The Steeple Times

Tag: vehicle

  • Five of the Best – Auctions America Auburn Spring

    Five of the Best – Auctions America Auburn Spring

    Five of the best lots on offer at the Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale of classic and modern cars and military lots

     

    From 11th to 13th May at the Auburn Auction Park in Auburn Spring in Indiana, USA, Auctions America will sell a vast range of cars and military lots. Here, we choose our five favourite lots on offer:

     

    1920 Ford Model T Coupé – £6,500 to £8,100 ($8,000 to $10,000, €7,600 to €9,400 or درهم29,400 to درهم36,700)

    Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 HumveeWith over 16.5 million built between 1908 and 1927, the Ford Model T stands at the eighth most sold cars of all time. Undoubtedly the first affordable car produced, an example from 1920 provides an affordable way to start a classic car collection. The example offered also reflects the sentiments of Henry Ford (1863 – 1947), whom once said: “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black”.

     

    1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse – £64,600 to £80,700 ($80,000 to $100,000, €75,600 to €94,500 or درهم293,800 to درهم367,300)

    Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 Humvee Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 HumveeA perfect mode of conveyance for the Addams Family or Ozzy Osbourne, this hearse was built by the James Cunningham & Sons Company of Rochester, New York. It has a cathedral like coffin compartment featuring carved wood and has been owned by three generations of the Peterson family, owners of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home business of Dearborn, Michigan. The firm was established in 1873 but is about to close down.

     

    1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin – £302,800 to £343,200 ($375,000 to $425,000, €354,300 to €401,500 or درهم1.4 million to درهم1.6 million)

    Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 Humvee Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 HumveeFinished in cream over saddle leather with a dark chocolate canvas top and period-appropriate wide whitewall tyres, this striking convertible is described as being in “excellent driving condition”. It was delivered new to Houston, Texas and was the creation of Howard ‘Dutch’ Darrin (1897 – 1982), a polo playing airline owner turned automotive designer.

     

    1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé – £80,700 to £100,900 ($100,000 to $125,000, €75,600 to €118,100 or درهم293,800 to درهم459,100)

    Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 HumveeAuctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 Humvee“One of the most special Corvettes ever made”, this Marlboro Red coupé is presented in original and unrestored condition. It has only had two owners from new and has covered just 27,000 miles in its fifty year life.

     

    1992 AM General M998 Humvee – £12,100 to £16,200 ($15,000 to $20,000, €14,200 to €18,900 or درهم55,100 to درهم73,500)

    Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale – 11th to 13th May 2017 – Classic and modern cars and military lots – Five of the best lots on offer including a 1920 Ford Model T Coupé, a 1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse, a 1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé and a 1992 AM General M998 HumveeFeaturing a 6.5-litre engine and definitely something Arnold Schwarzenegger would love, this cargo-troop carrier has a gross vehicle weight rating of 3.9-tonnes. It certainly could go anywhere and requires “no further demilitarization”.

     

  • Morons of the Moment – Piccadilly Boy Racers

    Morons of the Moment – Piccadilly Boy Racers

    Insensitive showoffs wreak havoc in Parliament Square with their gaudy supercars; they claimed to be honouring the dead and injured of the Westminster attack but simply caused annoyance

     

    Though five people died and around fifty others were injured as a result of Khalid Masood smashing his rented 4×4 into them on Westminster Bridge on 22nd March, a group of insensitive showoffs decided it would be appropriate to cause gridlock with their gaudy supercars in Parliament Square on Sunday.

     

    Shabs Ahmad, a spokesman for the group, which is known as the Piccadilly Boy Racers, told the MailOnline:

     

    “Following recent attacks in Westminster which cost the lives of innocent civilians as well as PC Keith Palmer, we felt it was only right to pay our condolences and show our love by standing united to oppose the atrocious acts of violence”.

     

    “We felt that being British Muslims with a platform, we wanted to speak up against such acts and bring people of all race and religion together as a symbol of peace, love and unity”.

