From the very beginning of the automobile, men with a passion for speed and technology built cars to compete. These innovators are in an elite club with their place in automotive history guaranteed as the creators of a true classic sports car, a genuine thoroughbred.
The development of the racing sports car can be traced to specific manufacturers who at one time in history dominated motor racing, in particular the world’s most challenging road races, such as the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and endurance contests like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The creation of an automobile that could win in international competition was usually the inspiration of one passionate man, an engineer, a genius who put all of his design and engineering skills toward his goals. Today these pre-war masterpieces are highly sought after by the sophisticated collector.
These cars and their current owners are often invited to partake in the most prestigious historic racing venues world wide. The Le Mans 24 Hour Classic, Mille Miglia Storica, Monaco Historique Grand Prix and the Targa Florio, to name but a few.
Due to the age of these cars and their racing heritage, their value is determined by their originality and provenance. Old cars built up from parts are not the same as true complete survivors. This reality often brings the remaining total down to less than 10 good surviving examples of a particular model.
1931 Invicta 4.5 “S”-Type Low Chassis
Captain Noel Macklin founded the Invicta Car Company in 1924 with the intent of building a sporting car with Rolls Royce quality and Bentley performance. One of the key ingredients to Macklin’s success was the 4.5-liter straight six-cylinder Meadows engine, which made good power and had a lot of torque. The gearbox was a four speed and the engine had enough torque to accelerate from 5 or 10 mph in 4thgear up to 90 mph. The chassis had an underslung ladderframe with the axels over the chassis rather than the conventional underneath the chassis. This had the Invicta sitting very low and with superior road holding.
There was different coach work done on an Invicta, but many think the “car bodies” body was the most spectacular. The build quality was superb and sales were quite good. Sporting success came with Raymond Mays (founder of ERA and BRM) shattering the Brookcanes lap record in 1931 and 1932 and Donald Healey winning the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally. Unfortunately, the recession of the 1930s caused Invicta to fail. Today, one gets to see these great cars at a variety of events.
Morgan Three-Wheeler
The Morgan Motor Company, Ltd. was founded in 1906 by English engineer Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan in Malvern Link, England. Morgan was the district distributor for Wolseley and Darracq in Malvern Link. The first Morgan car, the three-wheel Runabout, was built in 1909, powered by a 7-hp front-mounted Peugeot twin-cylinder engine. The Morgan cycle car, or light car, had a steel frame, two front wheels, and one rear. Two passengers could just fit sitting side by side in an open cockpit. This car was developed over the years and was available as a standard, deluxe, or family version, and even as a delivery van in the 1920s.
The ultimate Morgan three wheelers were the cars of the early 1930s—the sports and supersports models. They had different body styles known as the beetle back and barrel back. These lightweight, nimble cars were powered by variations of engines from JAP, MAG, Anzani, and Matchless, mostly 1,000-cc V-twin, front-mounted, water-cooled engines producing from 26 hp to 55 hp. The Morgan three-wheeler developed into quite a sporting vehicle with competition, rally, and hill climb successes in its class. Production went until 1939, was stopped during the war, and then carried on after WWII. Because of the short supply of steel, higher production costs, and the beginning of the four-wheel Morgan car, the last three-wheelers were built in 1952. These cars are unique, loved, and instantly recognizable today.
Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:
- Degree of Originality
- Overall Condition, Restoration
- Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
- Production Numbers/Rarity
- Competition History
- Ownership History, Documentation
- Modern Event Eligibility
Regional Variances
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.
LEVEL | VALUATION CATEGORIES |
|---|---|
I | The best combination of all criteria. |
II | Satisfies mid-range of criteria. |
III | In need of restoration. Meets only a few points of criteria |
