A car from one of the most famous movies of all time was sold at auction last month. The 1940 Buick Phaeton from Casablanca was…{"id":4533,"date":"2013-12-20T10:08:11","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T18:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=4533"},"modified":"2014-02-03T13:59:49","modified_gmt":"2014-02-03T21:59:49","slug":"well-always-have-paris-buick-from-casablanca-sells-at-auction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/20\/well-always-have-paris-buick-from-casablanca-sells-at-auction\/","title":{"rendered":"We’ll Always Have Paris: Buick From Casablanca Sells at Auction"},"content":{"rendered":"

A car from one of the most famous movies of all time was sold at auction last month. The 1940 Buick Phaeton from Casablanca<\/em> was auctioned for $461,000 (including premium) at\u00a0Bonhams’ “What Dreams Are Made Of: A Century of Movie Magic”<\/a> auction. This iconic car, used in the notorious scene with Humphrey Bogart<\/a> and Ingrid Bergman<\/a> on the tarmac, was more than just a famous classic car. It represented an era.<\/p>\n

Even without the notoriety that Casablanca<\/em> gave to the car, the Model 81C trunkback convertible is a rare gem in its own right, with only 230 of the 1940 model ever made. At auction time, this Aztec Brown beauty had approximately 42,000 miles on it. The Buick’s 320-cubic inch inline-eight engine and three-speed manual transmission is in top shape and was ready to drive home from the auction. Not that we would! Some mechanical work was done in the 1990s, including new wiring and standard shift in the steering wheel.\u00a0The cloth top was replaced and some of the interior was restored due to water damage. But, while some aesthetic work has been done, Bogart’s cigarette burns on the upholstery remain!<\/p>\n

A little more history… Warner Brothers kept possession of the car until 1970. It then passed through a few collectors and auction houses. The classic sold at auction in 1995 for $211,500, even though the pre-auction estimate was only $80,000. Auction estimates were a little more on target this time, estimated at $450,000 to $500,000. This rare classic, with its gorgeous wood trim, over-sized steering wheel and all the nostalgia that goes with it will surely be a satisfying investment for its new owner.<\/p>\n

People buy and sell classic cars for various reasons. Many view them as a financial investment. Some buy a car because it holds certain memories. Others are simply taken by the beauty of a certain vehicle. How can you find that rare classic that you’ve been looking for? Plan to attend the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show, January 19th<\/a>. We’ll have 15 miles of cars and parts waiting for you, and you just might find the classic car you’ve been dreaming of.<\/p>\n

Here’s looking at you, kid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":4535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[136,3],"tags":[616,20,617,15,433,614,30,34,620,621,615,619,618],"class_list":["post-4533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automotive-history","category-automotive-news","tag-1940-buick-phaeton","tag-auction","tag-bonhams","tag-buick","tag-car-auction","tag-casablanca","tag-classic-car","tag-classic-cars","tag-humphrey-bogart","tag-ingrid-bergman","tag-movie-cars","tag-warner-bros","tag-warner-brothers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t