     

    The police felt quite differently about their presence and told these ridiculous vulgarians to swiftly to move on.

     

    Morons of the Moment – Piccadilly Boy Racers – Insensitive showoffs cause havoc in Parliament Square with their gaudy supercars. The Piccadilly Boy Racers should be ashamed of themselves.

  • A Musical Roller

    A Musical Roller

    Rolls-Royce previously owned by musicians Kenney Jones and Vangelis to be auctioned

     

    A 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé complete with ‘Chinese Eyes’ quad headlights that was owned by the drummer Kenney Jones and the electronic musician Vangelis is to be sold at auction next week.

     

    The mid-metallic blue with beige hide interior stunner, which has been “recently unearthed from a London garage”, was one of a vast collection of cars owned by Stepney born Jones – a member of Small Faces, Faces, The Who, The Law and The Jones Gang – in the 1980s. The Conservative supporting, polo club owner sold the car to Vangelis in 1993 and in an interview with Luxurious Magazine remarked: “I had to downgrade to an Audi Q7 which was big enough to hold [my six children]”.

     

    A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)
    Kenney and Jayne Jones at their Hurtwood Park Polo Club and Vangelis

     

    Secretive Chariots of Fire score writer Vangelis – born Evanghelos Papathanassiou – kept the vehicle for 23 years yet hardly ever drove it. Despite him having left it in a London garage for decades, the vehicle “runs well” and is described by its owner as having a “very good” engine and “good” coachwork, paintwork and interior trim. Factory extras fitted to the vehicle include an electrically operated hood mechanism, electric windows and a cocktail cabinet with crystal glasses and a carafe under the dashboard.

     

    H&H Classics have placed an estimate of £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000) on this “decidedly avant-garde, yet majestic” coupé and will sell it on 29th March at their Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire.

     

    A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)

  • Red Rollers

    Red Rollers

    Pair of striking red Rolls-Royces with Scottish connections to be auctioned at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

     

    Rolls-Royces tend to be noticed wherever they go but a pair to be auctioned later this month are especially stand-out examples in that they both come in especially bold shades of red.

     

    The first car, a 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible, is offered with an estimate of £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000). It was built to special order for a Scottish laird and features one-of-a-kind red paintwork said to match the colour of his family’s tartan. The 27-year old automatic, 6.75-litre vehicle comes with an original set of cut glass decanters and matching glasses and has covered just 64,900 miles.

     

    The second comes in the form of a 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine with coachwork by Hooper & Company of Westminster, London. It is presented in maroon and black with black upholstery up front and red to the rear. Originally owned by a Mrs Margaret Abercrombie of Castlehead, Paisley, the 3.7-litre long-wheelbase car subsequently spent 39 years in the USA before returning to the UK in 2003. It is offered with an estimate of £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000).

     

    The cars will be sold by H&H Classics at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire on 29th March.

     

    Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000) Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)

  • An Economical Plate

    An Economical Plate

    Rare 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic to be auctioned complete with plate ‘GDP 137’; it is a fine example of an affordable and quirky classic

     

    Described as an “unrestored oily-rag example”, a 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon to be offered for sale by Classic Car Auctions has a design that echoes a 1946 Pininfarina bodied Alfa Romeo and comes with a number plate – GDP 137 – that might appeal to an economist.

     

    The rare 2.6-litre car is said to be one of just thirty left in Britain and was used by present and previous owners in a number of UK rallies and driving tours on the continent also. It was given replacement brakes in 2014, had its engine professionally rebuilt in 2016 and was converted to unleaded at the same time.

     

    CCA have set an estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900) for this quirky little Austin. It will be sold at their Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April.

