2015 New England 1000 Day 1

May 17, 2015May 17, 2015 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Events, Rallies Alfa Romeo, classic car rallies

Each year, this classic car rally has a home base which serves as a starting and ending point. For 2015 that home base is the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz NY. Departing NJ at about 1pm, the Alfa easily handled the ride up the NY Thruway. Improvements to the cooling system kept the engine temperature under control at 85 degrees and 70mph.

The Alfa and I arrived in a little over two hours. It was a personal thrill to meet up with my rally brother Steve Hansen, who flew in from California (again) to drive the rally with me.

As always, there was the ceremonial installation of the front license plate. We then perused the parking lot to take in this year’s rally choices. The cars were more eclectic than ever, with a larger mix of domestic iron than we usually see.

Having completed our first rally together in 1998, the fun of meeting up with other rallyists whom we have gotten to know through the years sometimes outweighs the fun of seeing the spectacular cars.

From here I will let the photos speak for themselves. At 8am Monday morning the actual rallying begins.

Steve at the ceremonial license install.

Richard at the ceremonial license install.

NJ Region AACA Meet, May 3, 2015

May 3, 2015 RichardReina Car shows, Events AACA, car show, NJ Region

The New Jersey Region of the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) held its 64th annual Spring Meet on Sunday, May 3, 2015, in Florham Park NJ. The location was the immense parking lot of the Automatic Switch Company, the same spot it’s been for the past 50 years. We had tremendous spring weather for a car show: temps in the low 80s, with lots of sunshine and low humidity.

Vehicle registration into the show is not limited to club members; the general public is invited, and they do turn out in force. While adherence to AACA rules (25-years-old and older vehicles in “stock” condition) is encouraged, there is a special custom class, and no one turns away vehicles that have mild modifications. This approach helps bring in the traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.

**Flea market vendors lined the perimeter of the show field.**

In addition to the judged field, the NJ Region has a car corral, flea market, and food vendors on site. While small compared to Hershey (what am I saying? We could fill this lot with vendors and it would be small compared to Hershey), it provides some variety and encourages show-goers to mingle for the day.

**The food truck was run by Mary, Queen of Pork. Her chicken was good too.**

This blog entry will focus on the photos, and you’ll see the very broad range of cars on display: pre-war and post-war, domestic and import, trailer queens and daily drivers. Remember that clicking on the photos will enlarge them.

The meet committee members were efficient as usual; judging was completed shortly after lunch, trophy award presentations commenced before 2pm, and we were packed up and outta there by 3pm. Car show season has officially begun!

The front trunk ("frunk") on a 2nd generation Chevrolet Corvair. — **The front trunk (“frunk”) on a 2nd generation Chevrolet Corvair.**

**The iconic rear glass of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette split-window coupe.**

Early '60s Lincoln Continental convertible, the last domestically-produced 4-door car with "suicide" rear doors. — **Early ’60s Lincoln Continental convertible, the last domestically-produced 4-door car with “suicide” rear doors.**

**A beautifully restored VW bus, lowered and wearing Porsche wheels.**

**The VW bus engine compartment never looked this good from the factory.**

**A Packard Caribbean convertible, featuring tri-tone paint.**

The "gunsight" tail light of a 1955 Chrysler Imperial. — **The “gunsight” tail light of a 1955 Chrysler Imperial.**

**The unique sliding door arrangement on a Kaiser Darrin (one of THREE at the show!).**

**A 1937 Packard convertible (owned by my friend Ron Novrit).**

A 1963 (first year) Studebaker Avanti. Note the round headlight bezels, found only in '63. — **A 1963 (first year) Studebaker Avanti. Note the round headlight bezels, found only in ’63.**

A 1959 Ford Skyliner, with the retractable hardtop in the "display" position. — **A 1959 Ford Skyliner, with the retractable hardtop in the “display” position.**

