- Chubb Collector Car Insurance

Volume 5 / Issue 3
Away From the
Monterey Crowds
I
t’s Pebble Beach time, and while
the Monterey Peninsula is nirvana for
car buffs — with more events than
any single human can possibly fit into
a few days — the crowds that show
up can be daunting for those who
prefer a little elbow room. For those
times when you might want to get
away from the masses for a few hours
or even a day, it’s great to know that
some of California’s most beautiful
state parks are a short and scenic
drive away. 2014 represents the 150th
anniversary of the California State
Parks system, so there’s really no better
time to celebrate this breathtaking
part of the world.
Visit Andrew Molera State Park to
find the Big Sur River, miles of hiking
trails and a horse-riding concession. At Asilomar State Beach you’ll
discover rolling dunes, a rugged
coastline and historical buildings as
part of the park’s conference and
lodging facilities. At Carmel River State
Beach, find a scenic lagoon perfect
for fishing and bird watching, but be
careful of the often dangerous surf.
And if you’re ready for a longer drive
south, don’t miss the charming town of
Cayucos and its fishing pier, as well as
the great beaches that are part of the
Cayucos State Beach.
Maybe you just love all the classic
car events but really feel the need
to escape when they’re all over.
Consider staying in the area just a
little longer to explore all that the
California State Parks system has to
offer. They do an amazing job, and
their 150th anniversary is a perfect
time to explore more of the region’s
stunning beauty. To find out more,
you can visit the California State
Parks website at www.parks.ca.gov. If
you’re bringing a favorite collector car
to the area, just think of all the great
roads you’ll travel.
Whatever you do, stay safe and
keep ’em running!
Jim Fiske
Vice President
Chubb Personal Insurance
[email protected]
In This Issue
Looking to Monterey������������������������ 1
Gooding on the Market������������������ 2
Ten Monterey Cars to Watch����� 2–3
The Classics��������������������������������������� 3
Legal Files������������������������������������������ 4
The Orange Blossom Tour���������������� 5
1962 International Scout 80������������� 6
1970 Aston Martin DBS Sport Saloon� 7
Upcoming Events����������������������������� 8
insider
Collector Car
Watching the Market at Work
Skyrocketing prices in the collector-car market are luring fantastic
cars to Monterey auctions — and new, wealthy bidders are hunting
by Keith Martin
A
lot of money is going to be spent during Monterey classic car week. Last year, 760 cars at five auctions changed
hands for a total of $308m. That’s a little over $400,000 per car.
Until recently, I have been predicting a 15% rise in those totals, as more and more expensive cars keep coming
onto the market.
But on June 30, the collector-car world was rocked on its collective heels when Bonhams announced that the Holy
Grail of vintage cars — a Ferrari 250 GTO — would cross the block at their Quail Lodge Auction in Carmel, CA, on
August 14. Further, the car is at no reserve, which means it will sell — no matter how low or how high the final bid.
Estimates of the final price
range from $45m to $70m. At
first blush, this sounds crazy.
But the last Ferrari 250 GTO to
change hands privately did so at
around $50m.
This being Monterey Classic
Car Week, the GTO is just the
cherry on top of a giant, ultrarich sundae. Gooding has a typically delectable array of cars,
including a 1955 Aston Martin
DB3S with a good racing history, a 1968 BMW 508, a 1965
Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ, and an
alloy-bodied 1966 Ferrari 275
GTB long nose.
As the last auction held during the weekend, Gooding has
the enviable position of “batting
How will the sale of this 250 GTO affect the market?
cleanup.” So, if you missed out
on the ex-Steve McQueen 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at RM, or the 1955 Lancia B20 at Bonhams, or the 1954 375 MM at
Mecum, or the 1956 Mercedes 300SL at Russo and Steele, you’ll have one last chance to buy a car on Sunday night in the
Gooding tent at the Equestrian Center at Pebble Beach.
Every auction company is pulling out all the stops, and the meteoric rise in prices over the past five years of the
highest-end collectible cars has brought cars to market that haven’t been seen in 40 or more years.
At the same time, the continued national news coverage of the market, including CNN and the Wall Street Journal, has
drawn new collectors — of substantial wealth — into the world of car collecting.
I believe that exceptional vintage cars have been undervalued since the crash of 1990, and we are now seeing a correction that has taken them past their values of 24 years ago.
