The major auctions in Monterey have slowly become the world standard for collector cars. Every year, more records are set during the Monterey car week auctions than any other, and this year will doubtless be more of the same. Some of the world’s best cars are converging on the California coast in attempts to find new owners. Millions of dollars worth of Porsche lots are being offered, and each one is more impressive than the last. Are you ready?
Gooding and Company
Gooding has really stepped up their game this year to cater to the Porsche community, striking this proverbial iron while it’s nice and hot. They’ve got all of the big hitters in the Porsche world this year, and It’ll be interesting to see what kind of big money bids they fetch. When this auction preview glosses over three different Carrera 2.7 RS, an ALMS championship winning car, and a 959, the excitement level of the highlights must be really high.
Lot 050 – 1982 Porsche 956 “Rothmans” Le Mans Winner (Est. $7,000,000 – 9,000,000)
After the Siffert/Le Mans 917 was pulled from Gooding’s auction last year, both Gooding and Monterey in general lost its headliner. Because of the way the chips fell on that deal, Gooding was looking for a new big ticket car to bring to auction this year to fill the void. As such, a new contender has emerged, in a bid to make headlines all over the car world. One of Porsche’s most prolific racing cars, the Le Mans winning factory-backed 956 of 1982 has come to Monterey to break records. The Rothmans 956s were practically space ships when they were new, and they rocketed onto the international sports car scene by winning Le Mans three times on the trot. It’s hard to find a racing machine that is more revered than the 956 and its 962 siblings.
The 956 first showed up at La Sarthe in 1982, and were immediate winners. This car, chassis #956-003 was driven by Le Mans legends Jochen Mass and Vern Schuppan to a second place overall finish in a historic Porsche 1-2-3. For any other car, that would be enough to cement a legendary status, but 956-003 wasn’t quite satisfied. In 1983, Porsche sent the car back to Le Mans with Vern Schuppan, Al Holbert, and Hurley Haywood at the wheel. Not only did the car finish, but it won the race overall finishing just ahead of Jackie Ickx and Derek Bell in another 956.
After the 1983 race, Porsche sold the car to Schuppan, who owned it and ran it independently for over a decade. In the 1990s, Schuppan sold the Porsche to a private collector, and it bounced around to a few other private collections since. In that time, the car has been properly restored to its 1983 livery and like-new condition. In recent years, the car has been treated to a number of historic events, and even won the Porsche Trophy at last year’s Amelia Island Concours.
This could well be the most significant Porsche to come up for auction in recent years, and the pre-auction estimate reflects that. This car should have no trouble getting those upper 7 figure numbers, and if the right number of interested parties are in the room, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one head into 8 figures.
Lot 056 – 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (Est. $2,250,000 – 2,750,000)
Porsche’s 904 is one of the single most beautiful designs in the history of the marque. Not only that, but it was an exemplary racing car of the period, and earned itself a track on Porsche’s greatest hits album. This was a landmark racing and road car in 1964 in that it ushered in the era of “plastic fantastic” at Porsche motorsport, and remains my single favorite car of all time. This particular car, chassis number 904-006, was a factory-entered machine during the 1964 season. This Fuhrmann four-cam engine powered 904 was the last specimen to use the legendary engine, and carried on the tradition of the 718s and 550s that came before it by using that engine to best effect.
Only Nine of the first 10 Porsche 904s built were used for the works race team, including this one. This car was entered as one of Porsche’s four bullets in the gun at the 1964 Targa Florio in April. Porsche historian Jurgen Barth once believed chassis 006 to have been the overall winner at Targa Florio that year, and has stated as such in a letter that accompanies the sale of the car, however Barth has recently changed his stance and states 006 to have been the second overall finisher, which is still nothing to shake a stick at. Because the cars were just old racing cars in the 1960s, record keeping wasn’t always the best, so it is often difficult to attribute race results to specific 904 chassis. Regardless of whether it won the race with Antonio Pucci and Colin Davis or it finished 2nd Place with the pairing of Herbert Linge and Gianni Balzarini, this 904 has Targa history and that is impossible to replicate.
After the glory of Targa, the car placed 12th overall at the 1000 Ks of the Nurburgring, 10th overall and 3rd in class at Le Mans, 4th overall and 2nd in class at the Tour de France. With the 904 replaced by the 906 for 1965, 006’s status as a factory car ended with its participation in the 1965 Monte Carlo rally, where it placed 2nd overall. So there you have it, a 904 with Targa Florio, Nurburgring, Le Mans, Tour de France, and Monte Carlo history, having been driven by some of the best drivers in the sports car world in those times.
