On January 16 and 17, 2014, RM Auctions will once again be auctioning off around 120 cars in Arizona. And if you look at the estimated prices already known, RM is obviously assuming that the prices of sought-after racing cars and rarities will continue to rise. And it seems that hardly any of the coveted classics will be available for six-figure sums.
Around half of the vehicles that will go under the hammer in mid-January are already known, and the Porsche racing cars alone are enough to make collectors' mouths water all over the world.
Porsche 718 RS 61 Spyder from 1960
According to RM, the Porsche 718 RS Spyder with chassis 718.066 from 1960 is worth USD 2.8 to 3.2 million. Rob Donner and Don Wester drove this car, which was on the market for the first time in almost 20 years, to countless podium finishes in SCCA and USRRC championship races in the USA between 1961 and 1964.
Porsche Carrera 6 from 1966
Prices for good Porsche 906 / Carrera 6s have at least tripled in the last five years. Chassis 906-116 is one of the best documented examples from a series of 50 production sports cars. The first owner was the German Werner Brockhaus, who did not race it himself. Successors, however, ensured an extensive racing history, especially in hill climbs (including the Gaisbergrennen, Ollon Villars, Schainsland, Trento Bondone, but also in circuit races such as the 200 miles Norisbring in June 1968, which Helmut Leuze won.
In 1970, the car suffered a serious accident on the back straight of the Nürburgring during test drives with sixth owner Harald Link at the wheel. The parts of the wreck - Link had advertised them for DM 6,700 - ended up with Vasek Polak and Manfred Freisinger. The latter's son was later able to buy the frame back from the USA, reunite all the fragments and restore the car.
The car has now been valued at USD 1.2 to 1.6 million, a new record is in the offing.
Other million-dollar objects
The two Porsche racing cars are accompanied by a group of Porsche 356s, including a Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Speedster from 1957 (chassis 83087), which represents a newly restored value of USD 1,100,000 to USD 1,500,000.
Of course, the obligatory Mercedes Benz 300 SL will not be missing. As a roadster, it was estimated at between USD 800,000 and 1 million.
Two Ferrari sports cars from the 1960s will also easily exceed the million mark, as both the Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso from 1964 (chassis 5215 GT) and the Ferrari 275 GTS from 1966 (chassis 8353) have received dizzyingly high estimates of around USD 2 million and 1.6 million respectively.
Highlight Chaparral 1 from 1961
RM auctioned the Chaparral 1 from 1961 with chassis number 003 back in 2004. The estimate at that time was USD 1.3 to 1.8 million, the buyer ultimately paid USD 1.111 million and the rare piece is unlikely to have become any cheaper since then. RM does not provide a current estimate (upon request).
Three Chapparal 1s (one of which was the prototype) were built by Troutman & Barnes for Jim Hall at the end of 1960, inspired by the successful Scarab sports car. The front-mounted engine came from the Corvette, and the flat aluminum racer had independent suspension all around. The vehicle was originally called the "Riverside Sport Racer", but Hall named the car Chaparral and created a legend.
It is to be expected that some interesting rarities will still be reported by January 2014, Zwischengas will publish a complete list in good time towards the end of the year.
Further information can be found on the RM Auctions website.