As much as prices have risen in the past 48 months, there is still value in buying an exceptional car — even at current
prices. These are rare pieces, and they aren’t making any more of them.
I expect to see a stunning rise in this year’s Monterey auction totals.
The Goods
by David Gooding
Ten Monterey Headliners
A
s Gooding & Company prepares
for its second decade as the official auction house of the Pebble
Beach Concours d’Elegance, we invite
you to join us for the festivities. The Pebble
Beach Auctions have always redefined
car auctions worldwide — with recordbreaking sales and unforgettable cars.
With summer upon us, your passion
for collecting may bring you to Pebble
Beach, where this year’s auctions on
August 16 and 17 offer an unrivaled
selection of motoring excellence.
Exciting entries that are not to be missed
include an extremely rare 1939 Alfa
Romeo Tipo 256 Cabriolet with spectacular one-off Pininfarina coachwork
(estimate: $5,000,000–$7,000,000), the
first production 1954 Mercedes-Benz
300 SL Gullwing to be delivered new
to a private customer (estimate upon
request), the 1927 Bugatti Type 35 Grand
Prix, which was owned and raced
by the “Bugatti Queen,” Hellé Nice
(estimate: $2,800,000–$3,500,000), a
rare 1955 Aston Martin DB3S sports racer
(estimate: $5,000,000–$7,000,000) and
one of the last unrestored 1929 Model
J Duesenbergs with coachwork by the
Walter M. Murphy Company (estimate:
$1,350,000-$1,750,000).
In addition, we will present a robust
offering of the Ferrari marque, including
a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
(estimate upon request), a 1961 250
GT SWB California Spyder (estimate:
$13,000,000–$15,000,000), a 1965 275 GTB
Long Nose Alloy (estimate: $3,750,000–
$4,250,000) and two exceptional 250
GT Lusso models from the early 1960s. In
the past few years, these models have
increased in popularity and set world
auction records.
Each year, we carefully select toptier cars for all tastes and collecting
levels. This year’s unique selection of
automobiles at no reserve includes a
1912 Packard Model 30 7-Passenger
Touring (estimate: $400,000–$500,000)
and a 1938 Packard Twelve Model
1608 all-weather cabriolet (estimate:
$225,000–$300,000), both from the
legendary Phil Hill Family Collection.
If you would like to find out more
about consigning with Gooding &
Company, we are currently preparing for
The Scottsdale Auctions and The Amelia
Island Auction in 2015. Please contact
our talented team of experts with your
questions. We look forward to working
with you and hope to see you in person
at our Pebble Beach Auctions this August.
If you are not able to join us, please visit
us online for the preview and auction at
www.goodingco.com.
2
Collector Car Insider
Some truly legendary cars will cross the block this August in
1
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
Bonhams, Carmel
The world’s longest single-ownership 250 GTO Berlinetta, with one family since 1965, offered at no
reserve. Rumor has it the last 250 GTO sold went for $50m.
Contact Bonhams for estimate.
3
4
7
8
1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
RM Auctions, Monterey
Formerly owned by “King of Cool” Steve
McQueen. Recently restored by Ferrari
Classiche.
RM estimate: $8m–$12m
1911 Mercer Type 35R Raceabout
RM Auctions, Monterey
Ex-Henry Austin Clark Jr. Single-family ownership
since 1949. Patina dates to the 1940s. RM
estimate: $2.5m–$3.5m
1965 Ford GT40 roadster prototype
RM Auctions, Monterey
The eighth of 12 GT40 prototypes built, used by
Shelby American for testing and development,
with many important drivers.
RM estimate: $8m–$10m
1930 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Berline
convertible
Mecum Auctions, Monterey
An ACD-certified Category 1 original, used
as a factory demonstrator. Mecum estimate:
$1.3m–$1.7m
The Classics
Monterey. Here are 10 cars that just might make history
It’s that time again — Pebble
Beach Madness
by David Schultz, CCCA President
and CCCA Museum Trustee
I
2
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder
Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach
One of just 37 covered-headlight examples, offered with desirable hard top. Ferrari
Classiche-certified.
Gooding & Company estimate: $13m–$15m
5
6
9
10
1955 Aston Martin DB3S
Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach
One of 20 examples built for customer
use, the 1955 Earls Court Motor Show car.
Podium finishes at Snetterton and Silverstone.