**In the 1950s, Dodge was one of several car companies offering three different colors on one vehicle.**

There was a time when a "continental kit" was an item of necessity, not of decor! — **There was a time when a “continental kit” was an item of necessity, not of decor!**

At one time, one could choose a luxury car like a Cadillac, or a compact car like a Metropolitan (which might fit in the Caddy's trunk). — **At one time, one could choose a luxury car like a Cadillac, or a compact car like a Metropolitan (which might fit in the Caddy’s trunk).**

**A first-generation Mercury Capri, rarely seen in the East, as they all rusted away.**

**A 1927 LaSalle, a GM nameplate that would not survive but a few more years.**

Carlisle Auction Report, April 2015

April 27, 2015April 27, 2015 RichardReina Auctions, Events Carlisle, collector car auctions

“Carlisle” held its Spring 2015 collector car auction on Thursday and Friday, April 23 & 24, at the Expo Center across from the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, PA. For the uninitiated, “Carlisle” is classic car slang for Carlisle Events. What started in 1974 as a single flea market for post-war cars has grown in the ensuing decades into one of the biggest old car enterprises on the east coast, if not in the country. Today, in addition to the all-makes Spring and Fall events, there are marque-specific shows for GM, Ford, Chrysler, and Corvette. Imports are covered once a year at the Import-Kit Car Show. A number of years ago, auctions were added to the calendar. At first the Carlisle group ran their own auctions. They then partnered with Auctions America, the U.S. arm of RM Auctions. Most recently the auctions are again independently run.

**The auction block at the Carlisle Expo Center**

This is not Mecum. Approximately 400 cars ran across the block over two days, and based on lot numbers, it was about 250 cars on Thursday and 150 on Friday. The vast majority of vehicles are the Chevrolets (Corvettes, Camaros, Malibus, Impalas) and Fords (Mustangs, T-Birds, Rancheros, pickups) you see at other auctions, in other words, the usual suspects. Unlike AACA, there is no model year cut-off. I witnessed a 2008 Ford F-550 truck attempt to maneuver its way onto the block (it didn’t make it, nor did it sell), so sometimes you feel like you’re sitting in Manheim at a late-model auction.

**The seating area was just about filled to capacity.**

Reserves are up to the consigners, and based on my most unscientific observations, many reserves were high and kept the sell-through rate down. Thursday seemed to be a better day for sales than Friday, with a sales rate perhaps approaching 70%, dropping to 50% on Friday. One attraction for consigners is the “you don’t pay unless you sell” policy. The consignment fee ranges from $100 to $400, and Carlisle states that if your car does not sell, they will refund your fee. Both days, the Expo Center was standing room only, with plenty of active bidders crowding the block. There was not a seat to be had in the bidders’ area, likely helped by the free food and booze offered as part of the consignment package.

The crowd patiently waits until it's their turn to spend money. — **The crowd patiently waits until it’s their turn to spend money.**

Again, this is not Mecum. While I give the Carlisle staff full marks for their efforts, there were times when the proceedings had a true mom-and-pop feel to it. More than once, the auctioneer lost his place, and could not find his current two highest bidders. At least one of those times he had to wind the bidding back by a grand. Another vehicle had its mileage misstated on the screen (it showed 19k when the car had 99k) and all bids were struck while the auctioneer started again. On the other hand, it was nice that TV monitors scattered throughout the room clearly showed the car, the lot number, and the current bid. There was no such luxury in Atlantic City this past February.

My specific vehicle coverage below is all-import; first, this is where my heart is in the hobby; second, I find that many European cars get ignored at a domestic-heavy event like this, and some potentially good deals can be had. I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t mention the weekend’s star car: a 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am, owned by the actor Burt Reynolds, and modified into a “Smokey & The Bandit” tribute car, crossed the block around 7 p.m. on Friday. It STAYED on the block for about 30 minutes, or 10 times longer than the typical auction car. My personal guess was that the car would sell for $70,000. Add a one in front, as the car hammered for $170,000. Burt had signed the hood AND the dash, so that must have made the difference….

