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Presented by Mecum Auctions – First offered publicly as a 2017 model, Ford’s stunning new GT came to market with a brilliant competition legacy earned at the 2016 edition of the world-renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans. A special Heritage Edition GT was soon offered, designed as a fitting tribute to the legendary P/1046 GT40 that Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon drove to victory at the 1966 24 Hours of LeMans in the dominating Ford 1-2-3 photo finish there.

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Based on a competition-worthy carbon fiber monocoque structure with integrated steel roll cage and aluminum sub structure, the GT delivers awesome, supercar-level performance with its twin-turbocharged and intercooled 3.5L/647 HP DOHC 24-valve EcoBoost engine yielding an immense performance envelope including a 216 MPH top end and acceleration from rest to 60 MPH in just 2.8 seconds. An amazing technological tour de force, the GT delivers its power via a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters and rear transaxle. Active aerodynamics with a deployable rear wing and air brake work to harness the GT’s massive forward urge in concert with Brembo carbon-ceramic disc brakes featuring polished calipers. Next-level braking and handling include a four-sensor and four-channel anti-lock braking system plus Ford’s AdvanceTrac electronic stability control.

This stunning Heritage Edition GT is finished in Shadow Black with painted silver stripes, protected by a full-body clear bra. Inside, the GT’s carbon fiber seats are wrapped in stunning ebony leather with blue accent stitching. Gold shift paddles add a fabulous accent, and the F1-styled steering wheel features functional controls while a tilt/telescopic steering column enhances driver comfort and control. Electronics include a 10.1-inch digital instrument cluster and a 6.5-inch touch-screen display with navigation, Bluetooth and Sync 3 infotainment system. Other cutting-edge features include competition-style six-point seatbelts and LED headlamps. Desirable additional features specific to this 2017 Ford GT Heritage Edition include an optional titanium exhaust system and the exterior matte carbon fiber package. Rolling on a set of 20-inch forged aluminum wheels finished in a Gold Satin clear-coat finish with black lug nuts. Offered with only 200 miles at the time of writing, this high-specification GT is virtually as new and immensely collectible.

This 2017 Ford GT ’66 Heritage Edition will be auctioned off during Mecum Auctions’ Monterey 2021 event, which runs August 12 to 14.

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Presented by RM Sotheby’s – The expansive vision of Paul Andrews Collection also included select historic street rods and customs, which he admired for their imaginative design, fascinating engineering and, of course, performance. One of the most noteworthy is this significant 1948 Cadillac, known as “Eldorod,” which was the first automobile drawn for Boyd Coddington by Chip Foose and, significantly, Boyd’s personal car.

Beginning as a stock 1948 Cadillac, the car was moved to a custom-fabricated steel chassis with C4 Corvette independent suspension, carrying a Chevrolet 502-cubic-inch V-8 and TH400 automatic transmission. The body had its rear quarter panels welded to the body, the tailfins and wheel moldings completely reshaped, and the body moldings hand-made from scratch. New bumpers, grille, windshield, and aluminum top were also custom-made for the project, as was the billet air cleaner under the hood; 18-inch billet wheels finished off the exterior. The interior was dressed with custom gauges and a Boyd’s custom leather-wrapped billet steering wheel. In this form, “Eldorod” was the last car out of Hot Rods by Boyd before its parent company’s 1997 bankruptcy.

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Its designer, Chip Foose, would later restyle the car in his own shop. A 1956 Chevrolet front bumper and 1954 Pontiac grille, reworked with 1957 Nomad bumper guards, were fitted to the snout, while the hood itself was sectioned and lengthened to fit the curve of a custom windshield and A-pillars. The peaks of the front fenders were extended into the doors and frenched in, with 1952 Ford headlight extensions and hand-made chrome bezels. The tops of the doors and the rear quarter panels were sectioned and blended into the sectioned rear decklid, flanked by reshaped taillights with custom lenses. Wheel openings were also reshaped. Much of the body hardware was hand-formed of brass that was carefully fitted and then chrome-plated.

Foose Design’s Freddy and Jed Valdez painted “Eldorod” in glistening Huntington Blue, slightly toned darker by adding black, as per Foose’s original vision for the car; beautiful enamel pinstriping was laid on by Dennis Ricklefs. A removable hardtop was hand-shaped by the revered Marcel’s Custom Metal and covered in Haartz cloth. The side and rear glass were cut by Eddie Kotto. Inside, the original gauges were reworked by Redline Gauge Works, while the seating area was updated with leather upholstery and German square-weave carpeting.

