Pre-war Racecars – 2003 Market & Price Guide (Part 1)

From the very beginning of the automobile, man built cars to compete with a passion for speed and technology. 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 such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The creation of an automobile which 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 prewar masterpieces are highly sought after by the sophisticated collector.

They and their current owners are often invited to partake in the most prestigious historic racing events worldwide: 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 both their originality and provenance. Old cars built up from parts are not the same as true, complete survivors. Due to their age and, often times, low production numbers, many of the models listed may have less than 10 good surviving examples left in the world. This, combined with their history and obvious collectability, make these some of the most sought-after and expensive racecars in the world.

1934 Maserati Tipo 6C34 Monoposto

Alfieri and Ettore Maserati founded their company, which intially built spark plugs, in a small workshop at Pontevecchio, Bologna, Italy in the early 1920s. Alfieri, a designer, engineer and racing driver built his first racing car in 1926, the Type 26, and raced it in the Targa Florio. The 6C34 was truly an outstanding Grand Prix car developed for the 750 Kilogram Formula that went into effect in 1934. In essence, it was an 8CM chassis with a straight-6, supercharged 3.7-liter engine, developing close to 300 bhp. This car was built for the great driver Tazio Nuvolari, who won two Grands Prix with it. It was fast and reliable. A total of six examples were built. The 8CM and 6C34 line of cars would then evolve into the 8CTF, which took on the might of Auto Union and Mercedes, and even won the Indy 500.

1938 Jaguar SS 100 3.5-liter

Sir William Lyons started designing and styling automobiles for a variety of English car companies in 1926. Originally called the Swallow Car Company and Swallow Coach Building Company, Ltd., this evolved into the Standard Swallow and the SS series of cars. In 1936, the Jaguar name was added to the mark creating the SS Jaguar. The sports model, the SS 100, was designed for competitive touring and, ultimately, competition. This was to be the first true Lyons masterstroke in design. It had an in-line, 3.5-liter, six-cylinder engine, four-speed transmission, and an elegant body with two large headlamps mounted independently. These cars were successful in the Alpine rally, RAC rally and many other competition events. Due to the politics of the time, the SS brand was eventually dropped. One hundered and eighteen examples were built.

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.