Jurgen Barth’s research on this car shows Porsche having sold the car to a company in Munich, Germany, a full year after it ended competition, in 1966. The history book of this car is pretty much blank pages for a few years, until it mysteriously showed up on a used car lot without an engine and was purchased by a Southern California car dealer, Mr. Leonard Renick. Two more owners passed, and saw the car in the hands of Gerard Layer, who then sourced an appropriate type 587/3 engine and transaxle, commissioning the car for restoration. Layer then sold the car to historian and author, Michael Shoen in early 1997. Shoen says he never once used the car, and moved the car on to another owner in January 1998, a collector and jeweler, Mr. Scott Gauthier. Gauthier stored the car away as the cornerstone of his collection, and two years later sold the car to Stanley Gold.
Once Gold took ownership, the 904 finally returned to its rightful place at the race track. Gold’s friend and mechanic Brant Parsons prepared the car for track use, and since 2000 the car has participated in a couple dozen vintage racing events, including three Tour Autos, six Le Mans Classics, and four Monterey Historics.
Upon arrival to the collection of Stanley Gold in 2000, 904-006 took a turn from occasionally used display piece back to its natural role as a competition machine. Mr. Gold had his friend and master technician Brant Parsons of Shamrock Racing prepare the car for track use and, over the course of his 14-year ownership, this Porsche was entered in no fewer than 27 vintage racing events, including three Tour Auto appearances, six trips to the Le Mans Classic, and four entries at the Monterey Historics.
At this level of preparation, and with this kind of storybook history backing it up, this 904 should easily fall in the pre-auction estimate. I wouldn’t be surprised to see three million on the hood of this car. It’s a gorgeous addition to the collection of any vintage racing enthusiast.
Lot 060 – 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo “993TT” Jeff Zwart Pikes Peak Car (Est. $275,000 – 350,000)
Jeff Zwart. Pikes Peak. Porsche. Turbo. These are words and phrases that just belong together. Zwart is an artist, both in the films he works to produce and behind the wheel. For years, he’s been tackling one of the hardest race courses in the world at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
This 993 Turbo left the assembly line in May of 1996, and was nearly immediately prepared for attacking the mountain. In July of that year, only two months later, the 993 made its ascent with Zwart at the wheel. In the in-between time, this Grand Prix White, black leather sports seat, 6-disc remote CD changer-equipped 993TT was shipped over to Circle Porsche in Long Beach, where it was delivered to Mr. Zwart. Zwart gave the car to longtime friend and occasional competitor, Rod Millen for safety equipment was installed, and then to ANDIAL for a few setup tweaks.
The preparation paid dividends, as Jeff was able to take the car up the twisting and turning 12.5 mile course in just 12 minutes and 34 seconds. That quick time, remember the course was still 100% dirt in 1996, resulted in a 1st place finish in the car’s High Performance Showroom Stock class.
After the race, the 993 had its sport seats returned to the cockpit and the livery removed, and Zwart then sold the car to a private collector in Fresno, in August of 1996 with 700 miles on the odometer. The second owner used the car as a track beast and occasional weekend driver, racking up only 4000 miles in 15 years. Back around 2010, the second owner sold to another private collector, this time in New York.
This New Yorker then entrusted the Porsche nutjobs at Callas Rennsport to return the car to its historic Pikes Peak specification. With Zwart consulting on the rebuild, the car now presents as you see it, with its original Valvoline livery.
With the crazy price of 993 Turbos lately, this estimate seems a bit on the low side to me. This is an historic piece of Porsche history, and it has race winning provenance that is still important to Porsche today.
Lot 117 – 1967 Porsche 906E Carrera 6 (Est. $1,600,000 – 2,000,000)
Oh, the 906 Carrera 6. It is one of the most fascinating cars of Porsche’s history, and it was the last in a long line of street-legal racing machines. This was a car you could order from your Porsche dealer and technically slap plates on it and drive it. Heck, Jeff Zwart mentioned above has one, and he still uses it as a street machine.
The 904 was a big step forward in chassis design for Porsche, but the 906 took that a step even farther, improving on the aerodynamics of the outgoing racing car by leaps and bounds. This late run “E” model even incorporates mechanical fuel injection (Einspritzung, hence the E designation) into its 2.0 liter flat six, a few years before that advancement hit the 911’s street engine.