     

    An Economical Plate – 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon – To be auctioned at the Classic Car Auctions, Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April 2017 – Estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900)An Economical Plate – 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon – To be auctioned at the Classic Car Auctions, Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April 2017 – Estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900)An Economical Plate – 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon – To be auctioned at the Classic Car Auctions, Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April 2017 – Estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900) An Economical Plate – 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon – To be auctioned at the Classic Car Auctions, Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April 2017 – Estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900) An Economical Plate – 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic saloon – To be auctioned at the Classic Car Auctions, Practical Classics Car & Restoration Show sale at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 1st April 2017 – Estimate of £8,500 to £10,500 ($10,300 to $12,800, €9,700 to €12,000 or درهم 38,000 to درهم 46,900)

  • Fishing with Bentley

    Fishing with Bentley

    Bentley 4×4 equipped with fly fishing kit by Mulliner to be exhibited at The London Fly Fishing Fair

    Designed with the gentleman angler in mind, what some might call a “casting brake” is to be exhibited by Bentley at the first London Fly Fishing Fair this week.

    Priced far higher than the standard £135,000 ($164,000, €155,000 or درهم 603,000) base model Bentley Bentayga at around £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million), the Mulliner Fly Fishing adapted version on show comes with a master tackle station, a refreshment case and a waterproof wader stowage trunk. It has tubes for four rods and a pair of landing nets can be stored in a hard pocket in the side of the boot.

    Fishing with Bentley – Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner priced at £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million) to be exhibited by Jack Barclay at The London Fly Fishing Fair, The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH on 10th and 11th March 2017
    Aside from the specially adapted Bentley, Marina Gibson – pictured here departing from a slightly more modest means of transport – will add some glamour to the first London Fly Fishing Fair

    Of the car, which is to be exhibited by Mayfair dealers Jack Barclay, John Kelley, co-founder of The London Fly Fishing Fair, remarked:

    “This is an iconic development in the fishing industry. It allows the keen angler to travel in comfort and in style. We are proud to be having this vehicle be a part of our fair, where we hope to entice a diverse community of fly fishers to engage in our event”.

    Fly fishing personalities including rising star Marina Gibson and longstanding favourite Charles Jardine will be present at the fair and amongst over 70 exhibitors will be the Atlantic Salmon Trust, the BASC and Orvis.

    The London Fly Fishing Fair is to be held on the 10th and 11th March at The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH. Tickets cost £15 per person with under entry for those under 15 free.

    Fishing with Bentley – Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner priced at £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million) to be exhibited by Jack Barclay at The London Fly Fishing Fair, The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH on 10th and 11th March 2017Fishing with Bentley – Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner priced at £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million) to be exhibited by Jack Barclay at The London Fly Fishing Fair, The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH on 10th and 11th March 2017Fishing with Bentley – Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner priced at £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million) to be exhibited by Jack Barclay at The London Fly Fishing Fair, The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH on 10th and 11th March 2017

  • The Sky’s the Limit

    The Sky’s the Limit

    Bonhams to offer what they call “the world’s most sought after Cadillac” at auction in Florida; it was originally made for the famed BROADMOOR Hotel resort in El Paso County, Colorado

    The BROADMOOR – a name that is unique and copyrighted due to its little raised “A” – in Colorado Springs is a vast hotel at the base of the 9,570 foot tall Cheyenne Mountain, the location of the operations base for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Built in the Italian Renaissance style and featuring 784 guest rooms, the complex has three golf courses, 18 restaurants and a fishing camp and is said to be the place where President George W. Bush decided to quit drinking after waking up with a hangover in the summer of 1986.

     

    The Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado
    The Broadmoor Hotel.
    The Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado
    The main hotel building.

     

    The original owners of the hotel, the Penrose family, “wanted their guests to be escorted form the airport to the hotel and to be given tours of the area’s majestic beauty in the finest of luxury” according to the Bonhams catalogue entry on a 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview they are set to auction in March. It is the last of around 28 Cadillac limousines made for the hotel from 1937 and was built by the Superior Coach Corp., a now defunct Ohio based manufacturer of yellow school buses and hearses.

