Today is one of those days that I pontificate the world of collecting and the viability of a man with little means grabbing hold of a stratospherically appreciating classic. That man being me. I started off this morning with a read of Car and Driver, Aaron Robinson’s column “Reality goes walkabout as Pebble’s auctions turn classics into assets.” He speaks of none other than the grandaddy Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance weekend with the likes of RM auctions trading gazillions of dollars worth of cars at inflated prices. I’ve attended the event four or five times, a couple of those I’ve circled the trenches with Aaron.
To be continued later… but holy crap, look at this guy’s garage and you’ll know why I’m in the funk.
On eBay with a starting reserved bid of $43,000. Winning bid on November 23, 2011 was $55,400.
“This ultra rare Allard is one of 63 ever made by the Allard Company between 1953 and 1956. Sydney Allard introduced his K-3 at the 1952 London Motor Show. The elegant body sits atop a twin tube steel chassis that has a wheelbase of 100 inches. The front axle is a semi-independent swing axle configuration with a DeDion rear axle and inboard mounted Lockheed drum brakes. The handcrafted body was constructed from alloy which reduced the weight and improved performance. The car includes a bench seat, dual fuel tanks in the rear fenders, and a 1953 correct Cadillac 331 cubic inch V8 motor.
This car is unfinished and restoration. In 2007 at RM Auctions held in Amelia Island, Florida, a restored Allard K-3 sold for $181,500. In 2009, a different restored Allard K-3 sold at Gooding & Co. in Pebble Beach for $132,000.”
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