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Vintage Wheelhouse, 88 Wall Street, New York, NY (2026)

12/07/2025

The Mercer Series 5 Raceabout is a highly sought-after, iconic early American sports car known for its racing pedigree, minimalist design, and impressive performance for its era. Produced by the Mercer Automobile Company from approximately 1915 to 1923, it is celebrated as one of America's first true sports cars.
Key Features and History
Design & Intent: The Raceabout was designed with a "no-frills" philosophy to "go fast". It featured minimalist bodywork, no doors, no roof, and a low-cut cockpit, prioritizing speed and driver engagement over comfort. A full-width flat glass windshield was typically included but could be folded down for high-speed runs.
Engine & Performance: It was powered by a 298 cubic-inch (4.9-liter) L-head inline four-cylinder engine, designed by Eric Delling, which produced about 70-72 horsepower at 2,800 rpm. The factory guaranteed a top speed of at least 75 mph, a remarkable feat at the time.
Chassis & Handling: The car featured an advanced chassis for its time, with live-axle suspension, semi-elliptical leaf springs, and shock absorbers, which enhanced its handling. Early models had rear-wheel mechanical drum brakes, with four-wheel brakes eventually added to later production models.
Racing Legacy: The Series 5 continued Mercer's strong racing tradition, following the success of the earlier Type 35 Raceabout (1911-1914). These cars were often driven straight from the showroom to the racetrack and were highly competitive in events like the Indianapolis 500 and various endurance races.
Collectibility: Only a few examples of the Mercer Series 5 Raceabout have survived, making it an exceedingly rare and valuable collector's item. Surviving models with documented history are highly sought after by collectors and command high prices at auctions, such as a 1923 model that sold for $445,000.

12/07/2025

1963 Studebaker Avanti R2

Studebaker's desperate gamble to save itself produced one of the 1960s' most innovative performance cars, though the Avanti remains curiously underappreciated despite costing more than a Corvette when new.

Company president Sherwood Egbert, recognizing Studebaker's precarious financial position upon his February 1961 arrival, commissioned Raymond Loewy to design a flagship model. Loewy's team retreated to a Palm Springs rental house and completed the design in just 40 days, creating polarizing mid-century modern styling featuring a full fiberglass body.

The optional R2 specification added a Paxton supercharger to the 289 cubic inch V8, producing a factory-rated 290 horsepower and exceeding one horsepower per cubic inch.

Andy Granatelli demonstrated the Avanti’s potential by helping the factory program break 29 speed records at Bonneville, but the headline runs around 170 mph and 200 mph were achieved with more highly tuned R3-powered cars rather than standard R2s.

Front disc brakes appeared as standard equipment, making the Avanti the first American production model to offer them, with conventional drums retained at the rear. Power reached the Twin-Traction limited-slip rear end through either automatic or the rare Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission.

Production ended abruptly when Studebaker closed its South Bend factory in late 1963, though some Avantis were completed into 1964 using remaining stock.

Total original Studebaker Avanti production reached just 4,643 examples across both model years, with only 1,883 receiving R2 supercharging and fewer than 500 combining the R2 package with the four-speed manual transmission.

12/07/2025

The 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster is a legendary and highly sought-after classic sports car, renowned for its innovative engineering, elegant design, and high performance. It succeeded the iconic "Gullwing" coupe, offering an open-air driving experience and improved handling.

12/07/2025

The 1975 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Convertible is a full-size American luxury car and is notable for being the last full-size convertible produced by Oldsmobile. Oldsmobile even marketed it as a "future collector's item" at the time, a prediction that proved true due to its rarity and end-of-an-era status.
Key Features and Specifications
Production: A total of 7,181 units were manufactured in 1975.
Body: It features a large, sleek body with a 124.0-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 226.9 inches. It has a power-operated soft top.
Engine Options: It was available with several "Rocket" V8 engines:
350-cubic-inch V8: The standard engine, producing 180 horsepower.
Pontiac-built 400-cubic-inch V8: A one-year-only optional engine rated at 170 horsepower.
455-cubic-inch V8: The high-performance, big-block option, rated at 190 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque in 1975.
Transmission: All engines were paired with GM's reliable Turbo Hydra-matic 3-speed automatic transmission.
Luxury Amenities: The Royale trim level emphasized comfort and style, featuring:
Plush seating, often available in leather upholstery.
Woodgrain interior accents.
Power steering, power brakes (front disc, rear drum), and available power windows, power door locks, power seats, and cruise control.
Original Pricing & Current Value:
The original base price in 1975 was approximately $5,213.
Current values can vary widely based on condition, mileage, and originality. While average auction prices are typically below $25,000, exceptionally well-preserved, low-mileage examples have sold for over $60,000 in recent years.