This Porsche (906-159) was one of four factory entered cars in the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring (two 906Es and two 910s) in April of that year. The car was run in the white with blue accent livery that it is shown in today with the #38 painted on the side. Two young American drivers were the chosen hot-shoes in this car for that race, Messrs. Joe Buzzetta and Peter Gregg. In the run from green flag to checkered, those two boys experienced a lot of dicing and wheel to wheel action. After the 12 hours were up, they drove it home in 7th overall (only 23 laps behind the winning Ford GT40) and 4th in their class. It was an excellent result for the little 2 liter racer.
Post Sebring, the car was sold to West Coast car dealer Otto Zipper, who campaigned the car in quite a few important SCCA and USRRC events. Zipper’s livery was applied to the car, featuring a dark blue base with three silver speed stripes, and made its debut at a USRRC race at Stardust International near Vegas.
For the most part, Zipper’s racers ran the car in short sprint races against larger displacement sports racers, meaning the 906E was often outgunned on power and torque. Using the car’s slippery aerodynamics to their advantage, drivers Scooter Patrick, Don Wester, and Don Pike occasionally took the car to class and overall wins in west coast regional races. Scooter Patrick’s tenacity in the car ended the 1967 season with him tied for the championship with Joe Buzzetta in the USRRC’s Under Two-Liter class.
After the 1968 racing season ended, Zipper sold the Porsche to reknowned Southern California dealer Vasek Polak. Polak later sold the 906E to Gustav Mason O’Keiff, an amateur racing driver living in Texas. O’Keiff raced the Porsche in several ARRC and SCCA events, continuing its theme of success well into 1971.
The 906 neared retirement age in the early 1970s, and was eventually moved to a storage unit until the late 1980s. 906-159 was resurrected and sold to Porsche collector Warren Eads back in California. The car’s comprehensive restoration was completed by Autocraft’s Robert Hatchman in Oregon, and the entire process was documented carefully in an article published in the August 1992 issue of Excellence. At this point, the car was repainted in Otto Zipper livery, the fiberglass and metal frame were both repaired, and the mechanical components were overhauled.
Eads owned the car through the late 1990s, at which point he sold the car to Gerald Barnes in Southern California. After a few years in the Barnes collection, the 906 passed into the hands of one Jerome Allen Seinfeld. After its time with Seinfeld, the car moved to its current owner, who had the Porsche redone in its original 1967 Sebring livery and was submitted to a refreshening cosmetic restoration.
This is a Porsche factory-entered car with excellent finishing history at the historic Sebring race. On top of that, the car has plenty of privateer history following. This is an excellent purchase, as it is one of only 6 906s to ever run in the US under works team supervision, and it is one of only a handful of 906Es ever made. This car is well documented, and the history isn’t muddy like some other 906s are. This is a great car, and that seems like a good price for what you’re getting. If you want a 906, jump on this one.
Lot 143 – 1960 Porsche 718 RS60 (Est. $5,500,000 – $7,000,000)
Add another Works-prepared and campaigned Porsche to the list of cars for sale at Gooding this year, as this RS60 ran with the works team for the first two years of its life. It has also run at such great races as Le Mans, Sebring, Targa Florio, 1000 Km of Nurburgring, Mosport, and even the Nassau races. Add in the fact that this car was piloted in-period by Bonnier, Hill, Herrmann, Barth, Gurney, Moss, and Bob Holbert, and you’ve got an historic piece of the Porsche mystique.
The last of only four works RS60s, this car (718-044) made its competition debut at Le Mans in an effort to take down Ferrari’s 250 Testa Rossa squad. This car ran with a 1,606cc engine as a ploy by Porsche to move the car into the 2 liter class which allowed for 100 liter fuel tanks. At Le Mans that year, the trio of RS60s were clocked running as fast as 145 miles per hour. Bonnier and Hill drove this car at Le Mans that year, and served as the lead car. 718-044 was held up in the opening laps, but by Saturday evening had moved into the 2-liter class lead (remember, on only 1.6 liters). Unfortunately, the Fuhrmann engine suffered a gasket failure which in turn expired the engine.
The 1961 12 hours of Sebring saw another engine failure for this car, this time caused by a broken camshaft. At the Targa Florio, Graham Hill had handed off to Sterling Moss, who was leading the event on the final lap and on course for a lap record when the car’s differential seized. At the Nurburgring, Barth and Herrmann retired the car with a burned piston. That was it. Four races as a works entry, with some of the greatest behind the wheel, and not a finish among them.
The first non-works entrant for this car was actually Porsche Cars of North America, who ran it in the Player’s 200 at Mosport. Jo Bonnier took the car to a second place overall and first in class behind Sterling Moss in a Lotus 19. At which point the car was promptly sold to Bernhard Vihl of New Jersey.