Underneath, “Eldorod” retained, and still does today, much of its Boyd-fitted drivetrain, with the engine fed by a 1,375-cfm FAST EZ-EFI kit, cooled by a Mattson’s aluminum radiator, and exhaling through stainless steel MagnaFlow pipes and mufflers. Custom one-off Foose wheels were machined by Mike Curtis design and shod in Pirelli P Zero tires.

Subsequently, part of the noted collection of Wayne Davis prior to its acquisition by Paul Andrews, “Eldorod” has been featured in an online article from Hot Rod magazine, and justifiably so. It was envisioned by two of the most legendary names in the business. Boyd Coddington provided the impetus, funding, and shop to bring it to life the first time; Chip Foose drew it, and later had the opportunity to recreate it exactly as he had originally envisioned it. Both men’s stamp is clearly present on the end result, a superb piece from the hands of two masters.

RM Sotheby’s is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Monterey auction this year with a third auction night dedicated to the incomparable Paul Andrews Estate Collection. Offered almost entirely without reserve, the impressive collection will kick-off RM’s flagship auction weekend on Thursday, 12 August.

Presented by GAA Classic Cars – Heading to GAA Classic Cars’ July 2021 auction is a 1955 Chevrolet 210 that’s truly a “no expense spared build.” While its exterior may look true to the original 210, it features a long list of modern upgrades that are tasteful and functional. This includes the power windows, Bluetooth radio, Fatman chassis, 355 SBC engine, custom steel wheels wrapped in Nitto S55 tires and even air conditioning. A full custom leather interior greets the driver and passengers who will enjoy every second of time in the cabin. They will surely enjoy their time when the pedal hits the floor and power is sent to the 9-inch Ford rear end.

This 1955 Chevrolet 210 will be auctioned off at GAA Classic Cars’ July 2021 auction, which runs from the 22nd to the 24th. For more information about the event, click here.

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Presented by GAA Classic Cars – There are few classic cars as iconic as the Chevy Bel Air. Being auctioned off by GAA Classic Cars at their July event is an exquisite example of a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad. If you’re wondering why it looks so pristine, that’s because it was given a high-quality, frame-off restoration that was completed in 2020. It’s finished in Machine Silver Metallic thanks to Forge Sped in Mooresville, NC with a custom Torch Red leather interior by Sam’s Trim Shop. Powering it is a 5.7-liter LT-1 fuel-injected engine that produces 300+ horsepower. Mated to the engine is a 4L60E overdrive transmission. Features include air conditioning, custom gauges, smoke glass, power seats, power steering, “Xlerator” exhaust, AirShock level rear, custom 18inch aluminum alloy wheels, and more. It also comes with the owner history and restoration history, plus pictures of the build.

This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad will be auctioned off at GAA Classic Cars’ July 2021 auction, which runs from the 22nd to the 24th. For more information about the event, click here.

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Presented by RM Sotheby’s – Images by Ryan Miller – The most famous design of Pasadena, California, coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy on the Duesenberg Model J chassis, the “Disappearing Top” Convertible Coupe saw production of about 25 examples, all with a distinctive convertible top that hid neatly within the smooth rear deck when lowered.

Yet there is a much rarer machine, the “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupe, which is considered by many to be the utter pinnacle of Murphy’s work on Duesenberg chassis. It combined the standard convertible coupe’s lines with the flowing, gracefully tapered deck of a “boattail” speedster, often finished in bare aluminum that extended forward through the beltline and down the center of the car’s cowl – providing an extra touch of sparkle in the California sun.

Few Duesenbergs so beautifully combined the marque’s performance ethos with the glamour of a status symbol.

CHASSIS NUMBER 2199

Six examples of the “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupe were produced, five on the short wheelbase and a single long-wheelbase example. Body no. 876, used on the car offered here, may have been the first, as this and body no. 898, used on J-198 / 2221, were both “800-number” bodies, indicating they were built on-spec for Duesenberg rather than for individual clients. These two cars featured an early prototype version of the Murphy Disappearing Top, which hid under a low leather tonneau rather than a full metal clamshell lid. Further, body no. 876 features a single-passenger rumble seat within a unique tail design, which, rather than forming a clean point as on other examples, flares out again at the bottom, extends out to the sides, and then curves to meet the rear fenders – an important identifying point in the surviving Murphy photos of the car.

This was one of two Torpedo Convertible Coupes delivered without the usual chrome “rub strips” on the rear fenders, and, most distinctively of all, with bare aluminum coachwork. The sides of the body and much of the hood were brush-finished, while the top of the rear deck, flowing through the caps of the doors and into the “sweep” of the hood, was polished to a mirror finish. The stunning result resembled the dazzling Rolls-Royces built for certain Maharajas. Only the fenders and valances were painted a rich dark blue.

According to the records of the late Duesenberg historian Ray Wolff, chassis number 2199 was sold new to David Gray of Santa Barbara, California. Mr. Gray’s father, John, had in 1903 made the wise decision to invest $10,500 in the fledgling automobile company founded by Henry Ford. In 1919, David Gray sold the family stock back to Mr. Ford for $26 million and lived quite happily for the remainder of his life.

The Gray Duesenberg was sold on in 1933 to William McDuffie of Los Angeles. Later in the 1930s, like so many Duesenbergs, it was modernized with the addition of skirted JN-style fenders and the smaller 17-inch wheels. In this form, it was apparently noticed by Hollywood, as it made an appearance on the silver screen in a memorable scene of the film She Had to Eat. The car continued to enjoy the care of a handful of Southern California caretakers through the late 1940s, including the Beverly Hills attorney and longtime Motor Trend columnist Robert J. Gottlieb.

In 1951, it was purchased by William Coverdale, an early and longtime Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club member from Waynesville, Ohio. A member of an old railroad family, Mr. Coverdale was an avid Duesenberg enthusiast who regularly hosted the faithful at his farm. This was notably his favorite Model J. By the time of his acquisition, it was missing the original engine, J-178, which had reportedly been used by the Los Angeles dealer Bob Roberts for parts. Coverdale was able to acquire another original Duesenberg engine, J-414, which he installed, and which remains under the hood to this day.

With the “boattail” returned to presentable running order, in addition to a light cosmetic refurbishment, Mr. Coverdale often enjoyed driving it. It appeared at an early ACD Club meeting in Avon, Pennsylvania, in the mid-1950s, and would occasionally reappear at Auburn over the years. It remained a prized possession of its owner until 1985, when he was finally convinced to part with it after 34 years. After being brokered through the hands of Bob Adams and Tom Barrett, and briefly owned by the late Rick Carroll, the Duesenberg was acquired by the Blackhawk Collection. Following a restoration, the car was then presented to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club and was certified Category One, recognizing that it retains all correct Duesenberg components, including the original chassis frame, firewall and bodywork.

In 2015 the car was acquired by the proud current owner, who submitted it to RM Auto Restoration for a complete, concours-quality restoration. Research allowed the remarkable original bare brushed aluminum finish to be carefully restored, while surviving Murphy factory and period photographs allowed the original trim, altered by prior owners, to be faithfully reproduced. RM was able to save the vast majority of the original aluminum sheet metal, preserving it at great cost wherever possible – a laborious but highly worthwhile process that is evident in the finished product. The dark blue interior and fenders are as-original.

The result drew much attention and favorable comment upon its debut at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where, amidst extraordinarily tough competition, it was judged Second in Class. It went on to appear at the 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where it achieved Best in Class. These remain the only two appearances of the car wearing its present restoration, and thus a world of both club and concours showings remains available to the successful bidder.

Through the years, the car has been featured on the cover of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter (Number 7, 2002, misidentified as J-476) and in most of the well-known Duesenberg tomes, including Josh B. Malks’s Illustrated Duesenberg Buyer’s Guide (p. 49), J.L. Elbert’s Duesenberg: The Mightiest American Motor Car (p. 49, plate 39), and Fred Roe’s Duesenberg: The Pursuit of Perfection (p. 236, center, misidentified as J-476). It is accompanied by copies of photographs taken in Tom Barrett’s possession.

With its unique details and fascinating history, this extraordinary Duesenberg is every bit the striking and showstopping machine that it was when delivered to David Gray in 1929. One of only four surviving “Disappearing Top” Torpedo Convertible Coupes remaining intact on their original chassis, and the only car still in its original bare aluminum livery, it is a truly remarkable automobile – one that stands alone even in the rarefied world of Model J Duesenbergs.

This vehicle will be offered at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction, taking place 22 May during the world-renowned Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In-person and remote bidding options are available; contact RM Sotheby’s to register to bid.