Classic Cars for Sale - February 2009 Issue
H&H at The Pavilion Gardens, 26th November
Back on home territory after a not so successful time in Somerset, H & H's results for its last sale of the 2008 season were nothing short of brilliant by comparison.
The results pleased me too for sharing top spot at just two grand short of £200K came a Jaguar SS100 2.5-litre very similar to mine which now looks a far better pension pot than what's available in the gloomy financial market. This 1936 third 100 to be built and one claimed to be the first Jaguar to race in the USA way back in 1938 has had a new ash frame and virtually a new body since those days when it was stripped of its original wings for action. Sold half finished at Bonhams in the UK fifteen years ago, it is now in fine fettle and now gone to a European buyer.
The other to make the same £198K was the very historic 1932 Talbot 105 fourseater Tourer and one of the famous Fox & Nicholl Alpine Trials Team Cars and I am glad to say it's staying in the UK. Unlike the SS, every panel is original and it was sold in very good overall condition since its 1997 renovation.
Not the same story about the body goes for the '33 Alvis Speed 20 SA that started life as a saloon but was converted to an open tourer some time ago for Kenneth Day, a 'supremo' for the Alvis marque and author of The History of the Red Triangle, an essential publication amongst the Alvis fraternity. It sold over estimate at £37,400. Another pre-war tourer to made big money was the '39 MG WA Tickford DHC originally rescued from a scrapyard. This grandest tourer of all MGs restored to perfection for a historic rally eight years ago and run in many more since including destinations as far afield as Scotland, Monte Carlo and New Zealand. She deservedly made a cool £42,900.
The biggest shock at this auction however was for the 1901 Decauville 8hp Tonneau; nothing much more than a rusty two-cylinder engine sitting on a primitive chassis with four wooden wheels and perished tyres plus the rear end of the Tonneau body that came from another car. With an estimate for this rare Brighton Run-eligible veteran starting at £15K, this complete wreck with many parts missing made an incredible £91,500 with premium after a battle between an in-house and a UK telephone bidder. The 'phone won!
Three more garage-finds from the same source made £100K collectively so the vendor had a pretty good day at H&H. An elegant '39 SS Jaguar 2.5 saloon was another barn find to go well over estimate to £28,600; another amazing price considering it wanted a full resto. Astons here followed recent trends for the marque with early DB's selling well as seen here by just the one DB4 on offer making mid-estimate at £81,400. And the modern models are becoming very affordable as reflected by the two smart 1990 Virages here going for just £ 13,200 and £ 15,950 respectively.
At an even more affordable level, a late model one lady owner Lancia Monte Carlo Spider, and probably one of the best around was well worth the £9900. The same money also bought a rare 1953 Peugeot 203 Saloon, prepared and actually raced in several historic occasions such as the Goodwood Revival (for three years); a cheap entry for such an event.
Cars for the Connoisseur - December 2008 Issue
THE INAUGURAL INDONESIAN CLASSIC CONCOURS
BY MICHAEL PENN
As a museum curator I do receive a fair number of odd requests but when Simon Kidd called me early last July and asked me if I would like an all expenses paid trip to Indonesia I thought it was a crank call.
There had to be some sort of catch!
There was bur more of that later. After a few emails and phone calls 1 realised that Simon was serious so in late August this year I jetted off to Jakarta with my fellow classic car professional, Simon Hope of H&H Classic Car Auctions as guest judges in the 2008 Adira Indonesia Classic Car Show,
Organised by the ICCOC (Indonesian Classic Car Owners Club) and the brain child of the wealthy Indonesian businessman Stanley S. Atmadja it was to be the showcase for an emerging Indonesian passion for collectors' cars.
In a previous life I had spent some time in Singapore but then 1 was a lithe youth with not an ounce of extra baggage around my frame. Sadly time and too many business lunches has taken its toll and I carry a few extras pounds which really took its toll in the oppressive humidity in Jakarta especially since, as token Englishmen the organisers wanted us to wear pinstripe suits for the whole three day event!!!
I was not really sure what to expect before 1 got there but my fears were allayed when I saw the furious energy of the club members and working staff in the Jakarta Convention Centre.
They had just 1 day to put together one of the most professional looking events of its type 1 had ever seen. Complete with an almost continuous line up of stunningly beautiful girls, which complemented over 120 equally beautiful cars from all over the world.
However Simon and I could not allow ourselves to be distracted as we had a job to do. Judging cars in pin stripped suits and in all that heat really was tiring, especially since judging was interrupted almost continually by calls to be interviewed by numerous Fat Eastern TV companies the pinnacle of which, (for me anyway) was to be interviewed by Miss Indonesia who also turned out to be a fully qualified engineer (honest).
Bearing in mind that it is illegal to import any sort of second hand car into Indonesia the standard was exceptionally high with some stunning examples of vehicles from the 1930s to the 1970s.
It was also refreshing to note that most entrants had restored their cars themselves and fiercely proud of their skills.
The first car I judged was a very pretty Mercedes 190 SL Cabriolet that is owned by the general of the head of the Indonesian Army who stood over me as I inspected his car> very disconcerting 1
The owners soon twigged on to the scoring system of a 100-point concour competition and were full of questions if they thought they were being marked down for any reason.
It really was difficult to see so much enthusiasm quenched by what has to be a very exacting scoring method but eventually we managed co explain that true perfection was very difficult to achieve. I noted that the Mercedes - and the next car on my list had no spate wheel or jack, so I checked with Simon who had a similar experience. It was then that we realised that the entrants had taken literally the rule that the boot or luggage compartment should be empty!
After three solid days of judging, attending press conferences and TV interviews we really did sing for our supper.
The winners and losers in the competition are not important. The real winners are the enthusiasts of Indonesia who are desperately trying to get their laws changed to allow them to buy vehicles from abroad.
Classic Car Weekly - 11th December 2008 Issue
TALBOT AND JAGUAR BIG MONEY SELLERS
Recent sales of £201,000 each for a Talbot 105 and an SS100 Jaguar prove that not everyone is struggling at the moment. IAN SEABROOK reviews the recent H&H Auctions sale
REVIEW: H&H AUCTIONS, BUXTON, DERBYS, NOVEMBER 26
Yes, that astonishing figure of £201,150, including VAT and Buyers Premium, was paid for two historic classics at the H&H sale in Buxton. All-in-all, the sale raised over £1.4million, with over 1000 people (400 registered bidders) attending the event.
If £201,150 seems a bit much for a Talbot, it should probably be explained that this is a rather special machine, being one of three cars that won the company a Coupe des Alpes on the Alpine Rally in 1932. Highly original, though rebuilt steadily between 1965 and 1997, it certainly got the bidders interested, hence the price.
Also fetching the same amount was an SS100 Jaguar, proving that Sir William Lyons' pre-war machines are still very much in demand. Again, this was no 'humble' SS100, if there ever was such a thing, being the third SS100 built and widely regarded to be the first SS100 to race in America.
BOX 878 was quickly put into race action and while in America, was fitted with Lucas P100 headlamps. It came back to England with its first owner around the time of the Second World War, only for its owner to be killed. It then resurfaced in Bedfordshire in the Sixties, was fitted with an upgraded 3.5-litre engine and bigger brakes, and then found itself returning to America once more, with its US serviceman owner.
It passed through several more hands before coming back to Blighty again in 1989, was restored in the mid-Nineties, and has done only 3240 miles since refurbishment.
By way of contrast, the 1901 Decauville can be seen as still very much needing work. It still sold for over £91,635 however! Pictured as a rolling chassis, the sale included a body of the type usually found on this chassis, though not the original.
However, while the high-flying threesome above certainly makes for interesting reading, it's all a bit pricey for us and when you head to the lower-priced sales, we reckon things don't get any less interesting. Not all of us have hundreds of thousands of pounds to spend on a motor car, but fear not - because this sale included some 'cheapies' that really grabbed our attention.
For instance, how about a Ferrari Mondial for a touch over £4000? Sure, it was in need of some titivation, but when you consider the depreciation on a brand new Vauxhall Insignia, we can't help but instantly decide what we'd rather spend our money on. After all, the Mondial even has rear seats - ideal for the family. Granted - a Ferrari at this sort of money could either be bargain of the century or on the brink of absorbing all the money in the world, but it makes you think...
However, even that looked pricey when considered next to a bright metallic green Mercedes-Benz 450SLC, which sold for £1788.This unloved member of the SL family is criminally overlooked in classic car circles as people would obviously rather have a soft top that they never use and a hardtop that either stays fixed to the car or just clutters up the garage. Sure, these cars don't exactly sip the sweet nectar, but as an occasional-use classics, they make a lot of sense and whoever snapped this one up is probably very pleased. As a classic grand tourer, its hard to beat.
Auctions can throw up prices that on the surface, seem quite remarkable. How about a Jaguar XK150 Drophead with MoT for less than £24,000? Granted, the bodywork was described as 'needing some attention' and that can be a minefield with these cars, but perhaps the late acquisition of an MoT prior to the sale kept the bidders at bay. Certainly, someone thought it was worth a gamble - we wonder just how much work it needs...
Similarly, a Jaguar E-Type 4.2 coupe at a touch over £17,000 seems good value, though it does need a little tidying. However, it has also had some useful upgrades, such as an electric cooling fan and an unleaded conversion, so for those not after perfection, it seems pretty reasonable. Sure, you never know quite what you're getting at a classic auction -something to bear in mind if you think classic car traders make easy money - and of course, there will be no guarantees and a hint of danger, but classic auctions really can be an eye-opening experience. A French machine that caught our eye was the 'Wormdrive Special', a Peugeot 203 saloon that is certainly much more rapid than it would have been when it left the factory. It was build by the Maylam brothers back in the Eighties, though its successful campaign in historic saloon racing was cut short when corrosion became an issue. It was then comprehensively rebuilt and reappeared at the Goodwood Revival in the hands of racing driver Jason Plato. It certainly caused a stir - it's always great to see unusual saloons taking part in the St Mary's Trophy -and has since raced there a few more times, though we were disappointed not to see it this year. It is estimated that around £20,000 was spent bringing it up to scratch again, which makes the £10,000 sale price seem rather good value. What an unusual racer! Our last Value' option is an Aston Martin Virage.
