Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report
Gooding and Company, Omni Amelia Island Plantation, Amelia Island, Florida, March 11, 2016
Otis Chandler, William Harrah, Henry Austin Clark, Jr. and Bruce Weiner share a thread with Jerry Seinfeld.
They elevated car collecting to a high level.
Chandler worked his way through collecting genres from American Muscle through motorcycles to grand Classics, each time doing his research, enlisting the best specialists and exercising a common characteristic shared with the others called ‘taste’.
Bill Harrah was eclectic, yet the staff he assembled and the standards he had them follow makes ‘Harrah’s restoration’ still a standard for careful, thorough research and a wide-ranging search for the best.
Austie Clark never met a vehicle he didn’t like, and he drove them with a verve and style rarely duplicated while preserving relics that form the Genesis of the automobile and without which our automotive history would be sadly shallow.
Bruce Weiner loved (and still loves) microcars, making their documentation a signature of his collection.
Add Jerry Seinfeld, who sold 18 cars in the headline collection at this year’s Gooding & Company Amelia Island Auction, to that list. He may (and probably does) own rats, but they weren’t among his collection-thinning offering in Amelia. His reputation as a discerning collector of the finest cars from Porsche is well-established. He has honed his understanding of Porsche, augmenting it with advice from recognized experts, to a high level, imparting ‘Ex-Seinfeld Collection’ provenance to every Porsche (or VW) he owns. They are the best.
And they were presented that way, pristine, fresh and crisp according to their histories.
The Gooding Amelia Island marquee was a panoply of Porsche shirts as the Stuttgart faithful gathered to the time and place to witness a display even more Porsche-centric than Gooding’s offering here of the Drendel collection of turbocharged Porsches in 2012. The place was packed to the walls.
Celebrity doesn’t hurt, either, and every successful buyer got a photo (in some cases a very expensive photo) together with the car and Jerry Seinfeld.
The sale’s headline car, Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder s/n 2871GT was almost an afterthought, selling for a within-estimate $17,160,000 late in the sale.
At the end of the day the Seinfeld cars and the Cal Spyder made this, by almost a factor of two, Gooding’s most successful Amelia Island auction, with $60,179,350 changing hands.
Here are the numbers:
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Andrew Newton contributed many of the on-site observations; the editor remains responsible for the final content and observations.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report
Lot # 03 1973 Fiat 130 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 130BC0002591; Blue/Beige leather; Estimate $40,000 – $60,000; Cosmetic restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700 – 3235cc/165hp V6, Cromodora alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, single twin-choke Weber, ZF 5-speed, Audiovox cassette stereo, power windows, dash clock. – Lightly scratched mirrors. Trunk is not flush. Fairly worn but sound upholstery. The rest of the interior is very good. Cosmetically restored years ago, then imported from Italy in 2012 and recently serviced, including a new clutch. Not Pininfarina’s most elegant design, but a neat car that’s rare in Europe and almost unknown in the US. – An intriguing car with typical 70’s Italian coachwork, powered by a 60 degree V-6, but a different engine from the Dinos. It’s always going to attract modest attention but its coachwork is mundane and 165hp (German DIN rating) doesn’t make it much of a performer today although in 1973 it was notable. The result shows the bidders’ indifference to it. As a conversation piece it has value, and it should drive reasonably well with 4-wheel independent suspension and the 5-speed. In the end, though, no one much cares.Lot # 05 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina Coupe, Body by Scaglietti; S/N 19145; Rosso Corsa/Black leather; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $215,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $236,500 – Fiberglass body, quadruple Webers, dry sump, Campagnolo wheels, Michelin XWX tires, power windows, Borletti air conditioning, cassette stereo, Grey market import approvals, owner’s manual, tool roll. – Represented with original paint and interior. Very good paint and bumper plastic. Dull, foggy wheel caps. Fairly worn but good upholstery. Sold new in Italy before making its way to Florida, where it was fitted with a US speedometer/odometer, which now shows 45,701 miles. Serviced extensively last year. – This is no ordinary 308, as this transaction shows. The early carbureted, dry sump lubricated fiberglass cars command a significant premium, and this one’s impressive level of preservation in addition to the concentration of wealth in the room explain the big result, one that’s expensive but not excessive.Lot # 07 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster; S/N WDDAK76F18M001557; Pure Black/Red leather; Burgundy cloth top; Estimate $360,000 – $425,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $360,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $396,000 – 5.4/617hp supercharged V8, 5-speed paddle shift automatic, Michelin Pilot Sport tires, carbon ceramic brakes, red calipers, power windows, climate control, factory radio, CarFax documented. – One of 106 2008 Roadsters. Two owners. Like new with 2,000 miles and recently serviced. – This was a half-million dollar car when new, so this transaction still shows used car depreciation on a used car. The buyer would prefer it be considered a future classic.Lot # 09 1966 Porsche 912 Coupe; S/N 353326; Gulf Blue/Black vinyl; Estimate $60,000 – $80,000; Older restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – 1582/102hp, dual Solex carbs, 5-speed, steel wheels with hub caps, Vredestein tires, dual mirrors, Simpson lap belts, Blaupunkt AM/FM pushbutton radio, Koni suspension, Cibie headlights. – Very clean, like new engine bay. Very good paint. Excellent interior. Fully restored in 1990, but looks to have been done much more recently and showing no flaw other than very light general age. – Sold by Gooding in Scottsdale last year for $82,500. That was a monumental price at the time for a 912, and while this result only a year later is still expensive, it’s sign of Porsche-mania settling down. The Gooding bidders were probably keeping their powder dry in anticipation of the Jerry Seinfeld Porsches coming across the block an hour or so later. Sometimes it’s good to be a buyer with the courage to stand up for your convictions and not wait for the star cars.Lot # 12 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi Berlinetta, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFJA09B000047867; Rosso Corsa/Beige leather; Estimate $300,000 – $350,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $270,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $297,000 – Centerlock wheels, Michelin X tires, power windows, air conditioning, Momo steering wheel, Pioneer cassette stereo, Grey market approvals, complete tool roll, manuals, original stereo. – Recent engine-out service on belts, valve adjustment, clutch, hoses and cooling system. Tiny, tiny chip on the nose. Signs of light use and dirt underneath. Very good original paint. Very lightly worn interior. Bought new in Los Angeles by actress Kirstie Alley for husband Parker Stevenson. A babied Ferrari with no stories and 9,057 miles. The kind of car to buy. – Berlinetta Boxers have been consistently cutting new records and it is therefore surprising that this low miles, documented, ex-[minor]celebrity owned BBi didn’t bring more. Its history makes it a good, but not excessive, value at this price.Lot # 14 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster; S/N CSX2433; Dark Blue/Black leather; Estimate $950,000 – $1,100,000; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,320,000 – Wide hip body, dark grey Halibrand style centerlock alloy wheels, braced paperclip rollbar, fire system, SW gauges, black side exhausts, quick jack pickups, no bumpers, four Webers, Le Mans style hardtop, quick release fuel cap. – Raced when new and restored in competition Cobra configuration by Bruce Canepa in 2012. Fresh, shiny recent paint, good older upholstery, sharp, clean like new engine compartment. A highly developed, powerful Cobra less intended for show than for go. – An endorphin eliciting Cobra not for the faint of heart or the unskilled, calculated and intended to be driven hard in competition events. There is no presumption of originality here, just purpose, which it has in abundance. Its price is as enthusiastic as the Cobra.Lot # 16 1965 Lamborghini 350GT Coupe, Body by Touring; S/N 0343; Engine # 274; Metallic Green/Brown leather; Estimate $650,000 – $750,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $600,000 – Borrani wire wheels, Michelin Defender tires, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, Panasonic cassette stereo. – Represented as matching numbers. In Madrid for most of its life before going to Isao Noritake’s collection in Japan. Dull bumpers with deplating in a few spots. Very good repaint. Clean and tidy and original underneath. Originally painted Argento Metallizzato. Painted over stress cracks and a small dent at the back of the hood. Dull grille. Crack at the bottom of the hood. Touch up at the back of the driver’s door. Worn but sound original upholstery and switchgear. The first production Lamborghini model, of which 120 were built. A complete, mostly original car aside from an old respray, showing 97,220 km and age that could easily be lived with. – Not sold? Why not? This is a tired Lambo and no one could possibly parse its value within 7.7% of the low estimate. If there was money at the reported high bid it should have gone away.Lot # 20 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N 1695GT; Engine # 1695GT; Grigio Scuro/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $1,500,000 – $1,800,000; Cosmetic restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,375,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,512,500 – Triple Webers, Ansa exhaust, Borrani wire wheels, Falken tires, woodrim steering wheel. – Fourth of 200 built. Exhibited at Geneva in 1960 with nineteen subsequent owners. Originally finished in Verde Scuro over tan leather. Represented as matching numbers. Plating is flaking off of the wheel lobes. Doors aren’t flush. Old Falken tires, and probably should have Michelins on it. Lightly scratched chrome. A few small bubbles on the nose. Orange peel on the tail. Quite worn upholstery. It is in basic driver condition. Inherently cool and collectible for what it is, but in unremarkable older cosmetically restored condition. – Sold for $120,868 at Brooks all-Ferrari auction in Gstaad in 1999 in its original livery, repainted shortly thereafter and essentially left alone since then. It may have many needs, but most of all it needs to be mechanically serviced and then driven a while to take advantage of its condition. At this price that is an entirely reasonable proposition and both the seller and the buyer should be satisfied with the transaction’s result.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report Page Two