12/07/2025

The 1954 Packard convertible refers to two distinct, rare models produced in Packard's final year of independent operation: the standard Packard Convertible and the top-of-the-line Packard Caribbean Convertible. Both were powered by Packard's largest and final straight-eight engine.
1954 Packard Caribbean Convertible
The Packard Caribbean was a prestigious, limited-production luxury car designed to compete with the Cadillac Eldorado. It featured unique styling cues and a high level of standard equipment.

12/07/2025

The 1933 Packard Twelve Coupe Roadster is a rare and highly sought-after pre-war luxury vehicle, part of Packard's Tenth Series, known for its elegant design and powerful V12 engine. It combines aristocratic styling with sporting flair, making it a prized collector's item today.
Key Specifications and Features
The 1933 Packard Twelve Coupe Roadster was renowned for its engineering excellence and luxurious appointments.

12/07/2025

The 1970 Chevrolet Corvette is a highly desirable model from the third generation (C3) era, known for its powerful new engine options, including the LT1 small-block and the LS5 big-block, and unique styling cues. Due to a short production run caused by a labor strike, only 17,316 units were produced, making it a rare and collectible classic.
Key Features and Specifications
Engine Options: A range of high-performance V8 engines was available, with the new LT1 and LS5 being key highlights. The LT1 offered high-revving performance, while the LS5 delivered massive torque.

12/06/2025

The 1963 Ford Thunderbird "Italien" show car is a unique, one-off concept vehicle known for its distinctive fastback styling and custom features. Originally intended for the scrap yard after its auto show run, it was saved and is now a highly collectible classic, currently part of a private collection or showcased at the Blackhawk Collection in restored condition.
History and Development
Design & Construction: The "Italien" was a styling study designed by Ford's Advanced Studio and built by Dearborn Steel Tubing Co. (DST), a Ford outsourcing contractor. The project started with a 1962 Thunderbird convertible chassis, which underwent extensive modifications under the direction of designer Vince Gardner.
Show Circuit: The car was a prominent feature of Ford's "Custom Car Caravan" from 1963 to 1964, appearing at Autoramas across the U.S. and the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair. It generated significant publicity and was featured in over a dozen magazines.
Survival and Restoration: After its show career, the car was slated for destruction, a common fate for concept cars. However, DST acquired it and sold it to actor Dale Robertson. It changed hands several times over the decades, eventually falling into disrepair, until it was purchased by restorer Tom Maruska in 2005. Maruska completed a full restoration in 2007, returning it to its original Candy Apple Red glory.
Unique Features
Fastback Roofline: The most distinctive feature is its sleek, elongated fastback roof made of fiberglass, a dramatic departure from the standard Thunderbird's squared-off roofline.
Exterior Styling: It featured Ferrari-inspired styling cues, including an "egg-crate" grille that partially concealed the turn signals, custom side vents, and chrome-plated hood moldings.
Luxurious Interior: The cabin was highly customized with extensive leather upholstery covering the seats, headliner, and rear package tray, and featured faired-in rear seat headrests and engine-turned metal accents.
Performance: Under the hood, it housed a 390 cubic inch (6.4L) V8 engine with a rare tri-power (triple carburetor) setup, a high-performance feature for the time.
Current Status
The 1963 Ford Thunderbird "Italien" was sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2008 for $660,000. It is now part of the Blackhawk Collection, which is known for its curation of rare and significant classic cars and often displays its collection. It was recently offered for sale again by RM Sotheby's in early 2024, with an estimated value of $400,000–$600,000.

12/06/2025

The 1954 Buick Skylark was an ultra-exclusive, limited-production luxury convertible that served as a "halo" car to showcase Buick's design and engineering prowess. Only 836 units were produced, making it a highly sought-after collector's item today.
Key Features and Design
The 1954 Skylark, designated as a Series 100 model, was built on the shorter Century chassis, a departure from the Roadmaster-based 1953 model. It was a hand-finished vehicle, incorporating unique styling cues inspired by Buick's Wildcat show car.
Exterior Styling: Key design elements included a panoramic wraparound windshield,

12/06/2025

The 1933 Cadillac V-12 Town Sedan (Series 370-C) is a rare and highly collectible "Full Classic" automobile, known for its elegant Art Deco styling and smooth, powerful V-12 engine. Only 172 Town Sedans were produced that year, making surviving examples particularly scarce.
Key Specifications & Features
The 1933 Cadillac V-12 Town Sedan was an engineering and styling masterpiece of its era, recognized as a "Full Classic" by the Classic Car Club of America.
Engine: 368 cubic-inch (6.0 L) overhead-valve V-12 engine, producing 135 horsepower.
Transmission: 3-speed synchromesh manual transmission.

Vintage Wheelhouse

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