12 Prewar Cars Keeping it Old School at the 2024 Monterey Auctions

The very first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance happened in 1950. In the nearly three-quarters of a century since then, dozens of events have popped up around it to produce a week-long automotive extravaganza with racing, parties, auctions, seminars, and even new car reveals from OEMs. Much has changed about Monterey, but prewar greats have always been a core component on both the show field and the auction block. This year is no different, and below are some of the best cars built before World War II that will be on offer at the Monterey auctions.

1932 Delage D8 S Roadster by Pourtout

Delage’s eight-cylinder D8 was one of the most exquisite and expensive cars to come out of France at a time when La République was churning out more exquisite, expensive cars than almost anybody. Like most high-end automobiles of the Art Deco era, Delage sold it as a rolling chassis, leaving the skin and trim to third party coachbuilders. This one went to Pourtout, who clothed it in sleek and unique roadster bodywork with flowing fenders and a dramatically low-cut windshield. At just five inches, the glass is not even tall enough to keep the wind out of your hair, but may be just adequate to keep the bugs out of your teeth.

It sold new to a French actor, has a largely known history since, and has been with the current owners since 1995. An older restoration, it still has its original chassis, engine and body, and has a $4M-$6M estimate in Monterey.

1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle Tourer

Rolls-Royce isn’t the first, second or 30th name in motorsports, but in the company’s early days a few of its models, particularly the 40/50HP (aka the Silver Ghost), that saw competition. The factory entered four of them in the prestigious and grueling Alpine Trial in 1913 and were successful there. With a big war looming ahead of the 1914 event, though, Rolls-Royce skipped it. That didn’t stop privateer racer/aviator/coal heir James Radley entering one on his own. He finished fourth at the event the year before and had this Rolls, chassis 18PB, specially prepared for the 1914 running. One of the build records reportedly reads: “Carry out all alterations necessary to make car suitable for Austrian Alpine Contest.”

Those alterations included a special gearbox, second fuel tank, new exhaust, more aerodynamic aluminum body, and an upgraded engine. Through eight days of unpaved mountain roads, cobblestone streets and mud Radley, his mechanic, and the Rolls handily beat out 82 other competitors for the 1914 Alpine Trial. After World War I started, it passed into private ownership, eventually came to the U.S., and even served as a farm truck/tractor. It was restored from 2003-13, including a recreation of the lost original aluminum body, and has a $3.5M-$4.0M estimate for Pebble Beach.

1934 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe by Murphy

You’re probably not shopping for a Duesenberg Model J, but if you are, then the ’24 Monterey auctions are the place to be. There are four Duesies on offer, including a 1929 Convertible Sedan by Murphy, a ’29 Town Car by Derham, and a ’29 Convertible Coupe by Murphy. This ’34 Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe (also by Murphy), however, is arguably the most desirable. Bought new by the grandson of John Roebling (who designed the Brooklyn Bridge), it originally had phaeton bodywork but, after an accident, was reskinned in its current configuration. Restored in the 1980s, it sold for $1,815,000 at auction in 2010 and has a $3.5M-$4.25M estimate for Pebble Beach ’24.

1905 Fiat-Isotta-Fraschini Volo-6

On August 16 of this year, if you feel the earth getting a little hotter, it’s probably because someone is driving this contraption, complete with 16.6-liter airship engine, at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge auction. A one-off special, both it and its component parts have a long and complicated history, but it was built up in recent years, based on a turn-of-the-century Fiat land speed record car design and powered by a WWI-era Isotta Fraschini six-cylinder engine boasting 250 hp and 3000 (that’s three zeroes) lb-ft of torque. Aside from the mile-long hood and monster engine, other interesting features include the seats (occupants sit behind the rear axle), and tires that reportedly last about seven minutes during hard driving. It has a $1.5M-$2.5M estimate.

1901 Panhard et Levassor Twin-Cylinder 7 HP Rear Entrance Tonneau

France’s Panhard et Levassor was among the world’s earliest large-scale carmakers, selling its first automobile in 1890. This one from 1901 wears its original “tonneau” bodywork by Parisian coachbuilder Henri Labourdette. After being discovered in the basement of a castle in the 1990s, it was restored. Its twin-cylinder engine makes a tire-moving seven hp, which doesn’t sound like much, but it’s plenty for a car from 1901. And because it’s from 1901, it’s eligible for the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. One of the most beloved motoring events in the world, it’s only open to automobiles built before 1905. The little Panhard sold at auction in 2007 for $297,000, and again in 2014 for £259,100. Its estimate this time around is $225,000-$275,000.

1908 American Underslung 50/60 HP Roadster

Built by the American Motor Car Company of Indianapolis, the American Underslung is one of the world’s earliest performance cars. The secret sauce, for its name and impressive speed, came from its chassis. The frame is situated below the axles instead of on top of them. The engine and transmission also sit closer to the ground than other 1900s automobiles, giving a strikingly low appearance accentuated by the Underslung’s gargantuan 40-inch wheels. “The Car For the Discriminating Few” was the tagline, and indeed only deep-pocketed sportsmen could afford one. According to Gooding & Co., only 27 are known to survive today. This one’s history can be traced back to the 1940s, and a $900,000-$1,100,000 estimate.

