American history read in dealership nameplates

In May, we schlepped ourselves down the 12-hour super slab run to the southern Piedmont and to AutoFair at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. One of the highlights there was the Tom Mack Classics auction, which may have assembled the biggest collection of American Motors products ever sold at a single event, easily about two dozen, most of them with extremely low mileage and complete originality. That prompted me, having once lived around the corner from an AMC retailer (Shore Rambler, Lumberton, New Jersey) to check out the cars and see how many still bore the stickers from long-gone dealerships. Let’s have a look.

I love the sound of the name. This was on an Oleg Cassini-edition Matador coupe. Chilhowie Motor Corporation remained in existence at least through 1983 at 100 Lee Highway. The closest it gets to that address is Greever’s Drugstore, on the corner of Lee Highway and Whitetop Road.

An all-original Hornet sedan – did I really say that? – came from this store in copper country. We actually see two listings for AMC dealerships in Anaconda, Montana: Fitzgerald Motors at 204 E. Commercial Avenue, and Tony Quick Jeep at 1400 E. Commercial. The latter now appears to be the site of Anaconda Automotive.

Cool town. Great seafood, I hear. No more AMC dealers, though. If I remember right, this was about a 1972 Ambassador station wagon. We see no listings for AMC dealers in Mobile, Alabama, which just means Colonial went out of business before 1983.

Southland, which sold this late-stage Gremlin, resided at 6976 Pearl Road, the current location of Ganley BMW.

From the hometown of Harry S. Truman, Bill Rodekopf AMC, a dealership whose applique was on the back of a killer Javelin AMX, one of this auction’s most impressive offerings. The only listing we see for Independence, however, is for Galen Boyer Motors at 3107 S. Nolan Road, a location which doesn’t seem to come up in Google Maps.

Another Southern sweetie, an early Pacer, seemingly untouched by anyone or anything since it first left the Abernathy AMC lot. Well, except for maybe hailstones. Abernathy (suspiciously sharing the family name of an AMC president…) was located at 527 New Franklin Road, which now appears to be the site of Northside Motors, though the Nissan dealership in the Google Maps photos appears to belong to Larry Rich Nissan.

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Burt’s Roadrunner

Yeah, the ‘70 RR from Rough Cut is just a wee bit less famous than, say The Bandit. In fact, while I remember that there were a bunch of cars involved, I don’t remember a Plymouth at all. It has been a while since I last saw it on the Sunday afternoon movie feature, however.

1970 Plymouth Roadrunner (383, auto, buckets)

You could get them like this, right?

Needless to say, the provenance (if it can be established) probably won’t add much when Vantertook sells it as part of the Todd Alley collection in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 30. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t half-a-dozen interesting cars, and a bunch of tools and parts, in what looks like an estate sale. Plus: The rare Sam Posey rearend option, which is apparently part of an offroad package.

1978 Pontiac Trans Am. “All original,” Skybird.

1972 Chevy El Camino SS. “Restorated motor,” 327, 4-speed automatic (?)

1970 Chevy Nova. 302, 11:1, “448 Posey Track.” 4.48 posi, maybe?

1970 Dodge Charger. 318, four-speed automatic (?), “Special Edition.” Yep. Special.

1968 Pontiac GTO. 400, four-speed, Bonneville Tempest Sprint package

1969 Customized Corvair. 305 V-8, four-speed. I kind of like this - it’s still rear-engined.

If these are refurbished, they’re home jobs, and there’s work to be undone - check the auction site for more photos. But the auctioneer clearly doesn’t know anything about cars, so a fun driver might be had cheap here. Let’s hope they don’t think they’ve got gold, though, because these things are rough. Only the RR and GTO are candidates to break $20,000, and we’d want to see some PHS documents for the Goat. I’d say the Trans Am and Charger, too, but the 318 and primer don’t do the Dodge any favors, and the TA has 109,000 miles.

It’s also a little surprising at this point to find two Mopars with what are probably the correct 318 and 383s respectively, after so many of those got Hemi-ized.

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Christie’s back in the car auction biz

HAM, GEO (GEORGES HAMEL 1900-1972)   M.C.F. (Motor Club de France–ed)  lithograph in colours, printed by Max Courteau, Paris, condition A-; not backed  16 x 12in. (40 x 30cm.)

