On April 7, Gooding & Company will present the Estate of Mark Smith Auction, featuring the personal collection of the late Mark J. Smith, offered entirely without reserve. A revered and incredibly knowledgeable enthusiast and collector, Mark Smith primarily championed original and unrestored Classic Era automobiles, and by the time of his passing, had amassed an incredible and varied assemblage of the greatest historic vehicles. Many of these vehicles will be offered at the Estate of Mark Smith Auction, which will take place on Friday, April 7, at Mark’s own Midland Motors museum, a former Chrysler dealership that he had transformed into a showcase for his most prized automotive possessions. Register to bid here and learn more about the auction here.
Here are 6 cars not to miss:
1903 Ford Model A Runabout
Here is a rare example of the first-series automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company in 1903, the Ford Model A Runabout. It has been beautifully restored during the early 1970s by vintage car expert Ralph Buckley, followed by just one road outing in celebration of its completion. Highly engaging throughout, this Model A Runabout is a rare find at auction and, while requiring mechanical recommissioning, it offers a wonderful potential entry to a wide array of vintage car events, shows, and the annual London-to-Brighton Run.
Estimate: $100,000-150,000
1937 Lincoln-Zephyr 'Twin Grille' Custom Sedan
Introduced on November 2, 1935, for the 1936 model year, the streamlined Lincoln-Zephyr was an unqualified design triumph by Ford President Edsel B. Ford and designer E.T. “Bob” Gregorie. Most importantly, the Lincoln-Zephyr bridged the wide gap between Ford’s Deluxe models and Lincoln’s regal Model K. Featuring an unforgettable “Custom Twin” grille arrangement, reportedly installed in-period by Willard L. Morrison of Lake Forest, Illinois, this 1937 Lincoln-Zephyr was part of the Lee Roy Hartung collection before being acquired by Mark Smith in November 2011. According to records on file, the Lincoln is believed to be a highly original example with paint from the same period as when the car was originally customized and more recent interior upholstery.
Estimate: $30,000-50,000
1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Offener Tourenwagen
The name Offener Tourenwagen, or “open touring car,” in Mercedes-Benz parlance often brings to mind the vast and weighty 770 Ks of the late 1930s. On their sibling supercharged 500 K chassis, however, it referred to something entirely different: a very attractive two-door open model, with a rather low, subtly curving beltline, that recalled the powerful Sports 4 style of earlier K and S-type models. It was a very sporting automobile and one of the most masterful creations of the factory coachbuilders at Sindelfingen, who finished each body with the superb craftsmanship and quality materials for which they were renowned. This Chassis 105355 is one of only five surviving examples of this style on the 500 K chassis. Retaining its original, numbers-matching chassis and engine per factory records, as well as the original typenschild on the firewall, the car remains startlingly original, never restored, and “improved” only as necessary over the years.
Estimate: $1,250,000-1,750,000
1932 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Roadster
Seldom is an automobile more closely linked with its original owner than this 1931 Chrysler and Dr. William F. Whelan. A respected Philadelphia otolaryngologist, Dr. Whelan served for years both in private practice and as an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School before his retirement in 1963. While certainly a 1931 model by serial number and specification, the car may have been an unsold model which Dr. Whelan acquired in 1932, and thus has always been titled as that year. For the first six years of his ownership, Dr. Whelan never left his alone, steadily evolving its appearance to suit his taste. The result was an incredibly sleek, tapered look, reminiscent of the 1928–1929 Auburn Speedsters, with performance to match. In an era when every automotive advertising drawing made its subject appear to move seamlessly with the wind, the Whelan Chrysler, in the metal, looked and behaved the part. That it was no famed stylist’s creation, but rather one owner’s radical vision, making this all the more remarkable.
Estimate: $800,000-1,200,000
1930 Lincoln Model L Sport Roadster
By the mid-1920s, the Lincoln Motor Company had become well-established as one of the premier American manufacturers of luxury automobiles despite offering just one model – the venerable Model L. Under the visionary direction of Edsel Ford, Lincoln greatly expanded their line of custom and semi-custom bodies, offering an incredible array of types and styles to their discerning clientele. Among their most outstanding designs was the Model 191 Sport Roadster, which was created especially for Lincoln to debut at the major 1930 auto shows held in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Priced at over $5,000, the Model L Sport Roadster featured a slick, disappearing top, completely hidden when stowed beneath the rear cowl, as well as a rumble seat and golf door. A high-quality, custom-bodied Model L, this Model 191 Locke Sport Roadster is undoubtedly among the most rare, sporting, and sought-after of all Classic Era Lincolns – not to mention a relative bargain when compared to similarly styled roadsters from other American marques.
Estimate: $140,000-180,000
1934 Lincoln KB Seven-Passenger Touring
The high-water mark for the Lincoln Motor Company was its entry into the multi-cylinder war, the KB, introduced for the 1932 model year. During its short three-year production run, just over 2,200 examples were built. Most of these expensive 12-cylinder Lincolns carried coachwork designed and built in-house, such as this factory-bodied Seven-Passenger Touring, style no. 273. Approximately 20 of these handsome cars were produced; as few as four survive today. Tastefully kept in unrestored condition, including much of the paint, top, and interior, the KB shows just over 60,000 miles on its odometer. Offered here is an outstanding American Classic fit for the connoisseur: one of Lincoln’s most desirable models, boasting attractive open coachwork, tremendous originality, and Rockefeller family provenance. As the number of significant classics preserved in unrestored condition continues to dwindle, cars like this KB ought to be regarded as treasures.
Estimate: $130,000-160,000
