I am finally at the end of the list of cars I wanted to share with the CC readership from my journey through Arizona’s January classic car auctions. It was quite a journey, as these cars show. Out in the world, some could potentially be found curbside, while a few would never conceivably be parked anywhere near mortal cars. For these rarities, events like this are likely the only way to see their like.
In the other previous articles on all-original cars, low-mileage cars, and wagons, I tried to show the most significant cars. Here, among a wealth of choices, I’m just showing the non-GM restored (or unspecified) cars I liked the best, which may or may not be the ones you would have chosen (GMs covered here). Hopefully, though, our tastes are enough aligned that you enjoy today’s and tomorrow’s selection of treats. These are presented in no particular order of year or brand. As always, take or leave my commentary, click on auction links for more pictures and info, or just scroll through the pretty pictures. Enjoy!
1947 Chrysler Town & Country convertible. Chrysler division briefly jumped on the station [band]wagon in 1941 with a handsome woody Town & Country wagon. A curious thing happened when production of their very similar postwar cars resumed. Chrysler decided not to build a wagon, but to make a Town & Country line of woody convertibles and 4-door sedans while leaving all corporate wagon duties to Plymouth’s conventional wagon and DeSoto’s funky 8p Suburban sedan.
The car hiding behind will make an appearance here tomorrow
The result was perhaps the ultimate vehicle for cutting a dashing figure while driving to the lodge for the weekend.
The interior makes me dream of driving through Vermont’s countryside in mid-fall, with foliage in full bloom whilst observing how amazing and fitting it is that I’m in a car with plaid upholstery!
The T & C sedan was oddly in the junior series with a shorter wheelbase and six cylinder engine only, while the convertible was in the senior series with a 323.5c.i. straight 8 standard. Our feature car is equipped with Fluid Drive, Chrysler’s semi-automatic transmission.
Everywhere you look on this car, the detailing is fantastic: from the beautifully crafted woodwork, to the ornate dash and steering wheel, to the windup rear seat wind screens (though I believe those screens are custom, but I’m not positive).
The car was sold as being refurbished and brought $70,000 at RM Sotheby’s, not really a bad price considering the novelty, rarity, and condition. This article will finally feature several of the fantastic cars I saw at RMS, as only a couple have made the cut for previous articles.
1949 Plymouth Deluxe. You never know what you’ll find at Barrett-Jackson. Yeah, there’s always a gazillion Mustangs, Corvettes, and hotrod pickups, but there are so many vehicles that a number of unexpected ones make it in, too. Not on my bingo card was a restored plain gray Plymouth sedan.
If the Town & Country is the car I’d take to go leaf peeping, the Plymouth is the car I’d drive to church (wearing a hat, of course, as K.T. Keller intended). It’s spectacularly and conspicuously unobtrusive and unpretentious. In person, it feels pretty small and not the type of car that typically gets the frame-off restoration this one received.
This isn’t even a Special Deluxe, which was the higher of the two trim levels in Plymouth’s all-new 1949 models. However, the car seems to have been restored to Special Deluxe specs, evidenced by the very nice looking interior woodgrain trim which was not found on Deluxes. This interior is really attractive for what was Chrysler’s entry-level car!
Being so modest makes it even more surprising that this is a celebrity car, owned by Hollywood actress Kathy Bates. Well, maybe it fits in this case, since she is a movie star known more for the quality of her acting than her glamour or beauty. $24,200
1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast. From modest and unpretentious, to the polar opposite, the Arizona auctions have something for everyone. For the super rich, RM Sotheby’s had a parking garage converted into an automotive connoisseur gallery complete with red carpets, space heaters, a wine bar, and a DJ spinning tasteful music (because rich people like those sorts of things, I’ve been told). The cars were mostly blue chip investment grade pieces of rolling art. Somehow they made the mistake of letting me in. Actually, I only got in because they had no income or appearance restrictions at all and didn’t even charge admission (the music was free but the wine wasn’t). It was ironically much less crowded than Barrett-Jackson, which charges aggressive admission fees.
Of these elite conveyances, probably my favorite was the Superfast (no, it’s not a Matchbox car). Most Ferraris from the 50s and 60s are great looking and all are special, but the Superfast was more so.
It’s not for nothing that Italy has long had the reputation for making the most desirable sports cars on the planet. With a body by Pininfarina and styling from On High, it’s hard to imagine that a car could have a better combination of tasteful restraint and bewitching sexiness. The car exudes a Siren-like magic.
The Fram oil filter is about the only part I could afford on this car
How much of that magic comes from the actual look of the car and how much comes from the aura of exclusivity that it exudes? Knowing its costliness, its rarity, and its race-breed capabilities can hardly fail to create a sense of awe. That would apply to any Ferrari of the era, yet the Superfast is more awesome than most. There are few places you’d have the chance to see this model. Barrett-Jackson didn’t have any Ferraris older than 1984. Even amongst Ferraris, it’s exotic, rare, and fast. 37 were made over three and a half years (compared to hundreds for their “volume” models).
The engine is a 4962cc (303c.i.) 400hp 351lb-ft V12, among the most powerful in Ferrari’s classic era, backed by a 5-speed.
While the car is fast, one might even call it super-fast, it is a grand tourer not a racer, as its rich looking interior asserts. Price in 1966 was $29,300 (275k in 2023 $), which doesn’t seem like that much compared to hypercars today. Originally it was about double the price of the 275 GTB or 330 GTC. Now? If you have to ask, you can’t afford it, as they say. But I’ll tell you:
$2,225,000 (not actually the most expensive classic Ferrari there)
1958 Continental Mark III convertible. Back amongst the at least semi-obtainable, Lincoln’s flagship 1958 model is nevertheless a car you’re also not likely to see very often (though it has shown up in CC articles, e.g.). The styling is outrageous, which is surely why I’ve liked it so much ever since I first read about it in magazines as a teen in the 80s. People who are old enough to have seen them on the road in their era are more likely to focus on the absurdity of a car like this living in the real world. I can understand that point of view, but can still only think positively about this elegant beast.
Lincoln foolhardily sought to out-Cadillac Cadillac with their new-for-58 models. They succeeded for one year, until the 59 Cadillac made even this car look restrained. The engine outdid Cadillac even more than the dimensions and styling, with a 430c.i. 4bbl V8 (vs. 365c.i. in Caddys) making 375hp, with a optional 3x2bbl carb rated at 425hp. That’s kind of nuts in 1958! Cadillac wouldn’t match the displacement until 1964 and the power until 1968.
Interior is tasteful, at least compared to the bodywork. The most mechanically surprising thing about the car is the fact that Lincoln adopted unit body construction.
Certain perspectives really accentuate the extreme dimensions. This car surprisingly got no provisions for pulling a water skier when it received a full top-quality restoration. $115,500. There is definitely a market for extreme 50’s styling!
1962 Lincoln Continental. Providing contrast is the almost universally admired successor to Lincoln’s 1958-60 monuments to excess. The new-for-61 design was several inches shorter in wheelbase and length, but surprisingly not any lighter than the 58 model.
I was drawn to the car because it was just so clean, both in a styling sense with its graceful design and in the hygienic sense with its rich white color and immaculate condition. This is real luxury, 1960s style. Lincoln found their own voice rather than trying to out-do what Cadillac did.
Interior matches the exterior for gracefulness, though I prefer the 64+ dash personally.
Engine was the same 430c.i. introduced in 1958, but detuned with a 2bbl carb to 300hp.
A note about the Barrett-Jackson experience. One nice thing about an auction vs. a car show is that every car has an informative placard. Some are more informative than others. It can have a few curt sentences, or essay-length prose. It’s completely sellers’ prerogative what they want to write and disclose. Some are short with very pertinent key info, while others take the approach of this seller: write volumes but say little. There is some useful info about components that have been recently replaced, but nowhere does it say if the car has ever been restored or what it’s geographical or other history is. Most of the writeup is seemingly for someone who is considering spending tens of thousands of dollars and has no idea what a 62 Lincoln is and will not be actually looking at the car in person or even in pictures. My favorite lines are “equipment includes…rear-hinged doors…chrome trim on the grille… two rows of bench seating upholstered in red leather with a matching dashboard and door panels”. Maybe there are online bidders who don’t know anything about cars and don’t even bother to look at pictures?
$44,000. There was another very similar 62 Lincoln at the auction as well, possibly in original condition though the placard didn’t really say, which sold for $93,500. What made the difference? Why, Camelot, of course. It was originally owned by the Kennedy family and used occasionally by the President and Jackie in Florida.
1973 AMC Gremlin. It’s unlikely this car was ever driven by a Kennedy. The car is still so lowly, I can’t find a listing of a Gremlin ever selling before at a BJ auction. Well, someone found a way to give the car some enthusiast appeal (other than finding a mint survivor stashed somewhere).
First, it has both the X package and the Levi’s package, which were the sport appearance and interior decor packages, respectively. Second, and more importantly, though it is stock-appearing, it is mechanically customized. Details provided were scant, but it has a carbureted Chevy V8 drivetrain in what appears to be an overall high-quality restoration.