Lot # 21 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS Targa, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 26835; Rosso Dino/Black leather; Estimate $160,000 – $180,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $170,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $187,000 – Cromodora alloy wheels, Michelin XWX tires, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, power windows, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo. – Rare color. 5,822 km and two owners from new. Great preservation with just a little butt wear to the seats as the only sign of age. Repainted in 2005. Belt service done last year. Fully documented and barely used, this car has a lot going for it. – The preservation and low miles of this 308 GTS brought a deserved superior price, eclipsing even the pre-sale low estimate. The nicest part is that it has enough kilometers that it can be driven judiciously without adversely affecting its value.Lot # 25 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 194377S114881; Marlboro Maroon, Black stinger/Black vinyl; Estimate $90,000 – $120,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $76,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $83,600 – 427/390hp, 4-speed, Positraction, hub caps and trim rings, Silvertown narrow whitewalls, dash clock, AM/FM radio, tinted glass, teakwood steering wheel, original jack and spare. – Pitted, surface-rusty wheels. Newer tires. Faded, mostly original paint with cracks and crazing and scratches throughout. Good, mostly original interior with newer upholstery. Good newer chrome. Tidy and original underneath. Bloomington Gold Survivor in 2007. Sympathetically kept and maintained to keep its original presentation but not 100 percent original. – I looked at this Corvette with a Corvette expert and we both liked what we saw. It’s not completely original but it is a thoroughly honest Big Block car that shows just what is expected from a car that’s been kept after during its life. He noted that one cylinder head was later (don’t ask me to explain how he knew) but originality doesn’t always mean ‘as it left the factory’. Bought right for what it was, the new owner should be very happy with it and proud to continue driving and preserving it.Lot # 26 1972 Iso Grifo Series II Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 250391; Volte Argentata Metallizzato/Rosso Cartier leather; Estimate $300,000 – $400,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $360,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $396,000 – Ford 351, Holley 4-barrel, ZF 5-speed, alloy wheels, Cinturato tires, Personal woodrim steering wheel, Veglia dash clock, power windows, power steering and air conditioning added during restoration. – One of 78 Series II cars. 34 of those had the 351 Cleveland engine, and 23 of those had the ZF 5-speed. Shown at the Torino Motor Show in 1972. Dull chrome. Dull, lightly pitted exhaust tips. Lightly scratched rear glass. Excellent upholstery. Slightly dull shift knob and switchgear. Very good paint. Only the right front and left rear wheels have Campagnolo stamped on them. Striking car, but has notable flaws. A recently finished full but not meticulous restoration. – Isos and their successors from Bizzarrini are on the ascendancy and this superficially restored Ford-powered Iso with its ugly hood chicken coop shows their attraction. Mid-estimate it is expensive for what it is.Lot # 27 1994 Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo 3.6 Coupe; S/N WP0AC2964RS480348; Black/Cashmere Beige leather; Estimate $275,000 – $325,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $255,000 – 3.6/355hp Turbo, 5-speed, polished modular wheels, Toyo tires, whale tail, rear window wiper, cross-drilled rotors with Red Brembo calipers, sunroof, aluminum shift knob, Alpine stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Four owners from new, showing 20,275 miles represented as being from new and looking like a car with much fewer. One of 288 964 Turbo 3.6s imported in 1994. Pampered from new. – While the reported high bid was under Gooding’s low estimate, it was close and to be offered $255,000 for a car that had an MSRP of $150,000 a little over 20 years ago, even in the current market, should not have been refused. The Porsche buyers were still keeping their powder dry for the Seinfeld cars.Lot # 29 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupe, Body by Touring; S/N 915539; Engine # 923650; Light Gray/Blue leather; Estimate $600,000 – $900,000; Recent restoration, 1- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $520,000 – 2443/105hp, triple Webers, 4-speed, Blue centerlock wire wheels, Michelin tires, dual mirrors, banjo steering wheel, column shift, radio, dual circuit brakes, electric fans. – One of 383 postwar 6C 2500 Super Sports built. Two owners from new. 2010 restoration. Displayed at Villa d’Este in 2011. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Bumper rub strips are a bit wavy. Spotless engine bay and underbody. Steering wheel metal and radio are a little dull. Otherwise this is a great, still fresh show car. – Chic in the Forties and eligible for many classic events, the bidders may have sensed some shortcuts in the noted deficiencies and didn’t rise to the bait as much as the consignor wanted. The reported bid could, however, have bought it and the consignor shouldn’t have felt serious compromised.Lot # 31 1966 Porsche 911 Coupe; S/N 304182; Engine # 907419; Sand/Tan vinyl; Estimate $200,000 – $300,000; Detailed to restored, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $275,000 – Blaupunkt radio, woodrim Porsche steering wheel, chrome wheels, hubcaps, Michelin XAS blackwalls, owner’s manual, tool roll, jack. – Excellent original paint, chrome and interior, 18,679 miles from new. Underbody and matching numbers engine are like new. Obsessively detailed to beyond new condition. