The best classic cars at Retromobile

After the war, the 1913 Bugatti was bought by Miss Ivy Cummings. Introduced to competitive motor sport by her father, she successfully competed in many speed hill-climbs and speed-trials in the car between 1919 and 1924. She named the Bugatti ‘Black Bess’ after Dick Turpin’s legendary steed, and this affectionate title has stayed with the car ever since.

DUESENBERG: AMERICA’S MOST SOUGHT AFTER AUTOMOBILE

The 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupé Coachwork by Walter M Murphy, will also turn heads at Retromobile in Paris. Estimate 1,500,000-2,000,000

Arguably America’s most sought-after automobile, the fabulous Duesenberg Model J enjoys a reputation like few others. A monument to the ambition of one man - Erret Lobban Cord - and the engineering brilliance of two others - Frederick and August Duesenberg - the Model J was revealed to a awe-struck public at the New York Automobile Salon in December 1928.

The Model J was endowed with outstanding performance: the top speed – achieved at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - was 116mph (187km/h) with 90mph (151km/h) reachable in second gear, making the new Duesenberg one of the fastest road cars of its day. And for those who found the standard model too slow there was the supercharged ‘SJ’, introduced in 1932 and endowed with 320bhp - more with the later ‘ram’s horn’ manifolding. Model J buyers ranged from movie stars to gangsters to politicians, with one-off custom-made bodies abounding. The finished cars were some of the largest, grandest, most beautiful and elegant ever made. Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Howard Hughes and the HRH Duke of Windsor were counted among their owners. Deusenberg’s advertising claimed that theirs was the best car in the world, and the Model J’s exceptional performance and extreme opulence fully backed that assertion.

Like other luxury car manufacturers, Duesenberg was adversely affected by the Wall Street Crash but although the company survived the Depression it could not survive the collapse of Cord’s business empire, perishing together with Auburn and Cord in 1937.

This outstandingly original Model J was sold new in 1929 to multi-millionaire, John R MacKinney, of East 52nd Street, New York City, a partner of Standard Oil’s John D Rockefeller, Sr. Both men had their own seats on the New York Stock Exchange and MacKinney also owned his own company, MacKinney Weicher. The Model J was bought via the New York City Duesenberg agency for $14,500, approximately the price of two dozen Model A Fords! MacKinney’s car, chassis number ‘2239’, was delivered with convertible coupé coachwork, complete with ‘rumble’ or ‘dickey’ seat, by the highly respected Californian coachbuilder, Walter M Murphy.

A FERRARI THAT OFFERED THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO GRAN TURISMO RACING IN 1960-61

1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB ‘Alloy’ Berlinetta, Coachwork by Pininfarina design. Estimate 1,600,000-1,800,000

If you were a young, well-to-do racing enthusiast in 1960-61, the finest introduction into the enthralling world of Gran Turismo racing was to invest in a brand-new Ferrari 250GT Short-Wheelbase Berlinetta. Fast, safe, near unburstable and user-friendly – the alloy cars were the ultimate.’

Introduced at the 1959 Paris Salon, the 250GT SWB Berlinetta went on to dominate its class in international GT racing in the years 1960 to 1962. A true dual-purpose car, it was arguably more capable than any Ferrari before or since of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of racetrack and highway. A quick change to cooler spark plugs, racing tyres and the addition of a roll bar and the SWB could contest its class at Le Mans or Sebring.

The 250GT SWB achieved numerous class wins in international events and in 1961 won the Tourist Trophy yet again with Stirling Moss at the wheel, taking the GT class of the World Sportscar Championship with almost contemptuous ease.

The 74th of its type built, Ferrari 250GT SWB, left-hand drive chassis number ‘2501GT’ was sold new on 4th April 1961 and delivered via Luigi Chinetti Motors in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA to its first owner, a Mr Del Balso. ‘2501GT’ was completed with steel coachwork and finished in blue sera (dark blue). It was supposedly delivered with a roll bar and two sets of seats (‘Lusso’ and bucket type) almost certainly indicating that its owner had racing in mind.

In 1988, ‘2501GT’ was sold to the Swedish collector Hans Thulin but belonged to him only briefly, passing into the ownership of noted Swiss Ferraristi Albert Obrist, of Gstaad in May 1989. While in Mr Obrist’s care the car’s body was completely restored by Franco Ferrari receiving an all-new body in aluminium alloy. Ferrari worked for Fiorenzo Fantuzzi at his eponymous and well respected Carrozzeria in Modena. When Carrozzeria Fantuzzi ceased trading Franco Ferrari established his own Carrozzeria, continuing the good work. ‘2501GT’ was painted dark blue and its interior trimmed in red leather by Tappezzeria Luppi. New bumpers were fitted at front and rear.

Albert Obrist sold the restored Ferrari in 1995 to Formula 1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone who in turn sold it to UK dealer, William Loughran, of Preston, Lancashire in 1996. Loughran kept the car for more than ten years before selling it to the current owner, via Bob Houghton Ferrari, in May 2007.

In June 2007, ‘2501GT’ was displayed by the vendor during the Ferrari Owners Club’s 40th Anniversary Meeting at Silverstone, where it was placed 1st in the Connoisseurs Class of the Concours, receiving the Peter Stubberfield Trophy.
Versatile and highly desirable, exciting yet road legal, ‘2501GT’ represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire an example of the much sought after 250GT SWB, eligible for a wide variety of Ferrari-related and other prestigious historic events worldwide.