Gooding & Company estimate: $5m–$7m
1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder
Bonhams, Carmel
The ex-Works Weissach development and test
car. Bonhams estimate: $1.8m–$2.3m
1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet
Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach
A very correct, authentic, well-maintained
example, the last of just 40 built. Gooding &
Company estimate: $4.5m–$6m
1968 Gurney Eagle Indianapolis 500 car
Russo and Steele, Monterey
The first Indianapolis Eagle built in 1968 by
Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. Driven
by Roger McCluskey at the 1968 Indy 500.
Contact Russo and Steele for estimate
f it’s August, that means one thing
— the Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance and everything that goes
with it. That “everything” has turned into
quite a bit to do. In fact, after looking
over the lineup of car shows, auctions
and gatherings, I don’t believe there’s
any way a person could do everything —
one has to pick and choose.
Last year’s Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance was a special one for me. I
showed my 1930 Lincoln Judkins coupe
and I served as a judge in the Lincoln
class, as Coachbuilt Lincoln was a
featured class in 2013. (Yes, I judged a
different class.)
As those of you who attended last
year’s event will recall, this was a very
special grouping of Lincolns. We saw
some truly rare automobiles, including
several that were one-of-a-kind cars.
There are few places one can see
automobiles of this caliber. That’s why so
many enthusiasts travel hundreds of miles
and spend a lot of money to attend.
For me, however, the best part of the
weekend was the Pebble Beach Tour
d’Elegance, which was held on Thursday,
prior to the Concours d’Elegance. Cars
participating in the tour receive “extra
credit” in Sunday’s judging, so most car
entrants participate. For some cars that
have been freshly restored and haven’t
been through a shakedown run, the tour
can be an adventure.
Most cars are properly prepared, however, and drive without a problem.
The tour began with the obligatory
coffee and doughnuts — accompanied
by a lot of tire-kicking and story-telling —
which is all very enjoyable.
The diversity of automobiles on the
tour was terrific — early brass motorcars
to high-powered post-war sports cars.
The mighty Lincoln performed beautifully. The car had spent its entire life in
California until I acquired it a few years
ago, so it felt like a homecoming for the
old girl.
We took a lap on the famed Laguna
Seca track, but as impressive as that was,
it took second place to driving along the
Pacific Coast Highway and looking out
at the Pacific Ocean. Pretty hard to top.
It’ll be a great time. If you can’t find
something to excite you during Pebble
Beach week, well, you probably aren’t
breathing.
(Images are courtesy of the respective auction houses and Sports Car Market)
Collector Car Insider
3
Legal Files
Finding Fakes, Stolen Cars and Corvette Lawsuits
The National Insurance Crime Bureau might be able to find your stolen car — years after the theft
by John Draneas
L
ast month’s Legal Files suggested that there are epidemic proportions
of “matching-numbers” Corvettes (and other cars) that really aren’t
matching-numbers cars.
That attracted a lot of attention and comments, but what people say
is not as important as what they don’t say. No one said the suggestion was
sometimes wrong.
First, let’s put “matching numbers” into perspective. Say we have a 1965
Pontiac LeMans with a 4-speed transmission. We source a correct 1965
Pontiac 389-ci GTO motor, a Tri-Power setup, and all the necessary body
parts, trim and badges — all of which were readily available from the factory
— and “convert” our LeMans into a GTO.
If you park the clone GTO next to an identical real GTO, would anyone
be able to tell them apart without tracing numbers? Would the clone drive or
perform any differently than the real GTO? Would there be any difference
between the two from any physical perspective?
Assuming we did a good job on the conversion, the answers to all of
those questions would be no. So, it is fair to say that the value difference has
nothing to do with which parts are on the car, but depends entirely on who
put them on the car. If it was anyone other than the factory on initial build,
appraisers will tell us that the value difference is about 60%.
That creates plenty of financial incentive to make numbers match. That
very real possibility makes it imperative for buyers to be very sure that it was
the factory that made the numbers match and not the seller. The question is,
how do we go about doing that?
A new method of weeding out fakes
Every marque has well-known specialists (e.g., Kevin Marti, Galen
Govier) who tell us whether a car is real or a fake. SCMer Jeff Murray contacted Legal Files to point out that his company, Vintage Car Research, LLC
(www.vintagecarresearch.com) is a multi-marque alternative that approaches
the project in a different way.
Murray is a retired New Hampshire attorney who started researching collector car provenance as a retirement business several years ago.
