West Palm Beach Coupe
Chassis #: 5206X
In the early 1950s, Briggs S. Cunningham built racecars at his West Palm Beach factory. His goal was to produce an American racecar that could compete in the famous LeMans.In 1952, he built a road car based on his C-2R racer and called it the C-3. The C-3, a two-door hardtop, is powered by an overhead-valve 331 cubic-inch, 220 horsepower, Chrysler engine. The car was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and bodied by Vignale Carrozzeria. The car weighed 2,800 lbs., sold for $10,000 to $11,442, and could attain a top speed of 138 mph. They had a tubular steel chassis and an independent front suspension and a complex De Dion-type rear. Less than 30 of these vehicles were produced.There were just three Cunningham C-2Rs built and raced by Team Cunningham in 1951. All three Cunningham C-2Rs competed at Le Mans and continued to race with success in the US throughout 1951, driven by Phil Walters, John Fitch and Cunningham himself before being refitted as road cars and sold through Roger Barlow's International Motors in Los Angeles.
In 1951, Cunningham introduced the road-going C-3 model. This example, chassis number 5206X, is the only Cunningham C-3 coupe constructed entirely in Cunningham's West Palm Beach workshop. It is also the only example that was envisioned by Briggs for racing and touring. The chassis is recorded in Cunningham production records as 'Work Order 6' and was the sixth Cunningham sports car constructed. The chassis is nearly identical to the C-2 competition cars with the addition of a roll bar built into the chassis. It was originally given the same independent front suspension and De Dion rear end as the competition cars. Under the bonnet, the 331 cubic-inch Chrysler Hemi engine was fitted with the competition modifications that included four Zenith carburetors on the Cunningam log manifold which gave it 220 horsepower. There is a Cadillac three-speed manual transmission and two-speed rear axle - the same setup as the competition C-2Rs.
By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2011
1952 Cunningham C3
Cunningham
2011 RM Auctions at Monterey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $675,000-USD $875,000
High Bid (Lot was not sold)
USD $550,000
1952 Cunningham C3 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Cunningham C3
(Data based on Model Year 1952 sales)
1952 CUNNINGHAM C-3 Chassis#: 5236 Sold for USD$275,000 2016 Bonhams : The Amelia Island Auction | ![]() ![]() |
1952 Cunningham C3 Coupe by Vignale Chassis#: 5208 Sold for USD$1,210,000 2016 RM Sothebys : Arizona | ![]() ![]() |
1952 Cunningham C-3 Coupe Chassis#: 5210 Sold for USD$550,000 2014 Gooding & Company - The Scottsdale Auction | ![]() ![]() |
1952 Cunningham C-3 Coupe Chassis#: IND 2011044 Sold for USD$407,000 2013 Auctions America - California |
Cunningham C3s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1952 Cunningham C3's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1952 Cunningham C-3 West Palm Beach Coupe | 5206X | 2011 RM Auctions at Monterey | $550,000 | $675,000 | $875,000 |
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1952 Cunningham C3
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