Gooding & Co. at Amelia Island
The weather in Florida is brisk but the bidding in the Gooding Auction Tent was brisker. We got a bit of a late start and that sent us to the satellite parking area that was right on the beach. It was even colder there thankfully the bus came quickly. First on the block for us was what Jerry Seinfeld calls “the dead guy car”. 
He defines that as a car where the owner has to die in order for someone else to gain possession. If you driven one, you would understand. This M471 Lightweight has flawless ownership history. It hammered at $1.275 million, slightly above high estimate. 
Next up, and leading a parade of BMWs, was a cute as a button BMW Isetta 300, complete with luggage rack and wicker basket. Charlie Ross, the best auctioneer in the business, asked one bidder if he could even fit in it! The hammered price was $46,000. Under the high estimate of $55,000. 
Our team’s favorite was Lot 29: a barn-find ’64 300SL Roadster with hardtop. The wasn’t a wreck of a barn find but a dusty, unrestored original in near perfect condition…for a rally car! It definitely had some hard miles on it illuminated in front by an array of rally lights and factory headlamp stone guards. The interior was magnificent. The hammered price a stout $2.035 million. 
As amazing as the SL was the ’55 Ferrari GT Europa in unrestored condition was spectacular. In the same family until recently complete with family pictures when new. Breathtaking and should be left untouched. Did you hear that wealthy person who paid $$2.53 million? Don’t you dare touch it. 
A ’59 Porsche 718 RSK sold for $3.3 million, off the high estimate by a few hundred grand. But what’s that among these players. There were a host of affordable cars for us regular folks. A 1964 BMW 700 Luxus LS 2-door sold for way under low estimate at $20 grand. 
Guess the fact the wheels and windows were date-coded didn’t make a difference. We couldn’t stay for the entire auction but we will try to get more auction results from the lower end and report back.
Today is the 2nd Annual Cars & Coffee on the golf course of The Ritz. We elected not to participate with the SL500. It’s nice but not C&C worthy. Later in the day, The RM Auction. That will be interesting.
