RM has assembled another 200+ entry for this year’s Monterey sale, another three-day bonanza. Twenty-six Ferraris are entered, including this 2007 FXX Evoluzione estimated at $1,800,000 - 2,400,000.

Following last year’s additional day (on the Thursday), RM is devoting the opening evening to entries from one marque: this time the Ford Motor Company, who ‘put the world on wheels’. Cars vary in age from the oldest car sold by Ford known to remain in existence (the $600,000 - 800,000, 1903 Model A Rear-Entry Tonneau), to many FOMOCO concepts, the proceeds from which will benefit charity.

Of interest to Classic Driver readers in this section of the sale will be the 1966 Ford Mustang FIA Race Car ($40,000 - 60,000, with in-period Mexican racing history), the 1963½ Ford Galaxie NASCAR ($150,000 - 200,000, the Dan Gurney, Riverside 500 race-winner) and the 1964 Cooper Monaco Ford 'King Cobra' ($600,000 - 800,000).

1968 Shelby GT 500 KR Convertible - $140,000 - 180,000	1948 Ford Super Deluxe Station Wagon - $70,000 - 90,000
1963½ Ford Galaxie NASCAR - $150,000 - 200,000	1964 Cooper Monaco Ford 'King Cobra' $600,000 - 800,000

In addition, there are some wonderfully esoteric ‘Woody’ station wagons and ‘Hi-Boy’ hot rods which you could never build for the money.

To prove it’s not all multi-million-dollar entries, day two starts with a humble 1972 Honda 600 Taxi ($8000 - 12,000 ‘Without Reserve’ and one of many fun items in the catalogue) but totals 83 cars in all, including big hitters such as the 1993 Ferrari Enzo at $900,000 - 1,050,000.

The Allard marque has always been popular in the US and Friday’s sale will auction a 1953 J2X ($200,000 - 300,000). The black roadster had been drag-raced in period with Buick Experimental Department engines (160mph terminal speed, anyone?), as well as enjoying extensive vintage racing more recently. All, as the catalogue proudly says, without “fitting an ugly roll bar”. A superb car.

As are the many pre-War entries from the age of late twenties/early thirties luxury that start on Friday with Lot 223, the 1938 Packard Eight Victoria Convertible by Darrin ($225,000 - 300,000). Later that night, RM will sell a 1928 Cadillac V8 Town Sedan (a seemingly workaday luxury saloon, once bulletproof when owned by mobster Al Capone – and estimated accordingly at $450,000 - 650,000) and the first of two ‘Duesies’, a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy ($700,000 - 900,000).

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Gullwing' - $450,000 - 550,000

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV - $800,000 - 900,000

The other greatest-of-the-great American pre-War car makes an entrance on Saturday night, with buyers invited to bid $1,100,000 - 1,400,000 on the superb 1933 Duesenberg Model SJ Riviera Phaeton by Brunn. This is joined by the 1936 Mercedes-Benz Pre-War 540K Special Cabriolet ($1,100,000 - 1,300,000), the 1933 Auburn Twelve Custom Phaeton Sedan ($250,000 - 300,000) and the 1928 Hispano-Suiza H6C Convertible Sedan by Hibbard & Darrin ($350,000 - 450,000). Wow.

Factor in the 1938 Talbot Lago T150-C Lago Teardrop Coupé by Figoni & Falaschi ($3,500,000 - 4,500,000), the outrageous 1949 Delahaye 175 S Roadster by Saoutchik ($4,000,000 - 6,000,000) and the 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Close-Coupled Coupé by Park Ward ($500,000 - 600,000), too, and you have a recipe for some impressive post-sale results from this section of the sale.

Moving up to date, let’s look at the FXX and other, more modern, entries. Having witnessed several outings of the ‘development project’ FXXs in Europe, I can only say that exclusive, incredibly fast track-day motoring does not come better than this. The standard FXX’s engine is boosted to 860bhp at 9500rpm in Evoluzione form, with various modifications to shift-speeds and aerodynamics also carried out.

This particular car has been maintained in the US by Risi Competizione (a top-level Le Mans entrant) and - if you can swallow the $1,800,000 - 2,400,000 estimate - represents a tremendous opportunity to buy into the heart of Ferrari Corse Clienti operations.

1954 Jaguar D-type - $2,000,000 - 2,750,000	1931 Bugatti Type 51 Works Grand Prix Racing Car - $3,500,000 - 4,500,000
1938 Jaguar SS 100 3.5 for restoration - $200,000 - 250,000	1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' Spyder - $1,100,000 - 1,250,000

Of the other Ferraris, there’s the only ‘On Request’ car in the sale, the yellow/green 1958 'Pontoon Fender' 250 TR, a 1959 250 GT LWB Spyder California ($2,500,000 - 3,250,000) and a 1959 410 Superamerica Series III ($1,600,000 - 2,200,000) alongside truly one of the great cars produced by the Maranello company: the 1954 375 MM. We love these early 50s, big-engined Ferraris and the experience of slotting the meaty gearlever into top, and letting the 4522cc, SOHV V12 pull the car effortlessly ever-onwards is an intoxicating experience.

You’ll need stiff drink having bought it, though, as it’s estimated at $5,000,000 - 6,000,000.

Such is the quality of a Monterey sale that it’s not uncommon to wait a few paragraphs for mention of other gems such as the 1954 Jaguar D-type ($2,000,000 - 2,750,000) or the three 300 SL Mercedes (a 1961 Roadster for $500,000 - 575,000, a 1955 'Gullwing' for $450,000 - 550,000, and a 1957 Roadster for $400,000 - 450,000).

To that stellar mix you can add the two Shelby Cobra 427s, the 1964 USRRC Cobra 289 and the immaculate 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a ‘Factory Remanufactured Special’ estimated at $350,000 - 550,000. The latter was totally rebuilt to ‘as-new’ condition in 1996 by the Porsche factory's Exclusive Department. Fitted with a larger-capacity (2.8-litre) motor, it enjoys a galvanised bodyshell and is believed to be the only factory-built lightweight 2.8 in this specification.

The Grand Prix White/Apple Green car comes complete with a certificate of authenticity issued by Porsche and, no, if you want your RS ‘remanufactured’ in this manner, Stuttgart will not do it again. A ‘Without Reserve’ car, it’s now or never to bid on one of the most perfect Carrera RSs with an intriguing history.

Another terrific RM Monterey sale, you can see all the entries in the Classic Driver car database, or visit the company’s excellent website. We’ll be there to witness all the action and report the results.

To see a full lotlist of entries to the RM Auctions ‘Sports & Classics of Monterey’ 12-14 August 2010, please CLICK HERE.

ADMISSION:
$40 event pass admits one person to the previews. An official auction catalogue is available for an additional $120 US, although it does not constitute admission to the auctions.

AUCTION LOCATION:
Portola Hotel & Spa and Monterey Conference Center
2 Portola Plaza
Monterey,
California 93940

SALE DATES:
AUCTION:
August 12, 2010
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM PST
August 13, 2010
6:00 PM - 12:00 AM PST
August 14, 2010
6:00 PM - 12:00 AM PST

PREVIEW:
August 11, 2010
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM PST
August 12, 2010
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM PST
August 13, 2010
9:00 AM - 12:00 AM PST
August 14, 2010
9:00 AM - l 12:00 AM PST

RM Auctions One Classic Car Drive Blenheim Ontario N0P 1A0 Canada Telephone: +1 519 352 45 75 Fax: +1 519 351 13 37 Website: www.rmauctions.com Email: [email protected].

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: RM Auctions

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