Monday

A FINE STORY

Have you ever looked at a Craigslist car ad and thought, “I wonder if I should take a chance?”
Here’s one that was posted on Craigslist in the Tampa Bay area of Florida about five years ago:
”SERIAL # X53L on documented 1953 pre-production Corvette Frame. We believe this to be a 1953 Pontiac prototype that was to assume the name Longoria? Info received todate indicates that ZAGATO designed and PINNAFARINA constructed the body for GM in late 52.”
The typos and misspelling might have been one clue that the person who wrote the ad did not know much about the car being offered.
“Might anyone have knowledge of some former FISHER BODY executive that could assist in further identifying this automobile?” the ad concluded.
This basket case could have been yours for perhaps $700. To no one’s surprise, it didn’t sell.
Here’s what that wreck actually was: arguably, the most sought-after Corvette ever built. Today it is very likely worth several million dollars.
It is the storied No. 1 Cunningham Corvette.
Instead of a “documented 1953 pre-production Corvette Frame” this car is a 1960 model that was among three turned into racecars by the sportsman Briggs Cunningham. He raced them at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year; the cars, marked “1”, “2” and “3”, took turns leading the race and delighting fans with their thunderous V-8 engines. Numbers 1 and 2 did not finish, but number 3 did, winning its class and a permanent place in Corvette lore.
It was expected the cars would be preserved in a museum collection after the race, but Cunningham turned them back into street-legal cars and they were sold through a Chevy dealer. After that, the cars disappeared for a number of years.
Number 3 was found first, and restored by the late Chip Miller and his son Lance. Number 2 turned up in an Irwindale, Cali., junkyard a few years ago; it was eventually acquired and restored by Bruce Meyer, a collector and Petersen Automotive Museum board member. But Number 1 proved elusive until a few years ago, when enthusiasts looking for it discovered the purple beast in the Craigslist ad.
A years-long tug of war over ownership ensued. To make a very long, tortuous story short: The Corvette—now positively identified as the Number 1 Cunningham Corvette—is owned by Gino Burelli, an Indiana car dealer and collector.
Under terms of a 2015 legal agreement, Burelli will commission noted Corvette restorer Kevin Mackay of Valley Stream, N.Y., to bring the car back to its original glory. Mackay earned acclaim for his restoration of Miller’s Number 3 Corvette.
The restoration, estimates attorney Bryan Shook, a vintage car legal specialist who helped Mackay through the legal dealings, could take a year and cost more than $500,000. (As of this writing, the car is in Indiana, in Burelli’s possession, awaiting a final payment agreed upon in the legal settlement, Shook said.)
Shook said he expects Burelli will sell the car. “He’s shopping it,” Shook said. And a price of $3 million to $7 million – “possibly more” – is not unlikely, Shook added.
The exact story of where the first Cunningham Corvette was for the half-century it was missing may never be fully known. But it appears that at some point it was intended for use as a drag racer. Its blue-on-white racing livery was replaced by gaudy purple paint, poorly applied. And key components, including the original engine, disappeared.
But Mackay said he has molds and rare spare parts still available from his restoration of Miller’s Corvette to finish the job to a very high standard.
When it goes up for sale sometime in the next year or two, don’t expect to see it on Craigslist. You missed your chance.
test and photo credit: © 2016 Jerry Garrett / Fox News

OHIO ON THE 31ST

OHIO BIKE WEEK
by Howard Wade
Fox Cycle Works
1011 Fremont Street
Sandusky, Ohio


1-419-566-0612

SPECIAL OF THE WEEK

1986 JEEP

Extra Nice - restored 1986 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 6 cylinder AUTOMATIC - LOADED!!
One of a kind for sure!!
Tilt, a/c, all original interior, exterior color Candy Apple Red!
chrome package, 31 x 12.5 New Tires and New Wheels (Original Jeep wheels also go)

NOTE:
This Jeep is the LAST YEAR of the CJ series and with automatic transmission.
Makes it very RARE for all the collectors out there!