Vihl, with the help of driver Bob Holbert was really helping to make a name for Porsche in the US at the time. Vihl owned, and Holbert raced, a number of Porsche spyders, including this RS60, so the records are a bit sketchy as to which one was raced where, but what is known is that 718-044 was transported to the Nassau races in the Bahamas in late 1961. While there, Holbert and the RS seemed to meld man and machine, managing to capture a pair of overall victories and a first in class in only three races.
After the trip to Nassau, the RS60 was sold to a mechanic named Hans Ziries, who later sold the car to Clarence Catallo (who sold the car on the cover of the Beach Boys “Little Deuce Coupe” to buy the RS60, by the way). In 1978, Warren Eads (also mentioned in the 906 piece above) flew to Detroit to inspect Catallo’s 718, and when seeing it was a factory-prepared and factory-run racer, he negotiated the purchase. The car was then restored by aluminum specialists Don Borth and Jack Hagemann, and the engine was entrusted to Al Cadrobbi. The car took 4 years to be completed. The car was subsequently treated to a life of vintage racing, staying on the track through the mid-1990s.
Since the car’s second restoration by Urs Gretener in 1998, where the car was restored to original faithful Sebring livery, 718-044 has been a part of several private collections. The car has also been run and exhibited at the Monterey Historics, the very first Le Mans Classic, Rennsport Reunion III at Daytona, The 50th Porsche Parade, and the Goodwood Revival.
This is the first time this car has been offered for public sale, and with storied life like this car has lived, it’s probably worth at least the low estimate price. You’ll likely never find another works RS60, as the other three are located either at the Porsche Museum, or in the private Collier collection, or that of Dr. Julio Palmaz. This could well be a one-in-a-lifetime chance.
Other Gooding and Company Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 006 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $140,000 – 180,000)
Lot 014 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Touring (Est. $700,000 – 800,000)
Lot 023 – 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort (Est. $1,600,000 – 1,800,000)
Lot 049 – 1967 Porsche 911S Coupe (Est. $250,000 – 325,000)
Lot 051 – 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Lot 064 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight (Est. $1,000,000 – 1,200,000)
Lot 103 – 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Lot 115 – 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $220,000 – 260,000)
Lot 137 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR (Est. $700,000 – 900,000)
Lot 139 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight (Est. $900,000 – 1,100,000)
Lot 144 – ALMS Championship Winning 2000 Porsche 911 996 GT3 R (Est. $400,000 – 600,000)
Lot 145 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.8 RSR (Est. $900,000 – 1,100,000)
Lot 146 – 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Slantnose (Est. $170,000 – 200,000)
Lot 154 – 1967 Porsche 911 Coupe (Est. $200,000 – 250,000)
Lot 159 – 1994 Porsche 911 964 Turbo 3.6 (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Bonhams
While everyone else is in the shadow of Gooding’s Porsche listings, the other three certainly have some excellent collector cars that shouldn’t be discounted. If you aren’t after a mega-buck history-making race car, then you can throw your paddles up at Bonhams, as they’ve got some collector-grade classics that would be at home in most collections. I certainly wouldn’t kick any of these beauties out of my garage to make room. These days, it’s really hard to lose if you buy a vintage Porsche collector car, as you get to experience unequaled driving pleasure while likely making your money back, or at least breaking even if you sell it. Some of these are excellent ‘investments’.
Lot 36 – 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Touring (Est. $250,000 – 300,000)
It’s unlikely that you’ll find a real Carrera RS for sale for anywhere below this any time soon. While a few years ago, this would have been considered the absolute maximum for a 2.7 RS, these days, the best ones are over a million, and the ‘driver/collector’ type cars are fetching well into the 6 figures. If you’re a serious collector, or a concours buff, this RS probably isn’t for you. If you want to be able to own one of the most pure and exhilarating drivers cars of the last hundred years, and you don’t want to sell the Boca home, then this just might the RS you need. It’s a 3rd series car, which greatly decreases the value (I never really understood the logic behind that, if I’m honest), and it’s on its third repaint in a non-original color, which helps keep the price low as well. The nail in the value coffin is the fact that this car does not have its original engine (in fact, the engine case in the car does not have an engine number stamped into it), and it was in an accident back in 2006 that crunched the left front corner. Since that restoration, evidence has been found suggesting the car may have been “retubbed” at some point in its history and the chassis number re-stamped. So the engine isn’t original, and the chassis may not be original. So this car may be the proverbial axe with a new handle and a new head. How original is this car? Is it still a 2.7 RS, or simply a well executed clone?
