Presented by GAA Classic Cars – Heading to GAA Classic Cars’ July 2021 auction is a 1955 Chevrolet 210 that’s truly a “no expense spared build.” While its exterior may look true to the original 210, it features a long list of modern upgrades that are tasteful and functional. This includes the power windows, Bluetooth radio, Fatman chassis, 355 SBC engine, custom steel wheels wrapped in Nitto S55 tires and even air conditioning. A full custom leather interior greets the driver and passengers who will enjoy every second of time in the cabin. They will surely enjoy their time when the pedal hits the floor and power is sent to the 9-inch Ford rear end.
This 1955 Chevrolet 210 will be auctioned off at GAA Classic Cars’ July 2021 auction, which runs from the 22nd to the 24th. For more information about the event, click here.
The idea of building one’s own supercar to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren would generally be considered ludicrous. How could one man’s vision compete with such established sporting pedigree and record-setting engineering?
From time to time, however, someone does indeed attempt such a feat and, on even rarer occasions, succeeds brilliantly. Christian von Koenigsegg created his eponymous supercar company in 1994, at age 22; his aspiration was to build nothing short of the greatest supercar in history. Over the next three years, his small team created a prototype constructed using a radical carbon fiber tub and a litany of automotive engineering firsts. This car, named the Koenigsegg CC (Competition Coupé), was first publicly displayed at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997, and the reaction from public and press alike was overwhelming. Confident his cars would find buyers, Christian left Cannes with nothing other than production on his mind.
By 2002, Koenigsegg had released the sportier and more refined CC8S. Meanwhile, development was well underway on the fledging company’s third model, the CCR. The two cars share many characteristics, though the CCR is clearly an evolution upon the specifications and equipment of its predecessor. The CCR was fitted with new suspension and braking systems developed by specialists, a titanium exhaust, larger alloy wheels, and far greater aero-work creating significantly more downforce. All these upgrades were made necessary because the car’s 4.6-liter, aluminum-block, twin-supercharged V-8 engine had been tuned to produce an astonishing 806 brake horsepower. In February 2005, a Koenigsegg CCR dethroned the McLaren F1 as the fastest production car ever built, with a top speed of 387 km/h. Only 14 examples would be built before production ceased in 2006.
CCR CHASSIS NUMBER 7011
This 2004 Koenigsegg CCR, chassis number 7011, is the third CCR example produced and is built upon the 11th carbon fiber chassis completed by the factory (hence its VIN designation). Finished in dramatic Lava Orange over a bespoke color-matched interior, 7011 is the exact CCR Koenigsegg unveiled to the public at the 2004 Geneva International Motor Show. 7011 was also heavily featured in period press photography released by Koenigsegg and is, quite possibly, the most well known CCR example of the scant 14 examples produced.
Following its time in the spotlight, this car’s German registration indicates that it was first registered on 23 May 2006. By 2009, 7011 had traveled just 1,150 kilometers while within the care of a collector in France. Since then, this alluring Koenigsegg CCR has seen regular servicing and enjoyment after time in several noted collections within Luxembourg and Germany. In preparation for sale, 7011 has just been serviced by marque specialists at Esser Automotive, the official Koenigsegg dealer in Aachen, Germany.
Now showing 2,347 kilometers at the time of cataloging, chassis # 7011 is a supremely rarified and alluring offering that would be well suited for acquisition by the most astute of collectors.
This vehicle will be offered in RM Sotheby’s new Milan Sale, taking place 15 June at Palazzo Serbelloni in Italy. The sale will be livestreamed and remote bidding options are available.
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Presented by RM Sotheby’s – Images by Ryan Miller – The most famous design of Pasadena, California, coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy on the Duesenberg Model J chassis, the “Disappearing Top” Convertible Coupe saw production of about 25 examples, all with a distinctive convertible top that hid neatly within the smooth rear deck when lowered.
Yet there is a much rarer machine, the “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupe, which is considered by many to be the utter pinnacle of Murphy’s work on Duesenberg chassis. It combined the standard convertible coupe’s lines with the flowing, gracefully tapered deck of a “boattail” speedster, often finished in bare aluminum that extended forward through the beltline and down the center of the car’s cowl – providing an extra touch of sparkle in the California sun.
Few Duesenbergs so beautifully combined the marque’s performance ethos with the glamour of a status symbol.
CHASSIS NUMBER 2199
Six examples of the “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupe were produced, five on the short wheelbase and a single long-wheelbase example. Body no. 876, used on the car offered here, may have been the first, as this and body no. 898, used on J-198 / 2221, were both “800-number” bodies, indicating they were built on-spec for Duesenberg rather than for individual clients. These two cars featured an early prototype version of the Murphy Disappearing Top, which hid under a low leather tonneau rather than a full metal clamshell lid. Further, body no. 876 features a single-passenger rumble seat within a unique tail design, which, rather than forming a clean point as on other examples, flares out again at the bottom, extends out to the sides, and then curves to meet the rear fenders – an important identifying point in the surviving Murphy photos of the car.
This was one of two Torpedo Convertible Coupes delivered without the usual chrome “rub strips” on the rear fenders, and, most distinctively of all, with bare aluminum coachwork. The sides of the body and much of the hood were brush-finished, while the top of the rear deck, flowing through the caps of the doors and into the “sweep” of the hood, was polished to a mirror finish. The stunning result resembled the dazzling Rolls-Royces built for certain Maharajas. Only the fenders and valances were painted a rich dark blue.