     

    251-inches long overall, equipped with power steering, power brakes, a 390 cubic inch V8 engine and dominated by a vast plexi panel ‘Skyview’ roof, the car was designed to accommodate 11 passengers. It remained in service at the hotel until the early 1970s, was then was sold to a Cadillac collector in Branford, Connecticut and subsequently underwent a full restoration at the behest of its current owner.

     

    Bonhams will sell this unusual vehicle at their Amelia Island auction on 9th March at the Fernandina Beach Club. They have set an estimate of £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) and describe it as “one of the most exclusive Cadillacs ever built”.

     

    The Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, ColoradoThe Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, ColoradoThe Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, ColoradoThe Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, ColoradoThe Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, ColoradoThe Sky’s the Limit – 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview with coachwork by Superior Coach Corp. – £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000) – Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 9th March 2017 at the Fernandina Beach Club – The BROADMOOR Hotel in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado

  • A Working Rolls

    A Working Rolls

    1959 Rolls-Royce estate car owned by late industrial tycoon Orin Smith to be auctioned; it was bizarrely designed to include beds and a loud air horn to “blast” cattle off the highway

    Florida based businessman and retired CEO of the Engelhard Corporation Orin Smith (1935 – 2016) was passionate about cars and next month, those with deep pockets will be in with a chance to purchase 58 vehicles from his collection that will be sold, mostly without reserve, by RM Sotheby’s at their annual Amelia Island sale on 10th and 11th March.

    Amongst the eclectic selection of classic and contemporary cars from the late industrialist’s collection is a 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I estate car by H. J. Mulliner and Radford. One of just two examples, this immaculate short-wheelbase shooting brake was originally supplied to a Robert L. McCormick of Wichita, Kansas and transported to New York on the Cunard flagship Queen Elizabeth.

    McCormick kept the car – which features a luggage space that can accommodate items up to 6-foot long – until 1965 and on selling it to a Palm Beach based judge named Lewis M. Schott, penned the new owner a letter that read:

    The Radford conversion is a “complete job”. I will explain to your chauffeur and secretary how it makes into beds, etc, etc.

    I’ll explain the 3-way horn switch to your employees. I used the loud horn for “blasting” livestock off the Mexican highways.

    Finally, I hope you have as much fun out of the car as I have had. It should go 200,000 miles without work on it… A serious sacroiliac precludes long motor trips for me for a few years, and I’m an unhappy warrior when I think about it.

    Sold again in 2007 to Florida Roll-Royce expert Richard Gorman, the shooting brake was then subject to an 18-month renovation. It is now presented in velvet green and a sage with parchment leather interior piped in velvet green and features upgraded air conditioning.

    Of the overall collection to be sold on behalf of Smith’s family, Don Rose of RM Sotheby’s remarked:

    I had the great pleasure of knowing Orin Smith and found him to be a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

     

    In addition to his impressive gathering of some of the finest Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles, Orin displayed an eclectic taste with a keen eye for other icons of style, including sporting machinery from pre-war to the best of the contemporary.

     

    The common thread here is beauty, in both design and engineering; fitting for a man of generous spirit devoted to excellence. Because of those qualities, Orin Smith was beloved to the Amelia Island crowd, which makes the offering of his collection at our Amelia Island venue all the more poignant.

    Of the shooting brake itself, the auctioneer adds:

    Numerous Rolls-Royce shooting brakes exist, but many of them are crude later conversions. This car is a true and authentic coachbuilt original, created to the exacting specifications of its original owner, and restored to that same high standard – air horns and all. Errant cattle, consider yourselves warned.

    A Working Rolls – 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I estate car by H. J. Mulliner and Radford – Orin Smith collection – RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale 10th and 11th March 2017A Working Rolls – 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I estate car by H. J. Mulliner and Radford – Orin Smith collection – RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale 10th and 11th March 2017 A Working Rolls – 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I estate car by H. J. Mulliner and Radford – Orin Smith collection – RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale 10th and 11th March 2017

  • A Performing Peugeot

    A Performing Peugeot

    Best performing classic car in terms of value gain revealed; you’ll be surprised at the result

     

    We’ve featured several Peugeot 205s that have sold at auctions at prices as high as £156,800 and now the latest Haggerty Classic Index has revealed that the greatest classic car value gain this year has been on the 205 GTi.