Murray starts with the current owner and talks to him about the car. He
then works backwards through all the previous owners. He talks to each of
them directly, gathering up all the documentary evidence he can — until he
gets back to the first owner with no gaps in between. In the end, he compiles
a comprehensive history of the provenance of the car, with copies of all available documentation.
Murray has developed techniques for spotting fakes. Some of his methods
detect things such as improper number-stamping techniques, but there are
also much less obvious details that are typical of factory build. Murray’s
charges vary with the scope of the project, but the typical project range is
$2,500–$3,000.
The elusive real cars
Murray agrees wholeheartedly that authenticity is hard to come by. He
has been looking seriously for almost a year for an all-authentic 1963 SplitWindow Corvette — to no avail.
He has examined many that were claimed to be “numbers-matching” that
weren’t, and some were not even close. He came pretty close to buying a
claimed “totally original,” multiple-award-winning car with a high price, but
he concluded that the glass was non-original. His discoveries have greatly
surprised many owners, who were simply unaware that their cars were not
completely original.
Stolen cars and bad titles
Another seeming epidemic involves collector cars that turn out to be
stolen. In recent months, our office has dealt with:
4
Collector Car Insider
A 1962 Corvette that was determined to have been stolen decades ago,
well before the current owner spent over $30,000 on restoration costs — not
counting his own labor.
A rare 1973 Buick muscle car with similar restoration costs that was determined to have been stolen when it was being checked in for sale at one of
the Scottsdale auctions.
A 1965 Chevrolet Impala stolen decades ago that turned up as a highly
modified, totally restored Los Angeles lowrider car with full hydraulic suspension.
The “Legal Files” message has always been the same: You don’t get good
title from a thief. The rightful owner gets the car, and everyone in between
has to go back to his seller and get a refund.
All of these cars had seemingly valid certificates of title, leading readers
to wonder just what can they do to protect themselves. Here’s a pretty good
idea:
Tracking and finding stolen cars
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) was started 102 years ago
by the insurance industry to help their members recover stolen cars. NICB
locates stolen cars and then reports them to their members, so they can
recover them. They accomplish this in a variety of ways, including referrals from law-enforcement agencies that run across the cars and inspectors
whom NICB places in Customs offices in ports around the country to check
VINs on cars being exported. The effort is made possible by their extensive
database.
Law-enforcement agencies report stolen cars to the FBI’s National Crime
Information Center (NCIC). The NCIC database is available to law enforcement agencies countrywide, but it is purged every five years or so. NICB
imports the NCIC database into its database and then supplements it with
reports of stolen and salvage-title claims from its insurance company members, who represent about 73% of the industry. Once entered into the NICB
database, the information is permanent.
NICB offers a VINCheck function to the public on its website, www.nicb.
org. Anyone can run up to five VINs per day through the program, free of
charge.
NICB Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Roger Morris
said this is the most complete database offered to the public.
“If it’s ever been in the NCIC, it’s in ours,” Morris said. “Plus, we have the
salvage-title reports from our insurance companies, which are not available
elsewhere.”
Archived data from the 1920s and 1930s is available on CDs, and NICB
publishes a useful VIN manual that will tell you which VINs were assigned
to which vehicles in which years.
Morris said VINCheck was started after Hurricane Katrina dumped a lot
of waterlogged cars on the market. NICB became the easiest way to find out
if an insurance company had totaled your dream used car because of water
damage — only for the car to then be resold by an unscrupulous reseller who
had washed the title to remove the salvage designation.
Morris was quite proud of their most visible law enforcement accomplishment. After the Oklahoma City bombing, law enforcement picked up
pieces of the van used in the bombing, including a partial chassis plate that
contained a partial VIN. After having that for a few hours, NICB reported
back that the van was owned by Timothy McVeigh, and we all know the rest
of the story.
John Draneas is an attorney in Oregon. His comments are general in
nature and are not intended to substitute for consultation with an attorney.
He can be reached through www.draneaslaw.com.
Driving a Rally: The Orange Blossom Tour
Chubb provides a free team of mechanics — just in case your collector car needs
a little help on the road
by Paul Morrissette and Tom Franklin
F
or many, participating in one or more of the many
rallies that take place each year is the consummate
collector car experience. Hobbyists can drive one
of their favorite vehicles through new and fascinating
locations and commune with fellow collectors over
lunches and dinners.
