IWM Duxford Auction Grossed £3.5m In A Sale Dominated By British Marques

Top lot in the sale was this magnificent 1929 Bentley Speed Six Le Mans-style Tourer which made £438,750.

The H&H Classics sale at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford had all the verve and excitement that brings collectors to these events in droves. The fact that it took place in the shadow of the imminent triumph of the electric car meant little. There was no sign that the energy and enthusiasm that drives this market is waning, if anything the opposite is true as a delighted H&H MD, Colette McKay, confirmed when the final total of £3.5m was tallied.

When someone pays £202,500 for the mortal remains of a 1963 AC Ace 2.6 sold with No Reserve, then you know all you need to know about the passion and love that drives the classic car market. If you think for a moment what £202,500 could buy you – a home, a lifetime of holidays, 20 weddings, then the rusty remains of the AC Ace takes on something of the charisma of the Holy Grail.

The 1963 AC Ace was hill-climbed by its first and second keepers, W.J. Williams Esq and Dr Stuart Saunders. It had been in its last family ownership since 1969 and was taken off the road in 1979 and stripped awaiting a restoration that will now certainly happen.

Its chassis was scrapped due to an unfortunate sequence of events but the original engine, gearbox, differential, bonnet, boot, doors, dashboard, keys, hardtop, seats, internal body panels remain.

‘Mortal remains’ of this 1963 AC Ace 2.6 sold for £202,500

Motor Sport magazine, August 1961 commented: ‘A driver new to the car has little difficulty in judging just where the limit of adhesion comes and fast main road curves can be taken at full throttle . . . the adoption of the Zephyr engine endows the AC Ace with a more attractive performance on the road and, when in racing tune, it should go so quickly that it stands a good chance of being banned from BARC marque races!’

Damian Jones, Head of Sales at H&H said of the staggering result for the AC Ace: “We knew if was going to do well, but if someone had told me before the sale what it would sell for I would have been impressed!”

Leading the sale were British Marques, a fitting tribute to the very British nature of the Imperial War Museum – Bentley, AC, Aston Martin, and Jaguar.

Two Aston Martins performed well. The first was the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 which sold for £435,000. In single family ownership since 1985 and subject to a seven-year restoration from 1989 to 1996 this car has matching chassis and engine numbers plus s factory fitted S5/325 ZF 5-Speed manual gearbox. It is one of a mere 898 DB5 fixed-heads ever made and within the first 200 to roll out of Newport Pagnell. Over £60,000 had been recently invested and it was ready to be enjoyed and admired.

Like the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 in ‘Goldfinger’, this 1964 version in Dubonnet Rosso sold for £435,000.

The second Aston Martin was a 1971 DB6 Mk2 which had covered just 61,746 miles from new and had had just former keeper prior to entering the current family ownership in 1972. Retaining its all-important matching chassis and engine numbers, this last of the line Mk2 DB6 with desirable ZF 5-speed manual gearbox was one of just 238 examples produced (excluding the 38 Volante examples). Attractively finished in its original shade of Olive Green Metallic complemented by a Tan leather interior, ‘EJW 520J’ has was purchased new from HR Attwood Ltd of Williamson Street, Wolverhampton by a Mr Roger Turner, resident of the West Midlands and had remained in the Worcestershire area ever since.

1971 Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 61,746 miles from new and current family ownership since 1972 sold for £310,000

1961 AC Greyhound - One of only 83 produced sold for £70,875

Once owned by Colonel John Nicholas Blashford-Snell CBE, British Army officer, explorer and author who founded Operation Raleigh, this lovely 1961 AC Greyhound is one of only 83 such vehicles produced. It sold for £70,875.

The AC has spent most of its life in the hands of just two families with the vendor’s father acquiring it in 1967. The Greyhound also boasts the much desired 2.2 Bristol straight six engine.

Barnfind:

One of just 1,584 right-hand drive Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Fixed Head Coupes made before the introduction of the so-called Series 1.5 cars, this particular example has been in the current family ownership since 1971 and off the road for the past forty-nine years! It sold for £41,400.

Still retaining traces of its original paint and what is thought to be its original factory-fitted interior, the Jaguar has spent its entire life in East Anglia. Enzo Ferrari famously described the E-Type as the ‘most beautiful car in the world’ and even five decades of dust have failed to lessen this Fixed Head Coupe’s allure.

Understood to be substantially complete, the car even boasts its original ‘matching numbers’ engine. Series 1 4.2 litre machines are particularly sought after because of their improved gearbox, torquier engine and better brakes. If restored to its former glory, this Suffolk sweetheart could fetch as much as £150,000.

A rusty barnfind discovery, a 1965 E-Type Jaguar 4.2 coupe also found a new home for £41,400.

The next H&H classic car sale will take place at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton on Wednesday 27th April from 1pm. Join the success and consign your classic car today! Simply call us on +44(0)1925 210035 or email sales@handh.co.uk for a complimentary, no obligation valuation for sale of your classic motorcar. Click here for more info.