Friday, February 28, 2020

1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88

Rarely does a manufacturer make a point of not advertising one of its products. An exception to the rule was the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88. The L88 Corvette was powered by a highly modified version of Chevy’s 427-cubic-inch V-8. Although the factory-claimed horsepower was 435, real power output was somewhere between 540 and 580. The L88 stayed in production until 1969 with a total of 216 produced. 20 in 1967, 80 in 1968 and 116 in 1969.
The biggest and baddest Corvette of them all was the L88 built from 1967 to 1969. The L88 is no secret among Corvette collectors ... it's the hands down holy grail.
The L88 could be ordered only with certain options such as a performance suspension, Positraction differential, and upgraded brakes, while other features such as a radio and A/C were not available.

Four out of the five most expensive Corvettes to come to auction are L88s.
20 L88 Corvettes were built in 1967 on the C2 platform. This L88 made $ 3.8m at Scottsdale in 2014.

BMW M1

The BMW M1 (E26) was a sports car produced by BMW from 1978 to 1981. In the late 1970s, Lamborghini entered into an agreement with BMW to build a production racing car for homologation, but conflicts arose that prompted BMW to produce the car themselves.

The car employs a twin-cam M88/1 3.5 L six-cylinder engine with Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection producing 273 hp, giving a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph).
Turbocharged racing versions made around 850 hp. Only 453 production M1s were built. Of these, 20 were race versions created for the BMW M1 Procar Championship. The BMW M1 was possibly the first everyday supercar.
The M1’s 24-valve, 3.5 liter I6, dry sump, mid-mounted engine was a gem. 0-60 came in 5.4 seconds and 8 seconds to 100 mph. That’s quick by today’s standards but was monstrous in 1980.
In 2015 an incredibly rare and immaculate example of the BMW M1 made £603,000. That's roughly double what an ordinary M1 goes for. The M1 will continue to be a highly collectible car.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Ford dealer selling 'brand new' 2005 GT - $399k

A Ford dealer in Illinois is trying to unload a 13-year-old ‘new’ car for a whooping $495,000. This isn't a Taurus, it's a GT and originally stickered for $156,595. The car is regularly maintained, and with 4 miles on the clock it's possibly the lowest-mileage 2005 GT left in the world.

The GT was inspired by Ford's Le Mans racers of the 1960s and built to celebrate the car maker's 100th anniversary. It’s powered by a 550 hp supercharged 5.4-liter V8. Ford sold 4038 of the supercars over the 2005 and 2006 model years.

The dealer has it listed at $495,000 with a Hawk Ford discount bringing it down to a more manageable $399k.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

1971 Plymouth Cuda Convertible - $1.1m

1 of only 12 BBL Automatic Cuda Convertibles produced in 1971. Documented with the original broadcast sheet. Extensive restoration completed with original and NOS parts. Believed to be 21,026 miles. 440 BBL engine. Dual exhaust with chrome tips. D32 Heavy duty automatic transmission. A34 Super Track Pak with 4.10 gears. Power brakes. FE5 Bright Red with Black convertible top.
The multi-carbureted Mopar E-body convertibles of the early 1970s are among the most highly desired vehicles.

Under the scalloped hood is the 440 6-BBL engine with a 385 HP rating.
The engine bay features the oval air cleaner, OE-design black battery, cast manifolds and dual exhaust ending in chrome tips. Built under the A34 Super Track Pak code, this Plymouth came with the D32 heavy-duty A727 automatic transmission and a Dana 60 differential featuring 4.10 Sure Grip gearing.
Final-year 1971 Cuda convertibles are well established among enthusiasts as the ultimate muscle car.

While the 7 Hemi Cuda convertibles stand at the apex as the most valuable engine-option for 1971, the 17 Cuda convertibles built with the V-code 440 6-BBL engine command great respect.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

1967 Toyota 2000GT

The Toyota 2000GT is the most iconic model by the Japanese automaker, and it’s also one of the rarest performance classics that ever came out of Japan.

