Here’s the F_Tundra Estate Collection, Offered at No Reserve by Private Collection Motors
This collection of 11 cars and one truck comes to us courtesy of longtime BaT seller Private Collection Motors, who is representing them on behalf of the estate of F_Tundra. All but two are BaT alumni, and together make up but a fraction of the 58 auctions that F_Tundra won here in his nine years as a BaT member. This eclectic group of vehicles includes models from Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US covering the years 1954 to 2000. As part of the collection, some have sat idle and may be in need of sorting—we’ll note that in the individual listings where applicable. F_Tundra will certainly be missed, but we’re honored that the seller has brought this selection of cars back to rehome them with other members of the BaT community by selling them at no reserve.
Auctions will begin going live today, January 23. A preview of the collection vehicles continues below.
1955 Chrysler C-300 and 1961 Chrysler 300G Hardtop Coupe
We’ll begin the preview with these two handsome Letter Series coupes from Chrysler. The first of these muscular gentlemen is a C-300, powered by a first-generation 331ci Hemi V8 topped with dual four-barrel carbs. The vision of high-performance luxury remained consistent as the 300 progressed from A to L, and the mod cat-eye visage of the second car—a 300G from 1961—tracks how quickly public taste was evolving at the time.
1954 Chevrolet Corvette and Fuel-Injected 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Split-Window Coupe
The 1954 Corvette showcases Harley Earl’s original European-style vision for the fiberglass sports car, right down to its robust Blue Flame inline-six. This example is back on BaT for a third time, and since F_Tundra’s purchase has had its carburetors rebuilt, undergone electrical repairs, and received a new cloth top and brakes, among other items.
By 1963, the Corvette had come into its own, and the new split-window C2 looked like nothing else on the road. As a split-window, fuel-injected coupe in red over black, this car is high spec spec for many C2 Corvette enthusiasts. It was acquired by F_Tundra on BaT less than a year ago, and its Rochester-injected 327 is said to be a replacement.
1963 Studebaker Avanti
Unlike Harley Earl, who spent his career in automobiles, Avanti stylist Raymond Loewy was a pioneer of American industrial design who penned everything from Coke bottles to locomotives to an aerodynamic pencil sharpener; his work for Studebaker is still uniquely stunning today. This Avanti R1 is from the first year of production and features fiberglass bodywork built by the aptly-named Molded Fiberglass Body company and finished in the also aptly-named color Avanti Turquoise.
Loewy is said to have been inspired by aircraft design, whose influence is particularly noticeable in small details like the center console climate controls.
If we ordered a T-bird today, we’d specify it in black over red, just like some forward-thinking buyer did nearly 70 years ago. This one was also optioned with a matching hardtop, power-assisted brakes, power steering, an AM radio, a power-adjustable bench seat, and parking lights. The seller reports that it has been sitting some time, so this could be a great opportunity for someone who has been longing to get some T-bird grease under their fingernails.
1969 Pontiac LeMans
This LeMans affects a more leisurely vibe than its contemporary GTO sibling, but its 350ci V8 is still nothing to sneeze at. With an automatic transmission, a power top, power steering, assisted front disc brakes, and a wonderfully diverse collection of eight-track tapes, this Midnight Green A-body will be ready to cruise in style again after it’s received a thorough once-over.
1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
If your cruising style veers more toward the Continental, this Pagoda is a solid option. Red over black is an uncommonly sporty scheme for the stately W113, but it looks great on this example; the color change was effected during a refurbishment in the 1990s. The car first appeared here back in 2023, at which point it was snapped up by F_Tundra, and it looks just as good the second time around.
All of the European offerings in this collection are finished in red over black, and this Merak is no exception. This is a US-spec car that comes from the final year of first-generation cars and was auctioned on BaT back in 2023. The V6-powered Merak (an evolution of the Bora) was introduced while Maserati was under Citroën ownership, and Maserati chief engineer Giulio Alfieri sought to capitalize upon this association. His Merak shared its dashboard and V6 engine with the Citroen SM, and incorporated Citroen hydraulics by using them to power the headlamps and brake system. Forty years of service documents from prior ownership should be of immense help when bringing this example back up to snuff.
Ferrari resisted the move to fuel injection until 1979, when they fitted a Bosch K-Jetronic system to their 400i GT car. The 308 followed suit in 1980, the year the car above was built, which allowed the car to meet stricter emissions requirements in the new decade.
For this final year of the first-gen Bronco, Ford moved many comfort items from the options list to standard equipment. This U15 was refurbished circa 2019 prior to F_Tundra’s 2023 purchase. The truck wears bronze paint and features a 2.5″ lift, uncut rear fenders, and rubberized floors to help lend an extra layer of durability.
This late-model Azure is a bit of an outlier, even among this varied group of automobiles, as it is the lone Brit and the only millennial vehicle presented here today. Like most of this collection it should be familiar to the BaT audience, as it has sold here twice before, most recently in May 2024. The Azure is the rare convertible that looks equally good open and closed, and the combination of Mulberry Mica over Magnolia leather on this example has a certain Hollywood flair—even if it was originally registered in Delaware.
A full list of the cars in this collection is below, and all will be listed at no reserve. Links to the live auctions will be posted as they become available.
