Every year Amelia Island’s auction action gets even better. Last year was pretty amazing, but this year we have two new auction houses joining the event with some seriously cool cars, and more Porsche lots than ever before. Porsche’s 914 is the featured marque of the event, so there are a few of those to be had. Add in a 911 or 356 for almost every taste, and you’ve got a whole lot to love about this auction weekend. There are literally millions of dollars worth of Porsche lots being offered, a total of 52 of them in fact. Each of these Porsche is more exciting than the last. I can’t wait to see what kind of new record prices will be captured this year.
Gooding and Company
As usual, Gooding’s got the goodies. Four of the best and most desirable 911s ever built are my choice picks for this weekend’s festivities. Yes, that’s a real honest-to-goodness 993 GT2 for sale in the US. Add in a beautiful Carrera RS lightweight, a 993 Turbo S, and an early 911 RSR, and you’ve got the recipe for an amazing sale. And that’s not to make mention of any of the other amazing Porsche lots available. Check this one out, for sure.
Lot 012 – 1997 Porsche 911 “993” Turbo S (Est. $325,000 – 400,000)
The market on these Porsche has had an absolutely ballistic trajectory in the last two years or so. There isn’t much in the way of history on this car, being that it’s still only 18 years old and has traveled just a little more than 15,000 miles. You can pretty well expect this car to drive like brand new, and it certainly looks like it’s brand new. The interior has Classic Grey leather everywhere, and the exterior has an original coat of Ocean Jade Metallic. What a lovely, if a bit eclectic, color this is for a car like this. This Porsche is quite rare with only a few hundred ever produced, and less than a handful made in this color. Given that I’ve seen a handful of 993 Turbo non-S cars selling at the top end of this expected price range in the last month or so, I’d guess this Porsche will blow the pre-auction estimate out of the water. I fully expect to see this car crest the half a million mark.
Lot 035 – 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR (Est. $1,200,000 – 1,500,000)
Where else can you get a car that has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona an astonishing 7 times? How about a 2-time Sebring 12 Hours competitor? This Porsche has all of that provenance and then some. Driver Hector Rebaque was the original buyer, and with it he won the very first race he campaigned in the 1000KM of Mexico. After that, he continued to run the car through 1979. The Porsche was still amazingly competitive after that, though, because it finished 5th overall, and 2nd in the GTO class, at the 1983 running of the Daytona 24. The car even won the 3 Hours of Puerto Rico three times under the control of second owner, Diego Febles.
Following its racing life, the Porsche resided in a handful of private collections where it was largely stationary, showing up at the Monterey Historics only on one occasion. The current owner, an Australian enthusiast, commissioned a full restoration to original 1975 specs and livery in preparation for a number of vintage racing events. According to reports by both Jurgen Barth and John Starkey, both considered supreme minds in the arena of RS and RSR Porsches, this is among the finest Porsche of its kind. Just last year, this car was run at the Daytona Classic 24 event, where it finished fourth overall in the B group outing for all cars from 1973-1982. Not only is it gorgeous and original, it appears to be quite fast as well. This would be another excellent candidate for an aspiring owner to bring to the Rennsport Reunion this fall.
Lot 052 – 1996 Porsche 911 “993” GT2 (Est. $950,000 – 1,250,000)
Nobody really knows for sure, including Porsche, but it is said that as few as 57 Strasse versions of the 993 GT2 left the factory, of which this is one. Built as a homologation special, the GT2 is widely considered to be one of the best, and perhaps most insane, Porsche road cars to drive. This was the absolute last aircooled turbo model developed by Porsche, and its track record speaks for itself. As rarities in the Porsche market go, these are like hens teeth. The Polar Silver over black color scheme of this car is beautiful, and shows well with only just over 22,000 miles on the odometer. This would be an excellent car to drive to the Rennsport Reunion this fall, and would surely get a parking spot of high regard.
Lot 060 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight (Est. $1,100,000 – 1,400,000)
This Carrera RS has a lot going for it. For one thing, it’s an early series I car. For another, it was optioned with the desirable M471 ‘lightweight’ package. Add in the near-perfect restoration, and the fact that it’s an attractive Light Yellow color, and you’ve got the set up for an excellent collector car. The only downside, and it’s a big one, is that the car’s original engine was blown up in a race back in 1976. At that time, Porsche had produced a limited batch of replacement engines, and one of them was commissioned to this car. That replacement engine case, while still with the car, has been replaced in the engine compartment by an NOS unstamped unit. The spare case is said to remain in serviceable condition. Is a non-numbers matching car worth 7-figures? If it were anything but an M471 package car, I’d say no. We’ll see what the buyers think.