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – ‘Detailed to restored’ condition evaluations are rarely given, but this early short wheelbase 911 is a perfect example of the category. It has minimal miles, beyond meticulous preservation and detailed presentation that makes it a paragon of the model and of preservation in general. The first car in Gooding’s Seinfeld collection, it blew away its low estimate, a tribute to its quality and preservation. On first viewing it looked like a careful restoration; closer up its quality and originality became apparent and among today’s passion for early 911s it might even be considered a good value.Lot # 33 1964 Volkswagen Type 2 Campmobile Microbus; S/N 1260046; Engine # 0476701; Light Grey, Ivory roof/Gray vinyl; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Unrestored original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $99,000 – Bumper overriders, blackwall tires, period conversion by EZ Camper with stove, cabinets, folding stools, Coleman lantern and window curtains. – Sound original paint, good interior. Stone chipped nose, frayed window felts, used underbody. Charming, and employed by Jerry Seinfeld and his kids as a lemonade stand in the Hamptons, but showing its age. Jerry Seinfeld collection – No popup roof, no roof rack and U.S. converted, this Campmobile misses on several counts even though its originality is highly desirable. It is perfect for surf camping on either U.S. coast, even at this price.Lot # 34 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, Body by Wendler; S/N 5500060; Engine # 90063; Blue, White fender accents/Tan cloth; Estimate $5,000,000 – $6,000,000; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $4,850,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $5,335,000 – Passenger’s hard tonneau cover, white rim banjo spoke steering wheel, driver’s windscreen. – No known early racing history. Sound repaint and good interior. Paint chipped in right front wheel well and cracked over the rear fender accents. Clean, orderly engine compartment. Many areas of paint peeling off the inside of the body. Driver’s door front edge chipped and touched up. It looks something of a mess, but it is original except for the repaint, has its original engine and transaxle, 10,337 original miles on its odometer and three owners from new who have maintained it meticulously. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – It isn’t a beauty, cosmetically, but its history is beautiful and the new owner should be proud to own it, even at this magnanimous price. One of the first of Porsche’s little giant killers, its history and provenance make it worthy to stand beside 550 Spyder race/class winners. The Porsche guys were gaga at this 550’s originality.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report Page Three
Lot # 35 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 83124; Engine # 64919; Aquamarine Metallic/Beige leatherette; Beige cloth top; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $620,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $682,000 – Two-spoke Porsche steering wheel, silver painted wheels, hubcaps, Michelin XZX tires, bumper overriders, tool kit, jack, handbooks, Porsche CofA, Kardex copy. – Represented as the original engine. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Underbody is like new with fresh, shiny undercoat. Crisp, highly magnetic body, even where 356s generally aren’t. Restored in 2010 and still in concours condition. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – After a halting start the Seinfeld cars began to take off with this 60hp Speedster. It is perfect, but it also is expensive, even with having your picture taken with the car and Jerry Seinfeld as part of the package. That is one very expensive photograph.Lot # 36 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 IROC RSR Coupe; S/N 9114600016; Engine # 6840034; Yellow, Black graphics/Black cloth; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,500,000; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,310,000 – 2994/315hp FI engine, 5-speed, Fuchs wheels, two seats. – The first IROC Porsche built, engine from another IROC RSR. Driven by Peter Revson to 3rd in the first IROC at Riverside. Gordon Johncock got T-boned in the second IROC, then driven by George Follmer in the next year’s opener at Daytona but dnf’d. Sold to and raced for and by Grey Egerton, then sold to Vasek Polak and bought from his estate by Tom Linton in 1998 and restored to IROC configuration with the present engine. Pristine and immaculate. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – The Seinfeld cars built up to this IROC RSR which brought eye-opening money.Lot # 38 1990 Porsche 962C Coupe; S/N 962012; Engine # 402; White/Black; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,500,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,650,000 – Raced by Joest with mid-field results, restored by them in the present late evolution double wing configuration with only limited demonstration use. Under the skin it shows a little age but barely any use. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – Pretty in pristine white, the value of this car comes if it were configured in its race liveries sponsored by Blaupunkt or Sachs. However the present high downforce biplane wing configuration means the driver can go fast without being Frank Jelinski or Bob Wollek. A superb track day tool with an impeccable two-owner history, it is a sound value at this price.Lot # 39 1963 Porsche 356C Carrera 2000 GS/GT Coupe, Body by Reutter; S/N 122561; Engine # 98016; Silver/Blue leatherette; Estimate $1,100,000 – $1,400,000; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $750,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $825,000 – 4-cam 1996/180hp, 4-speed, braced rollbar, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, left front fender fuel cap, bucket seats, center exit ‘Sebring’ exhaust, long range fuel tank. – Engine replaced by Porsche in 1964, ex-904-003. Excellent recent repaint, good older interior. Chassis and underbody are older but orderly. Engine is spotless but where it sits is like the chassis. