More Monterey: Putting the hammer down
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As the time for Pebble Beach approaches and the excitement mounts, so comes news of yet more fabulous classic cars going up for auction on Aug. 16 and 17. Apart from the Carl J. Schmitt collection (Schmitt was around at the beginning of the 20th century and was fascinated by what we now call alternative forms of propulsion, such as electricity and steam power), there’s a 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Spider, a proper racing car that took part in Sicily’s famed Targa Florio (five times) as well as the Monte Pellegrino Hillclimb in Palermo.
And then there’s ‘Blondie,’ a 1907 Thomas Flyer 60-horsepower seven-passenger tourer. This is one of only three surviving examples. A Flyer gave the United States its first-ever international motor sport victory in the 1908 New York-to-Paris race.
A little more up to date are two American automotive legends, a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I and a 1965 Shelby GT350 R, the latter widely regarded as the most successful of its kind in competition and also the most original of the 34 R models built. If there’s a few million burning a hole in that bank account, head for Monterey.