Has Bikini Top also.
Located in Missouri........1-417-455-6051
text and photo credit: © 2016 Hemmings

INDIANAPOLIS 500

ALEXANDER ROSSI

The American circus of racing did its Memorial Day bit. The race itself was kind of 'ho-hum' compared to other years, but its final moments were anything but a snoozer. All teams were running out of gas and had to make 'splash and go' stops close to the end. If you were a betting person the win paid 66 to 1 and was a shock to most. Winning in his rookie year was Alexander Rossi from California. Not the first rookie to do so, number nine, actually. Emotions were high and you could tell it in his voice when told that he had won. Back to the gas problem, his tteammate Carlos Munoz was in the lead, but had to stop for a splash. Rossi should probably have stopped for fuel too, but chose not to......he ran out of fuel right after crossing the finish line.

Second went to a very upset Carlos Munoz who has been second twice in the last four years. Josef Newgarden, from my favorite team Ed Carpenter Racing, came in thired. Tony Kanaan came in 4th, Takumo Sato came in 26th, Ed Carpenter 31st due to a crash and last year's winner, Juan Pablo Montoya, 33rd due to a crash on lap 63.

Years ago, when Rossi was in his mid-teens, I saw an interview with his mother about their choice to send him to England to train for Formula One. Rare for Americans. He did well in several series and became a test driver for Caterham and Marussia.....granted, the two bottom teams, but a start. Caterham went out of business and Marussia was sold to Manor. He had been considered for the U.S. team that was coming, but they didn't have enough funding. He is still listed as a relief driver for Manor, but with nothing in sight he jumped to Indycar and the rest will be history.

photo credit:  © 2016 crash.net

FORMULA ONE IN MONACO

LEWIS HAMILTON

Starting off in the rain is never a good thing in Monaco. I have seen them drive in the rain there before only to learn that it was 20 years ago. Where did that time go. Lewis Hamilton got the much needed win for himself. Daniel Ricciardo came in second, he probably would have been first if it wasn't for a big screw-up by his team, but it is racing.  Hats off to Sergio Perez for coming in third, for sure the drive of the day.

Hulkenberg came in 6th and Massa 10th. The American 'Haas Team' settled for 12th and 13th.

photo credit: © 2016 The Telegraph

Thursday

FLORIDA ON THE 29TH

ESTATES OF FLORIDA
by Cliff Shuler
422 Julia Street
Titusville, Florida


1-321-267-8563

ENGLAND ON THE 28TH

1938 WOLSELEY

THIRD AUCTION OF 2016
 by Mathewsons
Roxby Garage
Thornton le-Dale, Pickering
North Yorks
United Kingdom


+44 (0) 1751 474 455

photo credit: © 2016 Mathewsons

SOUTH DAKOTA ON THE 28TH


THE HARVEY BAUS COLLECTION
by van der Brink
616 Main Street
Hoven, South Dakota


1-605-201-7005

video credit: © 2016 van der Brink

OHIO ON THE 28TH

CLASSIC CAR AUCTION
by Bob Rosier
1586 Winchester-Southern Road
Canel Winchester, Ohio


1-740-654-2104

WISCONSIN ON THE 28TH

BAHRKE AUCTIONS
by Bahrke
W4839 Highway 21
Red Granite, Wisconsin


1-920-573-1601

OHIO ON THE 28TH

1935 STUDEBAKER

RIEDEL AUCTION
by Riedel
3371 East CR 37
Tiffen, Ohio


1-419-927-5492

photo credit: © 2016 Riedel

Tuesday

GEORGIA ON THE 27TH

PRESTON EVANS RETIREMENT AUCTION
by Preston Opportunities
Warm Springs Museum
Newnan, Georgia