At their May 20 South Kensington sale next week, Christie’s is featuring period posters, with dozens of iconic racing and advertising images. These are not from the age of Jimmy’s Photoshopped Corvette Posters–these are serious works of art, some closing in on a century old and priced as such.

BELIGOND, MICHEL (1927-1973)   24H DU MANS, 1959   lithograph in colours, 1959, printed by Thivillier, condition A-; backed on linen  22 x 16in. (56 x 40cm.)

Christie’s sale is not as comprehensive as l’art et l’automobile’s, but it is highly selective, and the images on these posters are more than timeless–they’re part of the fabric of car culture. And also, they look incredibly cool. Too bad they’ll never hang in any garage of mine. Click through for a gallery of some of the standouts.

FIX-MASSEAU, PIERRE (1905-1994)   2 HUILES RENAULT   lithograph in colours, 1934, printed by Speciale S.H.R., condition B; backed on linen; framed  47½ x 31in. (120 x 79cm.)

There are only a handful of car ads, and they’re all spectacular. But I really have no idea what this one means. Doesn’t “huile” mean “oil?”

FALCUCCI, ROBERT (1900-1989)   MONACO 1930   lithograph in colours, 1930, printed by Monégasque, Monte Carlo, condition A; backed on linen  47 x 31in. (120 x 80cm.)

I don’t know how rare this is, the second year of the Monaco Grand Prix (which René Dreyfus won in his Bugatti), but given the £6,000-£8,000 ($9,108-$12,144) estimate, I’d say “wicked rare.”

LEYGNAC, G.   24 HEURES DU MANS, 1963   offset lithograph in colours, 1963, printed by Thivillier, condition A; backed on linen  23 x 15½in. (58 x 39cm.)

If it’s a Ferrari 330TR/LM, then that’s probably supposed to be Phil Hill or Olivier Gendebien. If you didn’t have the €6,875,000 for the car when it sold in 1997, maybe the estimated £600-£800 ($911-$1,214) seems a little better.

ANONYMOUS   1000KM DI MONZA, 1970   offset lithograph in colours, 1970, condition A-; not backed   18 x 13½in. (46 x 34cm.)

J.R.R.   CLERMONT FERRAND 26   lithograph in colours, 1959, printed by Mont-Louis, condition B+; backed on linen  46½ x 31in. (118 x 79cm.)

I’d guess any F2 poster, even a big, bright Mod one like this, is not a hot ticket.

HAM, GEO (GEORGES HAMEL 1900-1972)   COUPES DE PARIS 1953   lithograph in colours, 1953, printed by Morax, Paris, condition A-; not backed  23½ x 16in. (60 x 40cm.)

Georges Hamel was a big name in automobile art for about 50 years. His style evolved with the times, but was always distinctively his own. He was also involved in a very complicated way with Figoni et Falaschi, resulting in the their famous “Geo Ham” bodies, and he raced cars himself.

HAM, GEO (GEORGES HAMEL, D’apres, 1900-1972)   COUPES DE PARIS 1962   lithograph in colours, 1962, condition A; backed on linen   31½ x 22in. (80 x 56m.)

You can see how his forms are both simpler and stronger, but the line and gesture are essentially unchanged. He was a fully mature artist by 1962.

PÉROT, ROGER (1908-1976)   DELAHAYE   lithograph in colours, 1935, printed by A.B.C., Paris, condition B; backed on linen  63 x 47in. (160 x 119cm.)

Completely striking, a perfect Art Deco compliment for a completely Art Deco car.

ANONYMOUS   DUNLOP, 24 HEURES DU MANS   lithograph in colours, 1956, condition A; not backed 16 x 31½in. (40 x 80cm.)

Of course it would be the all-conquering D-type for LeMans. A nice little desktop for widescreen monitors.

HAM, GEO (GEORGES HAMEL 1900-1972)   GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE, PARIS-PRESSE 1949  offset lithograph in colours, 1949, condition A-; not backed   19 x 12½in. (49 x 32cm.)

A lovely little drawing in what looks like Conté crayon. Postwar paint rationing, perhaps? Or maybe just an austere illustration for an austere time.

GACHONS, JEAN DE   GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE, 1949   lithograph in colours, 1949, printed by Matot-Braine, Reims, condition B+; backed on linen  31 x 47in. (79 x 120cm.)

