Gallery: Open This Time Capsule of Classic Cars
Scott Nidermaier011962-mercedes-benz-300-sl-roadster
This bit of automotive perfection is believed to be the lowest mileage Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster on the planet. It has a mere 7,367 miles on the odometer, and it is for sale. Not that it matters, because it almost certainly costs more than you'll make in the next decade. The same could be said of most of the 43 other vintage vehicles Gooding & Co. will auction next month at The Scottsdale Auction. The [list of lustworthy rides](http://www.goodingco.com/current_auction) will set any gearhead's heart aflutter, as it has something for everyone. Joining the Benz on the block are, among others, a Porsche 904, a Ferrari 275 GTB and a Shelby Cobra someone found in a barn. Seriously. In a barn. We always thought that was a myth. We can't afford any of these cars any more than you can, but, like you, we'd sell anything short of our souls to own one. Barring that, we'll join you in ogling photos of the 10 cars we'd most love to see in the driveway. __Above__: This 1962 [Mercedes-Benz](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/mercedes-benz/) 300SL Roadster is barely broken in. The car, chassis No. 198.042.10.0003020, has been in the same family almost 50 years. It is all original, including the tires. It's even got the original bill of sale. How much? Gooding says the estimated sale price "is available upon request." If you have to ask... *Photo: Gooding & Co.*
Pawel Litwinski021965-ferrari-275-gtb-03
Ferrari 275 GTB --------------- Yes, Ferraris always look best in *rosso corsa*, but truth be told you could roll one out in gray primer and it'd still look hot. This particular Ferrari, a 1965 275 GTB, looks great in fly yellow. Yes, that's what [Ferrari](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/ferrari/) called it. This car is said to have been "well-maintained by a prominent collector," and oh how we'd love to be a prominent collector of vintage Ferraris. You'll need at least $700,000 to add this one to your stash. *Photo: Gooding & Co.*
031964-shelby-cobra
Shelby Cobra 289 ---------------- We can't even imagine what we'd think if we'd been the ones to discover this gem. Our heart probably would have exploded. When is the last time anyone found an all-original unrestored 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 *just sitting in a barn*? What were the owners thinking? "Hey, pa. What should I do with this bucket of junk?" "Ah, just throw it in the barn behind the Shelby..." Gooding suspects this may be among the last unrestored Cobras in existence and the only unrestored model with a blue body and red interior. It's got some history behind it, too. Carroll Shelby used the car, Chassis No. CSX 2289, in promotions at [Riverside Raceway](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/06/gallery-racetracks/) and elsewhere. It's also the only Shelby with "289" in the chassis number. It is expected to bring at least $525,000. *Photo: Gooding & Co.*
Pawel Litwinski041964-porsche-904-14
Porsche 904 ----------- Anyone who says the only real Porsches are rear-engined Porsches doesn't have a clue. The [first Porsche was a mid-engine Porsche](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356/1), of course, and some of the company's [most successful racers](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/porsche-718-w-rs-spyder/) had the engine between the axles. Among them was the 904, one of our favorite cars to come out of Stuttgart. The car, officially called the Carrera GTS, was the first fiberglass-bodied Porsche and the first to use a ladder chassis. This model, chassis No. 904-017, was among the first built and one of 31 sent to the United States. It was driven as it was designed to be, which is to say it was flogged in races throughout the West Coast through until the end of 1965. It has traded hands a few times since then and made the rounds of vintage races, somehow escaping crashes, heavy-handed modifications and over-zealous restorations. Look for the bidding to top $1.2 million. We're buying lots of lottery tickets. *Photo: Pawel Litwinski © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.* [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/12/1964-Porsche-904-02.jpg) The 904 attacks The Corkscrew at what is now Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. *Photo courtesy Gooding & Co.*
051965-mustang-shelby-gt350r-01
Shelby Mustang GT350 R ---------------------- This is one of only 26 GT350 Rs that Carroll Shelby built, and it's got an impressive racing history. It won the B-Production Championship at the hands of Freddy van Beuren, and it also was driven to victory in SCCA competition by grand prix driver Pedro Rodriguez. It is expected to bring at at least $650,000. *Photo: Alejandro Rodriguez © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.* [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/12/1965-Shelby-350R-vintage.jpg) The car in action in front of what appears to be a [Chapparal of some kind](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/15-cars-we-want-to-drive/?pid=326). Please (politely) correct us if we're wrong. *Photo courtesy Gooding & Co.*