A rally can be the perfect blend of driving and socializing.
Chubb Collector Car Insurance is proud to sponsor
the Orange Blossom Tour, an event that takes drivers
through parts of northern and central Florida during
Amelia Island Car Week in Florida each March. As
participants in any rally can attest, breakdowns are
always a possibility. So, as we do during the California
Mille each April, the Chubb team provides mechanical
support help with any necessary repairs.
Twenty cars took part in the 2014 four-day rally,
making a 750-mile loop that started at the Amelia
Island Ritz Carlton and ended in nearby Fernandina
Beach. Day One started with a scenic drive through the
willows of Amelia Island Parkway, followed by a ferry
trip into Jacksonville, where participants enjoyed a tour
of the legendary Brumos Porsche collection. The drive
then meandered to historic St. Augustine, ending with an overnight stay at
the iconic Casa Monica
hotel.
For Day Two, drivers headed down the
Atlantic coast and then
inland to the outskirts
of Orlando. The route
included a drive through
the incredible scenery at
Bulow Creek State Park,
eventually winding along
Old Dixie Highway and
beneath massive Southern live
oak trees. Participants had lunch
along the Intracoastal Waterway
in New Smyrna Beach. The afternoon featured a spirited drive
inland toward Blue Spring State
Park in Orange City, where drivers and passengers alike took in
some spectacular scenery along
the St. John’s River before ending
up at a resort in Howey-In-TheHills.
The highlight of Day Three
was a drive through the charming town of Lake Wales and a
fine lunch at the unique Chalet
Suzanne restaurant — a central
Florida favorite of movie stars
and astronauts for decades.
Day Four — the final day of
the tour — brought participants
through some great driving roads
to Ponce de Leon Springs State
Park, where an incredible pancake breakfast was served at the Old Spanish
Sugar Mill. Unfortunately, rain later dogged the tour all the way to Ocala,
where everyone stopped to see the spectacular National Parts Depot car
collection. Everyone then drove through Ocala’s horse country — and on to
Fernandina Beach and a celebratory concluding dinner.
The Orange Blossom Tour began in 2010, and each year promises great
roads, first-class hotels and food, wonderful fellowship, and a Sunshine State
route that steers clear of tourist traps and Interstate Highways. Planning is
already under way for the 2015 tour. The cost for the Orange Blossom Tour
includes everything —hotels, food and even the Chubb team of mechanics.
New loaner BMWs are also included, should your classic be down for a while.
For more information on the event, including the itinerary and reviews, please
visit OrangeBlossomTour.com.
The St. John’s River — one of the spectacular sights along the tour.
Collector Car Insider
5
Market Analysis
1962 International Scout 80
You can argue whether the Scout really was the first SUV, but there’s no arguing that all vintage
SUVs are hot in today’s market
by B. Mitchell Carlson
Courtesy of Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. LLC
essence, the Scout created a new genre of vehicle — the Sport Utility. With
it, IH dealers started getting trade-ins for Scouts that they had traditionally
never seen before — namely sports cars.
The first-generation Scout was built until late 1970, and it had evolved
along with the constantly evolving decade of the ’60s. The first series
— the Series 80 — incorporated two features that subsequent models
didn’t have: a bulkhead behind the front seats, which separated the
rear compartment, and a folding windshield. The former didn’t last
very long, as it made passenger access to the rear compartment from
the front all but impossible. The latter made it all the way to the end
of Series 80 production in late 1964. By that time, over 100,000 of the
handy little Scouts had been built, to include a limited-edition Red
Carpet Special, commemorating the 100,000th Scout in 1964.
Xyxxyyxy
SOLD!
This truck, Lot 706, sold for $33,000, including buyer’s premium,
at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach, FL, auction on April 13,
2014.
In the late 1950s, International Harvester’s management was looking
to grow their market share in a number of directions. After a 1958 trip on
which a few high-ups at the company saw how World War II Jeeps were being
pressed into service as utility vehicles in the Southwest, they suspected that
IH might be able to build something better suited to the task. From there,
engineering issued a vague challenge to its designers: Design a vehicle to
replace the horse.
Several flat-sided designs failed to get things moving, and the project was
nearly over before it started. But lead design engineer Ted Ornas came up
with a dandy little idea that revitalized it, initially sketched out one evening
at his kitchen table on a piece of scrap matte board. The company was experimenting with using a plastic polymer with the trade name Royalite for body
components. Ornas thought that would be perfect for the on-road / off-road
utility vehicle, and his compound-curve design was penned with it in mind.