Given the fact that the car’s estimate price isn’t really that much higher than any other long-hood 911 would be these days, the price seems pretty fair. I wouldn’t be surprised if the bids don’t quite get to the low estimate, given everything this car has been through, but the buyer is still getting a heck of a car for that price. I guess we’ll see when the hammer falls.
Lot 72 – 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort (Est. $1,000,000 – 1,250,000)
There are three different 959s for sale in Monterey this year, and its anybody’s guess as to which is the best of the trio, but this one is listed with the lowest pre-auction estimate, for whatever that’s worth. This lovely machine was originally sold to Porsche collector Yoshido Matsuda and immediately put into his lovely museum. In the late 1990s, Matsuda sold the car to Jamie Mazzotta of California, who soon after sold the car to Tony Hart. Once Hart received the car, he sent it immediately to Canepa Design for modernization and federalization purposes. As such, the car now features 959S style coil-on-shock suspension instead of the height adjustable air suspension it once had, and now has 993 Turbo style sequential turbochargers. Hart also had Canepa swap out the Tri-grey seats to a more traditional black leather interior, and powdercoat the DenLoc wheels black. At that point, the car had only travelled 3600 miles. Recent service was completed at Canepa last year to the tune of about 44 grand, and current recorded mileage is 4720 miles.
This car is hardly original, as many items have been changed out or upgraded or modified, however all was done ostensibly with factory or factory-esque parts by one of the most reputable shops in the nation, so it’s hard to say those modifications were detrimental to the value of the car. I’m not sure the world is quite ready for steady 7-figures on 959s, so this one might fall short by 50 grand or so. Especially because there are two other 959s in town for sale on the same weekend. It’ll be hard for all three auction houses to find two or three interested bidders, methinks.
Other Bonhams Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot 3 – 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Speedster (Est. $175,000 – 200,000)
Lot 30 – 1973 Porsche 911S 2.4L Targa (Est. $220,000 – 260,000)
Lot 41 – 1968 Porsche 911 Soft-Window Targa (Est. $100,000 – 150,000)
Lot 47 – 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Continental Cabriolet (Est. $275,000 – 325,000)
Lot 54 – 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Slantnose (Est. $110,000 – 140,000)
Lot 69 – 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $110,000 – 140,000)
Lot 87 – 1967 Porsche 912 Coupe (Est. $50,000 – 70,000)
Lot 94 – 1965 Porsche 911 (Est. $300,000 – 330,000)
Lot 107 – 1973 Porsche 911S 2.4L Sunroof Coupe (Est. $240,000 – 280,000)
Lot 111 – 1969 Porsche 911S 2.0L Coupe (Est. $150,000 – 200,000)
RM Auctions/Sotheby’s
I loathe to say it, but I find RM/Sotheby’s offerings to be a little on the lack-luster end of the spectrum this year. Perhaps I’m getting jaded, but it doesn’t look like they’re trying to cater to the Porsche enthusiast market quite as much as they have in previous years. Then again, when Gooding has six or seven “headliner” Porsche lots, it’s hard to compete with that, maybe its best to focus on rare Corvettes, Jaguars, and Ferraris as they seem to have done. Regardless, there are still a few interesting Porsche lots that are worth discussing.
Lot 102 – 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort (Est. $1,000,000 – 1,300,000)
If the Bonhams 959 isn’t your thing because it’s strayed a bit too far from stock, then this one might be the 959 for you. This 13,111 mile example has only had two owners, and neither of them have modified or upgraded a single thing, making this car a very original example. The car was originally delivered to Spain in 1988, and that owner kept the car in his collection until 2006 when a second Spaniard purchased the car. When the second owner relocated to the United States, he brought his 959 with him through the “Show and Display” law allowance, for which all paperwork is included. Once the car arrived in the US, Autosport Designs Inc in New York handled a full service engine-out overhaul program that cost somewhere in the ballpark of 40 thousand dollars. Because the 959 is now over 25 years old, the restrictions of “Show and Display” are no longer necessary to be enforced, making a car like this much easier to register and drive on US soil. The car retains its original books, tool kit, air compressor, emergency jack, a set of extra keys, and a Porsche COA.
If you’re looking for a bone-stock 959, (and honestly, who isn’t these days?) then this one might be the one for you. It’s an excellent condition car presented in the exact way it was when it left the factory 27 years ago. The way prices have been going on 959s lately, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see this one breach the one million mark, but like I said before, it’ll be difficult for all three cars in Monterey to find buyers. This one might be pedestrian enough to be left by the wayside.