Scott Nidermaier061958-ac-ace-bristol
AC Ace Bristol -------------- It's tough not to like a vintage British sports car, especially one with sleek lines like this. This 1958 Bristol, chassis No, BEX468, was number 375 of the 475 Bristols built by the factory. It's got a 1.9-liter straight-six engine, a four-speed gearbox and style to spare. Look for the winning bidder to drop at least a quarter mil for this Concours-quality restored ride. *Photo: Scott Nidermaier © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co*
071948-tucker-sized-01
Tucker '48 Sedan ---------------- Preston Tucker was a brilliant car designer whose [car was years ahead of its time](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2009/10/ahead-of-time/3/). Tucker built just 51 cars before the company folded in 1949. This particular example, chassis No. 1010, was believed to have vanished but has emerged after 50 years in a barn. It's a little rough around the edges but nearly all original. It has just 10,000 miles on the odometer and is believed to have raced at Bonneville Salt Flats in the early 1950s. It is expected to bring more than $1 million. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/12/1948-Tucker-sized-02.jpg) That'll rub right out. *Photos: Pawel Litwinski © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.*
081964-ferrari-250-gt-lusso
Ferrari 250 GT Lusso -------------------- The 250 series was among the most successful of Ferrari's early lines, spawning an almost staggering number of racing and road-going models between 1953 and 1964. The 250 GT Lusso is among our favorite, and not just because [Steve McQueen](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/steve-mcqueen/) owned one. Look up "gran turismo" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of the Lusso. *Photo: Scott Nidermaier © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.*
Pawel Litwinski091963-astonmartin-db4-series5-vantage-gt-03
Aston Martin DB4 Series 5 Vantage GT ------------------------------------ There's something regal about an old [Aston Martin](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/tag/aston-martin/). They're stately cars, fast and graceful, yet understated. The DB4 was introduced in 1959 and the British automaker made several improvements over the years. ? This particular car, chassis No. DB4/1121/R, was built in 1963 toward the end of the DB4's run. The Series 5 model was available with the higher-performance engine of the DB4 GT. This car is one of just six fitted with that engine, a twin-plug straight-six with three carbs. This car's engine was modified during restoration and now displaces 4.2 liters; it is good for 304 horsepower. Combining the GT's engine with the long wheelbase chassis of the Vantage created a superlative long-distance touring machine. This car's seen some time on the vintage-racing circuit and has been fitted with a removable roll cage. We'd love to see what this car would do at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca but don't have the $600,000 or so we'd need to find out. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/12/1964_AstonMartin_DB4_Series5_Vantage_GT_35-sized-02.jpg) *Photos: Scott Nidermaier © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.*
Pawel Litwinski101953-fiat-8v-supersonic-07
Fiat 8V Supersonic ------------------ This is easily among the most beautiful vehicles to come out of carrozzeria Ghia during the 1950s. To say the 8V Supersonic is rare is like saying Aretha Franklin can sing. Just 12 were built, and this car, chassis No.106.000035, was the first. The current owner has been (barely) driving it for 55 years, and it has just 17,000 miles on the odometer. This baby is all original, down to the Pirelli tires. The Supersonic was, as the name suggests, inspired by the jet-era craze that so many automakers embraced during the 1950s. It's subtle to be sure, and most obvious at the tail lights. But this car is gorgeous from any angle. It's also frightfully expensive. Look for bidding to top $1.1 million. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/12/1953-Fiat-8V-Supersonic-02.jpg) *Photos: Pawel Litwinski © 2010. Courtesy Gooding & Co.* __See Also:__ - [15 Cars We Really, Really Want to Drive](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/15-cars-we-want-to-drive/) - [15 Dream Rides Picked by You, Our Readers](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/12/15-dream-rides-picked-by-you-our-readers/) - [10 Cars You Can Bet Will Be Classics](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/10-cars-you-can-bet-will-be-classics/)