The idea gained traction up the corporate chain, and while the composite
body didn’t pan out, by late in 1960, IH had obtained a former Uniroyal tire
plant in Fort Wayne, IN, to start production of the steel-bodied Scout for
1961.
It was offered in one of three body configurations: pickup, a wagon called
the TravelTop, and as an open body. Additionally, it could be two-wheel drive
or four-wheel drive.
Sport Utility
Product planners figured that the two-wheel drive pickup was going to get
the lion’s share of sales (they were already selling pickups anyway, not Jeeplike things), so that’s what most of the initial production was geared for. The
market spoke differently, with the greatest demand for the four-wheel-drive
TravelTop.
The Scout may have on the surface seemed to be a direct competitor to the
Jeep CJ. However, the CJ was smaller and not as well equipped, and while
the Jeep wagon was bigger, it was also very bare bones and less agile. In
6
Collector Car Insider
A hot market
You can argue whether the Scout really was the first SUV, but
there’s no arguing that vintage SUVs of all stripes are a hot commodity
in today’s market.
A decade ago, Scouts were regularly trading for under $1k. I know, since I
bought a running 1967 Scout 800 V8 TravelTop for $800 in 2003, and I was
absolutely tickled pink at the time that I flipped it two years later for $2,000.
Today, dead sleds are bringing $2k, and well-sorted examples are over
$10k — usually double that. They have a near-cult following, with appeal
on several fronts, from off-roaders to general old-car fans, truck enthusiasts
and IH tractor collectors.
But unlike a lot of collectibles, these are individualistic vehicles, and that
means the vast majority of the fleet has been modified in one way or another.
With all Model 80s powered by the half-of-a-V8 slant-four derived from their
304-ci V8, powertrain upgrades tend to rule the day — primarily with IH V8
engine conversions. Modifications like that don’t seem to hurt the bottom
line, with quality of workmanship doing more to determine a Scout’s value
than what was changed from stock.
This Scout
Considering that, this Scout’s suspension, brake and appearance modifications were not a huge issue for the typical buyer. That said, I was not
particularly impressed with this example. While the body paint and upholstery work were good, the use of low-budget aftermarket bits and baubles
just didn’t do it for me.
Under the hood, there was good but non-stock-engine-color paint, and
the cowl was rattle-canned in flat black with no appreciable masking of the
wiring harness. There’s also blanking plates in the door for the window
Details
and crank mechanisms, so it’s more
Years produced: 1961–70
Original list price: $2,579
of a fair-weather friend than an
Current ACC Valuation: $9,000–$25,000
all-weather runner. I wouldn’t call
Tune-up cost: $200
it a top-market example, but it sure
Distributor cap: $20
VIN # location: Data plate on the driver’s side
brought a strong price.
of the cowl
As the vintage-SUV market continEngine # location: On a machined pad adjacent
ues to swell, there are a few chinks
to the distributor
in its armor. The best of the best in
Clubs: IH Collectors
More: www.nationalihcollectors.com
Blazers, Broncos and Scouts are curAdditional: www.oldihc.wordpress.com,
rently bringing justifiably big money,
www.scoutregistry.com
while the also-rans like this specific
Alternatives: 1955–83 Jeep CJ-5, 1966–77 Ford
Bronco, 1969–72 Chevrolet Blazer/GMC
Scout ride the coattails. And at $33k,
Jimmy
I think that’s exactly what happened
ACC Investment Grade: C
here. I’ll call it very well sold.
Market Analysis
1970 Aston Martin DBS Sports Saloon
Another chance to see how far celebrity appeal can bump a car’s value over
what it’s technically worth
by Paul Hardiman
Simon Clay, courtesy of Bonhams
Great condition — and TV memorabilia
This car, Lot 222, sold for $889,166 at Bonhams’ annual Aston
Martin sale at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, U.K., on
May 17, 2014.
As the catalog had it, “PPP 6H represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a true automotive icon, which is also of popular cultural
significance.” Or, let’s see how far celebrity appeal can bump a car’s value
over what it’s technically worth.
“The Persuaders!” didn’t do well in America, so it might have passed you
by, but this 1971 playboy action-adventure series teamed a pre-James Bond
Roger Moore, playing Lord Brett Sinclair, with Tony Curtis as self-made oil
millionaire Danny Wilde.