Lot 110 – 1996 Porsche 911 “993” Carrera RS 3.8 (Est. $350,000 – 450,000)
If you’re reading this site, you likely don’t need any introduction to the 993-generation Carrera RS 3.8. This is one of the most iconic sporting street machines in the history of Porsche, and you’ve probably had daydreams about flogging one on some back country roads in Continental Europe, no doubt. This is one of the ultimate daydream cars, as none of these were ever imported to the US. This car has the ‘forbidden fruit’ appeal, and when we can’t have something we just want it all the more. The grass is always greener, right? Well in this case, the grass is Guards Red, and it looks fantastic.
The history of this car isn’t really well known, however in 2003 the car was imported to the US through normal and legal channels, having been organized by G&K Automotive Services in Santa Ana, California. G&K also performed all of the necessary federalization work, meaning that it is perfectly legal for street use in any of the 50 states. In fact, the car recently underwent a California smog test, and it passed with no problems.The car may be devoid of most creature comforts, but this particular model was equipped with electric windows, air conditioning, and front air bags, so it wouldn’t be difficult to run this car for several hours at a time without too much discomfort. This might make a pretty good highway cruiser, as long as the highway cruise resulted in a day spent at the race track.
The car has racked up only 42,000 miles, and the interior looks nearly new. On the outside, the car has had a recent respray in the original Guards Red color, and the Clubsport Aero really captures your eye in that shade, don’t you think? Only just over 1000 examples of the RS were built, and very few are still this nice. A recent test drive had an RM Sotheby’s specialist commenting that this was “the most exciting 993 I’ve ever driven,” stating further that it felt considerably faster than a 911 Turbo of the same era. The Carrera RS is lighter in weight, and geared lower, and though the turbo is quoted as quicker to 60, no doubt the RS’ lighter weight and raw, race-inspired demeanor would make it feel faster. The price seems fair for that kind of raw excitement.
Lot 311 – 1964 Porsche 356C Carrera 2 Coupe (Est. $750,000 – 900,000)
The ultimate iteration of the 356 line is the late disc-brake Carrera 2. It was the most powerful, the fastest, and among the most rare. This was a street machine with the heart of a racer, featuring the 130 horsepower Type 587 Carrera 2000 Fuhrmann four-cam engine. This complex engine, in its various displacements and layouts, had powered Porsche’s racing cars for more than a decade, and this coupe reaped the benefits. One of only 101 cars made in Carrera 2 coupe spec, which when combined with the exemplary presentation of this car, makes it a very desirable car for any vintage Porsche nut.
This car’s Kardex card shows that it was completed in August of 1963, and returned to the factory for service a total of six times over the following year, having covered over 20,000 miles in that period. Its first owner used this car a lot, obviously. In 1966, the car had somehow made its way to the United States, where it was advertised in the Washington Post for sale and purchased by Royce William Randall Jr. In 1979, Randall sold the car to Rusty Ferrell of Salt Lake City, who drove the car very little during his stewardship. Ferrell then sold the car to European Collectibles in Costa Mesa, California where it was treated to a full nut-and-bolt ground up restoration spanning a year and a half. During that time, the engine was rebuilt by Carrera specialist Bill Doyle, and the body received a gorgeous repaint in original slate grey. This car was completed just prior to the Quail Lodge show at last year’s Monterey Car Week. The car has essentially only been driven a handful of miles since the restoration, and it shows as brand new, or even better than.
This is a matching-numbers perfectly restored example of one of Porsche’s most exhilarating cars. The price that RM hopes to fetch for this lovely coupe is a bit on the high end of the spectrum, prices usually reserved for open-top variants of the four-cam breed. That said, this car is on the high end of the spectrum as far as condition and rarity. If this car does end up hammering in that price range, I can’t wait to see what that does to the value of Carrera Speedsters and Carrera 2 Cabriolets.
