Yahoo Autos RM Sotheby's Monterey auction has 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled oddities
Monterey Car Week is back for 2021, starting Aug. 6, and with it comes an array of sales organized by the nation's leading auction house. RM Sotheby's catalog includes the usual multimillion-dollar offerings, like a 1929 Duesenberg Model J and a 1968 Porsche 911 R. But a stunningly diverse selection of two-, three-, and four-wheeled oddities will also cross the block.
One of the more unusual-for-Sotheby's two-wheelers is a 1970 Solex 3800, which was one of the most popular mopeds sold in France. Power comes from a 49-cubic-centimeter two-stroke single-cylinder, which is par for the course in the world of classic mopeds, but the engine drives the front wheel. It must be manually lowered onto the tire, which it spins via a simple roller system. Millions of Solex mopeds were built during a decades-long production run, a handful were even distributed in the United States, and they're generally worth a few hundred bucks in running condition and much less if they've been beached in a barn for decades — guess how we know. The one headed to Monterey is listed with a dizzying pre-auction estimate of $40,000 to $50,000. Why? Because it starred with Steve McQueen in the 1971 film "Le Mans."
Another two-wheeler linked to Hollywood is a 1968 Husqvarna Viking 360 that McQueen's production company purchased from motocross rider Bengt Åberg. It's expected to fetch between $80,000 and $100,000. Alternatively, there's a 1970 Triumph TR120 also owned by McQueen's company and estimated to sell for between $40,000 and $50,000. Both bikes were recently treated to a full restoration, and they're listed in running condition.