The Levi’s interior got you special nylon upholstery that gave the seats the look of blue jeans. No denim was harmed in the making of the seats, but AMC reportedly put a lot of work into getting the look right. This is probably a pretty fun sleeper muscle machine for the low, low AMC bargain price of $22,000.
Is that the ghost of Carroll Shelby?
1967 Ford Fairlane GTA. I was drawn, once again, by the paint job and the obvious levels of TLC and professional restorative attention that have been lavished on the car. I’ve been a minor fan of the 66-67 Fairlanes, being a nice design that was far better to my eyes than the 68-69. They are also not seen at shows and auctions as much as equivalent same year Chevys or even Mopars.
The description is kind of odd here. The car appears to be a meticulous bone-stock restoration, but it’s listed as a custom. It’s also listed as a re-creation, yet the seller includes photos on the website of the Marti report (he even boasts about having it, oddly, on a windshield banner decal). The description says, with apologetic tone implied, that the current owner discovered at some point that it had been re-bodied during restoration prior to his ownership. Well, the car doesn’t look like it needs any apologies and the less-than-perfect provenance didn’t keep it from bringing $63,800. I don’t know if that is a great price for a #1 condition GTA, but it’s $18k more than the only other GT/GTA at BJ, a 66 GT in slightly less immaculate condition.
1955 DeSoto Fireflight convertible. DeSotos are sadly seldom seen even in the world of auctions and car shows. In all their auctions, B-J has maybe one a year total. I’ve always liked DeSotos as an interesting alternative to Chryslers and Dodges, mostly the 50s models, and the 55-56 Chrysler/Desoto has particularly been a favorite of mine.
I love the dual-cove dash. Check out the delicate dash-mounted gear lever and the steering hub-mounted clock.
My rear photo was not great as the tent was a bit crowded with excellent cars (which is a good problem to have). The auction site rear photo gives a better look at the new-for-55 design. The 56 design was similar overall, with the rear a bit finnier. Perhaps you’ve seen the Alfred Hitchcock movie Vertigo, wherein Jimmy Stewart drives an all-white 56 DeSoto around the streets of San Francisco, giving the car-loving viewer some fantastic street views of contemporary cars. $51,700. Less than half what the 58 Lincoln sold for. Less extreme styling=less extreme prices?
1967 Jaguar E-Type 4.2-Litre Roadster. My pictures of this Jag don’t begin to do the paint justice. A rich maroon reportedly matching the original color, the show-quality paint looked like you could dive in and swim in it. If old Jaguars do it for you, I’d encourage you to click on the link for the professional owner-supplied photos.
Hiding behind is a beautiful unrestored 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet with 178k miles which sold for $313k (that combination of mileage and price is pretty uncommon!).
Jaguar hit a home run in 1961 with the styling, making one of the most unique and recognizable shapes of all time. While exotic looking, the price was relatively reasonable despite the excellent performance and innovative mechanical features. The model would continue with minimal styling changes to 1971, then a moderate facelift carried it through 1974.
The engine is as beautiful as the body. It looks a bit like a V12 at a quick glance, but it’s a DOHC 4.2L straight 6. Power in 1967 was 265hp and 283 lb-ft, quite spirited motivation for a sub-3000lb car. A 5.3L V12 would come in 1971, though power did not increase significantly. $114,800.
Come back for part 2 tomorrow for more mouth-watering cars.
It’s somehow fitting to see a 1949 Plymouth on the same day as a 1985 Plymouth Voyager, here on CC.
Beautiful shots.
I can’t comprehend how the ’62 Continental isn’t any lighter than the ’58 behemoth.
Because they both had a massively over-engineered unibody central structure, which was almost certainly beefed up further to be able to have a 4-door convertible. The shorter ends didn’t amount to much other than just sheet metal.
Great photos, and a great selection under the big tops! I was hoping to see a focus on the white `61 Ford Fairlane 4dr. sedan I spotted the tail end of behind the blue “Levi’s” Gremlin. It
Thanks! That 61 Fotd was actually a two door sedan, cool car, but it didn’t strike me as all that special. It’s lowered with extra wide wheels and has is a 290 car with a 390 transplant.
https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1961-FORD-FAIRLANE-264684
Wow!
The divider windows on the T&C are definitely non-standard, but another addition makes me think they were a factory accessory. This car has unusual side outlets for the heater, which were not seen in ordinary Chryslers. The same side vents were seen on factory limos, where they were part of the fixed divider wall, facing into the rear compartment. In this case they may have pushed heat around the seats, since the usual path over the seats was blocked.
The Fairlane GTA is clearly described as a “re-creation”. As to the verbiage about it being “rebodied” in an earlier restoration, that makes zero sense, since these are unibody cars. The crap one often sees in these descriptions is mind-boggling.
