As has been widely reported, the classic car market has been displaying some volatility of late with many pre-1990s models falling back somewhat following a sustained period of growth. While this has complicated life for the investor/speculator, it has opened up buying opportunities for the enthusiast and trade is still lively provided estimates are pitched at a sensible level. Out of the 190 lots on offer in the June sale, 135 were successfully sold for a total of just under £1.1m to give a 71% sale rate.
Top price of the day went to a 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Roadster, a well-maintained car from 20-year ownership with an original factory hard top which fetched £58,910, a good result in the current market. An exceptionally smart and original 1956 Jaguar XK140 FHC from 40-year ownership looked like a great buy at £50,400, this being a model that was fetching rather more a couple of years back.
A really lovely 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk1 BT7 which had only done 3,000 miles since a £90k+ restoration also looked like a lot of car for £46,780. By way of comparison, a 1967 Healey 3000 Mk3 BJ8 in good running order but with scope for cosmetic improvement made £33,600 which illustrates the difference in value between the Mk1 and the Mk3 but also indicates how prices for Sixties sportscars have softened in recent times.
Returning to the Jaguar theme, a 1978 Daimler Sovereign Coupe with under 16k miles on the clock but in need of work following 20+ years in storage comfortably beat its estimate to finish on £14,670. A 1990 Jaguar XJS V12 Coupe which had recently been restored at a cost of over £30k fetched a smidge under £10k which shows how the cost of restoring a car can so easily get out of hand these days.
All four Morgans on offer were successfully sold, top honours going to a 2015 Roadster 284 powered by a Ford 3.7 V6 and with only 22,000 miles on the clock which made £30,350 despite a Cat D insurance marker in the past. A 2000 Plus 8 3.9 V8 with just over twice the mileage fetched £29,120 while a nicely presented 1972 4/4 raised £13,440.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the pre-war car market is no longer as strong as it once was and only 12 of the 24 examples on offer found new homes. Top price went to a tidy and usable 1936 Rolls-Royce 25/30 with unusual Barker Sedanca de Ville coachwork which fetched £24,640. The oldest car in the sale, a 1914 Brasier 9hp Tourer in good running order following a restoration in the 1980s looked like an interesting buy at £11,820. A 1929 Ford Model A Tourer made £11,880 while a 1922 Ford Model T Tourer made a whisker under £10,000.
Pre-war in spirit if not in years was a sharp and shiny 1949 MG TC from a deceased estate which was 90% restored, including the fitment of a supercharger, and had no trouble in beating its £15k bottom estimate to finish on £23,520. A 1948 Dellow Pre-Production trials car with period competition history looked like an interesting buy at £14,050.
A pair of Minis also did well, a 1961 Austin Mini 850 nicely restored and upgraded to 970S spec fetching a healthy £29,120 while a freshly rebuilt 1962 Austin Mini Van made £17,140. A pair of early Morris light commercials also had no trouble in finding new owners, a 1930 Light Van formerly owned by BA Chairman Lord King of Wartnaby fetching £8,680 while an ex-GPO 1949 Morris Z Van raised £7,840.
Radiating Seventies style was a Bertone-designed 1978 Fiat X1/9 in eye-catching bright green which looked like a lot of fun and comfortably topped its estimate to finish on £10,300. Equally stylish was a restored 1970 Lotus Elan S4 DHC from 30-year ownership which made £22,400.
The next Brightwells classic car auction will be on 2nd August and will have a special section devoted to iconic German-made cars. The deadline for entries is 21st July so if you are considering selling, please get in touch by calling 01568 611122 or by emailing classiccars@brightwells.com