Auctions will be auctioning some exceptional classic cars at Battersea in London on October 26. Here are some of my favorites.

1958 Lister-Chevrolet “Knobbly” Sports Racing Car

Estimate: £460,000-£590,000 ($731,000-$938,000)

RM says:

• Genuine three-owner Knobbly Lister-Chevrolet

• Single ownership since 1969

• Complete professional restoration

• Three-decade long career in CASC, SVRA and VSCCA historic events

• Outstanding historic racing candidate; a true D-Type, Chaparral 1 and “Birdcage” fighter!

352 cu. in. Chevrolet V-8 racing engine

This has always been one of my favorite race cars but I never thought of it as a  “Birdcage” fighter.

1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder by Scaglietti

Estimate: £1,550,000-£1,800,000 ($2,465,000-$2,862,000)

RM says:

Est. 260 hp, 2,999 cc DOHC four-cylinder engine, two Weber 58 mm DCOA/3 carburettors, five-speed manual transmission in transaxle, independent front suspension with unequal-length A-arms, coil springs and Houdaille shocks, de Dion solid rear axle with transverse leaf springs and trailing arms, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

• Multiple race-winning, ex-Ernie McAfee against the likes of Hill and Shelby

• The sole 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder built without a headrest 

• Raced from 1956-63 by Masten Gregory and luminaries

• Restored in Modena to exact original specifications in 2000 

• Multiple concours award-winner 2003-2006, including Cavallino Classic, Amelia Island and The Quail

• Ferrari Classiche certification

Great history, looks like it spent most of its life in the US. But no head rest? Maybe that will be a ding on the price.

1965 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada

Estimate: £350,000-£400,000 ($557,000-$636,000)

The upper end of this price range puts this car in world record territory for a GT 5300 at auction.

RM says:

...this is believed to be one of the last early cars that shared design characteristics with the competition A3C cars, including four taillights, deeper vertical vents, slim door handles and a different and more sporting dash. Additionally, like the competition cars, it does not have bumpers, and most importantly, it is reported to be close to 200 kgs lighter than the later Bizzarinis...

I saw this car in Monterey in 2009 and wrote about it here and here. I am very happy that RM was able to get the marque and model correct.

Chevrolet Corvette 327 cid V8

1969 AC 428 Frua Drophead Coupé

Estimate: £120,000-£155,000 ($191,000-$246,000)

RM says:

345 bhp, 6,989 cc overhead valve V-8 engine, three-speed automatic transmission, independent coil spring front and rear suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

• One of only 29 convertibles built

• Italian style, English engineering, American horsepower!

• Fresh from bare metal re-spray

These cars are rare and good looking.

1972 Lamborghini Miura SV

Estimate: £750,000-£900,000 ($1,193,000-$1,431,000)

RM says:

385 bhp, 3,929 cc transverse mid-mounted alloy DOHC V-12 engine, Weber twin-choke carburettors, five-speed manual gearbox, independent front and rear suspension with A-arms, coil springs with tubular shocks and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

• The ultimate-spec “SV” variant of the original Italian supercar

• Recently rebuilt V-12 with only an approximate 100 miles since

• Highly desirable and rare original features including A/C and factory fitted radio

• Very rare cloth upholstery and Alcantara dash

Wow, this is expensive. I know it is an SV but is it really worth twice as much as the first generation Miura? Especially with cloth upholstery and Alcantara dash - wouldn't you rather have leather?

1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB 'Tour de France' Berlinetta

Estimate: £2,000,000-£2,400,000 ($3,180,000-$3,816,000)

RM says:

250 bhp at 7,000 rpm, 2,953 cc SOHC alloy block-and-head V-12 engine, triple Weber carburettors, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

• One of the most desirable competition-bred Ferraris extant

• Alloy coachwork and V-12 power

• Desirable covered headlamps; one of 36 “single-louver” examples

• Ferrari Classiche-certified and matching numbers

• Restoration by marque specialists in Italy

This looks like a car that was in Hungary recently.

1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT by Touring

Estimate: £780,000-£880,000 ($1,240,000-$1,399,000)

RM says:

302 bhp, 3,670 cc twin plug dual overhead camshaft alloy engine with three Weber 45 DCOE carburettors, four-speed synchromesh alloy-cased close ratio gearbox, four-wheel coil-spring suspension, and four-wheel Girling disc brakes.

• One of 75 GT examples built

• Matching numbers, highly original RHD example

• Triple Weber carburetted, 3.7-litre engine

• Original colour combination of Goodwood Green over original Fawn interior

• Recent service and known history

This is one of the rare GT models and it is a great color combination - now if only the steering wheel were on the other side. I hope no one turns this into a DB4 GT Zagato replica.

Please share your comments with me and other readers. Click on the images for a larger view.

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