The show was filmed in France, Italy and England. The smooth and suave
Sinclair drove Britain’s finest, of course, while the flamboyant, “rough diamond” Wilde was issued a flashier Ferrari Dino. Moore fancied the DBS
possibly because one had already appeared in the 1969 James Bond movie
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (bizarrely, trivia fans, Moore never drove
an Aston in his seven outings as Bond), but a new V8 wasn’t available from
Newport Pagnell. So, a DBS “Six” nearing the end of the production line was
dressed up with V8 badges and wheels.
One story doing the rounds was that Aston supplied only two of these
alloy wheels, which were bolted to whichever side of the car was nearest
the camera, with the steelies out of sight on the other. But that would have
required a hub change too.
The BS 1 registration was real, belonging to circus owner Billy Smart,
who permitted its use during filming — except for two brief scenes in one
episode — “The Gold Napoleon,” when the crew forgot to put the BS l plates
on the car and its true identity of PPP 6H was revealed.
SOLD!
After filming, the car was sold into private ownership
via HR Owen of London (they’re still going), and since
restoration was been serviced every year since 1997 by
Aston Martin, except for the four years 2007–10 when it
was handled by ex-Aston Martin Works Service Manager
and engineer David Eales at marque specialist Oselli.
The DBS comes with a large file of photographs and
memorabilia, and the underside of the trunk lid bears
the signatures of both stars of “The Persuaders!” Moore
provided his autograph in 2002, and Curtis signed in
2008.
Remaining in perfect, as-restored condition, it hasn’t
been out much in recent years except for the Aston Martin
Owners’ Club’s Spring Concours in May 2011, where it
appeared with a new owner. In the run-up to this sale,
it appeared at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como,
and the Salon Privé Concours in London — as well as several Aston Martin
Centenary events.
There was a pragmatic — and slightly sad — reason for the sale. The vendor, who’d owned the car since 2010 and clocked up some of the 6,000 miles
since restoration, told me he was selling after family events had opened his
eyes to the bigger picture: His brother had sadly passed on the day he retired
from work, which rather concentrated our seller’s mind. He now intends to
make the most of his retirement, partly funded by selling the Aston.
It easily surpassed its $580k lower estimate, although that still represents
only about a fifth of the price of the “Goldfinger” DB5.
Semi-Bond shaking and stirring
So, does the Bond effect rub off on the vaguely related? Almost. This DBS
sold for about seven times what it was really worth, which is fairly consistent
with 007 provenance. As we have seen from earlier sales of the Bond DB5
(February 2011, p. 48) and “The Spy Who Loved Me” non-submarine Lotus
Esprit (that Bonhams sold for $165k in December 2008), a starring role
with 007 behind the wheel multiplies the price of such distinctive cars about
tenfold. Never mind that Roger Moore hadn’t yet become 007 when this DBS
ripped around in “The Persuaders!”
Interestingly, the only other DBS to have approached this level is the oneoff shooting brake, DBS5730R, that Bonhams sold at the Works Service sale
in May 2012, in similar restored condition, for $533,864. This was a big
surprise, as only $100k was predicted pre-sale.
The previous year, a Vantage (DBS5148R) restored and replicated at huge
expense to resemble the “On Her
Majesty’s Secret Service” Bond car
Details
fetched $172,068, but these are the
Years produced: 1967–72
exceptions.
Number produced: 787
Original list price: $17,900
During the past three years, the
Current SCM Valuation: $70,000–$95,000
going rate for a normal DBS in perTune-up cost: $600
fect, restored order — and they are
Distributor cap: $45
Chassis # location: Plate riveted to left side of
becoming more numerous as values
scuttle
slowly rise — has stabilized around
Engine # location: Stamped on right side of block
£75k, or $140k, which is about half a
Club: Aston Martin Owners’ Club, PO Box 400,
DB6. This week at least, because the
Drayton St Leonard, Oxfordshire OX10 7BG
More: www.amoc.org
DB5’s replacement is climbing fast,
Alternatives: 1966–70 Maserati Mistral 4000,
and we expect the DBS to follow it.
1967–69 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, 1968–69
So, well sold for now, and perhaps
Lamborghini Islero
SCM Investment Grade: D
well bought in the future.
Collector Car Insider
7
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