Other Gooding and Company Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 004 – 1963 Porsche 356B Super Coupe (Est. $90,000 – 120,000)
Lot 006 – 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster (Est. $250,000 – 325,000)
Lot 014 – 1973 Porsche 911S 2.4 Coupe (Est. $250,000 – 325,000)
Lot 017 – 1965 Porsche 911 Coupe (Est. $275,000 – 325,000)
Lot 026 – 1972 Porsche 911T 2.4 Coupe (Est. $130,000 – 150,000)
Lot 033 – 1965 Porsche 356C Coupe (Est. $130,000 – 160,000)
Lot 039 – 1994 Porsche 911 “964” Turbo 3.6 (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Lot 041 – 1955 Porsche 356 Continental Cabriolet (Est. $275,000 – 350,000)
Lot 043 – 1973 Porsche 911S 2.4 Coupe (Est. $200,000 – 240,000)
Lot 070 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RS (Est. $550,000 – 750,000)
Lot 075 – 1961 Porsche 356B Super Coupe (Est. $120,000 – 150,000)
Lot 081 – 1972 Porsche 911S 2.4 Coupe (Est. $175,000 – 225,000)
Lot 083 – 1959 Porsche 356A Coupe “Barn Find” (Est. $90,000 – 120,000)
Lot 086 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster (Est. $200,000 – 250,000)
Bonhams
Bonhams is one of the newcomers for 2015 at Amelia, and while the only have 5 Porsche lots lined up, they’re all excellent. Their choices for this sale were conservative, as they aren’t the established player in this market. Each of these lots will sell well and with the right people in the room, quickly. Some of their pre-auction estimates seem a little low on the spectrum to me, though.
Lot 123 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 European MFI model (Est. $280,000 – 340,000)
This is a visually striking car. If you can live with attracting the attention of anyone on the street, then this just might be the Porsche for you. In 1974, we got a neutered version of the Carrera that was saddled with CIS injection rather than the European version’s mechanical fuel injection. This is one of my personal favorite vintage Porsches, but I’m not sure I can put my finger on why. Perhaps it is the rarity, with only 518 of these built. Maybe it’s that fantastic 210 horsepower 2.7 MFI engine (The CIS version we got here is not nearly as much fun). This Porsche was given a restoration in 2012, which is when they sprayed it in that lime green shade (which is listed as “period correct” but not correct for the car). The engine, gearbox, and MFI pump are said to be recently rebuilt, but no receipts are available. Caveat Emptor!
Lot 150 – 1997 Porsche 911 “993” Turbo (Est. $180,000 – 220,000)
Under 16,000 miles is a great selling point for a nice original 993 Turbo. Personally, Arena Red is all it takes to sell me on one of these cars, though. That shade just looks so perfect on the widened flanks of the Turbo. However, only about 1000 of those miles have been added to the car since 2003, so I’m a little skeptical of the condition of the running gear and the rubber seals. That is always a concern with low mile collectibles, but just something to keep in mind when dropping big sums of money on this kind of car. That said, this Porsche will still likely fetch well above the pre-auction estimate. Last fall, we predicted we’d see $250K 993 Turbos by spring, but that number was blitzed by a couple of months ago. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them regularly trading hands for $400-500 thousand by June. Get in on the rise before they’re all gone.
Other Bonhams Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 107 – 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Cabriolet (Est. $45,000 – 55,000)
Lot 121 – 1960 Porsche 356B 1600 Cabriolet (Est. $140,000 – 180,000)
Lot 146 – 1968 Porsche 911L Soft Window Targa (Est. $100,000 – 125,000)
RM/Sotheby’s Auctions
Having sold an interest in the auction company to Sotheby’s, RM is stepping up their game yet again this year. Their offerings this year are less risky than they have been in the past, and I see no reason why they won’t sell each and every one of these lots. They have a nice mix of blue chip collectibles and up-and-coming desires of the day. As always, auctioneer Max Girardo’s soothing voice and Brit quips (“If it were easy, we’d all have one”) only serves to add to the experience. An interesting side note, 6 of their 9 Porsche lots are red.
Lot 168 – 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster (Est. $250,000 – 300,000)
As one of the bluechip investment grade Porsches of the last decade, the Speedster is the one everyone wants. This 1958 model is the most desirable, being a 356A T2 bodied car. It is the most modern and easiest to drive quickly of the Speedster bunch. Only 1,129 T2 Speedsters were built, so on top of all that desirability, it’s also one of the most rare. This is presented as a California Black Plate car, and is painted period correct Signal Red. The body panels of this car are all original, as evidenced by the matching digits on all of them. This is a nicely presented speedster that is ready to be taken for a long drive home.
Lot 182 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring (Est. $775,000 – 975,000)
If you aren’t quite convinced by the Carrera RS Lightweight that’s for sale over at Gooding, you could always grab this completely amazing Touring from RM. A fetching and rare shade of India Red, this car transcends even the Carrera RS and becomes a piece of art. While I always advocate for buyers to drive the cars they buy, in this case, I could make an argument for parking this car in an art gallery or even your own living room for daily private viewings.