Complete list of cars being sold:

Year Vehicle Estimate

1934 Alfa Romeo 6C –1750 MM Spyder Recreation 175,000 – 225,000
1958 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Ghia-Aigle 200,000 – 300,000
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS Coupé 25,000 – 30,000
1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT 40,000 – 60,000
1968 Alfa Romeo GTA 1300 "stradale" 80,000 – 120,000
1960 Bentley S2 Continental DHC Park Ward RHD 50,000 – 70,000
1913 Bugatti Type 13 150,000 – 200,000
1913 Bugatti Type 18 (Garros) ‘Black Bess’ Refer Department
Bugatti Type 35B Project 55,000 – 65,000
1934 Bugatti Type 57 Two-Door Saloon 290,000 – 350,000
1934 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux 150,000 – 220,000
1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante 2,750,000 – 4,000,000
1931 Cadillac All Weather Pheaton 180,000 – 240,000
1970s Camel FI Publicity/ Promotion Car 5,000 – 10,000
1942 CGE Tudor 30,000 – 50,000
1939 Citroen 11BL Cabriolet Roadster 80,000 – ¬110,000
1947 Citroen 11BL "Miko" 6,000 – 8,000
1960 Citroen HY Produits Laitiers 14,000 – 22,000
1961 Citroen ID19 Familiale 40,000 – 50,000
1964 Citroen DS19 Coupé Le Dandy Chapron 80,000 – 100,000
1965 Citroen ID19 Berline 30,000 – 40,000
1966 Citroen "Palm Beach" DS21 Cabriolet 150,000 – 200,000
1969 Citroen DS "Majesty" 70,000 – 130,000
1971 Citroen SM Coupé 18,000 – 25,000
1973 Citroen DS21 "BVH" Prestige ex-Philippe Bouvard 50,000 – 80,000
1973 Citroen DS23 ie cabriolet 140,000 – 190,000
1974 Citroen SM "Opera" 130,000 – 200,000
1953 DB Panhard Coupé 55,000 – 75,000
1898 De Dion Bouton Tricycle 30,000 – 45,000
1911 De Dion Bouton T 1912 25,000 – 35,000
1936 Delage D6-60 Coupe Letourneur Marchand 16,000 – 20,000
1959 Delahaye Merk Perkins Engine "Rizla+" 70,000 – 90,000
1973 De Tomaso Pantera GP3 225,000 – 325,000
1929 Duesenberg Murphy J Convert Roadster 1,500,000 – 2,000,000
1970s Elton John Buggy 7,000 – 10,000
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupé 120,000 – 150,000
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB 1,600,000 – 1,800,000
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Coupé 300,000 – 400,000
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona 220,000 – 260,000
1955 Ford Thunderbird 30,000 – 40,000
1908 Germain 80,000 – 120,000
1953 Gnome Rhône Snecma Voisin Typa R2 2,000 – 4, 000
1968 Honda S800 Roadster 15,000 – 20,000
1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Roadster 425,000 – 475,000
1988 Italdesign Aztec 250,000 – 350,000
1939 Jaguar SS100 Roadster 220,000 – 250,000
1962 Jaguar E-Type Roadster 45,000 – 65,000
1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight 90,000 – 140,000
1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 110,000 – 140,000
1955 Lancia Aurelia B20S 60,000 – 80,000
1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spyder "America" 325,000 – 85,000
1958 Lancia Aurelia B24 Cabriolet 140,000 – 180,000
1955 Lotus MK 9 90,000 – 120,000
1964 Lotus 30 MK1 225,000 – 325,000
1962 Maserati 5000 GT Allemano 350,000 – 450,000
1972 Maserati Indy 4.7 28,000 – 34,000
1929 Minerva 60,000 – 90,000
1934 Mercedes Benz 290 Cabriolet 200,000 – 300,000
1956 Mercedes Benz 190SL Roadster 35,000 – 45,000
1957 Mercedes 300SL Roadster 350,000 – 450,000
1983 Mercedes 280SL 18,000 – 24,000
1963 Messerschmitt KR201 Cabriolet 25,000 – 35,000
1921 Ner-a-Car 5,000 – 10, 000
1939 Opel DHC Kapitan Roadster 75,000 – 95,000
1955 Osca MT4 Barchetta 280,000 – 320,000
1932 Packard Eight Type 904 Coupé chauffeur Franay 60,000 – 110,000
1931 Panhard Levassor SS Speciale Berline 80,000 – 100,000
1954 Panhard Levassor X73 Cabriolet 30,000 – 40,000
1956 Porsche 356 A Coupe 40,000 – 60,000
1970 Porsche 914/6 GT ex-Larrousse 285,000 – 345,000
1911 Pratt Elkhart 40,000 – 50,000
1951 Renault R2163 "Le Nain Gourmand" 80,000 – 180,000
1958 Renault "Avia Motor Oil" 8,000 – 14,000
1959 Renault Estafette "Hoover" by Pourtout 20,000 – 30,000
1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III 55,000 – 75,000
1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 80,000 – 120,000
1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud 2 DHC 210,000 – 270,000
1962 Simca 1000 "Butagaz" by Rotrou 15,000 – 25,000
1930 Sirène de l'Usine Renault Ile Seguin 15,000 – 25,000
1950 Talbot Lago T26 Record Cabriolet 130,000 – 180,000
1957 Talbot Lago T14LS 50,000 – 80,000
1970 The Martian Spider 10,000 – 15,000
1960 Triumph TR3 15,000 – 20,000
1915 Vauxhall Staff Car 50,000 – 70,000
1926 Voisin C7 90,000 – 160,000
1953 Voisin Biscooter n°6 35,000 – 55,000