In model year order:

Lot #F395, 1957 BMW Isetta. Chassis #493993. Mileage: 10,000. Bubble window coupe, not the more common sliding window. Dark red and white two tone, black vinyl sunroof, red and white interior. Beautiful workmanship inside and out. Having owned one for 35 years, I know these cars. Outside restoration is almost 100% authentic, except for painted headlight trim rings (should be chrome). Rare to see someone get all the outside details correct. Interior modified as most are, with vinyl-covered panels (factory gave you painted fiberboard panels). This interior is relatively understated, looks professionally done, and complements outside colors well. Overhearing attendees’ reactions is priceless. One fellow said “this is not a car. This is almost a car”. Although Isetta market has cooled slightly, high bid was light by $5,000-10,000.
CONDITION: 1-
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $29,500 NOT SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $28,000-53,000 (CPI)

Lot #F399, 1966 Mercedes Benz 230 SL roadster, warm silver with red vinyl interior, stick shift. Mileage is 70,936. Optional hard top. Unknown if soft top is included. Striking color combo, very clean overall. Nothing to fault with interior. Only glaring misstep is aftermarket exhaust, with tips extending about 4 inches past rear bumper. Sign says same owner last 20 years. If it runs well, this was well bought, especially with the stick, and will only appreciate.
CONDITION: 2
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $39,000 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $40,000-76,000 (CPI)

Lot #F443, 1973 Mercedes Benz 280 CE coupe, green and white with green velour interior. Mileage is 53,380. Automatic. Sign says “barn find”. Odd two-tone, with white paint across center section of roof. White hub caps. Outside is rough, with both doors not shutting well, poor paint, rust bubbles everywhere. EPA label verifies this is US spec car, but upholstery looks odd. Cheap sale price reflects an attractive body style on a car that will need serious work before becoming drivable.
CONDITION: 4
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $3,000 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $5,000-12,000 (CPI)

Lot #412, 1976 Triumph TR 6, bright green, black top, tan interior. Odometer just over 56,000. Sign claims car is rust free and it looks it. Red line tires and trim rings add elegant air to exterior; clean upholstery, unmarked wood dash, and coco mats do same for interior. Convertible top has correct reflective stripe. Overall strong presentation. Sale price is fair to buyer and seller.
CONDITION: 2+
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $18,000 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $12,000-20,000 (Sports Car Market)

Lot #T199, 1977 Fiat 124 spider, orange, black top and interior. Mileage not noted. Quality repaint but overspray on windshield frame. No signs of rust. Front bumper crooked. Nice looking Fiat alloy wheels. Interior looks straight with no rips or tears. Lots of eyeball but would need to look at floors and underside to ensure solid metal was underneath.
CONDITION: 3+
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: Not sold, high bid not noted
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $7,000-10,500 (Sports Car Market)

Lot #T150, 1981 Porsche 924, silver with black interior, bra on front, mileage not noted (it doesn’t matter). Sad and tired looking thing. Silver paint worn, faded, scratched. Factory sunroof, Porsche alloys. Interior no better than outside. Seat covers with driver’s cover pulled back to reveal black electrical tape on seat bolster. Wires running through door jamb from hood into interior for aftermarket gauge. Aftermarket exhaust looks too large for car. Trailer hitch! Bid to $2000 and did not sell. Car is living proof that Porsche is not infallible.
CONDITION: 4–
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $2,000 NOT SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $3,000 (Sports Car Market)

Lot #F339, 1983 Mercedes Benz 380 SL roadster, black with gray interior, hard top, sign says mileage is 50k. Sign also says light blue interior which is wrong. Straight body, aftermarket fog lights, exterior bright work dull, Benz alloys look scruffy, black paint shows every wash/wipe/buff mark. Interior good except for driver’s seat with blue pen marks. Car looks no better and no worse than any other of the dozens of 70s-80s era SLs for sale. Sold for a bit of a steal considering mileage, as many of these cars have over 100k on them. A good detail will do it wonders.
CONDITION: 3-
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $7,500 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $7,000-16,000 (Sports Car Market)