     

    This year, Peugeot 205s have risen 28.5% to an average value of £11,275 and with an immaculate yet ordinary one we featured in July having gone for £30,938 at auction, this ‘hot hatch’ is becoming a ‘must have’ for car collectors.

     

    As examples, we select first a red 1993 1.9-litre CTi convertible. It is for sale for £7,250 ($9,100 or €8,600 or درهم‎‎33,500) through MSP Motors in Runcorn, Cheshire and has 69,000 miles on the clock. They term it “a great example of a future classic, a great investment”.

     

    Our second choice is also presented in red and is a 1989 1.6-litre GTi. It has 69,119 miles on the clock, has an electric glass sunroof and is for sale through AMS Vehicles of Stokesley, North Yorkshire. They describe it as “a desirable vehicle at a sensible price” and offer it for £11,000 ($13,800 or €13,100 or درهم‎‎50,800).

     

    Of the survey itself, Angus Forsyth, managing director of Hagerty remarked:

     

    “We’ve seen confidence return to the classic car market in the last few months of 2016 after a summer of uncertainty, and we believe the Q3 results were a reflection on people holding back following the initial uncertainty of the Brexit vote in June”.

     

    “However, now the financial markets have settled, people have bought into the car market albeit a few months later than they might have planned. Whether people still feel classics make good investments, or they just want to put their money into something fun, they are still definitely buying, and the values of the best classics are still on the rise”.

     

    A Performing Peugeot – Best performing classic car in terms of value gain revealed; you’ll be surprised at the result – Peugeot 205 GTi CTiA Performing Peugeot – Best performing classic car in terms of value gain revealed; you’ll be surprised at the result – Peugeot 205 GTi CTiA Performing Peugeot – Best performing classic car in terms of value gain revealed; you’ll be surprised at the result – Peugeot 205 GTi CTi

  • Exciting a Royal

    Exciting a Royal

    Jaguar E-Type originally owned by Prince Michael of Kent for sale

     

    A 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC originally owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent is for sale with an Essex vintage car specialist.

     

    Described as having “matching numbers, in impeccable order throughout and being close to conours”, Prince Michael first tried out the Jaguar at Goodwood with a then eight year old Lord March before taking it to Germany where he was serving in the army. The royal recalls driving the car at 150 miles per hour on autobahns and in the years since, he has been united with the vehicle on several occasions at Goodwood and Kensington Palace.

     

    Exciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent
    His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent with the Earl of March and Kinrara, Charles Gordon-Lennox in the car

    Exciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent
    Lady Gabriella Windsor, Prince Michael’s daughter, with the vehicle

     

    In 1984, Prince Michael wrote about the opalescent dark green with light tan hide interior and Webasto sunroof car in Road & Car Magazine. He stated:

     

    “This was a beautiful motor car, immensely quick, and probably the most enjoyable car I have ever owned. I believe that every man has a special place in his heart for one woman above all others, and also for one car. In my case I think probably my E-Type Jaguar was the most satisfying and exciting car in my life – so far”.

     

    In December 2015, the sixth owner of the E-Type, James Phillips, 67, from Newbury, Berkshire, told The Times:

     

    “I am nearing retirement and it has been our pension fund for many years. We’ve done everything in it and we don’t go out in the rain and snow any more. We just want to pass it on to someone who is going to look after it”.

     

    Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars seek £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) for the car complete with a whole raft of accompanying correspondence and photographs.

     

    Exciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent Exciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of KentExciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of KentExciting a Royal – 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-litre FHC – Vintage & Prestige Classic Cars – £245,000 ($309,000 or €288,000 or درهم‎‎1.1 million) – First owned by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent