Lovers of vintage cars and motorcycles had another harvest on Saturday. Almost everything was sold at the traditional vintage event Retro Garage in Lysá nad Labem, which is the largest Czech auto and motorcycle auction of vintage machines. Jawa 500 OHC 15/02 and Škoda Favorit became price hits. Neither the GAZ 69 nor the Garde cabrio were auctioned in the end.
Vintage car auctions are unpredictable. While the nostalgic Škoda cars did not “show off” much in the auction held last fall, at this year’s spring Retro Garage, a battle broke out between 16 bidders for the Favorit 136L from 1989. Although the auction reserve was set at 40,000 crowns, it was finally auctioned for 180,000.
A very well-preserved piece probably appealed to the story. The car intended for export was sold in Tuzex. Complete documentation was included with the car.
Jawa 50/20 Pionýr CZK 34,000 Jawa 250/590-5 Californian Nerkermann CZK 213,000 Stadion S11 “fork of death” CZK 41,000 Jawa 350/361 Sport CZK 320,000 Stadion S22 CZK 32,000 Jawa 500 OHC 15/02 1,000,000 CZK Jawa-ČZ 150/352 half drum CZK 71,000 Škoda Favorit 136L Tuzex CZK 180,000 Jawa-ČZ 250/353 half drum CZK 81,000 Škoda Felicia 994 roadster CZK 610,000 Jawa-ČZ 350/354 + sajda + pav CZK 300,000 Škoda 120 Garde cabrio not auctioned Čezeta 502 CZK 81,000 GAZ 69 M not auctioned Čezeta 506/02 CZK 153,000 Tatra 7/28 flatbed CZK 1,420,000 Jawa 350/590 Sport CZK 195,000 Wikov 7/28 flatbed CZK 1,650,000 Jawa 250/ 559 Neckermann CZK 150,000 Škoda Octavia RS CZK 92,000
Jawa 500 OHC 15/02 also surprised, which was auctioned for exactly one million crowns. Pětistovky are popular and prized machines at auctions, however, it was mostly always the type 01. Even the main organizer of the Retro Garage, Pavel Kočí, was surprised that the price goes up for the newer generation.
Jawa was purchased by an auction participant together with a carefully restored Tatra 54/30 limousine in a taxi configuration from the Veteran Arena museum in Olomouc. At the same time, he visited Retro Garage for the very first time. “I bought both machines for my dad, he will have his eightieth birthday,” said the man, who did not want to be named.
A total of seven participants showed interest in Tatra and the fight was a joy to watch. In the end, it was auctioned for 1,420,000 crowns.
The renovated Wikov 7/28 flatbed also came from Olomouc, its price even surpassed the six-digit Tatra. It goes to the world for 1,650,000 CZK. It was purchased by the same collector who won a Jawa 500 OHV Rumpál, a Tatra 54 with a wooden body and a Tatra 13 flatbed at previous auctions. So Wikov fits into his collection.
Three siblings from the vicinity of Prague, who bought three vintage motorcycles on Saturday, are, on the other hand, regular participants of the auction in Lysá. “We are slowly filling the collection and we are happy for what we auctioned here today,” they praised each other. In addition to the so-called “dead man” or Stadion S11 with a fork that was at risk of breaking, which caused serious and several times fatal accidents, they bought a Jawa 50/20 and also a patina export Californian.
The electric “pig” or Čezeta 506/02 was auctioned for 153,000. Both interested parties agreed that they would continue to fight for the electric scooter, but in the end one gallantly left it to the other. The motorcycles were all sold, although the auctioneers bid for thousands of crowns for many machines.
Only two machines were not sold. Škoda 120 Garde cabrio from Cabrio Gallery in Dobřenice and also GAZ 69 M. This was originally supposed to be the star of the auction, it was an advertised patina piece. “We had an expert inspect it, when it was revealed that it was a piece after renovation, which unfortunately even the owner didn’t know. We decided to keep the machine in the offer, but we put it in perspective before the auction. Even though we believed it had value even as a refurbished piece, eventually it turned out that interest waned,” admits Kočí.
At the end, the Škoda Octavia RS safety car called “Bába” from Autodrom Most was auctioned. Two bidders fought for the first generation “eresa”, which comes from the zero series and doesn’t even have a VIN, and in the end they tossed a crown over which of them would get the car for 92,000. Proceeds from the auction go to charity.
Photo: Eva Srpová
Jawa 250/559 panel and its renovation
A carefully renovated Jawa 250/559 panel car also had its podium at the Retro Garage, the restoration of which was covered in a series on the Aktuálně.cz website all winter. If you are interested in what a vintage motorcycle has to go through if you decide to save the wreckage and restore it to the last screw, read here.
