Cars from the 1910s to the 2010s head to auction for Buxton sale

Published
05/02/2024 by

More than 100 classic and performance cars spanning a century of automotive history, and estimated at a combined value of more than £2 million will be on show, available for inspection before being offered for sale, at H&H Classics’ upcoming auction on 24 April.

The sale, to be held in the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton, contains some significant offerings ranging from veterans through to modern classics, including a 1954 Bentley R-Type in little-seen drophead guise. This model features Park Ward bodywork to Design 552, with just nine being built, and is thought to have been once owned by businessman Peter de Savary. Now needing some re-commissioning after forming part of a private collection, it is being offered for sale with an estimate of £30,000 - £40,000.

Another, later Bentley with notable background is a 1973 T1, estimated between £18,000 - £22,000, that was part of the James Hull and Jaguar Land Rover Collections. Painted in the highly unusual Larch Green it has enjoyed much recent expenditure to include sympathetic re-commissioning.

Meanwhile among the modern classics line-up that are proving particularly popular with younger buyers, a 2014, 36,800 miles BMW i8 brings this early hybrid performance coupe to a new audience and has been owned by the vendor since 2018. It comes with a £32,000 - £38,000 estimate. A 2001 UK-market Ferrari 360 Spider has had more than £15,000 spent on it since being bought by the vendor in 2016 and it is offered without reserve. There’s also a 2005 Renault Megane Renault Sport 225, estimated at £5,000 - £7,000, that comes with history and had covered just 65,500 miles from new.

“Today’s collector car market is more diverse than ever, driven by increasing interest in modern classics,” explains Damian Jones, director, H&H Classics. “These are welcome, admirable additions to our richly eclectic sale, but for those who prefer older classics there’s much to like, with Jaguar E-Types and Jensen Interceptors, along with an MGA Roadster and Triumph TR3 certain to enjoy interest. The sale goes into the pre-war period too with, among others, a lovely AC Six Aceca, while the twin-engined Ford Model A Speedster is truly wild! There really will be something for everyone who is able to join us on the day.”

The Mercedes-Benz ‘R107’ SL has been a classic mainstay for many years and the sale includes a 1984 280SL that has been in one family’s ownership from new. Sold new in Cyprus and arriving in the UK two years later, it has 18 service stamps from main dealers and specialists. Garaged all its life, it comes with hardtop and optional rear seats, while the soft top has seen little use. It is estimated between £15,000 - £20,000.

Among the Jaguar offering is a manual gearbox 1974 E-Type Roadster that has been owned by the vendor and his father from new, covered just 54,412 miles and comes with a comprehensive history. It has a £45,000 - £55,000 estimate. And from the earliest days of the E-Type story comes a UK-market, matching numbers 1962 Fixed-Head Coupe that has been dry-stored for 20 years and requires some re-commissioning. The car is offered at no reserve presenting a huge opportunity for any E-Type fans.

For those who prefer something older, the sale includes several cars from the 1920s, including a 1928 ‘Flatnose’ Morris Cowley converted in period by Exeter-based Whiteway’s Cider. Estimated between £7,000 - £9,000, its history includes being donated to a church in 1980 as part of a charity auction, the buyer executing a comprehensive restoration. Coming with much history the vendor says mechanically it remains in ‘good fettle.’

A very late Vauxhall ‘E-series’ Velox, fresh from restoration, offers spacious British motoring from the rock ‘n’ roll decade and it’s estimated at £14,000 - £16,000.

And for those who fancy something older, a 1926 AC Six Aceca tourer has been in current ownership for 30 years, with brakes and magneto overhauled in the last two years. The estimate is £10,000 - £12,000.

Scroll back slightly further in time and for those seeking something with a more ‘outlaw’ air, the twin-engined Ford Model A speedster, ‘The Ballard Special’ offers something different. The one-off features two Model A engines in a Model A chassis. Of note is that the two four-cylinder engines are set up to run as a single straight eight, which offers smooth, torquey power. Clothed in a hand-crafted body it comes with a £60,000 - £80,000 estimate.

Viewing of all the lots is available at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton from midday on Tuesday 23 April. The sale commences at 1pm the following day. Enthusiasts looking to bid on any of the lots can do so in person, online, by telephone or by leaving a commission bid.

To view the full catalogue of lots for sale, visit www.handh.co.uk.