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – Sold by RM at from Richard Freshman’s collection in Santa Monica in 2002 for $173,250, then by Bonhams at Monaco in May 2003 for $179,228. Updated along the way, it’s a driver’s Carrera and is bought somewhat expensively for its condition.Lot # 40 2000 Porsche Carrera GT Coupe; S/N 9R3M001; Silver/Black Alcantara, Tan leather; Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,250,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,000,000 – Like new. The Carrera GT Prototype driven by Walter Roehrl in Porsche introduction videos. Its original ECU did not meet regulations so it has been removed and the car is a static display. Restricted use required for subsequent purchasers. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – Garage art of a high (and expensive) order. Prototype status doesn’t mean much when a new owner will be bound by contract not to retrofit or drive it. After the VW diesel debacle Porsche isn’t likely to relent in its limitations, either. A meaningless result for a static display artifact. Still, most Carrera GTs don’t get driven, so what’s the difference?Lot # 41 1997 Porsche 911 Cup 3.8 RSR Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZVS98070; Engine # 62P85712; White/Black cloth; Estimate $1,200,000 – $1,500,000; Competition car, original as-raced, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $850,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $935,000 – Centerlock gold center BBS wheels, six-point belts, two seats, 75 liter fuel cell, roll cage, Recaro seats, Momo steering wheel, fire system, air jacks. – Showroom condition with 5,890 km from new. One of 45 built. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – Consider for a moment what $935,000 will buy, then wonder what makes this limited production but just 340 hp Porsche worth so much? Preserve or use on track days, but if it’s caught on the freeway the DOT will crush it into a cube.Lot # 43 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Brumos Coupe; S/N WP0ZZZ99ZCS798179; White, Red, Blue stripes/Black cloth; Estimate $300,000 – $500,000; Competition restoration, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $420,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $462,000 – No racing history, a commemorative edition track car emblazoned with Brumos and sponsor’s logos, fire system, OMP steering wheel, sequential 6-speed, all the racing goodies. – Flawless, even by Brumos standards with an hour and a half track time from new. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – This car stands tall upon first look, then falls back into tribute territory upon considering its non-existent history. Good luck to the buyer who should cherish his (or her) after-sale photo with Jerry Seinfeld and the car. It’s all the history this car has.Lot # 44 1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder; S/N 917030004; Blue, Yellow, Sunoco/Blue fiberglass; Estimate $5,000,000 – $7,000,000; Competition restoration, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,800,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,080,000 – Sharp, clean, fresh in show car condition with no competition history. Bought from Porsche and retained for many years on display by the Australian Porsche importer, Alan Hamilton. Restored in its present livery by Porsche in the early 90’s. Engine case from Vasek Polak’s spares. Later owned by Matt Drendel. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – How great the gulf between appearance and reality? This is a real 917/30. Real in the sense that was the way Porsche built it, but not real in the sense that it was never driven in competition when new, nor handled by legends of motorsport (other than some demonstration laps with Roger Penske at the wheel.) Sold for barely half Gooding’s pre-sale estimate, that is the consequence of no history but it has immense potential, if you’re Mark Donohue and able to manage its immense power.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report Page Four
Lot # 45 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe; S/N WP0AC2968RS480403; Polar Silver/Gray; Estimate $1,000,000 – $1,300,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $925,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,017,500 – 3601/385hp, 5-speed, sliding sunroof, CD stereo, Speedline modular wheels, red calipers, factory Flachbau slant-nose, power driver’s seat, X85 U.S. market. – Like new with 12,581 miles. One of 76 built, 39 in this X85 configuration. It has ‘Porsche-exclusive badging’. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – The Porsche fans were out in force for Jerry Seinfeld’s cars, nowhere better seen than in this result. How much is a slant nose and ‘Porsche-exclusive badging’ worth? Apparently this much, although reasonable minds might disagree.Lot # 46 1958 Porsche 356A GS/GT Carrera Speedster, Body by Reutter; S/N 84908; Engine # 91015; Auratium Green/Black leatherette; Black cloth top; Estimate $2,000,000 – $2,500,000; Recent restoration, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,400,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,540,000 – 1587/132hp, 4-speed, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, braced rollbar, silver wheels, fog lights, Porsche Cof A, Kardex copy, tool roll, jack, handbook. – Engine from 84912 from new. Excellent paint, chrome and interior. Spotless, dry, sharp engine and compartment. Restored better than new. