by Mike –

This year at the Monterey Car Week auctions there are quite a few of the American powered cars that were designed and made in Europe and mostly sold under a European brand.

Here are a few of interest: three Iso Grifos (the most I can remember in the Monterey auctions at one time), two Apollo GTs (also the most I can remember in one Monterey auction weekend), a Ghia 450 SS (even one at an auction is rare), a Dual-Ghia, De Tomaso Panteras and AC Shelby Cobras.

There are more not covered here and I recommend that if you are interested in bidding that you do your own due diligence on the car of interest and not just rely on the auction company information.

Iso Grifo

1969 Iso Grifo 7 Litri

At the Gooding auction in Pebble Beach.

Estimate: $625,000 – $725,000

Gooding writes,

Spectacular Bizzarrini-Engineered, Bertone-Styled Grand Tourer
Spectacular Bizzarrini-Engineered, Bertone-Styled Grand Tourer
Desirable 7 Litri Variant in Gorgeous Colors
Brilliantly Restored, First in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®
Over $300,000 in Restoration Receipts
Offered with Tools, Jack, Books, and Records

6,997 CC OHV V-8 Engine
Single Rochester 4-Barrel Carburetor
400 BHP at 5,200 RPM
5-Speed ZF Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Power-Assisted Girling Disc Brakes
Independent Wishbone Suspension with Coil Springs, Tube Shocks, and Anti-Roll Bar
De Dion Tube Suspension with Coil Springs, Tube Shocks, and Watts Linkage

1972 Iso Grifo Series II

At the Gooding auction in Pebble Beach.

Estimate: $550,000 – $650,000

Gooding writes,

Among the Last Chevy-Powered Grifos Produced
Desirably Equipped with ZF Five-Speed Gearbox and Air-Conditioning
Two-Owner Example with Approximately 24,000 Km from New
Recent Recommissioning Performed by Marque Specialist
A Remarkable Find, Unknown to the Iso Community

350 CID OHV V-8 Engine
Single Holley 4-Barrel Carburetor
300 HP at 5,000 RPM
5-Speed ZF Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Servo-Assisted Girling Disc Brakes
Independent Double Wishbone Front Suspension with Coil Springs
De Dion Tube Rear Axle with Coil Springs

1967 ISO GRIFO GL

At the Bonhams auction in Carmel.

Estimate: US$ 375,000 – 450,000 (€340,000 – 400,000)

Bonhams writes,

327ci OHV Chevrolet V-8 Engine
Single Four-Barrel Carburetor
350bhp at 5,800rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Formerly the property of Peter Monteverdi
*Desirable first series model with 5-speed manual gearbox
*Matching numbers
*Known ownership history from new
*Featured in Motor Klassik magazine

Apollo GT

1963 Apollo 5000 GT Coupe

At the Russo & Steele auction in Monterey.

Russo & Steele does not publish estimates.

Russo & Steele writes,

Please contact us for more information.
Details to follow.

1965 APOLLO 5000GT

At the Mecum auction in Monterey.

Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000

Mecum writes,

Engine 260 CI
Trans 4-Speed
Color Brown
Interior Black
VIN/Serial 1044

This remarkable original example is fitted with English glove leather interior, wood steering wheel, Jaeger instruments, ArtiKar air conditioning, Bendix-Dunlop servo-assisted disc brakes as well as the optional and desirable Borrani wire wheels. This Apollo was family owned for decades, stored in a garage for many years and includes a service log book detailing the work performed throughout the previous owner’s stewardship.

Ghia 450 SS

1967 Ghia 450 SS Convertible

At the Russo & Steele auction in Monterey.

Russo & Steele does not publish estimates.

Russo & Steele writes,

Please contact us for more information.
Details to follow.

Dual-Ghia

1958 DUAL-GHIA CONVERTIBLE

At the Bonhams auction in Carmel.

Estimate: US$ 250,000 – 350,000 (€220,000 – 310,000)

Bonhams writes,

315ci OHV Hemi V-8 Engine
Single 4-Barrel Carburetor
230bhp at 4,800rpm
PowerFlite Automatic Transmission
Independent Front Suspension – Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Exquisite example of the legendary Dual-Ghia
*Rare, Ghia-built Italian-American hybrid
*Recent Best in Class Award
*The Duesenberg of the 1950s

De Tomaso Pantera

1974 DeTOMASO PANTERA GTS

At the Bonhams auction in Carmel.

Estimate: US$ 100,000 – 130,000 (€90,000 – 120,000)

Bonhams writes,

351ci V8 Engine
Single 4-Barrell Carburetor
266bhp at 5,400rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*One of only 138 GTS models for the US market
*Believed to have less than 28,000 original miles
*Presented in factory livery with original interior
*Offered with books, tools and an extra set of factory wheels

1974 DETOMASO PANTERA

At the Mecum auction in Monterey.

ESTIMATE: $130,000 – $160,000

Mecum writes,

Engine 427/600 HP
Trans 5-Speed
Color Silver
Interior Black
VIN/Serial 874THPNND06704

Approximately $150,000 invested in build
Polished and smoothed engine bay
427/600 HP V-8 engine modified by P.I. Motorsports, INC. in Orange, California
Twin-tank NOS system
850 CFM Demon carburetor
Hydraulic roller rockers
Forged crankshaft
10.5:1 compression
Victor Jr. heads and intake manifold
Ceramic coated headers
Performance exhaust and mufflers
ZF 5-speed transaxle
Chromed suspension and drivetrain
Chromed cooling system components
Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes
Drilled and slotted rotors
Silver Metallic paint
Custom hand-crafted Black leather interior
Crow racing belts
Kenwood stereo system
Upgraded electrical system
Center console with gauges
18 inch HRE 2-piece wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport tires

AC Shelby Cobra

1965 SHELBY COBRA 289

At the Bonhams auction in Carmel.

Estimate: US$ 725,000 – 825,000 (€650,000 – 740,000)

Bonhams writes,

289ci OHV V8 Engine
Single Four-Barrel Carburetor
306bhp at 6,000rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Well-kept Cobra retaining its original drivetrain
*Desirable late-production, rack-and-pinion, 289 powered example
*Long term California car
*Used in period advertisements
*Offered with an impressive history file

1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

At the Gooding auction in Pebble Beach.

Estimate: $1,200,000 – $1,600,000

Gooding writes,

One of Only 260 427 Cobra Street Roadsters Produced in Total
Early Production Example with Desirable Features
Excellent Provenance Documented in the SAAC Registry
Correct Engine and Gearbox Verified by Shelby Expert Curt Vogt
Beautifully Presented in Original Green Over Black Color Scheme

427 CID Ford Medium Riser V-8 Engine
Single Holley 4-Barrel Carburetor
425 BHP at 6,000 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
4-Wheel Girling Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Fully Independent Suspension with A-Arms, Coil Springs, and Tube Shock Absorbers

1962 Shelby 260 Cobra “CSX 2000”

At RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey.

Estimate Available Upon Request.

RM Sotheby’s writes,

CSX 2000, the legendary and very first Shelby Cobra
Offered from the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust
The most important American sports car in history
An unrepeatable offering after over five decades of single ownership

260 bhp, 260 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine with a single four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, front and rear independent suspension with upper transverse leaf springs and lower A-arms, and front disc and rear inboard disc brakes. Wheelbase: 90 in.

Let us know what you think in the Comments.