1968 Wills Sainte Claire A-68 Touring
- Engine
- Overhead-cam V8
The Wills Sainte Claire A-68 touring is the second-earliest known surviving example of this rare American marque, built in Marysville, Michigan between 1921 and 1927 by former Ford metallurgist Childe Harold Wills. Distinguished by its molybdenum-steel construction and overhead-cam V-8 engine, this particular car was unearthed in a California barn in 1951 and subsequently fully restored, earning the Charles A. Chayne Memorial Trophy at the 1980 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It has since passed through several prominent collections of Wills devotees.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$128,800
- 1951 →Acquisition unknownJack Passeypartial documentation
Discovered the vehicle in a barn in Marin County, California; described as a notable early enthusiast of the marque.
- → 1986Acquisition unknownStu Laidlawpartial documentation
A professional restorer who undertook a full restoration of the car and exhibited it at Pebble Beach in 1980 before selling it.
- 1986 → 1998Acquisition unknownIntermediate owner or owners between Laidlaw and Liebnone documentation
The car changed hands at least once between Laidlaw's 1986 sale and Lieb's acquisition by 1998; no named custodian is identified for this interval.
- 1998 → 2018Acquisition unknownTom Liebpartial documentation
Founder of SCAT Cranks, based in Manhattan Beach, California; assembled one of the largest collections of Wills vehicles, documentation, and spares, and regarded this car as a centerpiece.
- 2018 →Acquisition unknownClive and Janet Cusslerpartial documentation
Acquired the car in autumn 2018 and retained the earlier Laidlaw restoration throughout their ownership of roughly seven years.
Competition
- 19801980 Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceCharles A. Chayne Memorial Trophy winner
Exhibited by restorer Stu Laidlaw following his full restoration of the car.
Maintenance & restoration
- —RestorationStu Laidlaw
A comprehensive restoration was carried out, bringing the car to concours-presentation standard in time for display at the 1980 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Restoration completed prior to 1980; the resulting work was still considered attractive, though aged, at the time of the present sale.
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