This example is one of the 62 left-hand drive cars that reached the United States, with just 351 in total built between 1967 and 1970.
Engine is a 2-liter straight-six, producing 150 HP and paired to a five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip rear differential. The 2000GT was the first Japanese car with four disc brakes.
This 1967 Toyota 2000GT is restored in its original Solar Red and is presented in immaculate condition at RM Sotheby’s auction on May 1. It’s estimated to fetch between $700k and $850k.

1966 Shelby GT350-H Fastback, 2016 Ford Shelby GT-H

1 of 999 produced. 289 CI V-8 engine. 4-speed manual transmission. New dual exhaust. Black with Gold striping. New Black interior. Fold-down rear seat. New correct Shelby Hertz wheels. New BF Goodrich tires.

High bid was $ 110k.
159 of 171 produced. 655 actual miles. 5.0L/435 HP V-8 engine. Automatic transmission.

Black exterior with Gold stripes. Black interior. Paddle shifters. Heated/Ventilated power front seats. Air conditioning. Navigation. AM/FM stereo with CD player. GT-H floor mats. Back-up camera. Ford Racing Handling Package. Ford Racing Performance exhaust. Carbon fiber front spoiler. 19-inch performance wheels. Michelin Pilot Sport tires. $72,600.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

1988 Porsche 959 Komfort

The Porsche 959 is an all-wheel-drive, twin-turbocharged, homologation car that represented the pinnacle of Porsche’s technological know-how. The car remains impressive 33 years after its debut. Porsche started developing the 959 in the early 1980s with a view to Group B rally racing. It’s engine used water-cooled cylinder heads atop air-cooled cylinders. Twin turbochargers worked sequentially, all but eliminating lag from idle to the 7,300 rpm redline. The engine produced 444 hp through a six-speed manual gearbox. The all-wheel-drive system used sophisticated electronics and an array of sensors.
The car could hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and do the quarter in 12 seconds flat at 116 mph. By the time Porsche built the 200 cars needed to homologate the car for racing in 1986, Group B racing was on the way out.
The record for highest sale price of a 959 Komfort is $1.7m at the Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach auction 2015. The market for 959s reached its peak around January 2016.

Currently a #1 condition 1988 959 Komfort is valued around $1.2m.

Friday, February 21, 2020

1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T - $302k

Original broadcast sheet. Nut and bolt rotisserie restoration. The only documented Plum Crazy Hemi 4-speed Challenger R/T with Shaker hood and Super Track Pack. 1 of 5 Hemi Shaker Challenger R/T 4-speed Hardtops known to exist. 426/425 HP Hemi V-8 engine. 4-speed transmission. Hurst Pistol Grip shifter. Plum Crazy with Black vinyl top and interior.
The Challenger could be had with 11 possible engines from a 6-cylinder on up, to versions like this, completely optioned for performance. Over the following four years, the car’s potential options list grew much smaller, leaving big-block examples from 1970 and 1971 as the apex collector models.
This example is exclusive as one of only five Hemi “Shaker” Challenger R/T 4-speed hardtops known to exist. The option was “delisted” in late 1969, and very few cars came with it again until the end of the production run. This Hemi features dual 4-barrel carbs, hydraulic cam and electronic ignition. The engine choice also brought specific suspension and frame components.
This top tier example made $302k at Kissimmee against an estimate of $285k to $350k

1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 ‘Daytona’

Alfa Romeo had great success throughout the early 1960s in various touring and GT races. The decision was made to return to international sports car racing. The heart of Alfa’s return would be the two-litre V-8 engine. This effort would encompass 11 racing seasons and result in Alfa winning the World Championship in 1977.

The Daytona featured a high revving 270 bhp, 1,995 cc DOHC V-8 engine with dual-ignition and indirect fuel injection, six-speed gearbox, independent front and rear suspension, rear-wheel drive, and four-wheel disc brakes.
In 2014 a 1968 Alfa Romeo T33/2 ‘Daytona’ changed hands for €1,260,000.