1-770-502-0028

Sunday

MICHAEL'S RIDE

 In 1991, Michael Schumacher was at the very start of a Formula 1 career that would later see him capture seven championship titles. After making his F1 debut with the Jordan team, Schumacher joined Benetton, where he raced alongside accomplished F1 driver Nelson Piquet (and in ’92, Martin Brundle). Last weekend, a 1991-’92 Benetton Ford, raced by Piquet, Brundle and Schumacher, to his very first F1 podium finish at the 1992 Mexican Grand Prix, sold for a fee-inclusive 1,058,000 euros ($1.2 million) at a Bonhams auction in Monaco, easily breaking into the sale’s top-10.
Chassis B191B-06 debuted with the Benetton team at the 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix, where driver Piquet’s day ended early with a gearbox failure. Subsequent races saw Piquet drive chassis 06 to a fifth-place finish in Portugal, an 11th-place finish in Spain and a seventh-place finish in Japan. The 1991 season’s final race was Australia, and there Piquet finished fourth in chassis 06, in a rain-shortened race that also marked the end of his F1 driving career.
John Barnard’s chassis design carried over into the start of the 1992 season with only minor changes, still powered by a 3.5-liter Ford V-8, updated to Series VI form with pneumatically operated valves. New Benetton team driver Brundle was the first to drive the car during the 1992 season, qualifying eighth on the grid but retiring with clutch failure on lap two. For the season’s next race in Mexico, chassis 06 was assigned to Schumacher, who qualified the car third on the grid and delivered a third-place finish, his first podium in F1.
 Schumacher raced the car again in the 1992 Brazilian Grand Prix, qualifying fifth and capturing his second third-place finish in a row. Following this race, chassis 06 was retired by the team and replaced by the B192 chassis, which would later carry Schumacher to his first win at the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix.
As offered for sale, chassis 06 was described as in running order and “impeccably well-presented,” powered by a 72-degree Ford HB V-8 that revs to 13,800 RPM and sends an estimated 730 horsepower to the car’s six-speed-manual gearbox. Ideal for vintage racing, it’s also a piece of Formula 1 history that would likely be the centerpiece of any museum or private collection.
text credit: © 2016 Kurt Ernst / Hemmings
photo credit: © 2016 bonhams 1793 

SPECIAL OF THE WEEK

1988 ALFA ROMEO

This beauty spent its life in Florida and Georgia, never suffering the rust problems of northern Alfas, before purchase as an unrestored car by a collector in New England in 2012. The Carfax report is clean and inspection shows no evidence of ever having been in an accident. The car was then meticulously refurbished and in excellent mechanical condition. Essentially a single owner car, the engine and transmission were rebuilt about 31K miles ago by the original owner. Since 2012, it has been owned by two collector/restorers. The first collector did the brakes, engine plumbing, and generally cleaned up the car before trading with the current collector (a friend). The present owner completed the cosmetics with a new (proper) interior, tires, top, dash and two-stage urethane/clearcoat finish in its original Alfa Red color. This car had the rare air conditioning option (rare for Graduates), which was removed but the components are being supplied.
Located in New Hampshire.........1-847-687-2066

photo credit: © 2016 Hemmings

FORMULA E IN BERLIN


Sebastien Buemi got the win which puts him one point off of the overall season lead. Second and third went to teammates Daniel ABT and Lucas Di Grassi. They made some changes to the track which I like better. These changes can be viewed at www.fiaformulae.com

video credit: © 2016 YouTube

Thursday

VERMONT ON THE 22ND

THE EARL ASHCROFT ESTATE
by Lussier
212 River Road East
Ryegate, Vermont


1-802-626-8892

DENMARK ON THE 22ND

1931 REO

THE CLASSIC RACE AARHUS AUCTION
by Lauritz / Silverstone
Arhus
Denmark


NO PHONE NUMBER

photo credit: © 2016 Lauritz

Wednesday

AUCTIONS FOR MAY 21ST ARE ON THIS PAGE AND THE NEXT

ENGLAND ON THE 21ST


1961 ASTON MARTIN
 
THE ASTON MARTIN WORKS SALE
by Bonhams
Newport Pagnell
United Kingdom


+44 (0) 20 7447 7447

photo credit: © 2016 bonhams 1793

ENGLAND ON THE 21ST

1954 MATCHLESS 500 TWIN

CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES
by Anglia Car
The Cattlemarket
Beveridge Way, King's Lynn
Norfolk
United Kingdom


+44 (0) 1553 771 881

photo credit: © 2016 Anglia Car

COLORADO ON THE 21ST

SPECIALTY AUTO AUCTION
by Specialty Auto
Douglas County Fairgrounds
Castle Rock, Colorado


1-970-266-9561


IOWA ON THE 21ST



THE FRIZELL TRACTOR COLLECTION
by van der Brink
2274 Riverside Avenue
Greenfield, Iowa


1-605-201-7005

video credit: © 2016 van der Brink

NORTH DAKOTA ON THE 21ST

CLASSIC CAR AUCTION
by Central City
925 11th Street North
Carrington, North Dakota