Lot #F447, 1984 BMW 633 CSi coupe, black on black, 80k original miles, sunroof, automatic. BMW alloys. Black looks well maintained but still shows swirl and buff marks. Trunk roundel chipped, aluminum bumpers dull and scratched. Clean underhood. Sold near mid-price guide number, should provide many more enjoyable miles.
CONDITION: 3+
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $5,250 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $3,700-7,600

Lot #F434, 1984 Fiat 2000 spider, badged as Pininfarina, 47k original miles, red, tan top and interior. Fiat alloy wheels, Repaint looks quality and shines up well. Little to fault on exterior. Sign on car claims original interior and chrome, new tan top. Interior very clean. Overall very attractive presentation. Really good Fiat spiders are gaining traction, as witnessed here with this result.
CONDITION: 2
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $9,300 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $6,800-16,000 (CPI)

Lot #F402, 1986 Porsche 928 S4, automatic, 155k miles, garnet red metallic with brown leather interior. Car looks clean for mileage. No sign of overspray, could be well maintained original paint. Factory sunroof. Interior likewise appears like a good used car with no signs of typical 928 interior breakdown. Sign claims one owner car. Car appears more like an example with half the miles. Mileage did not scare away bidders. Only question is what maintenance and repairs are in the immediate future.
CONDITION: 3+
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $6,900 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $9,700-19,000 (CPI)

Lot #F451, 1987 VW Cabriolet, bright red, white top, white pinstripe cloth interior, stick shift. Mileage is 86,736. Exterior looks sharp as does interior. Sign says original paint and miles. As clean as the exterior and interior are, the engine compartment is a disaster. A valve cover repaint and power wash would transform it. Air cooled VWs are hot, water cooled VWs are not. This “chick car” has long been ignored in the marketplace except by a few who correctly see it as inexpensive top-down fun. Sold well above high price guide number, likely due to overall presentation. Most of these Cabrios are shot by now.
CONDITION: 2-
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $6,200
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $2,300-4,600 (CPI)

Lot #F401, 1999 Jaguar XK8 roadster. Red, tan top, ivory interior. Chrome wheels. Automatic. Looks like a clean 15 year old used car (meant as a compliment). Mileage is 79,258. Driver’s seat has some leather cracking and wear, but still serviceable. Sign claims upgraded stereo and heated seats. At this sale price (10% of its MSRP), car could be a daily driver AND a weekend cruise night car.
CONDITION: 2-
SALE PRICE/HIGH BID: $7,500 SOLD
PRICE BOOK RANGE: $10,000-14,000 (CPI)

Sunday Morning Breakfast Run, April 2015

April 19, 2015 RichardReina Drives, Events

Nine cars + eleven people = a very successful inaugural 2015 Breakfast drive. After the winter we had endured in the Northeast, those of us with collector cars were itchin’ to drive, so we managed to organize a Sunday run a bit earlier in the season than usual. We typically don’t get out for the first run until May or sometimes June.

Bright early sun at our Mahwah Sheraton meeting place.

The weather cooperated: blue sky and plenty of sunshine, although with temps in the 50s, it was cooler than it had been on Saturday, when we had mid-to-upper 70s. Almost everyone (Ted!) in a convertible drove top-down, and with a slight twist of the heater dial, it was plenty comfortable.

Destination today was Granny’s Pancake House on Route 23 in Hamburg NJ. We’ve been there before, and the ample parking combined with a waiting table (nothing like calling ahead) had us gulping coffee within minutes of arriving.