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – The prize of the Jerry Seinfeld cars, meticulously presented and faster than radar. No one in the marquee overlooked this car, from the novice to Porsche experts. It is superb in its presentation and specification. Expectations were high as evidenced by the estimate range but it brought a sober price that reflects the quality of its specification and restoration.Lot # 48 1959 Porsche RSK Typ 718 Spyder, Body by Wendler; S/N 718019; Engine # 90322; Silver/Beige cloth; Estimate $3,800,000 – $4,200,000; Competition restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,600,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,860,000 – 1.6 liter 4-cam engine from an RS61, full width windscreen, driver’s rollbar. – Customer-spec RSK raced initially and successfully by Harry Blanchard, then Roger Penske and Lake Underwood. Penske’s 1960 SCCA F/Modified national championship ride. Severely burned in a 1970 fire while owned by John Beam, then bounced around as a project until it was restored for Tom Trabue with a new body and major parts from other racing Porsches. Still in better than new condition and immaculately turned out. Jerry Seinfeld collection. – This result is an interesting contrast with the 550 Spyder at the beginning of the Jerry Seinfeld segment. That car, with no racing history but original except for an old repaint, sold on a hammer bid near its low estimate and brought over $5 million with commission. This beautiful mid-engined RSK with a great U.S. racing history but restored from something approaching a cinder fell nearly a million dollars short of the low estimate even after adding on the buyer’s premium. If nothing else the disparate results highlight the importance of an unblemished history and the severe burden imposed upon even the best restoration (or perhaps ‘resurrection’) from a jumble of parts. This RSK brought what it was worth and the new owner should be very pleased both with the car and with the price paid.Lot # 50 1970 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N 13583; Engine # 13583; Verde Bahram/Black leather; Estimate $375,000 – $425,000; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $280,000 – Triple Webers, Ansa exhaust, Borrani centerlock wheels, Cinturato tires, woodrim steering wheel, power windows, wood dash, Becker Europa stereo, air conditioning, owner’s manual, full tool roll – Euro market car. Represented as matching numbers. Restoration finished earlier this year. Very good paint and chrome. Window is loose on the passenger’s side, with almost enough room for a pinky finger in between the glass and the bodywork. Cracked steering wheel cap and wavy console. Otherwise very good redone interior. Very clean and fresh underneath. A mostly solid Ferrari restoration that missed a few details. – Sold by RM in Scottsale in 2007 for $74,250 and at Worldwide’s Houston auction in 2012 for $89,100, painted red at the time. While the market for Enzo-era V-12 Ferraris is in a different world than it was then, the reported high bid was a fair offer and should have seen the car change hands even taking the meticulous restoration and presentation into account.Lot # 53 1970 Porsche 911T Coupe; S/N 9110101579; Tangerine/Tan vinyl; Estimate $135,000 – $175,000; Unrestored original, 3- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $150,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $165,000 – Steel wheels with hub caps, dual Zenith carbs, 5-speed with dog leg 1st gear, Blaupunkt AM/FM push button radio. – Dull, dusty original paint, but a good detailing would bring it back to very good shape. Dry plastic and rubber. Dull brightwork. Dirty but complete engine bay. Even gaps. Dirty interior but, like the paint, it would clean up pretty well. This really isn’t a rough, dirty barn find type of car. Time has been relatively kind to it, but it’s hiding under a layer of dust that’s kept on to convey the barn find mystique from its recent rediscovery after 33 years in storage. – This is a $50,000 car with $100,000 worth of dirt and grime. The appetite of collectors for such relics, and their willingness to pay eye-popping premiums, is a wonder.Lot # 57 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster; S/N 1210427501199; Engine # 1219217501258; Ivory/Burgundy leather; Burgundy cloth top; Estimate $190,000 – $240,000; Concours restoration, 1 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $175,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $192,500 – Becker Europa multiband radio, white steel wheels, body color accented hubcaps, trim rings, whitewalls, luggage in the trunk and behind the seats. – A sharp, fresh restoration with great cosmetics and particularly sharp but not overdone engine compartment. A real showpiece. – White car, whitewall tires, white accented hubcaps sounds like it would be bland, but it is not. Instead it’s an unusually effective color for the 190SL body, even better with the rich Burgundy interior. Yet even that wasn’t enough to offset the slumping desire for 190SLs, another chic collectible that has fallen from grace as supply caught up with and now exceeds demand.Lot # 58 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, Body by Scaglietti; S/N 14345; Engine # B1014; Red/Tan leather, black bars; Estimate $850,000 – $950,000; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $650,000 – Cromodora centerlock alloy wheels, Michelin X tires, power windows, Blaupunkt cassette stereo, popup lights, tool roll, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified. – Very good paint and interior. Some weak and scuffed trim chrome. Wavy front bumpers. Orderly engine compartment. Aged chassis and underbody. – Sold by RM in Maranello in 2008 for $428,756 fresh from restoration and has covered about 5,000km since. The bid, in today’s ambitious Daytona market, for a car that has been regularly driven and cared for is light, even with the restoration starting to show some age.Lot # 60 1966 Abarth 1300 OT Periscopio Coupe; S/N 137C044; Engine # 237007; Red/Black; Estimate $500,000 – $600,000; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $460,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $506,000 – 1290cc/145hp dohc Abarth engine, 5-speed transaxle, dual Webers, Campagnolo wheels, Dunlop