The Bizzarrini Wins The Owner's Choice Award At Hillsborough

by Mike -

The Bizzarrini GT 5300 went to the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance this past Sunday, the oldest continually running Concours d'Elegance in the world.

I signed up for "display only", meaning no judging, because I just wanted to relax and talk to car people, my friends and maybe have a beer, which I did.

Just Minding Its Own Business

However, I also had two notices placed on my windshield that my presence was requested on the stage. The first was for the "Parade d"Elegance" where they interviewed owners of unusual cars that you may not have seen before. The video of this interview is at the end of this post.

Then just when I was planning to leave for the day another notice appeared on my windshield letting me know that I had received a "Perpetual Award". I had no idea what this meant but I stayed to find out.

Beautiful Cars Attract Beautiful Ladies

When I drove up to the stage for the second time I was informed that the Bizzarrini had been voted the "Owner's Choice Award" winner. This means that the other 200 car owners voted my Bizzarrini their favorite car at the show!

This is like winning the Oscars - voted the best by your peers. There were several spectacular Bugattis, Jaguars, Ferraris, Packards, Maseratis and many other great cars at this event. I posted photos of some of these classic cars here.

The Bizzarrini Engine

I was stunned because I went there to just relax and not to be judged. Fortunately they did not ask me to make an acceptance speech.

I also enjoyed meeting the My Car Quest readers who stopped by and in one case talked to me when I was in the car driving up to the stage. Thank you all.

The "Parade d"Elegance" video is below and is 2 minutes and 58 seconds long.



My thanks to all of the owners who voted for my car, I do appreciate the honor.

Please share your comments with me and My Car Quest readers.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Waiting To Go Home After A Long, Fun Day

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Sold!-Two Former Steve McQueen Cars At Auction

by Mike - 

The sales results are in red text.

How many classic cars did Steve McQueen own? It seems like every year another one comes up for sale. Now RM Auctions has two up for auction in Monterey this year.

The first is a 1953 Siata 208/S Spider that I have photographed and written about before here and here.

$946,000-Sold - it does not seem that the Steve McQueen Factor helped this car. The Hagerty Price Guide lists the value of this car (without the McQueen Factor) at $1.1 million for a condition 1 car and $950,000 for a condition 2 car. I wrote about this car before and it is easily a condition 2 car. 


The Siata 208/S Spider at this link sold at Gooding for $1,567,500. This car was a Pebble Beach class winner, a condition 1 car.

RM's summary:

- Legendary “8V” power with rare, attractive and desirable spyder coachwork

- Multiple concours awards; shown at The Quail, twice at Pebble Beach and part of an extended exhibit at the Petersen Museum

- In excellent condition, a superb event entry, eligible for the Mille Miglia

The other former McQueen car is a 1970 Porsche 911S "Le Mans" Movie Car.

$1,375,000-Sold - as I said before here, this is a huge Steve McQueen Factor - more than a 10:1 ratio over the same car without the McQueen connection. Those few minutes in the movie Le Mans may have had an impact on this price.

RM's summary:

- Delivered new to Steve McQueen on the set of the iconic motorsport movie Le Mans

- Highest available specification offered by Porsche for street models

- Invoiced and assigned by the Property Master for use during filming and for McQueen’s personal use

- Four owners from new, including McQueen’s personal collection in California

- Excellent in highly original preserved condition

- Well documented with invoices and correspondence corroborating absolute authenticity

RM has not published a price estimate yet on either car but I suspect they will be expensive.

I always preview the RM cars at Monterey but I may have to attend the auction this year.

Click on the images for a larger view.

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Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance - A Great Event

by Mike -

The Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance was held this past Sunday. It was a great day and was a well organized and well run event with many special classic cars.

1968 Lamborghini Miura

The Italian Lineup

1969 Iso Grifo Series 2 Targa

The Bizzarrini GT 5300 surrounded by a Maserati Bora and Maserati Merak

This is the longest continually running Concours d'Elegance in the world. This was the 55th year and I expect Hillsborough will continue to hold this record indefinitely. I wrote about this event here.

1937 Airomobile, experimental sedan

1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Aerodynamica

1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal

1956 Austin Healey 100M

1937 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC

1952 Jaguar XK120M

1923 Bugatti Type 32 "Tank De Tours"

This Bugatti above looks like it is going backward.

The Ferrari Lineup

1954 Arnolt Bristol Bolide

Iso Grifo in the parking lot

We drove the Iso Grifo to the event and trailered the Bizzarrini. The Grifo spent the day in the parking lot.

