Brightwells rounded off another busy year on 14th December by selling 41 of the 58 lots on offer for a total of just under £400k giving a clearance rate of 70%.
Top seller of the day was a wonderful 1965 Bentley S3 which had been converted from a saloon to a Mulliner-style Drophead Coupe at some point, possibly by Pilkington Coachworks in the 1980s. On offer from a deceased estate and in super condition following a refurbishment and repaint in 2015, it flew way beyond its £50k estimate to finish on £76,380.
Also from the same estate was an equally impressive 1965 Jaguar MkX 4.2 which had also been treated to a two-door drop-top conversion at some unknown point in the past. With flawless Gunmetal coachwork and an eye-popping Crimson Red interior, this vast and flamboyant machine deserved every penny of the £42,560 required to secure it.
As has been widely reported, Big Healeys have become substantially more affordable over the last couple of years and a smart 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII from 18-year ownership looked great value at £31,530. It was bought by a bidder in Saudi Arabia who plans to turn it into a Historic Rally car, a role at which these rugged cars excel.
Already converted into a rally car was an interesting 1978 Lancia Beta Monte Carlo which had been prepped to MSA standard by Monte Carlo guru Darren Cooksey, with input from Guy Croft Racing. In fine condition and never actually raced, it looked excellent value at £19,380, this no doubt being a fraction of the amount it cost to build. A rare 1978 Chrysler Sunbeam S which had been modified for the increasingly popular Targa Rally scene also looked like a lot of fun for just over £10,000.
Much admired during the two-day viewing period was a really sharp 1973 Triumph TR6 with striking Mallard Blue paint and arrow-straight bodywork which romped past its £10k reserve to finish on £14,780. It would no doubt have made rather more if the original fuel injection system had not been ditched in favour of a pair of SU carbs which no doubt blunt the performance somewhat.
Pre-war cars are something of a bargain in the current market and five of the seven on offer successfully changed hands. Top price went to a rare and very nicely presented 1939 Alvis 12/70 SC Mulliner Saloon from a deceased estate which sadly had no paperwork whatsoever, hence the modest £11,000 sale price. There were no takers for a 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 at an equally modest £20k, the car suffering by dint of an engine swap from an earlier 20/25 and by having the original Thrupp & Maberly limousine coachwork replaced by a rather uninspired Tourer body in the 1980s, ‘wedding white’ paintwork also counting against it.
Six of the 10 Land Rovers on offer found new homes, top price going to a sympathetically restored 1980 Series 3 88” Lightweight which made £11,310. A rare 1958 Foden S20 tipper truck with an unusual four-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine and with the speedo mounted in the centre of the steering wheel looked like an interesting buy at £8,830.
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The next Brightwells Classic Vehicle auction will be on 19th February 2025 with a closing date for entries of 7th February so if you are thinking of selling, please get in touch by calling 01568 611122 or by emailing [email protected]. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas in the meantime and a happy and prosperous New Year