Launched in 1988, the Virage replaced the elderly V8 models, and was a welcome breath of fresh air. There was still a meaty Aston Martin V8 engine up front, but the styling was now cleaner, though component bins of larger manufacturers had obviously been raided - from the Audi headlamps to the Volkswagen Scirocco tail lights - but it didn't really matter, as the design was so harmonious. The later Vantage, with twin-superchargers and a frankly quite silly 550bhp, stole the limelight from the 'lesser' models and prices have begun to slide, as people are scared by the running costs. The Virage also lacks the perceived grace of a DB7, while Aston Martin's current range really did make the older models suddenly seem rather old hat and out of fashion. While the earlier V8s are now finding their classic feet, the Virage is still hovering at values that surely can't get much lower. After all, they are a phenomenal machine and it's worth remembering that even the most humble versions have over 330bhp - and therefore pretty strong performance.
Sure, there's a need to be wary of the running costs, as ever with machines of this nature, but at the H&H sale, two Virages were sold, and the most expensive of those barely cracked £16,000.The lower priced one made only a sniff over £13,000, though there's a lesson to be learned here. The vendor had his own team of technicians who looked after the car, so the recent service history was not of a format that causes comfort in the market, especially with as complex a machine as an Aston Martin. While asking friends to carry out servicing, or even doing the work yourself may seem to save money in the short term, come sale time, people really are very interested in a fully stamped service history, with bills to match.
Still, we're left feeling that it's an awful lot of car for the money, though we suspect that it may be a little while before Virage prices start to climb. H&H Auctions’ next sale is in March 2009.
Classic Cars for Sale - January 2009 Issue
Haynes Motor Museum - Auction Report
With the economic loom and gloom at ts height, it was probably not the best time for H & H to try out this most westerly venue it has ventured to date. At least the sun shone for both viewing and sale days at this impressive International classic motor museum where a number of their exhibits were moved to make way for the 60 or so entries.
By H&H's own admission, it was a tough call and had it not been for a couple of star cars that took prime position in front of the rostrum selling around expectations, the results would certainly not be up to the usual ascendancy that they have enjoyed in recent times. Top of the list came the rare and beautiful right-hand drive Lancia Aurelia B24 Spyder America; restored to perfection some ten years ago and still in concours condition. This amazingly long 1955 sports car for a two-seater, made a heady £247,500.
Another to make six figures by the time premiums were added was another 1955 sports car in the desirable shape of the AC Ace. The £104,500 it made was an amazingly good result considering it had the least desired AC engine of the three original options and battle-scarred paintwork. It was an extremely well known car in historic racing circles however and enjoyed recent success at the Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival and Cholmondeley Pageant. The only entry likely to have beaten the Lancia on results was the '37 Frazer-Nash BMW 328 Roadster with a top estimate of £450K but a top £300K telephone bid was considered insufficient.
Yet another pre-war Aston Martin 2 Litre Sports to be offered at auction this year appeared here; this 1937 15/98 Short Chassis 2/4 Sealer being in far finer fettle than both the Barons and DVCA recent barn-finds. This well patinated example with bags of history sold bang on the mark at £91,300. An extremely well turned out 72 Ferrari Dino 246GT in Fly Yellow was another high flyer £82,500 and shows that Dino prices have yet to level out. The Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider from the mid-'60s is a great looking elegant tourer and very much undervalued in my opinion although the very well presented RHD one here deserved to make an over-estimate £23,100. Another Alfa to catch my eye was the lovely little '64 Giulia Spider still with its original pale blue paintwork. Despite being a left hooker and having a non-original upgraded 2-litre twin-cam engine, this late entry sold strongly at £20,850.
A surprising number of cars were held provisionally close to reserves but the vendors were obviously not inclined budge on their price. One provisional that did get away however, was the very original '63 Rover 95 Saloon; the seller agreeing to £4750 on the hammer and well down on the loftier £7/8K estimate. A 1935 Riley 12/4, exceptionally recreated as a TT Sprite two-seater, made £21,340; the proceeds being donated by Lady Bamford (wife of JCB's boss) to NSPCC - what a generous gesture!
Classic Car Weekly - 11th December 2008 Issue
BROCHURE SELLS FOR OVER £1700
Okay, so the brochure may have been an original one in top condition for a Jaguar D-Type, but the price paid - £1720 including all premiums and taxes - certainly caught our eye.
Considering that the brochure is only four pages, it's a huge sum, though it should be pointed out that the brochure was in very good condition, complete with the original headed letter and even the Jaguar envelope in which it was sent to a Mr P Kilduff, Connecticut, USA. In fact, the letter from Jaguar went on to explain how they were getting back on their feet after the devastating fire of 1957, which caused extensive damage to the Browns Lane site.
The brochure was sold by H&H Auctions. Contact them via www.handh.co.uk You can also read about the actual cars sold at their last sale in this week's Auction Review, starting on page 7.