RM Sotheby’s Rudi Klein Auction: What I’d Buy

Sean Rooks | October 21, 2024

RM Sotheby’s

This weekend, RM Sotheby’s will finally hold its Rudi Klein’s Auction of junkyard automotive gems. Much has already been written regarding the background and scope of this auction, so I’m going to cover it from a more personal perspective. In today’s Market Monday, I’m going to highlight the cars from this collection I would personally consider bidding on and why.

RM Sotheby’s

Car and Driver wrote an enjoyable article on the history of this collection and why it’s important. Rather than repeat what they’ve done, I highly recommend reading it before continuing. In addition to the work from Car and Driver, The Petersen Automotive Museum has produced two excellent narrated video tours of the collection with Leslie Kendall, Chief Historian and Curator of the Petersen.

To date, the stories have focused on high-dollar rare and blue chip junkers, which will likely be picked up by upper-echelon collectors or well-known restoration shops. Flying a little more under the radar are a few tempting hulks that could be good acquisitions for the average enthusiast. For me, the Porsche lots are the cars with which I’m most familiar and also the ones I find appealing.

RM Sotheby’s

My Top 5 Buys from the Rudi Klein Auction

I’ve taken a stab at selecting cars that I think could be worthwhile projects for the individual enthusiast, like me. I’ve tried to avoid lots that have obvious frame damage requiring specialized tools like a Celette bench to repair. That said, even the cars I’ve chosen may present significant challenges, but those could be balanced out by other benefits, in my opinion. 

Note that I have not personally inspected any of these lots beyond the photos provided, and you should not consider this post to be advice. Though I do offer that service and would welcome a last-minute plane ticket to help any bidders who are considering a purchase at this sale!

RM Sotheby’s

The Porsche 356A is arguably the prettiest of the 356 models, with its graceful curves that reflect Erwin Komenda’s original design intent more so than later iterations. There are other A coupes in the auction, but this car is one of two on the lot originally delivered in Meissen Blue over a red leatherette interior, one of the most beautiful color combos in the world of Porsche and one that adds value, in my view. The engine bay originally held a base 1600 engine, which will need to be replaced, offering an opportunity for upgrading to a higher-horsepower powerplant.

RM Sotheby’s

LIke all of the lots in the Rudi Klein auction, the car has body damage necessitating things like a new front clip, hood, rear lid, and copious amounts of rust repair. The frame looks like it could be straight, or at least more easily fixed than other examples in the yard. The dented roof may pose the toughest challenge, but roof clips are available for these cars. Offered at no reserve with no estimate, this could be an OK buy at under $15,000, in my opinion.

RM Sotheby’s

LIke the previous car, this 1959 Porsche 356A coupe was originally Meissen Blue over red. Showing a bit more damage, this car would certainly need a new front clip and substructure at minimum. The interior shows some interesting personal touches like a drilled shift lever and door handles, suggesting the owner had a bit of an “outlaw” bent.

RM Sotheby’s

Like most cars in the auction it’s missing its original engine, meaning it could be a great outlaw candidate with either a hopped-up replacement 1600 Super engine (with which it was originally equipped) or something more spicy. Guided at $3,000-6,000, this will be bid higher for sure. I personally wouldn’t take it on for more than $20,000.

RM Sotheby’s

Showing considerable damage, this Porsche 356B Roadster would need significant work to be road-worthy again, but given its status as having originally been equipped with a Super engine, could be worth more than $200,000 if restored to factory-built condition.

RM Sotheby’s

At the right price, I see an opportunity to create any number of fun and interesting “outlaw” builds instead. Something like this could easily become a bargain Speedster or Convertible D with a new and straightened front end installed. Guided at $10,000-15,000, this is a score if you can get it in that range. I expect this to go higher in real bidding.

RM Sotheby’s

Offered at no reserve and missing quite a few parts, this shell of a Porsche 912 could also make a wonderful platform for an interesting outlaw car or even a 6-cylinder conversion. Desirable attributes include its original color combination of Irish Green over black and its distribution by Competition Motors of California.

RM Sotheby’s

The front end has an obvious dent in the hood’s slam panel and the rear exhibits some serious crunching, but the main body of the shell looks pretty straight from the photos. Even though it needs everything, I think this car has some value if acquired for under $3,000-4,000. Porsche 912 values have doubled between 2020 and 2024 and well-restored cars are now worth almost $80,000. Offered at no reserve as “parts only” with no estimate provided, the market will ultimately decide its worth and its future.

RM Sotheby’s

The 911S has been a desirable variant of the early aircooled 911 for many years. Values softened during the pandemic, but appear to be rebounding. Thought the front left quarter of this 1971 Porsche 911S shows some significant damage and there are certainly other major bodywork needs, the car appears to have a correct 2.2L 911S engine. While it will need a rebuild along with everything else, at least it’s included.

RM Sotheby’s

Were you to shop for a well-restored (i.e., #2 Excellent condition) 1971 Porsche 911S, you’d be looking at a retail price in the $200,000+ range. This example needs a six-figure investment if you cut checks to a resto shop. Do-it-yourselfers with tenacity and metalworking skills could be into it for a lot less if the costs are spread out over time. Estimated at $4,000-6,000, I think this car will fetch much more, but believe it could be a good buy under $20,000.

Final Thoughts

The Rudi Klein Collection Auction features dozens of cars and even more parts, so the astute enthusiast could conceivably purchase a parts car and some of the necessary missing pieces to complete it. None of these projects are for the faint of heart, but vendor and resource availability for Porsche restoration has never been better.

While I hope to score my own deal in this sale, highly publicized auctions like this one tend to whip bidders up into a buying frenzy. It’s important to keep your head in such scenarios and remember that each time they say “this is the last sale like this,” another one inevitably surfaces in the future. Also remember the costs of shipping these non-rollers to your location, which will be pricey.

What do you think? Would you touch any of these tetanus risks with a ten foot pole? Did I miss any good opportunities? Let me know in the comments!

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisals, and auction services for buyers and sellers of collector European cars. If you’re interested in acquiring an overseas car, give us a call or drop a line!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *