Cars from the Ron Pratte Collection
Editor’s note: This is the 11th in a 30-day series featuring cars from the Ron Pratte Collection that will be sold at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction in January.
1959 Fiat Jolly
In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Fiat commissioned Carrozzeria Ghia to build a small number of custom bodies for the Jolly roadster on the diminutive 600 chassis. This sporty little vehicle, with its wicker seats and fringed top, was the car of choice for wealthy European playboys and their supermodel girlfriends in the Riviera resort communities such as St. Tropez and Monte Carlo.
Jollies were rare even in their heyday, and fewer than 100 are believed to exist.
The wicker seats have been painstakingly renewed, with all other mechanical and cosmetic elements in excellent condition. The vanity license plate MNKY CAR reflects use on Monkey Island, Grand Lake, “The Oklahoma Riviera.”
A Fiat Jolly is both an interesting and unique collectible automobile as well as a toy that can be used and enjoyed.
This 1959 Fiat Jolly (Lot #2070) is scheduled to cross the auction block in Scottsdale on Tuesday, January 13.
1956 BMW Isetta convertible
Originally conjured in 1953 by Italy’s Iso Works (maker of kitchen appliances), German automaker BMW licensed the manufacturing rights to the Isetta in 1955. Though 1955 and early ’56, Isettas were woefully underpowered by their single-cylinder, 247-cc BMW R25 motorcycle engines. But this 1956 Isetta 300 features the more powerful 298-cc single-cylinder engine and is fully capable of 45 miles per hour when cruising around town.
Restored to showroom stock condition, this example is loaded with electric windshield wiper, electric windshield defroster and heater, white wall tires, driver-side sun visor, pedal pads and steering/gearshift boots.
Built on the more desirable fixed side-glass body configuration, the entire fabric roof folds back and down for open air motoring on sunny days.
This 1956 BMW Isetta Convertile (Lot #2093) is scheduled to cross the auction block in Scottsdale on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
The Ron Pratte Collection will begin being auctioned with automobilia from Saturday, January 10 at 9 a.m. (MST) through Tuesday, January 13 at 1 p.m. Pratte’s vehicles first cross the block at 4 p.m. on Tuesday with lot numbers 2000 through 2109 and continue with lot numbers 2500 through 2530 Saturday, January 17.