1-701-652-CARS


TEXAS ON THE 21ST

1965 Volkswagen

THIRD ANNUAL CAR AUCTION
by Dan Kruse
The Horseshoe
Midland, Texas


1-866-495-8111

photo credit: © 2016 Dan Kruse

MICHIGAN ON THE 21ST

1931 CHEVY

ESTATE SALE
by Belcher
3140 44th Street South
Climax, Michigan


1-888-300-6005

photo credit: © 2016 Belcher

ARIZONA ON THE 21ST

LIVE WEBCAST AUCTION
by Arizona Auctioneers
6520 North 27th Street
Phoenix, Arizona



1-602-258-6981

ILLINOIS ON THE 21ST

LIVING ESTATE AUCTION
by Culver
168 North East Street
Farmington, Illinois


1-309-370-5305

ILLINOIS ON THE 21ST

AUCTION
by Wegener
17260 Chicago Road
Sandwich, Illinois


1-815-766-0756

MICHIGAN ON THE 21ST

MOREY ESTATE AUCTION
by John Peck
1540 South Vorman Road
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan


1-989-426-8061

PENNSYLVANIA ON THE 21ST

CAR AUCTION
by Dotta
330 West Moorestown Road
Nazareth, Pennsylvania


1-610-759-7389

Tuesday

GERMANY ON THE 20TH

1948 CITROEN BL 11

CLASSIC CARS
by Auctionata

ON LINE AUCTION

Berlin, Germany


photo credit: © 2016 Auctionata 

ENGLAND ON THE 20TH

1962 MASERATI SEBRING

THE MAY SALE
by Silverstone
Silverstone Raceway
United Kingdom


+44 (0) 1926 691 141

photo credit: © 2016 Silverstone

MARYLAND ON THE 19TH

1969 CAMERO

CRUISIN' OCEAN CITY
by Express
Ocean City Convention Center
Ocean City, California


1-410-570-3770

photo credit: © 2016 Express

Monday

ENGLAND ON THE 18TH

1969 MG B

DONNINGTON PARK
by H & H
The Engine Room Exhibition Centre
Donnington Castle
Derby, Derbyshire
United Kingdom


+44 (0) 8458 33 44 55

photo credit: © 2016 H & H

INDIANA ON THE 17TH

ORIGINAL SPRING CLASSIC
featuring The Gary Whitman Collection
The Wayne Briggs Collection
The Wayne Briggs Viper Collection
The Kevin Collins Collection
The Ken Lingenfelter Collection
The Joe McMurrey Collection
The Mike Guarise Collection
The Jeffery Cohen Collection
The Barry Alexander Collection
The Ray Skillman Collection
The Jim Ray Collection
The Kirt Fryer 1971 Mustang Collection
The Love Bug Collection
The John Clancy Volkswagen Collection
by Mecum
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianapolis, Indiana


1-262-275-5050

SPECIAL OF THE WEEK

1973 DE TOMASO

Original 351 Cleveland engine and Proper ZF 5 Speed Transaxle. White Exterior with Black Interior. This car features Air Conditioning, Power Disc Brakes, Full Instrumentation, Power Windows, Factory Tinted Glass, and Campagnolo Magnesium Sport Wheels with Original Goodyear Arriva Tires. This incredible super low mile Pantera has been beautifully preserved and is ready to enjoy!
 
Located in North Carolina..........1-704-662-4443 

photo and text credit: © 2016 Hemmings

FORMULA ONE IN SPAIN

RAIKKONEN, 2ND - VERSTAPPEN, 1ST - VETTEL, 3RD

Well, well, well.....finally we get to see how the rest of them race....and 'race' they did. First off, I have to make mention of this beautiful track, perfect. Let's speak of Max Verstappen who last year became the youngest driver ever to join the ranks of Formula One. One race after another he has proven the 'nay-sayers' wrong and today was no exception. Within the Red Bull ranks he switched teams, from Toro Roso to Red Bull, to drive a car that he had never driven before. Even though both teams belong to Red Bull the cars are totally different. He took that car to first place which just proves he should have been in that car all along. It may not have happened if the Mercedes team hadn't taken themselves out of the game on the fourth corner. Yes, Hamilton and Rosberg finally ran into each other. It was bound to happen with them racing right next to each other for into the third season. I know that they say you are not supposed to run into your teammate, but it does happen from time to time. What I didn't like was the German team's response....marching both drivers off to be interrogated.....or worse. It gives one an ill feeling.

