There are so many hot cars auctioned off every day that it can be difficult to keep up with them. You may see an article here and there about a celebrity’s classic car heading to auction, but unless you are a vintage vehicle enthusiast you may never know! Thankfully, Montway Auto Transport has got your back, and every Wednesday we will be posting on the latest and hottest cars going to auction or have recently been auctioned off.
What do J.P Morgan Jr., John Jacob Astor IV and Henry Evans all have in common? Well except for the fact that they were all very wealthy men, all three of their antique cars will be auctioned off in two days on May 31 at the second annual Dragone Classic Motorcars auction. The auction will feature 65 antique cars- an increase from last year’s 47- and three of those cars belonged to none other than Morgan, Astor and Evans who were all members of New York City’s high society nearly a century ago.
1910 3-liter Renault Town Car
Perhaps the most interesting vehicle showcased at this auction is the unrestored 1910 3-liter Renault town car owned by John Jacob Astor IV. Though his name may not ring a bell for all, many know that Astor was considered to be the richest person in the world when he died on the RMS Titanic when it sunk in April of 1912. Aside from the fact that this car was owned by the richest man ever at the time, it gains even more interest by the fact that it contains nearly all of its original features making it a “time capsule car.” The vehicle even retains its original horsehair-stuffed, hand-embroidered broadcloth upholstery as well as a speaking tube in the rear compartment. On top of that, the vehicle’s wheel is on the right-hand side making it even more unique. Manny Dragone, the president and chief executive of Dragone Classic Motorcars, estimates that this vehicle will sell for $120,000 to $150,000.
1927 Rolls-Royce P1 Piccadilly Roadster
The second car, a 1927 Rolls-Royce P1 Piccadilly Roadster, is that of the banker and philanthropist J.P. Morgan Jr. What is most interesting about this vehicle is the fact that Morgan purchased it in 1929 right before the market crash and Great Depression. Though most people in the country at that time were struggling to feed themselves and their families, Morgan was rich enough to have two bodies for the vehicle- a roadster body for the summer and a sedan body for the winter. Although there were two bodies, only the roadster body survived. Dragone expects this car to go for $250,000 to $350,000.
1934 Continental Touring Berline
The last vehicle we want to showcase belonged to a wealthy New York insurance man named Henry Evans. However, the car featured in the auction was actually purchased by his socialite wife who was left a very large fortune when he passed. She purchased this 1934 Continental Touring Berline that is being auctioned off this Friday. This vehicle is a hot commodity as only 35 supercharged models we actually built. That is the reason why this car is slated to go for $1.5 million to $2 million. If you can remember some of the top tips on purchasing a classic car, then you know that the rarer the vehicle, the more valuable it is.