To the cars: if we’re counting (we are), GM product ruled the day, and Chevrolet ruled within there. We had two Corvettes: the marvelously original C1 driven by Burton Hall (who I believe has owned this car for close to 50 years), and the silver C6 of Bill Whited’s (who somehow seems to bring a different ‘Vette to every run). The other Chevys were both Camaros: Paul Dohrmann’s beautiful ’69 which he completely restored himself, and Larry Mihok’s 1994 Camaro, which serves him equally well as daily driver and collector car. Larry had plenty of company with Steve Sargent riding shotgun.

“Ralphie from Englewood” drove his ’67 Buick Skylark convertible, a solid-looking survivor and a model you do not see with any frequency. Ted Kadala (with neighbor Julio along for the ride) drove his ’66 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, a car so big I had to jog a quarter mile away to get it all on camera.

One FoMoCo product was present, and Nick Dragone proudly waved the Blue Oval flag with his 2014 Mustang. Nick was all too happy to show us his new Borla exhaust and Airaid cold air intake. The one MoPar car wasn’t a car: it was a GREEN Viper. Rich Stavridis looked splendid behind its wheel, and claims he would have driven his ‘new to him’ Alfa had it not just gotten off the truck the other night. The only import car on the drive today was your author’s 1993 Mazda Miata; he had every intention to drive his Alfa (still would have been the only import) but the front suspension rebuild is not quite completed.

Despite occasional harassment from a few of the hungry old men, the waitress service at Granny’s was top-notch. Breakfast was pretty good too. We parted ways by 11 a.m., and promised we would make every effort to drive again as soon as we can get our collective acts together. Perhaps next month.

All smiles at Granny's breakfast table. — **All smiles at Granny’s breakfast table.**

2015 Atlantic City Auto Auction Report

March 1, 2015March 1, 2015 RichardReina Auctions, Events Atlantic City, car auctions

G. Potter King (GPK) Auctions returned to the Atlantic City NJ Convention Center for their annual auction, held this year from Friday February 27 through Sunday March 1. As usual, the 3-day auction included a car corral and flea market, all conveniently located adjacent to each other in the huge one-room building.

The GPK website states that they have been running the Atlantic City auction since 1985, which makes this year their 30th anniversary. Your scribe first attended in the early 1980s and has been back almost every year since. The event, first held in the old Boardwalk Hall and moved to the new Convention Center in 1998, has a number of positives. It has long stood as a mid-winter break for us East Coast car enthusiasts who put our collector cars away for the winter and have cabin fever by February. This auction house has relatively low fees, with buyers’ and sellers’ premiums at 7%. Entry fees vary, based on which day a car runs across the block. Friday is $450, Saturday is $550, and Sunday is $350. However, cars sold without a reserve are not charged an entry fee.

In spite of the positives, some less favorable trends were noticed this time. First, the vendors who usually occupy much of the (indoor) corridor space just outside the entrance doors were conspicuous by their absence. The automotive vendors who in the past have displayed their higher end vehicles at one end of the hall were also not present. It was this reporter’s casual observation that foot traffic and vehicle count were both down. These comments are balanced by noting that the quality of the consignments seemed to be better. There were fewer highly-modified cars and late-model “used cars”.

Any auction report can only highlight a small percentage of the cars on offer. As my personal taste runs to the European cars of the 1950s through 1970s, you’ll find most of the vehicles reviewed are within that category. The occasional American car is covered, especially if it is an orphan, or somewhat unusual. Given the recent rise in the collectability of the station wagon, several of them are highlighted below.

As this is my first auction report, I will point out that I have endeavored to show several photos of each vehicle (a minimum of two outside shots, and one shot of the interior and/or the engine compartment). A condition rating is assigned based on the familiar 1-to-5 scale. A price guide reference from either Cars of Particular Interest (CPI) or Sports Car Market (SCM) is shown next to the sale price or high bid. Sale prices are taken directly from GPK’s website, and it is refreshing to note that their published prices are the actual hammer prices, exclusive of premiums.