According to the records of the late Duesenberg historian Ray Wolff, chassis number 2199 was sold new to David Gray of Santa Barbara, California. Mr. Gray’s father, John, had in 1903 made the wise decision to invest $10,500 in the fledgling automobile company founded by Henry Ford. In 1919, David Gray sold the family stock back to Mr. Ford for $26 million and lived quite happily for the remainder of his life.
The Gray Duesenberg was sold on in 1933 to William McDuffie of Los Angeles. Later in the 1930s, like so many Duesenbergs, it was modernized with the addition of skirted JN-style fenders and the smaller 17-inch wheels. In this form, it was apparently noticed by Hollywood, as it made an appearance on the silver screen in a memorable scene of the film She Had to Eat. The car continued to enjoy the care of a handful of Southern California caretakers through the late 1940s, including the Beverly Hills attorney and longtime Motor Trend columnist Robert J. Gottlieb.
In 1951, it was purchased by William Coverdale, an early and longtime Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club member from Waynesville, Ohio. A member of an old railroad family, Mr. Coverdale was an avid Duesenberg enthusiast who regularly hosted the faithful at his farm. This was notably his favorite Model J. By the time of his acquisition, it was missing the original engine, J-178, which had reportedly been used by the Los Angeles dealer Bob Roberts for parts. Coverdale was able to acquire another original Duesenberg engine, J-414, which he installed, and which remains under the hood to this day.
With the “boattail” returned to presentable running order, in addition to a light cosmetic refurbishment, Mr. Coverdale often enjoyed driving it. It appeared at an early ACD Club meeting in Avon, Pennsylvania, in the mid-1950s, and would occasionally reappear at Auburn over the years. It remained a prized possession of its owner until 1985, when he was finally convinced to part with it after 34 years. After being brokered through the hands of Bob Adams and Tom Barrett, and briefly owned by the late Rick Carroll, the Duesenberg was acquired by the Blackhawk Collection. Following a restoration, the car was then presented to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club and was certified Category One, recognizing that it retains all correct Duesenberg components, including the original chassis frame, firewall and bodywork.
In 2015 the car was acquired by the proud current owner, who submitted it to RM Auto Restoration for a complete, concours-quality restoration. Research allowed the remarkable original bare brushed aluminum finish to be carefully restored, while surviving Murphy factory and period photographs allowed the original trim, altered by prior owners, to be faithfully reproduced. RM was able to save the vast majority of the original aluminum sheet metal, preserving it at great cost wherever possible – a laborious but highly worthwhile process that is evident in the finished product. The dark blue interior and fenders are as-original.
The result drew much attention and favorable comment upon its debut at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where, amidst extraordinarily tough competition, it was judged Second in Class. It went on to appear at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where it achieved Best in Class. These remain the only two appearances of the car wearing its present restoration, and thus a world of both club and concours showings remains available to the successful bidder.
Through the years, the car has been featured on the cover of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter (Number 7, 2002, misidentified as J-476) and in most of the well-known Duesenberg tomes, including Josh B. Malks’s Illustrated Duesenberg Buyer’s Guide (p. 49), J.L. Elbert’s Duesenberg: The Mightiest American Motor Car (p. 49, plate 39), and Fred Roe’s Duesenberg: The Pursuit of Perfection (p. 236, center, misidentified as J-476). It is accompanied by copies of photographs taken in Tom Barrett’s possession.
With its unique details and fascinating history, this extraordinary Duesenberg is every bit the striking and showstopping machine that it was when delivered to David Gray in 1929. One of only four surviving “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupes remaining intact on their original chassis, and the only car still in its original bare aluminum livery, it is a truly remarkable automobile – one that stands alone even in the rarefied world of Model J Duesenbergs.
This vehicle will be offered at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction, taking place 22 May during the world-renowned Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In-person and remote bidding options are available; contact RM Sotheby’s to register to bid.
While the Roadmaster, Invicta, and Electra were the top models, Buick decided to build something to fill the gap between their luxury models and the entry-level Special. What once was a trim level arrived as an all-new model in 64. Riding on the same chassis as the Chevelle, the Buick Skylark focused on comfort. Because the bodies were stronger and more insulated, the springs and shocks were more relaxed than the Chevelle or the Cutlass.
This car was built to show and to go. While it is as clean to eat off of, the underside of the floors and frame have been restored to factory condition. The Moser 9″ is a modern replacement for the weak 10-bolt. This was needed to handle the power from the big block 461 stroker. Built by Phillips & Wilkerson Racing Engines, the dyno sheet verifies 492 horsepower and 527 lb-ft of torque. It is backed by a Tremec T5 HD 5-speed and an SFI bellhousing.
While other brands sold cars on horsepower, every Buick in the 60’s was advertised on its torque. Carroll Shelby said it best “Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races!” Given the curb weight of 2,900 lbs, this car has a better power-to-weight ratio than an F-18 fighter. Aside from the headers, people will easily see the Stage 1 Air Cleaner and assume it is a base model Grand Sport. But once you are done at the car show, it will run single-digit times in the quarter-mile. It may look like your grandma’s car but it also will run down anyone with ease.
This lot is one of the vehicles offered at GAA Classic Cars’ upcoming auction in Greensboro NC November 5-7, 2020. Register to bid online or in-person today!