1936 Delahaye Type 135 Competition Court Teardrop Coupe by Figoni et Falaschi

Figoni et Falaschi’s designs from the 1930s were some of the decade’s most flamboyant and gorgeous, usually draped on top of Talbot-Lago (we profiled a Talbot-Lago teardrop coupe up for auction in Monterey here) or Delahaye chassis. This one wears Figoni’s Goutte D’Eau (tear drop) coupe body style and underneath it is Delahaye’s shorter 106-inch wheelbase chassis and competition-spec 3.5-liter straight-six engine. It is represented as one of 30 Competition Court models built from 1935-37, one of three short wheelbase coupes, one of three survivors, and the only one with this headlamp arrangement. An older restoration, it has concours awards from the 2000s to its credit. Mecum doesn’t have an estimate for it in Monterey this year, but it sold at auction back in 2013 for $2.42M.

1930 Packard 734 Speedster Boattail Runabout

Packard boattail speedsters aren’t the kind of thing you can typically shop around for, but there are two to choose from in Monterey this year. Mecum’s black and red car is formerly of the William Harrah and General William Lyon collection. It was restored in the 2010s. Gooding’s red over tan car, meanwhile, was ordered new by a wealthy American living in Switzerland, got a restoration very early in its life, and was shown at the very first CCCA Grand Classic. It has a $1.5M-$2.0M estimate.

1936 Hisapano-Suiza J12 Berline by Fernandez et Darrin

Bodied by Parisian firm Fernandez et Darrin, this Hispano-Suiza sold new to aviation pioneer, founder of Dassault Aviation, and politician Marcel Bloch. The largest and most expensive car Hispano-Suiza ever built, the J12 came with a humongous 9.4-liter V-12 engine. Fewer than 100 were built and this one, restored in the early 2000s, has a $900,000-$1,200,000 estimate.

1938 Delahaye 135M Torpédo Roadster

Words can only do so much to describe this car and its good looks. A nice, long look at the skirted pontoon fenders, smooth tail fin, hood louvers, and perfectly placed chrome flourishes is enough. As for its history, it sold new to a customer in Algeria (then under French control), and stayed in the North African country until the early 1990s. A French enthusiast found it near a scrap dealer, but luckily the automotive Art Deco masterpiece was mostly intact other than a missing bench seat and trunk lid. A restoration in France followed.

According to Gooding & Co., only about five of the 11 genuine Torpédo Roadsters remain, and they estimate this one will bring $2.0-$3.0M.

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante

Jean Bugatti’s “Atalante” coupe is one of the prettiest car designs from any place or any era. So it’s a shame Bugatti didn’t sell more of them. Just 17 Type 57S models ever wore it.

This car is about more than just pretty clothes, though. The Type 57’s chassis was advanced and robust, its engine came from Bugatti’s Grand Prix cars, and the Type 57S (S for Surbaissé, or “Lowered”) had improved handling, lower weight, and extra power via an available supercharger.

Originally finished in blue over Havana leather, this car sat on the Bugatti stand at the 1937 Salon de l’Automobile in Paris before going to England for the Earls Court Motor Show. It soon sold to its first owner in the U.K., who used it both there and at his other home in St. Moritz. Its second owner, also in England, repainted it and upgraded it to supercharged “SC” specs. It went to America in the 1960s and has since received a restoration back to its Paris and London show car appearance but with the supercharger (understandably) still fitted. It won its class at the Pebble Beach Concours last year, and for the auction there this year has a $9.0M-$11M estimate.

1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring

The 1930s were arguably Alfa Romeo’s golden age—they won on track, and large, powerful, beautiful, technically sophisticated Alfas roamed European roads. Just such a car will be one of the most expensive cars in Monterey this year, as Gooding’s 8C 2900B has an estimate of $16M-$20M.

The 8C 2900 has a 2.9-liter straight-eight with dual overhead camshafts, hemispherical combustion chambers, and twin superchargers for anywhere from 180 to 225 hp. It mates to a four-speed transaxle, while finned alloy drum brakes and independent suspension (Dubonnet-type trailing arms in front, swing-axle in rear) handle the stopping and turning. It’s no wonder that these cars were race winners even after World War II.

Gooding’s car, chassis 412027, is represented as one of just five 8C 2900B Lungo (“long”) Spiders by Carrozzeria Touring known to exist. It was in Egypt by the early 1940s, then passed through a couple of Swiss owners before making its way to the U.S. in 1955. Dr. Fred Simeone bought it in the 1980s and had it restored, but it was restored again in England in the 1990s and sold to the famous Oscar Davis collection. In 2022, while it was in transit to a restoration facility in Maine, someone stole the truck and trailer transporting it. A gutsy move, but the thief probably had no idea there was an eight-figure Alfa on board. Luckily, it was recovered late last year and will be one of the stars of Monterey Car Week.