For
the most part, the Scottsdale classic car auctions cater to collectors
with fairly conventional (albeit extravagant) tastes. “For the most
part” being the operative term here. But for those dedicated eccentrics
who look hard enough, there can be some mighty odd stuff lurking behind
the Mustangs and Corvettes. Here are five of our favorite odd ducks:
1. 1993 Talbo (Russo and Steele)
- The Talbo is a loose reproduction of the 1930s Talbot-Lago with
coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi. Real ones fetch over $4 million. These
nicely put-together replicas have small-block Ford V8 power and don’t
fetch $4M.
2. 1991 Lancia Thema (Silver Auctions) - This may be the first
Lancia Thema to appear at a U.S. auction. Those who have no idea what a
Thema is can be excused. Most Americans have never seen one. The Thema
was an Italian four-door sedan that shared the same platform as the Saab
9000 and
Alfa Romeo 164.
The difference here was the fact that the Thema sported a genuine, flat
plane crank 3.2L Ferrari V8. While the car itself was fairly
non-descript, the exhaust note was anything but. Still, the car failed
to find a buyer.
3. 1969 Tatra 603 (Russo and Steele)
- If a Citroen DS simply isn’t weird enough, have we got the car for
you: The streamlined, fish-like Tatra 603 sports a rear-mounted,
air-cooled 2.5-liter V-8. Built in a country that no longer exists
(Czechoslovakia), the Tatra 603 is exceedingly rare in the U.S. and even
in its native country where only heroes of socialist labor and high
Communist Party officials could buy them. Obviously no party officials
were in attendance as the car was bid to $40,000 but failed to sell.
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