Other RM Auctions/Sotheby’s Lots For Sale
Lot 108 – 1956 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster (Est. $270,000 – 320,000)
Lot 204 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 Targa (Est. $125,000 – 175,000)
Lot 205 – 1971 Porsche 911T Coupe (Est. $130,000 – 150,000)
Lot 234 – 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera “US Prototype” (Est. $300,000 – 400,000)
Lot 236 – 1967 Porsche 911S 2.0L Coupe (Est. $300,000 – 350,000)
Lot 249 – 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI Coupe (Est. $300,000 – 375,000)
Lot 252 – 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $180,000 – 220,000)
Lot 256 – 1957 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster (Est. $425,000 – 475,000)
Lot 330 – 1965 Porsche 911 (Est. $250,000 – 350,000)
Lot 348 – 1959 Porsche 356A 1600 Cabriolet (Est. 175,000 – 225,000)
Mecum
Lot S45 – 252 Mile 2005 Porsche Carrera GT (Est. $1,200,000 – 1,400,000)
This lot is very forward thinking of Mecum. To jump on the Carrera GT bandwagon (They have another one for sale as well!) before any of the other auction houses do so is smart. To get a beautiful low-mileage Porsche like this one to make headlines is even smarter. This 252 mile Fayence Yellow CGT has the potential to be the first publicly sold example to reach a million dollars. This car appears to be inch-perfect, and would be a great addition to any privately held collection or even a few choice museums. This Porsche, as sad as it is to think that it hasn’t ever really been driven, is probably one of the most pure example left in existence. I seen one that has only 12 miles, but I don’t suspect that will be for sale anytime soon. If you’re looking for one of the world’s best examples of one of the world’s last analog Porsche supercar, here’s your chance. Will it make the million mark? I guess we’ll see next weekend.
Lot S71 – Steve McQueen’s 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Estimate not available)
Have we gotten tired of seeing Steve McQueen’s cars come up for auction? No? We haven’t? Okay then, here’s another one.
Steve McQueen purchased this car as a special order in 1976, only 4 years before his untimely death. Even Chad McQueen, his son, has said “This is the last of the McQueen cars, really.”, and that statement right there carries some weight. The car was ordered to be delivered with a sunroof, dual mirrors, a limited slip differential, sport seats, and special order Slate Grey paint. From there he made little tweaks that the factory wouldn’t. “My dad had little things done to it,” Chad says. “Like on the dashboard, he had a switch put on so it would kill the rear lights in case he was being chased on Mulholland Drive.” McQueen apparently also put larger wheels and tires on the car, switching from the stock 7″ front and 8″ rear wheels to 8″ front and 9″ rear Fuchs wheels. The change is subtle visually, but substantial when you’re behind the wheel.
Chad McQueen remembers being 15 years old when the car was delivered, and taking the thing out for joy rides.
“I was 15 at the time, and he was out of town for a week. Every day, sometimes twice in the same day, I’d open the garage, turn the key, give the car a stealthy roll down to the cul-de-sac, fire it up and take off. But, Julia, the woman who was there to look after me—my friends called her ‘The Chad Wrangler’—caught wind of what I was doing. True to form, she told my dad.”
Chad goes on to say, “My dad called me, to let me know he’d be gone for two more days. So the next morning, same routine, I fire up the car and head out. As I’m accelerating down the two-lane beach road I see a yellow taxi-cab closing in from the opposite direction. Inside that cab, I see two of the biggest blue eyes in the world. My dad was on his way home. I didn’t know whether to go to Mexico or what. I also discovered what happens when you lift off in a corner with a Turbo; it was like, ‘Holy S$&@&!’”
I don’t know about you, but that story alone is worth a few extra grand on the hammer fall price. Mecum has a “Call for estimate” tag on their website, which is code for “Don’t ask, because you can’t afford it”. I would find it hard to believe that this car would make it past 500 grand, but I’ve been wrong before. The McQueen name carries weight, and this is a rare early 3.0 liter 930. It may as well be ten million, because I don’t have the money to be bidding on something like this.
Lot S153 – 997 Mile 1997 Porsche 911 993 Carrera 4S (Est. $225,000 – 250,000)
This might well be the lowest mileage 993 Carrera 4S in existence, and certainly one of the nicest and best cared for cars on the market today. Like the Carrera GT also featured by Mecum, this is a very aggressive move on the Porsche market by the auction house. If this car does go for the massive sum of nearly a quarter million dollars, it could ignite a fervor in the 993 market that won’t die down for years. We’ve already seen massive growth in the 993 Turbo market, with some of them well into the half-million dollar price range, but thus far their naturally aspirated siblings have grown at a much slower rate. This is an excellent example of a cream-puff 993 Carrera 4S, and the rising tide of this perfect showpiece’s price tag could well lift all ships in the form of a burgeoning price war on 993 sales. Now could be the time to buy.
