Over one hundred years of vehicles were on display at the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ. While the newest models are spectacular with their cutting edge technology and performance capabilities, it is the cars from the early 1900s that really impress everyone. The fact that they have been able to withstand a century of aging and still look this magnificent is truly incredible.
It was quite a sight to behold seeing them reunited all lined up in a row. Here are some of the finest early 20th century vehicles we saw at the auction this year.
1925 RENAULT 40CV – The Renault 40CV (a.k.a. as the Model 45) was the ultimate luxury car in it’s day. Not surprising at all since it cost as much as a contemporary Rolls Royce. This vehicle has a 9-liter, 6-cylinder engine that put out 140hp. It could easily reach speeds of 100+ mph.
1947 TALBOT-LAGO T-26 WORBLAUFEN CABRIOLET – Only one of three Talbot-Lago T-26 Cabriolets ever built by the most prestigious Swiss coachbuilders, Carrosserie Worblaufen. This vehicle has a 4.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine and a Wilson pre-selector gearbox. Frequent communication was kept with the descendants of the original coachbuilder during the restoration to make sure the vehicle stayed authentic. It is the first time in 24 years that this vehicle has been up for sale.
1939 MERCEDES-BENZ 540K with “CABRIOLET A” body conversion – This vintage Mercedes is equipped with a 5.4-liter straight-8 and a 4-speed transmission. When first manufactured it had a Cabriolet B body configuration, but has since been restored on the more coveted Cabriolet A body configuration. The chassis, driveline and supercharger are original to the car. This vehicle has a string of awards from the Concours d’Elegance series amongst others.
1921 HEINE-VELOX LIMOUSINE – A one-of-a-kind restoration. This Heine-Velox limousine has a V12 engine that has been completely rebuilt and is driven with a manual transmission. This limo has been around the world before making it to Barrett Jackson. Its previous stop was at the Shanghai Automotive Museum in China from 2006 through 2015.
1931 CADILLAC ALL-WEATHER V12 PHAETON – It took more than a year to complete this frame-off restoration. Absolutely no expense was spared bringing this Cadillac beyond its former glory. The V12 engine and manual transmission were meticulously rebuilt and the hand crafted ostrich interior take this Cadillac to a whole new level.
1934 CADILLAC CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE – While there have been plenty of modifications to this Cadillac, the exterior body has no modifications. It includes the optional fender skirts and optional dual side mounts. The car is powered by a professionally-built Cadillac Northstar engine and 700R4 transmission. It has an independent short and long-arm rear suspension and Nova IFS front suspension. The exterior is finished off with 16″ chrome wire wheels with wide whitewall tires and Painless wiring with Quartz lighting. Interior features include a Vintage Air and heat system and custom gauges to match the originals.
