Five remarkable classic vehicles recently sold on the auction website Bring a Trailer, and these stunning beauties display the craftsmanship of 20th-century automotive manufacturers. These powerful and striking vehicles were a 1954 Kaiser Darrin, a 1939 Ford Deluxe Convertible Coupe, a 1956 Ford F-100 5-Speed, a 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible, and a 1972 DeTomaso Pantera. Here’s what you need to know about these unforgettable vehicles.
1954 Kaiser Darrin
This remarkable car originally built by Kaiser Motors features a 161 cu in Hurricane F-head inline-six engine with a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. The engine is rated at 90 horsepower and it also comes with a low-profile air cleaner.
The car has undergone various updates through the years including a replaced Carter YF carburetor, spark plugs and wires, ignition coil, battery, thermostat, distributor points, and a distributor cap and rotor.
The 1954 Kaiser Darrin is an especially treasured car because it’s one of only 435 units produced in its single model year. This helped bring in the $74,500 winning bid at auction. Coachbuilder Howard “Dutch” Darrin designed the vehicle, and it was the first American car to feature fiberglass bodywork. The car also has an independent front setup and a live rear axle with leaf springs as well as four-wheel drum brakes.
The car’s fiberglass body is finished in yellow, matching the interior’s upholstery and side curtains. Plus, it comes with a three-position soft top with chrome landau bars. Other notable features include sliding doors that retract into the car’s body, a retractable antenna, chrome hubcaps, plexiglass wind wings, and a heater.
Finally, its body-color steel wheels with chrome hubcaps are mounted with 5.90-15 BFGoodrich Silvertown bias-ply whitewall tires.
1939 Ford Deluxe Convertible Coupe
This classic Ford Deluxe was sold along with its badges, list of awards, California title, and 1939 Ford reference book for $67,000. The last owner acquired the vehicle back in 2012.
One of the car’s previous owners refurbished the stunning vehicle in the early 2000s when it was repainted black. The vehicle’s exterior boasts black-painted 16” steel wheels that feature chrome covers with V8 stamps mounted on Ford whitewall tires.
Some other notable features on the vehicle’s exterior include a tan soft top, running boards, chrome grille, trim, bumpers, and side mirrors. The car also came with a tan boot cover, a rear rumble seat, and a split windshield.
The vehicle’s powertrain includes a 221 cu in flathead V8 along with a three-speed manual transmission and is rated at 85 horsepower.
Its interior features brown leather upholstery that matches its door panels, a green liner covering its floors, as well as a yellow shift knob. It also features a 100-mph speedometer, banjo-style steering wheel, mercury thermometer, and a five-digit odometer. Additionally, the car boasts an AM radio in the center of its dashboard with a louvered speaker cover. The vehicle’s odometer reads 400 miles, but that’s likely only the number of miles since it was refurbished in the early 2000s.
1956 Ford F-100 5-Speed
Next on our list is another Ford, but unlike the previous item, this classic truck boasts a powerhouse 351 cu in Windsor V8 engine and a five-speed Tremec manual transmission. The engine also features notable components including tubular exhaust headers, a high-performance camshaft, a 100-amp alternator, roller rockers, Edelbrock carburetor and cylinder heads, Cobra-branded air cleaner and valve covers, an EZ wiring harness, and an aluminum radiator.
The last seller acquired this Ford F-100 classic truck in 2003, and it underwent important refurbishments, including the installation of its Windsor V8. Other updates include a new maroon paint job, weatherstripping, and new door seals. Plus, the truck has a replacement grille, brake booster, headlights, windows, and tailgate brackets. Finally, the truck’s interior was retrimmed with faux ostrich vinyl upholstery.
Its interior also features an aftermarket three-spoke steering wheel, 90-mph speedometer, Sunpro tachometer, and aftermarket gauges for oil pressure, water temperature, and voltage.
The truck also comes with a limited-slip differential, tubular exhaust headers, chrome bumpers, polished exhaust outlets, wood bed floor, front disc brakes, rear drum brakes, a microphone-style shifter, MSD ignition components, and a step-side bed. The truck boasts black-finished 15” smooth-style wheels with polished accents mounted on Diamond Classic whitewall tires.
The vehicle was sold for $31,500 with its component literature and a Florida title in the seller’s name.
1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible
This stunning Volkswagen Super Beetle features a recently installed 2,276 cc flat-four engine with a four-speed manual transaxle. Some of the engine’s components include dual Weber 44 IDF carburetors, a DPR crankshaft, SCAT connecting rods, PerTronix electronic ignition, Engle FK8 camshaft, and a Schadek 26 mm oil pump. Its ported and polished cylinder heads come with stainless-steel valves, SCAT rocker arms, and dual valve springs.
The previous owner also repainted its body black and reupholstered its interior with attractive beige vinyl. During the car’s refurbishment process, its pan and suspension components were powder-coated.
In addition to boasting an eye-catching black, the car’s exterior features a black soft top with a matching boot, a vented decklid, dual mirrors, running boards, fender-mounted indicators, Karmann badging, and chrome-finished bumpers that come with overriders. Additionally, the car features chrome-finished 15” wheels with VW-stamped hubcaps that are mounted with 195/65 Goodyear Assurance tires and it sold for $29,750.
Other noteworthy components include a Sidewinder exhaust and four-wheel disc brakes. Plus, its impressive suspension has a front sway bar, Bilstein rear shocks, front lowering springs, and polyurethane bushings.
The Beetle’s interior comes with front bucket seats and a rear bench with beige vinyl and tweed cloth inserts. It also showcases color-coordinated door panels, Coco floor mats, gray carpets, and a retro-style digital receiver. Additional features in its cabin include a wood-rimmed steering wheel, 100-mph speedometer, and Steward-Warner instrumentation that includes an 8,000 rpm tachometer, oil pressure gauge, and temperature gauge.
1972 DeTomaso Pantera
Finally, we have a remarkable 1972 DeTomaso Pantera, a car that was originally used as a pool vehicle by the Ford Motor Company. Since its original construction, the car has undergone much work, including a replaced rear main seal, cross-flow radiator, brake master cylinder, ignition components, hydraulic lifters, suspension bushings, and clutch. A previous owner also installed a rebuilt steering rack and converted its air conditioning system to utilize an R134a refrigerant.
The car’s exterior is finished in white and features pop-up headlights, louvered rear air intakes, quadruple exhaust outlets, bright door handles, and split chrome bumperettes. It also features silver-finished 15” Campagnolo magnesium wheels mounted with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.
The Pantera’s powertrain is made up of a 351 cu in Cleveland V8 with a five-speed manual transaxle. Its engine features a Holley four-barrel carburetor, Boss cylinder heads, an aluminum intake manifold, and electronic ignition. This style and power helped the Pantera go for a whopping $97,000 at auction.
Its cabin sports black vinyl bucket seats, a push-button AM/FM radio, power windows, and a gated shifter. This classic Pantera also comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and Veglia Borletti instrumentation, including its 200-mph speedometer, five-digit odometer, 5,900 rpm tachometer, and gauges for its amperage, water temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level.
Get Premium Insurance on a 1954 Kaiser Darrin or Another Classic Car
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***Photos in the blog courtesy of Bring a Trailer Auctions***