This is a pie-in-the-sky price estimate, but I’ve seen crazier things happen, and if you’re looking for ‘the best of the best’ example, you need look no further. This car certainly demands a premium over a ‘regular’ C4S, but how much that premium is won’t be determined for another week. I hope the same collector buys this car and the Carrera GT and parks them side by side on display. Yellow. Low miles. Gorgeous. What more could you want?
Other Mecum Porsche Lots For Sale
Lot T63 – 1967 Porsche 912 Coupe
Lot T73 – 1973 Porsche 911T Coupe
Lot T119 – 1968 Porsche 911L Coupe
Lot T131 – 1969 Porsche 911T Targa
Lot F23 – 1974 Porsche 911 Rinspeed Slantnose (Est. $40,000 – 50,000)
Lot F35 – 1971 Porsche 911T Coupe (Est. $110,000 – 135,000)
Lot F47 – 1964 Porsche 356C Coupe (Est. $70,000 – 80,000)
Lot F67 – 1996 Porsche 911 “993” Carrera 4S (Est. $80,000 – 95,000)
Lot F103 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $200,000 – 250,000)
Lot F106 – 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Slantnose (Est. $75,000 – 90,000)
Lot F125 – 2005 Porsche 911 GT3 (Est. $80,000 – 95,000)
Lot F147 – 2004 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet (Est. $55,000 – 70,000)
Lof F155 – 1994 Porsche 911 964 Turbo 3.6 (Est. $325,000 – 350,000)
Lot S1 – 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa (Est. $60,000 – 80,000)
Lot S11 – 1960 Porsche 356B T5 Super 90 Roadster (Est. $170,000 – 195,000)
Lot S21 – 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Slantnose Targa (Est. $190,000 – 225,000)
Lot S22 – 1993 Porsche 911 RS America (Est. $135,000 – 150,000)
Lot S27 – 1973 Porsche 911E Coupe (Est. $110,000 – 130,000)
Lot S36 – 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera 2S “Centro 911” Center Drive Conversion (Est. $85,000 – 115,000)
Lot S37 – 1967 Porsche 911S Soft-Window Targa (Est. $225,000 – 275,000)
Lot S47 – 1971 Porsche 911S Coupe (Est. $225,000 – 275,000)
Lot S50 – 1986 Porsche 935 Kremer K2 Street (Estimate not available)
Lot S51 – 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Coupe (Est. $275,000 – 325,000)
Lot S62 – 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” Cabriolet (Est. $180,000 – 230,000)
Lot S70 – 1962 Porsche 356B T6 Super 90 Cabriolet (Est. $175,000 – 250,000)
Lot S75 – 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $180,000 – 230,000)
Lot S76 – 1983 Porsche DP Motorsports 935 (Est. $300,000 – 400,000)
Lot S83 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster (Est. $245,000 – 300,000)
Lot S86 – 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 3.6 (Est. $210,000 – 235,000)
Lot S94 – 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster (Est. $375,000 – 425,000)
Lot S95 – 1962 Porsche 356B T6 Cabriolet (Est. $130,000 – 165,000)
Lot S96 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster (Est. $275,000 – 325,000)
Lot S100 – 1961 Porsche 356B T5 Coupe (Est. $60,000 – 80,000)
Lot S104 – 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A Sunroof Coupe (Est. $325,000 – 385,000)
Lot S107 – 1985 Porsche Ruf 935 Wide Body (Est. $150,000 – 200,000)
Lot S111 – 1965 Porsche 356SC Cabriolet (Est. $250,000 – 325,000)
Lot S117 – 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster (Est. $250,000 – 300,000)
Lot S121 – 1986 Porsche DP Motorsports 935 (Est. $200,000 – 250,000)
Lot S127 – 2005 Porsche Carrera GT (Est. $850,000 – 950,000)
Lot S130 – 1958 Porsche 356A Coupe (Est. $190,000 – 220,000)
Lot S136 – 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster (Est. $175,000 – 200,000)
Lot S140 – 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster (Est. $240,000 – 260,000)
Lot S145 – 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” (Est. $135,000 – 150,000)
Lot S158 – 1997 Porsche 911 993 Ruf CTR2 (Est. 325,000 – 350,000)
Lot S161 – 1996 Porsche 911 993 Turbo (Est. $165,000 – 185,000)
Lot S163 – 1960 Porsche 356B T5 Super Sunroof Coupe (Est. $100,000 – 125,000)
Lot S164 – 1981 Porsche C928 Carelli International Convertible Prototype (Est. $125,000 – 150,000)
Lot S165 – 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo “930” w/ 964 bodywork (Est. $155,000 – 175,000)
[All photos provided by their respective auction houses]