Lot #1428: 1987 Mercedes Benz 560 SL roadster. White with red interior, V8, automatic, 95,000 miles. Comes with 2 tops, white hard top and brand new black soft top, soft top not visible under boot. Front fog lights under front bumper. Paint might be original, in decent shape. Black wall tires on MB alloys. Interior very good, red leather with black dash and black steering wheel. No obvious defects inside or outside. Maryland plates. One of possibly 7 or 8 SL roadsters at the event, the color combo here helps this one to stand out.
• Condition: 2-.
• High bid: $9,500 (not sold)
• CPI range: $14,000-23,000

Lot #1440, 1984 Porsche 928. Champagne metallic, automatic, sunroof, black leather interior. Odometer reads 103,887. Car has been repainted, poor masking around windows detracts from what appears to be an otherwise quality job. This is the S model with small spoilers front and rear. Interior surprisingly good for a 928, with uncracked dash, little wear on steering wheel. Sheepskin seat covers on both front seats, however, a peek underneath shows intact black leather. FMVSS label confirms US spec car. Sign on car claims recent timing belt service. In spite of the miles, appears to have lots of life left.
• Condition: 3
• Sale price: $6,500
• SCM range: $9,000-12,000

Lot # 1447, 1977 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser woody wagon. Bronze metallic paint, brown vinyl interior. Odometer reads 55,828, sign on car claims original miles, sign also claims 2 owners. Outside, paint is faded but likely original, fake wood is good, full wheel covers with narrow whitewalls. Roof rack with “spoiler” over tailgate glass. All glass is good. Interior presents well, no rips or tears. An honest ’70s era wagon.
• Condition: 3
• High bid: $7,000 on Saturday, $6,500 on Sunday (not sold)
* Car was spotted in Car Corral with asking price of $9,800
• CPI range: $2,300-5,300

Lot #1470, 1972 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser wagon. Odometer reads 78,611. White with fake wood, brown vinyl interior. Clamshell tailgate, roof rack, trailer hitch. Oversize blackwall tires on Cragar style mags look very out of place. Car sits high in front. Interior partially redone. Front seats have piping and different pattern than rear (likely original) seats. Two 1950s style spotlights on front fenders, with handles on either side of dash. Outside mucked up with aftermarket molding, “Custom Cruiser” script on fender skirts, painted side light bezels. “Rocket 455” decal on air cleaner, engine painted while in place with rattle can. A car with good bones that has become a tarted up thing.
• Condition: 3-
• Sale price: $6,500
• CPI range: $3,800-7,900

Lot #1478, 1976 Triumph TR6. Last year for this model. Mileage 40,000, looks like that could be original. Bright green with black interior. Redline tires on Triumph alloys. Repaint good with some dirt in paint, but shows well on broad surfaces of hood and trunk. Engine compartment near spotless. Interior clean, no obvious defects. Overall presents very well, can be driven with pride or taken to local cruise-ins.
• Condition: 2
• Sale price: result not posted
• SCM range: $12,000-20,000

Lot #1483, 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Odometer is 69,093, sign on car claims mileage is original. Dark blue metallic paint, fake wood, beige interior in leather with cloth inserts. V8 engine, factory air, power windows, Jeep alloys with whitewalls. Overall, vehicle is striking. From 10 feet away, could pass for a 3 or 4-year-old used car. Repaint is excellent, possibly more metallic than original. Interior borders on spotless, only defect is very slight wear on center console. Doors shut well. Engine compartment not detailed. A model that is showing increased interest among collectors.
• Condition: 2+
• Sale price: $15,000
• CPI range: $8,000-28,000

Lot #1494, 1980 Triumph Spitfire roadster. Last year for the Spitfire. Sign on car claims 20,000 original miles. White with tan vinyl & houndstooth upholstery. Interior looks hardly worn. White hardtop included, no soft top visible for inspection. Paint probably original, not great, but may be what a British factory did in 1980. Triumph steel wheels and trim rings with whitewall tires. 3-tone stripes along sides of car, were red/white/blue, red is now faded. Car appears to really have 20,000 miles and looks unrestored. If you want a Spitfire, this could be the one to have. It’s a shame that someone owned this car for so long and drove it so little.
• Condition: 2-
• Sale price: $8,000
• CPI range: $5,000-11,000