Unlike the Gooding car, this one is presented with a numbers matching transmission and engine. It was given a high level restoration by Kundensport, and the drivetrain was sorted by the old Aase Brothers shop. RS specialist David Mohlman has given the car his unofficial seal of approval, stating that this car is an outstanding example with a first-class, authentic restoration.
Other RM/Sotheby’s Auctions Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 115 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster (Est. $200,000 – 250,000)
Lot 119 – 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo (Est. $125,000 – 175,000)
Lot 121 – 1971 Porsche 911S 2.2 Coupe (Est. $150,000 – 200,000)
Lot 144 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 European MFI model (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Lot 150 – 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet “Slant Nose” (Est. $250,000 – 300,000)
Lot 194 – 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $150,000 – 200,000)
Lot 199 – 1971 Porsche 911T 2.2 Coupe (Est. $130,000 – 160,000)
Hollywood Wheels
I don’t know what to think about this auction. Hollywood Wheels is brand new on the scene, and they are pushing hard to prove themselves a player in the international auction market. They have some top Porsche lots that will draw some impressive crowds if they market the event correctly. In keeping with the featured car of the event, HW will have two 914-6 cars for bidders, including a very interesting low-miles barn find example. The only downside to this auction house is that their website offers very little information on the cars presented, and they don’t give pre-auction estimates.
Lot 153 – 1986 Porsche Kremer K2
When you think of Porsche’s racing heritage, it is difficult to not immediately jump to the family name Kremer. For decades the Kremer shop turned out some of the most successful racing 911s and prototypes. It should be no surprise then, that when they turn their attention to a road car, they build an absolutely mental piece of machinery. This particular car is one of only 20 Kremer K2s imported to the US, and is probably the nicest one in the world featuring only 4000 miles and inch perfect bodywork. These don’t come up for sale very often, but it is easy to say that this will be a six-figure car. Based on Porsche’s already ballistic 930, the Kremer K2 provides a lot more power wrapped up in an insane candy coating of race-inspired bodywork. If you were a Porsche motorsport fan in the 1980s and you don’t want this car, you might just be dead inside.
Lot 120 – 1981 Porsche 936 Junior Kart
Just a few short weeks ago, we showcased this odd piece of Porsche memorabilia in preparation for one selling at an auction in Paris. That car sold for a solid $23,430.33, setting the bar for all subsequent sales. These things don’t come up for sale very often, and the fact that two of them will be auctioned off in the space of a month is interesting. It will also be interesting to see if the press that was garnered from the sale of the Paris kart will influence the level of interest in the sale of this car. Could it get up to $25K?
Lot 144 – 1987 Nisseki Trust Porsche 962 Chassis #962GTi-106B
Richard Lloyd Racing built the GTi version chassis of the 962 from scratch starting in 1987, and this example was ostensibly the first one they ever built. The 962GTi-106B chassis number has an interesting past, because it was raced by RLR for the 1987 season, competing in 11 races usually racing in Liquimoly livery, but it apparently did run in Rothmans colors at Kyalami where it won. After this run with RLR, the chassis was shipped off to Japan to be run by the Trust team in a number of events. At some point in its life, the chassis suffered some serious damage and was rebuilt on a brand new tub. This new tub received most of its parts from the original car, and was given the same chassis number. Later in its life, the wrecked 106B was repaired and returned to a rolling chassis with most parts intact. This car appears to be the car that was built from a new tub, as the repaired original chassis belongs to Wayne Dempsey of Pelican Parts.
Wayne himself has done a lot of research on these two cars in the lead up to buying, and he posted all of his results here on the Pelican Parts forum. If you’re so inclined, maybe that will help you sort out the difference between the two and maybe what this one might be worth. This car was given what appears to be a very nice restoration, and was debuted at the 2014 Monterey Historics, where I saw it in person. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see it running, but that story has already been told…
Other Hollywood Wheels Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 116 – 1997 Porsche 911 “993” Carrera 2S
Lot 124 – 1958 Porsche 356A Coupe
Lot 125 – 1961 Porsche 356B T5 Cabriolet
Lot 145 – 1976 Porsche 934/935 IMSA “El Salvador”
Lot 143 – 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Cabriolet
Lot 142 – 1971 Porsche 911S 2.2 Coupe
Lot 118 – 2005 Porsche 911 “997 ” Carrera S Coupe
Lot 131 – 1957 Porsche Junior Diesel Tractor “Barn Find”
Lot 123 – 1970 Porsche 914-6 “Factory GT Conversion”
Lot 115 – 1963 Porsche 356B Coupe
Lot 114 – 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster
Lot 102 – 1974 Porsche 911S Coupe
Lot 152 – 1958 Porsche 356A Coupe
Lot 104 – 1983 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Coupe
Lot 112 – 1970 Porsche 914-6 “Barn Find”
Lot 106 – 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Coupe
Lot 132 – 1969 Porsche 911S 2.0 Coupe