I entered the Bizzarrini GT 5300 for "display only", so no judging, which should allow me to have a more relaxing time and talk to other car people without the pressure of judges. 

But as you will see in the next post it did not turn out as I had anticipated.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Please share your comments with me and other readers. Some photos by Michael Menetto.

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Sales Results-Selected Ferraris For Sale At The Monterey Auctions

by Mike - 

Sales results are in red text.

There are many great Ferraris at the Monterey auctions this year as usual. I may need to write another post to cover some of the others.

Here are some that I think deserve attention.

1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta at RM Auctions.

Estimate: Available Upon Request - ouch, too expensive to write down. Look at the drivers who drove this car, that adds something to the value.

$3,685,000 Sold - expensive as predicted.

RM says:

280 hp, 4,101 cc SOHC V-12 engine, three Weber 40 mm DCF/3 carburetors, five-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension by double wishbone and transverse leaf spring, rear live axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and trailing arms, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

- Third of only three 340 Mexico Berlinettas built, purpose built to contest 1952 Carrera Panamericana

- Original, matching-numbers drivetrain

- Ex-Alberto Ascari, Carroll Shelby, Jack McAfee

- 1988 Ferrari Club of America Best in Show; Best Competition Ferrari

- 1989 Best in Class at Pebble Beach Concours

- Extensive recent historic racing and 2007 Pebble Beach entry (Exhibition Only)

1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer at RM Auctions.

$130,000 Sold - this is a lot of fun for a modest price.

Estimate: $150,000-$200,000 - always a classic at a "reasonable" price for a Ferrari.

RM says:

344 bhp, 4,390 cc horizontally-opposed, DOHC 12-cylinder engine, four Weber triple-choke carburetors, five-speed manual gearbox in rear transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension with unequal-length A-arms, with coil springs and anti-roll bars, twin coil springs at rear, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

- Ferrari’s first road-going flat 12-cylinder “Boxer” design

- Approximately 17,300 original miles

- One of only 387 built

1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta at RM Auctions.

Not Sold at a high bid of $270,000 - this seems like a lot of money to not accept.

Estimate: $295,000-$345,000 - probably more fun to drive than the Boxer above and more expensive too.

RM says:

352 bhp, 4,390 cc double overhead camshaft V-12 engine, six Weber 40DCN20 dual choke carburetors, five-speed manual gearbox, independent front and rear suspension with unequal length A-arms, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, four-wheel servo-assisted hydraulic disc brakes.

- Spectacular example of Ferrari’s last true front-engined vintage V-12 supercar

- Ownership history from new

1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa at Gooding.

$16,390,000 Sold - a world record for a car sold at auction - wow, I wonder if this will appreciate?

Estimate Available Upon Request - another very expensive car, but what a history.

Gooding says:

The First 250 Testa Rossa Built

An Exceedingly Rare Scuderia Ferrari Team Car

Eight-Year International Racing History at Premier Venues

Driven by the Greatest Names in Motor Sport

Known, Continuous Ownership History from New

Multiple-Award-Winning Restoration by Dennison International

First in Class at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Presented in Stunning 1958 Le Mans NART Livery

Offered with Extensive Documentation, Race Engine and Spares

Documented by Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini

Fully Certified by Ferrari Classiche

2,953 CC Tipo 128 LM SOHC V-12 Engine

Six Weber 38 DCN Carburetors 

300 BHP at 7,200 RPM 

4-Speed Manual Gearbox 

4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes 

Independent Front Suspension with A-Arms and Coil Springs

De Dion Tube Rear Axle with Transverse Leaf Springs

1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider at Gooding - finally a non-red Ferrari!

$3,355,000 Sold - did the non-red color help or hurt the price?

Estimate is $3,000,000 - $4,000,000 - so not too expensive and it looks and sounds great in the video below.

Gooding says:

The 18th of 50 LWB California Spiders

Factory Delivered with Cold-Air Box and Velocity Stacks

Known Ownership History from New

Verified Matching-Numbers Example

Restored by the Finest Restoration Firms

Recently Sorted and Serviced by Bob Smith

Documented by Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini

2,953 CC SOHC Tipo 128 D V-12 Engine

Three Weber 36 DCL3 Carburetors

240 BHP at 7,000 RPM

4-Speed Manual Gearbox

4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes

Independent Front Suspension with Anti-Sway Bar

Live Rear Axle with Trailing Arms

One of the perks of owning the auction company is that you get to drive some of the cars!

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