Lot #1726, 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Odometer reads 92,000. Black with black hardtop, black and white interior, no soft top visible. Full wheel covers and white wall tires. Engine dress up kit with finned valve covers and chrome air cleaner. Rare 3-speed stick car. Black repaint has decent shine, but far from perfect with some cracks and polishing marks. Interior OK, as is engine compartment. Six-volt Optima battery under hood. First year for the T-Bird. Car is decent, but has no ‘pop’, good detailing would help.
• Condition: 3
• High bid: $21,000 (not sold)
• SCM range: $27,000-42,000

Lot #1794, 1974 Jaguar E-type convertible. Odometer reads 43,953. Silver, red interior, V12, stick shift. Chrome wires with red stripe tires. Very striking in person, appears to be recent restoration. Little to fault. Both doors shut well. One minor quibble is that chrome strip missing from exterior of door tops. One of the better color combos for this car, especially given what some of the other choices were. An E-type to have if one wants (or can live with) the V12 engine.
• Condition: 2+
• Sale price: $63,000
• SCM range: $55,000-75,000

Lot #1810, 1992 Acura NSX. Odometer reads 91,000 miles. Red, black top, black leather interior. V6, stick shift. Chrome wheels. Interior good except for heavy wear on driver’s seat bolster. Lots of touch up marks on hood, otherwise, paint looks good for age and mileage. Car has obviously been enjoyed. Overall driver condition car, ready for someone else to continue to enjoy.
• Condition: 2-
• Sale price: $29,000
• CPI range: $23,000-36,000

Lot #1818, 1970 Jaguar E-type convertible. Odometer reads 70,000, sign on car claims mileage is original. Inline 6, stick shift, blue with beige interior. Series 2 car. Factory air. Sign says red line tires, but car has blackwalls. Nice paint, looks recent, as does interior re-do. Entire car let down by clash of beige seats contrasting with very different shade of beige on door panels, center console, and top boot. E-types are hot; this one desperately needs a can of leather dye.
• Condition: 2
• High bid: $61,000 (not sold)
• SCM range: $60,000-85,000

Lot #1824, 1959 MGA roadster. Odometer reads 28,494, nothing about car convinces me that it’s not 128,494. Red with black. Decent older paint and interior, but not outstanding. Luggage rack on rear deck. Painted wire wheels with blackwall tires. Four-cylinder engine painted dark red. No attempt to detail engine compartment. Blow-by hose missing from valve cover. Steering wheel wrapped. Would be helped by a good detailing. Until then it’s just a driver, at least a solid one that can be used.
• Condition: 3-
• High bid: $19,5000 (not sold)
• CPI range: $23,500-49,000

Lot #1828, 1969 MGC convertible. Sign on car claims 41,000 original miles. British racing green with black interior. Inline-6 with overdrive. Blackwall tires on painted wires. Older repaint looks OK. Interior is fine. Cannot inspect top, boot installed. A decent and somewhat rare MG.
• Condition: 3+
• High bid: $17,000 (not sold)
• CPI range: $14,000-32,000

Lot #1847, 1960 Jaguar Mark II 4-door. British racing green, dark tan leather interior. Odometer reads 66,000 miles. Stick shift car with Jag’s famous inline six. Chrome wire wheels, blackwall tires. Paint is decent, but car is dusty (note that for this car, my photos do not do justice to either paint color or condition, both of which appeared better in person). Interior full of wood and leather and smells it. Driver’s seat worn with cracks almost but not quite to the point of needing replacement. Steering wheel appears to be aftermarket. Outside mirror on each front fender. “Mark II” and “3.8” badges on rear deck. One of my favorite cars at the auction, this thing oozed old world British charm.
• Condition: 3+
• Sale price: result not posted
• SCM range: $25,000-32,500

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