Raikkonen did a beautiful job of placing second and his teammate Vettel came in third. My favorites, Massa and Hulkenberg, came in 8th and engine failure after 20 laps respectfully. As a team, my American favorite Haas, came in 11th and failure to finish at lap 56.
 HAMILTON AND ROSBERG

upper photo credit: © 2016 gpupdate.net
lower photo credit: © 2016 Google 

Sunday

INDYCAR IN INDIANA

This was not a very exciting race, but a race is a race. Simon Pagenuad won again and there was no question about it. He was followed by Helio Castroneves and James Hinchcliffe. Haven't heard much from Castroneves this year, so, I am sure that he needed this second place. James Hinchcliffe is returning this year from a near fatal accident last year. That third place should stop the 'nay-sayers.'

Tony Kanaan unfortunately was out in the very first turn and the only out of the day. Juan Pablo Montoya came in 8th. Takumo Sato was 18th.

Another person I watched with interest was Matthew Brabham. He is the grandson of Jack Brabham who was one of my favorites in the 50's to the early 70''s. Yes, I was alive then. He is trying to follow in his granddad's foot-steps.....I hope he does well....16th today.

photo credit: © 2016 gpupdate.net

Friday

MISSOURI ON THE 14TH

1953 STUDEBAKER

KINNISON ESTATE
by Mark Younger
2005 Bethany Avenue
Bethany, Missouri


1-660-541-1977

photo credit: © 2016 Mark Younger

MONACO ON THE 14TH

LE SPORTING MONTE-CARLO
by RM / Sotheby's
Salle des Etoiles
Monaco


1-519-352-4575
+44 (0) 20 7851 7070

MONACO ON THE 14TH

1967 ALFA TIPO

LEGENDE ET PASSION
by COYS
Espace Fontvieille
Monaco


+44 208 614 7888

photo credit: © 2016 COYS

NEBRASKA ON THE 14TH

COLLECTOR CARS
by Welton
Saunders County Fairgrounds
Wahoo, Nebraska


1-402-663-5270

WASHINGTON ON THE 14TH

1974 BRICKLIN

SPRING CLASSIC 2016
by Lucky Old Car
Marymount Event Center
Tacoma, Washington


1-888-672-0020

photo credit: © 2016 Lucky Old Car

OREGON ON THE 14TH

THE DAVIS FAMILY COLLECTION
by Papa's Toys
495 North Holladay Street
Cornelius, Oregon


1-503-758-2241


WALES ON THE 14TH

THE NARTH CLASSIC CAR AUCTION
by Narth
The Narth
Whales

www.speedmoto.bid

NO PHONE NUMBER

PENNSYLVANIA ON THE 14TH

FARM AUCTION
by John Huey
170 Hannastown Road
Butler, Pennsylvania


1-724-794-4737

INDIANA ON THE 14TH

THE CLYDE LONG ESTATE
by Ness Brothers
722 East South C Street
Gas City, Indiana


1-800-356-3911



ILLINOIS ON THE 14TH

1954 CADILLAC

LIVING ESTATE AUCTION
by Culver
301 East Essex Street
Glasford, Illinois


1-309-370-5305

photo credit: © 2016 Culver

PENNSYLVANIA ON THE 14TH

PUBLIC AUCTION
by Brian Magaro
1700 Work Road
Dover, Pennsylvania


1-717-732-7940

IOWA ON THE 14TH

1948 FORD

AMERICAN DREAM MACHINES
by Daugherty
1500 Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa


1-515-993-4149

photo credit: © 2016 Daugherty

Tuesday

MONACO ON THE 13TH

1973 PORSCHE

LES GRANDES MARQUES A MONACO
by Bonhams
Fairmont Hotel
Monte Carlo
Monaco


+44 (0) 20 7447 7447

photo credit: © 2016 bonhams 1793


TEXAS ON THE 13TH

1955 CHEVY

CLASSIC AND MUSCLE CAR AUCTION
by Vicari
210 West Walnut Street
Nocona, Texas


1-504-624-CARS

photo credit: © 2016 Vicari

Sunday

ENGLAND ON THE 11TH

1970 DAVID BROWN 990

CLASSIC AND VINTAGE CARS AND MOTORCYCLES
by Brightwells
Easters Court
Leomister, Herefordshire
United Kingdom


 +44 (0) 1568 611 122

photo credit: © 2016 Brightwells