Racing tires, leather-wrapped steering wheel. – Several stress cracks and bubbles all around the nose. Crack in right side window. Blisters on the exhaust tip. Cracks around the tail. Scratches on the rear window. Used interior. Clean enough to be presentable and flawed enough to race in anger without undue concern, it is a car that really belongs on a track. One of about 50 built. Campaigned by Abarth Corse Deutschland in Germany in 1966, racing at places like Hockenheim and the Nürburgring. Restored decades ago with major mechanical attention in 2008 that didn’t address the restoration’s age or shortcomings. Engine number was cataloged incorrectly. – The purpose of the Periscopio – that adds so much to this car’s visual appeal – was to try to keep the cockpit cool and is one of perhaps only a dozen built with this feature. Combining that with Abarth’s well known wizardry at extracting nearly unbelievable power from little engines is a recipe for a great track day car but with this result an expensive one.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island 2016 – Auction Report Page Five
Lot # 61 1959 MG A Coupe; S/N HMA4363737; BRGreen, White roundels/Tan; Estimate $45,000 – $55,000; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $46,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $50,600 – 1489/72hp, 4-speed, Silver painted wire wheels, Michelin XZX blackwalls, BMC radio, Lucas fog lights, headlight stoneguards, woodrim steering wheel with spoke-mounted stopwatch, owner’s manual, tools, spare, documented with BMIHT certificate. – A little prep work is visible under the very good paint. Excellent chrome and interior. Restored better than new nine years ago and still better than new. – This is an exceptionally well preserved older restoration that was done right when it was done and then kept that way. It deserved all the money it brought.Lot # 62 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I Coupe; S/N GT40P/1065; Azure Blue/Black; Estimate $3,200,000 – $3,600,000; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,000,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $3,300,000 RHD. – 289/390hp, quadruple Webers, ZF 5-speed, Halibrand wheels, Goodyear tires. – Spotless engine bay. Almost spotless interior showing very light age. Fantastic paint. Even gaps. Faded tires and dull wheels on an otherwise fantastically presented GT Mk I road car, which was a Ford demonstrator. Painted various colors several times in its early history, but looking just right today in its original Azure Blue.. – Sold at Gooding Pebble Beach in 2010 for $1,650,000. Wheels and tires are still overlooked six years later and now has 3,213 miles on the odometer, only 30 more miles than six years ago. It has doubled in value in six years while being maintained in consistently excellent condition. It looked good then, and it still does today while being as good a value now as it was then.Lot # 63 1973 Lamborghini Espada 400 GTE SIII Coupe, Body by Bertone; S/N 9060; Engine # 41077; Red/White leather; Estimate $140,000 – $180,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $90,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $99,000 – Air conditioning, Philips cassette stereo, power windows, alloy wheels, Pirelli tires, fog lights. – Thick repaint erratically masked, bubble under the left windshield post, crack under the right. Decent chrome and surface cracked and lightly soiled original upholstery. Orderly engine compartment missing the left air filter cover. Road grimy chassis. A mediocre driver. – The price it brought reflected its many needs and the projected cost of addressing them.Lot # 64 1995 Ferrari F50 Coupe, Body by Pininfarina; S/N ZFFTG46A5S0104021; Rosso Corsa/Black leather with Red cloth inserts; Estimate $2,400,000 – $2,800,000; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $2,100,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $2,310,000 – U.S. spec from new, Bosch Motronic fuel injection, Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors, Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires, tool kit, manuals, tire inflator, wheel socket, removable hardtop panel with case, Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified. – A handful of tiny chips on the nose. One small chip on either side of the rear wing and a few tiny stress cracks on top of it. One of 55 US market F50s. Major service in 2014 at Ferrari of New England. Aside from a handful of flaws in its paper-thin original paint (through which you can see the weave of the car’s composite bodywork), this F50 presents like a new car. – Babied from new with nearly negligible miles, and an original U.S. spec car, this is a sound value in an appreciating Ferrari.Lot # 67 1952 Jaguar XK 120 Roadster; S/N 672274; Engine # W5054-8; Medium Blue/Dark Blue, Gray leather; Gray cloth top; Estimate $150,000 – $180,000; Recent restoration, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $115,500 – Steel wheels, hubcaps, blackwall bias ply tires, spats. – Very good paint, chrome and interior. Cockpit rolls on the doors don’t fit well at all but the doors, hood and trunk fit very well. Top is a little loose. Underbody and engine compartment are like new. A high quality restoration done in 1991 and nearly unbelievably well maintained since. – The quality of the restoration and the care lavished on preserving it is strong evidence of a happy existence for this XK 120. It brought an advantageous price and should prove to be very satisfying to own and drive.Lot # 69 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder (closed headlight); S/N 2871GT; Engine # 2871; Red/Black leather; Black cloth top; Estimate $15,000,000 – $17,000,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $15,600,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $17,160,000 – Chrome spoke Borrani wire wheels, Avon blackwall radials, covered