Gachon’s illustration for the poster is a little gaudier than Hamel’s, which was probably for the program.

NOËL, ALPHONSE (1888-1933)   GRANDS PRIX A.C.F., 1927   lithograph in colours, 1927, printed by H.Bouquet, Paris, condition A; backed on linen  24 x 14½in. (62 x 37cm.)

O’GALOP (MARIUS ROSSILLON, 1867-1946)   MICHELIN   lithograph in colours, c.1910, printed by Chaix, Paris, condition B+; backed on linen  31 x 23in. (78 x 59cm.)

I love that Bibendum always had a cigar in his mouth in early advertising. I’m surprised he didn’t have a glass of pastis as well.

FABIANO, FABIEN (1883-1962)   MICHELIN   lithograph in colours, 1916, printed by Chaix, Paris, condition B+/A-; backed on linen  46½ x 30½in. (118 x 77cm.)

Pastis, no. Babe, yes. This one gives me the heebie-jeebies a little bit.

PHILIBERT, GILBERT   MICHELIN   lithograph in colours, printed by Nerson & Schil, Paris, condition A- B+; backed on linen  29½ x 19½in. (75 x 50cm.)

And there he is with a friend (did you know they were an entire race of tire-people?), driving, obviously, into the gates of hell, via Van Gogh. “Come with us! We’ve got smokes and tires!”

HAM, GEO (GEORGES HAMEL, 1900-1972)   MONACO 1935   lithograph in colours, 1935, printed by Monégasque, Monte-Carlo, condition A; backed on linen, framed  47 x 31in. (119 x 79cm.)

Perhaps the greatest single racing image ever produced.

ANONYMOUS   PORSCHE 912   offset lithograph in colours, c.1965, condition B+; backed on linen   46½ x 33½in. (118 x 85cm.)

Visible from space.

I’ve concentrated on the vintage car posters, but there’s a lot of other cool transportation-related art in the sale:

CASSANDRE (ADOLPHE-MOURON, 1901-1968)   NORMANDIE   lithograph in colours, 1935, printed by Alliance Graphique, Paris, condition B+/A-; backed on linen, framed  39 x 24in. (99 x 61cm.)

‘Hard to believe these things were sinkable. If you like ship images, there are quite a few in the sale.

ANONYMOUS   THE BRITISH BEDFORD TRUCK   lithograph in colours, condition A-; not backed  and five other posters  30½ x 20½in. (78 x 52cm) (6)

DEVRIES   TT 1933, CIRCUIT VAN DRENTE   lithograph in colours, 1933, printed by N.Hindriks & Zn., condition B B+; backed on linen  43 x 29½in. (109 x 75cm.

I could do with one of these.

And this one is just for Dan. Behold! The majesty that is Cleveland!

RAGAN, LESLIE (1897-1972)   THE NEW UNION TERMINAL, CLEVELAND   lithograph in colours, 1930, printed by Latham Litho Co., New York, condition B-; printed on heavy stock paper, not backed  41 x 27in. (104 x 69cm.)

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The property will be sold at public auction as provided by Internal Revenue ...

There isn’t much information on the IRS auction site: “Under the authority in Internal Revenue Code section 6331, the property described below has been seized for nonpayment of internal revenue taxes due from Taxpayer. The property will be sold at public auction as provided by Internal Revenue Code section 6335 and related regulations.”

Ventura Classics has been around for about 20 years, but it looks like they’ve got themselves into a little Willy Nelson. No surprise there in this economy, and it could happen to anyone. But didja have to seize their ‘69 Charger Daytona?

According to Ventura, they have Govier documentation stating it’s one of 11 surviving four-speed Hemi Daytonas. They also say it’s the most heavily-optioned build, and one of three with the original engine.

And now the IRS is accepting sealed bids. I’ll be interested to see how it does. Seized vehicles seldom live up to their potential, but aside from the means by which it’s coming up for sale there’s no suggestion of funny business. Then again, the Hemi market is in disarray right now.

Until recently I would have said that $400,000 wasn’t unreasonable. But I haven’t seen this car in person, so I can’t judge the quality (the Interstate battery isn’t a great sign). Ventura was asking $269,750, which was either indicative of the quality, realism in the current market, or a need to sell the car in a hurry with the Feds breathing down their neck. Hmm.