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£906,624

1953 Cunningham C-3 Cabriolet

United States • 5 Mar 2022 • Lot Lot 175

Vehicle Details

AI Listing Summary

This 1953 Cunningham C-3 Cabriolet by Vignale, chassis number 5441, is one of only five ever built. It has a rich history, including being owned by racer Irving Robbins and Briggs Cunningham's daughter Lucie, and has been shown at prestigious Concours d'Elegance events.

Condition

8

The car has been restored and well-maintained, with its Vignale body beautifully finished in a subtle red two-tone with a tan convertible top. The interior is trimmed in tan leather and luxuriously appointed. The car has been shown at several Concours d'Elegance events.

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Transmission:

[Transmission]

Chassis No:

5441

Odometer:

[Odometer Reading]

Reg Number:

[Reg Number]

RHD/LHD:

[RHD/LHD]

Son of a wealthy Cincinnati financier and heir to the Swift meatpacking fortune, Briggs Cunningham began his career in yacht racing at Yale in the 1920s, which eventually led to international fame when he captained the Columbia to victory in the 1958 America’s Cup.

He engaged in international racing in the 1930s with his college friends Miles and Samuel Collier, who founded the Automobile Racing Club of America (later renamed the Sports Car Club of America, SCCA, in 1944).

In 1950, Cunningham entered two Cadillac Coupe DeVilles in the world’s most prestigious race, the 24-hour endurance event at Le Mans.

One remained nearly stock, but the other was heavily and unconventionally modified, earning it the nickname “Le Monstre.” They finished 10th and 11th among a sea of Jaguars, Aston Martins, and Ferraris.

This early loss only increased Cunningham’s will to victory, which ultimately culminated in the creation of his eponymous Cunningham C-3 automobile.

At the time, homologation rules...