The 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Coupe in New York.
Jim Motavalli
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No matter how many pictures you’ve seen of the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Coupe, you won’t be prepared for what a stunning creation it is in person. Considering the times, the design of these “New York” coupes is surprisingly modern and aerodynamic, not to mention supremely elegant.
Shown to the press July 14 at RM Sotheby’s offices in New York, the Talbot-Lago is one of five cars on display there and previews the company’s sales during Monterey Car Week from July 18- 20 August give. The five come from the estate of Oscar Davis, a top New York collector who made his fortune from plastic pool products. He died last year at the age of 95.
Davis’ son Robert, who attended the preview, his father had been in the army during WWII and then stayed for two years – to experience the big brands that were seldom seen in the US. “The first car he bought, in 1956, was a 1938 BMW 328, completely stripped down, for $200. He saw it as a worthwhile project and it is still in the collection.”
In addition to Davis’ cars, there will also be vehicles by collector Terence Adderley and a “Masterworks of Design” collection that includes everything from a 1949 Bentley to a 1962 Jaguar E-Type, according to Ethan Gibson, director of public relations for North America, RM Sotheby’s
“We’re anticipating a record-breaking total sale of maybe $200 million,” says Gibson. “The stars correspond to the cars we will have for sale. The star could be a Scaglietti Ferrari 410 Sport Spider, which we estimate at $25-$30 million. We also have an alloy Mercedes 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ and some formula cars.”
Here is an overview of the cars on display in New York:
1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS teardrop coupe. This three-liter, six-cylinder car, one of only 11, is estimated at $9-11 million. It features exquisite bodywork by Figoni et Falaschi and was the only one intended for racing. It actually competed in the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished ninth when it retired on the 88th lap. It’s hard to imagine such an elegant car as a serious racer, but going to the track and competing was common practice at the time. The car has a colorful history – it was confiscated by the Germans in 1942 and then sat without an engine for almost 50 years until the fall of the Berlin Wall in East Germany. It was only fully restored in the early 2000s. It’s the details that count: the Talbot-Lago features slanted side windows, beautiful wood trim around the dashboard and doors, F et F’s signature use of chrome accents, an unusual sunroof with a V-shaped leading edge, and more. “It still turns heads and is ahead of its time,” says RM car specialist Michael Caimano.
1953 Ferrari 375MM Spider by Scaglietti. It is one of 12 originally completed as the Pinin Farina Spiders, the fourth to be built, and is estimated to be between $8 million and $10 million. Rebuilt by Scaglietti after a racing accident in 1954, the car was used in Morocco, Portugal, Sweden and Finland. It retains its matching numbers engine and the restoration brings it back to the 1954 configuration. The V-12 375MM Spider is a pure racer, with its tiny racing screen curving around a fully instrumented dashboard and framing a wooden steering wheel. It’s a little awkward to get into unless you’re Italian and relatively short, and the pedals don’t fit large feet. But it was a winning formula at the time and a total of 26 of the 375 MM cars were built. In recent years this car has lived in Sweden, Great Britain and the USA (it was shown at Pebble Beach in 1998). The aforementioned Oscar Davis bought it in 1989.
1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Spider by Scaglietti. The Spider is estimated at $8 million to $10 million. With a black and red color scheme, this is the 18th of 19 built and is considered one of the finest Testa Rossas. It wasn’t just beautiful. The Spider was raced at Le Mans in 1957, driven by the famous Richie Ginther and Francois Picard, and had 12 overall or class victories – with a total of 18 podiums. It only had four-cylinder power, but the engine was designed by Aurelio Lampredi, who was also responsible for the long-block Ferrari V-12s. It was seen competing at Bahamas Speed Week at Sebring and Lime Rock, driven by American racing driver Dan Gurney, among others. The Spider has an ultra-lightweight aluminum body; The pin-held hood is so light it flexes when opened. “They were obsessed with weight back then,” says Caimano. The car was reunited with its original engine, which had been elsewhere since the early 1960s.
This 1958 Fantuzzi Maserati 450S was delivered to its first customer by Carroll Shelby himself. It later became known as Micro-Lube Special.
RM Sotheby’s photo
1958 Maserati 450S by Fantuzzi. This Maserati, the ninth of 10 built, was personally delivered to its first customer in Texas by Carroll Shelby, the great Texan. Despite its long and challenging racing history (and a brief stint with Ford power), it retains its numerically-matched V-8 engine. Maserati was struggling financially at the time, but that didn’t stop the 450S from having great success, driven by pilots such as Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio and Shelby himself. This right-hand drive example had a 1959 USAC Road Racing Championship season as the Micro-Lube Special. This is another car built for smaller and more acrobatic people; The only concessions to driver comfort are the quilted covers on the hump and door panels. The auction estimate is between $9 million and $11 million.
The 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider was rebuilt by Scaglietti after a racing accident in 1954.
RM Sotheby’s photo
1955 Maserati A6G/54 2000 Spyder by Zagato. There were 21 cars built on this chassis, and coachbuilder Zagato only built one Spyder – this one. Exhibited at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show, it was spotted there by Argentine strongman Juan Peron, who bought it from the stand. He wanted some changes, like a new grille, hood and windshield. But once the modifications were made there was riots in Argentina and the order was cancelled. The car is extremely glamorous in person, the only one on display with no connection to racing. Because it’s a one-off, the new owner, who may have to pay between $4.5 million and $5.5 million, will have to put up with the lack of a proper top, sun visors and roll-up windows. , “This one is different, a car that you can use to cruise to the country club with your significant other. It has made the rounds at concours in Pebble Beach, Amelia Island and Villa d’Este, and the new owner can rest assured that it will be the only one of its kind at any event it competes in,” says Caimano.
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