I don’t exactly see any ghost of Carroll Shelby in a 390/automatic equipped Fairlane.
I was thinking of the gentleman looking at the car.
What has me confused is the Marti report. The VIN corresponds to a GT according to that, so how is it a recreation?
Beats me. That’s my point; the verbiage in this ad makes zero sense, in more ways than one. I’ve read it three times now. That’s what they’re calling it.
Perhaps the VIN itself was moved from car A to car B? And when it was stripped down by the current owner it was discovered that there was another VIN somewhere or a dataplate revealed a disparity? In essence, the car started as something less and then took on the identity of a better car that had something befall it? The Marti report is just explaining what the VIN is or corresponds to, not verifying that the innermost part of this car started with that VIN. People do weird stuff.
That makes sense. Could be what they meant by re-bodied.
As I recall, there was both a GT and a GTA offered, with the “A” meaning it had an automatic transmission. At least that was how I remembered the naming rules for these. I wonder if this could be the issue?
A great selection of pictures and cars.
The dash of the 1962 Lincoln had me wondering what was in the compartment under the radio. Looks like the perfect place for an in-dash liquor cabinet or phonograph (neither of which Lincoln chose to offer, even though I think they could be had on Cadillacs and Imperials of that time). But, I guess it turns out that this is simply the location for the air conditioning controls and front register if the car were equipped with air conditioning…which I guess this convertible was not. So maybe it just came with a honking big ash tray.
Indeed, that kind of description echoes what I find on the often ridiculous descriptions that Bring a Trailer writes. I am constantly in awe of cars “equipped” with things like round wheels and windshields and “power being delivered” to the rear wheels by a factory-installed transmission.
Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
That flat panel flipped down and it contained the vents for the a/c. In ’63 the vents were made a permanent part of the dash, there were adjustable chrome louvers on it’s three sides. Each set of chromed toggles controlled the opening.
Thanks for clarifying. It looked to me that the cars with AC had vents/controls there and I didn’t notice that there was a door that covered them when not in use.
Minor point on the ’47 T&C: Fluid Drive was not “Chrysler’s semi-automatic transmission,” it was a fluid coupling. It was paired with either the semi-auto transmission or a 3-speed manual (the semi-auto was standard on Chryslers, optional on DeSotos; Dodges got the 3 speed manual). But by itself it was not a transmission, semi-auto or otherwise.
Thank you for the clarification.
Truly beautifully photography, and background information Jon. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you.
Your second pic of the Chrysler Town & Country convertible, would make for a gorgeous acrylic oil painting. It would translate extremely well as artwork, with the mottled sunlight and bright colours. Same applies, to the third and fourth pics as well. 🙂
I could see famed watercolour artist James Gurney, rendering these.
Thank you so much for posting these.
That Chrysler makes me wish I had a larger screen on my computer, to display it lifesize. Then maybe I could climb in and drive it away. 🙂 I love those back-of-seat screens. That’s technology that needs to make a comeback – if anyone’s buying four-seat convertibles these days, that is.
It’s funny about that KT Keller quote. I always thought a hat came off inside a building or a vehicle. Dad always took his off – and he was so short he could have worn it. I took mine off because it didn’t fit. Maybe it’s different where KT came from. That Plymouth and its Plodge and Plysoto siblings were fairly common in postwar Australia, and looked awfully stodgy – but see this out of the context of its time and it’s actually quite attractive.
Am I the only one who thinks it silly that buyers will pay more for a car owned by a ‘celebrity’? That makes the car better, as a car, exactly how? I would be more than happy with that non-celebrity Lincoln. I certainly wouldn’t be paying double because of provenance.
Jon: Your information about the reasonable admission price at RMS is appreciated and I will plan for a visit in January.
Our winter location in Scottsdale is about a mile from B-J. So the access (by bicycle to avoid the parking) is easy. But the place has become such a zoo – crowded and with a state fair vibe – that I have not gone for several years now.
A couple years ago RMS was held at the “OTTO” car club at Scottsdale Airpark. That event was very private – invitation only and secure. So I was not allowed there as a patron (this was during the health crisis mania). But now that I know I think a trip to the Biltmore will be in order.
What day and time do you recommend for a casual visitor? Thanks.
That T&C is indeed drool-inducing. And I agree that the 49 Plymouth may have had the nicest interior in its price class. I recall that the dash was dumbed-down a fair amount for 1950, so maybe Chrysler realized that it was too nice.
My love of the 55 DeSoto goes back to my childhood, with my grandma’s Firedome sedan. I loved that dash back then, too.