Marchal headlights and grille mounted fog lights, no bumpers, velocity stacks, cold air box, partial tool roll, bumpers included. – First owned by Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini, featured in a cameo in Vittorio De Sica’s ‘Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow’ with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. Good recent repaint, lightly worn older interior. Minor polishing scratches and fair bright trim. Engine compartment is orderly. Chassis and underbody are unrestored and generally grimy. A surprisingly delightful car that hasn’t felt the restorer’s touch, just been kept up and used carefully. – On one hand this is a generous price for this Cal Spyder’s condition, on the other hand it is precisely valued for its benign history and originality, a combination that isn’t likely to turn up again any time soon even though this is the second one in similar condition that Gooding has had in the past nine months. If anything 2871GT is in better condition than 3095GT sold at Pebble Beach in August and it changed hands at a modest premium to the earlier car. A car to be proud to own, drive and continue to preserve, even at this price.Lot # 71 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso Coupe; S/N 4365; Dark Grey/Tan leather; Estimate $1,900,000 – $2,400,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,750,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,925,000 – Chrome spoke, Borrani wire wheels, Pirelli blackwall tires, FIAMM horns, Carello headlights, Marchal fog lights. – Very good 1991 paint, chrome and upholstery. Good but aged original trim and Cream luggage straps behind the seats. Very clean engine compartment with modern hose clamps, etc. A very nice driver quality and presentable Lusso purchased by the consignor in 1966 in Europe while vacationing and spending much time with Ferrari drivers like Mike Parkes, Lorenzo Bandini and Ludovico Scarfiotti [those were the days when drivers were still accessible and cultivated the company of vivacious young ladies.] Purchased from the Ferrari dealer in Rome, driven to Maranello where it was tested by Parkes and Bandini and got the interior it has today from Scaglietti. Never restored, repainted and the engine rebuilt in 1993. Accompanied onsite by the consignor who was both vivacious and well-informed about her Lusso. – It’s hard to imagine a better Lusso story than this one has to tell. Even involving Steve McQueen wouldn’t match up with Parkes, Scarfiotti and Bandini. Its condition is reassuringly original and well maintained and its price is equally reassuring.Lot # 75 1968 Porsche 908 Coupe; S/N 908011; White, Orange nose/Red cloth; Estimate $3,000,000 – $3,300,000; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $2,000,000 – RHD. Replacement engine case in magnesium, – Finished third overall in its first race for Porsche at the Spa 1000km in 1968 driven by Han Herrmann and Rolf Stommelen. Dnf at Watkins Glen driven by George Follmer and Joe Buzzetta, then disqualified in the Zeltweg 500km race. Damaged by the next owner, cannibalized, later repaired frame and body were sold to and restored by Dale Miller. Freshly rebuilt engine with dyno time only. Neat, orderly competition restoration with very good cosmetics. – Like Jerry Seinfeld’s RSK, resurrection from nearly nothing weighs heavily on the collector value even of a competition car, which is expected to endure some vicissitudes, but maybe not quite being parted out to a (repaired) frame and body. Even taking that into account, though, at anything close to the reported high bid this 908 would be a wildly fun car at a reasonable price for historic racing.Lot # 79 1976 Maserati Merak SS Coupe, Body by Padane; S/N AM122A1338; Red/Beige leather; Estimate $80,000 – $100,000; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $55,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $60,500 – 2965/220hp V-6, 5-speed, Campagnolo wheels, Michelin tires, ordered from the factory with Bora-type front grille (which has the chrome running around the edge instead of a strip across the middle), power windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel, air conditioning, dash clock. – Numerous small cracks on the right front fender. Lots of stress cracks at the front of the passenger door and up along the right A-pillar. Light scratches on the roof. Single repaint. Clean detailed engine bay. Cracks and microblisters on the tail. Slightly dirty wheels. Worn but sound seats. otherwise a very good interior that was originally blue leather. Recent engine-out service. A maintained car, two owners from new, Maserati Classiche documented, with older cosmetics, but doesn’t have originality as an excuse for its tired presentation. – Although the designs for the Merak and Bora were by Giugiaro’s ItalDesign, they were built by Carrozzeria Padane in Modena, a company better known for its busses. This Merak SS’s issues did not go unnoticed by the bidders and are realistically reflected in the price it brought.
Thanks Rick for another well written article!
All those Porsches and ’70s–’80s Ferraris make for a really dull article and probably auction too–unless you were just Porsche crazy. Didn’t Gooding sell anything else?
Rick, I’m always grateful fo your fascinating reports and the understanding you provide of the auction market. And have never disagreed with your taste…until your negativity towards the Fiat 130 Coupe! That is a very fine bit of Pininfarina design, subtle and classy like a nice Italian suit. I hope you can take a look at one sometime in isolation, and gain an appreciation for its beauty. Thanks for all that you share with us, John in CT.
Dead right, John. I’ve always admired the Fiat 130 so much I took Rick’s slight about its design very badly. Couldn’t see what he was talking about. In my book the 130 has always been and will always be a great looker…!!!