Hidden within the boundaries of South Los Angeles lay one of the most amazing, expansive and sadly decrepit collection of cars: the Rudi Klein ‘Junkyard’. With large parts of this collection kept away from prying eyes for decades, many people were ware of their existence, but most of the cars contained within Klein’s junkyard remained a mystery until consigned by RM Sotheby’s earlier this year. In total the auction raised $29.6 million.
If you want to read more about the collection, and the man behind it, read the full story in the December issue of Octane.
The star car of the sale was undoubtedly the extremely rare alloy-bodied Mercedes Gullwing. Although repainted silver early on in its life, it was originally the only example to leave the factory painted in black – and of course one of just 29 alloy-bodied Gullwings ever produced. It was one of the better preserved cars in the sale too, and was ordered new by legendary Ferrari importer and Le Mans champion Luigi Chinetti. Rudi Klein bought it from him in 1976, and it never left the Klein yard in almost 50 years. As is often the case, the romanticism of buying a car with an amazing history like this made history of its own, as the car surpassed the Gullwing word record price with a final price of $9,355,000.
Not quite living up to the pre-sale hype was the 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K ‘Caracciola’ Special Coupe by Sindelfingen, which sold for $4,130,000 – just above the lower estimate. Built specifically for Mercedes-Benz’s champion racing driver, Rudi Caracciola, this one-off 500 K was acquired by Rudi Klein in 1979 and unseen by the public since 1980.
Another heavy-hitter was the 1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser, which sold for $3,305,000. The sole surviving production Horch 855, this exceptional automobile was once owned by Purcell M. Ingram and the Brucker Movieworld Collection. Featured in the September 1954 issue of Road & Track and seen alongside Rock Hudson in The World Is Ours, the car has been part of the Klein Collection since 1980.
Three Lamborghini Miuras, all in need of restoration, found willing buyers. A 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 was the highlight at $1,325,000, followed by the 1969 Miura P400 S at $967,500 and a 1967 P400 for $610,000. Aside from a handful of exceptions – like the one-off NSU Ro80 by Pininfarina smashing the $60-80k estimate at $461,500 – the bidding on most items was somewhat more level-headed than we have seen in similarly exceptional no reserve auctions in recent years – such as the Baillon Collection.
Much of the auction was made up of parts: such as engines, gearboxes and an amazing selection of valuable spares. View the full catalogue and results here.
‘We knew we had something truly special when we first announced this sale,’ said Cary Ahl, Specialist, RM Sotheby’s. ‘The Rudi Klein Collection has been a source of intrigue for decades, and when the story finally broke, the global response was immediate and overwhelming. From the very beginning, our team dedicated countless hours uncovering this treasure trove of cars and parts, sorting through everything from the elusive Alloy Gullwing to the one-of-a-kind Caracciola 500 K and three Lamborghini Miuras, each an icon in its own right. The world watched as these historic vehicles left their longtime home in Rudi’s scrapyard, and now our team is working to ensure they arrive safely in the hands of collectors across the globe. Only RM Sotheby’s could make an event of this magnitude happen, bringing hidden pieces of automotive history to light and into the collections and garages of those who truly appreciate them.’
Top 10 Lots
1. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Alloy’ Gullwing sold for $9,355,000 USD
2. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K ‘Caracciola’ Special Coupe by Sindelfingen sold for $4,130,000 USD
3. 1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser sold for $3,305,000 USD
4. 1964 Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype by Bertone sold for $1,875,000 USD
5. 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 by Bertone sold for $1,325,000 USD
6. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster sold for $1,187,500 USD
7. 1962 Porsche 356 B 1600 ‘Twin-Grille’ Roadster by D’Ieteren sold for $1,160,000 USD
8. 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S by Bertone sold for $967,500 USD
9. 1959 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS/GT Coupe by Reutter sold for $885,000 USD
10. 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 by Bertone sold for $610,000 USD
