25 classic car projects for sale now

Project car heaven

We all dream of picking up a project car to work on over the winter, so we’ve delved into the adverts to find classic cars you could work on to make ready for next summer.

Some of these cars will need a lot more work than others, and some will swallow a great deal more money to complete.

That’s all part and parcel of taking on a project, but the sense of satisfaction of competing a restoration is immeasurable. We’ve listed some of our favourites, all for sale at the time of writing, in alphabetical order. Could you be tempted?

1. Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a rare bird at the best of times, so finding one in need of restoration that you can build to your own preferences is an unusual opportunity.

It’s also a daunting prospect for anyone not versed in these handsome GT cars, but this 1975 example is complete and has an estimate of £12-15,000.

For sale with Anglia Car Auctions, this Montreal is a 1975 car and was imported to the UK. The seller had started to strip the car for a colour change, but it’s been in storage since 1984 and has a seized engine.

2. Alvis Speed 20 SB Special

This handsome Alvis special started life in 1934 as a saloon with body by Vanden Plas. However, it was transformed into this sporting machine in the 1940s with an aluminium body and Derrington wings, and Duralumin floors.

Tested in the 1950s by Bill Boddy for Motor Sport magazine, the car has since been in the same ownership from 1965 until now. It’s in complete condition and the engine has been started, so it could be a prime candidate for an ‘oily rag’ reconditioning.

The price is available on request.

3. Aston Martin DB5

It’s a brave buyer who takes on any Aston Martin project, but this 1964 DB5 offers the chance to create the car exactly as you want it.

It started life painted California Sage with a fawn interior for its first owner in Cambridgeshire, but was repainted Dubonnet by the time it changed hands in 1976.

It was taken off the road in 1976 before being bought by the current seller in 2011 and put up for auction with RM Sotheby’s at its London sale this November with a reserve that, at the time of writing, was yet to be announced.

4. Aston Martin Virage

One of the more unusual projects you could hope to find, this Aston Martin Virage bodyshell has never been built into a complete car. The shell was intended to be used for a race car but not built, so it opens the gates to a new owner building a car almost from scratch.

The brand-new bodyshell has been in long-term dry storage and will now cross the block with H&H Classics at its 19-20 October sale with an estimate of between £18,000 and £22,000.

Given the rising values of the Virage, and especially the V550 and V600 models, this could be a shrewd buy for someone skilled.

5. Audi 100 Avant

In remarkably original and still sound condition, this Audi 100 Avant being sold by Mathewsons is in timewarp state.

The interior even has the original radio, which suggests the 59,790 mileage is likely to be accurate. Only the drooping headliner shows the age of this practical wagon.

Under the bonnet, the 2.0-litre engine is apparently in full working order and even still has the original finishes on the pipework.

As a project, this Avant could easily be put back on the road as is, or would make the ideal base for a restoration to showroom state.

6. Auto Union 1000SP

Described as being in solid condition by dealer Cosmopolitan Motors in Bremerton, Washington in the US, this Auto Union 1000SP is a rare coupé version.

It comes with the three-cylinder, two-stroke engine, though like the rest of the car it will need to be stripped and rebuilt.

This 1958 1000SP is a very rare chance to buy this two-seat model at a reasonable price – it’s up for $7500 (c£6775). Restoration costs won’t be cheap, but values for perfect examples of this car could make it worth the effort.

7. Bentley 3 Litre Speed

After 82 years in the same family ownership, this Bentley 3 Litre Speed model is a fantastic car for anyone wanting a well-documented example.

As a project, it needs very little done to make it perfectly usable, and the car was subject to an older restoration that was completed in 2010.

Now pleasantly mellowed, the body of this classic is an original Vanden Plas four-seat open body. Rather than over-restore the car, it now has an ‘oily rag’ appearance that makes it an ideal car to gradually maintain and enjoy.

It’s going under the hammer with H&H Classics in its 19-20 October auction, with a pre-sale estimate of £160-180,000.

8. Cartercar Model R Roadster

Here’s something else that caught our eye in that same auction catalogue…

For anyone looking for an unusual project to keep them amused through the winter, few fit the bill better than this 1912 Cartercar Model R Roadster. Imported from the US to the UK, the car was part-restored in Mexico between 2008 and 2010, but it now needs a thorough recommissioning.

One of about 50 Cartercars known to have survived, this Model R Roadster has a 4.2-litre four-cylinder engine, so performance should be brisk when the car is back on the road. H&H is selling the car at auction with no reserve, so it could be a bargain for its new owner.
 

9. Chevrolet Corvette

There are Corvettes and then there are Corvettes, and this 1968 427 390hp Big Block Convertible with four-speed manual definitely falls into the more desirable bracket.

The already rare specification of this car being sold by Gullwing Motor Cars of Brooklyn, New York, in the US, also comes with its original engine.

Finished in attractive green with black interior and white hood, this is a Corvette fan’s ideal interpretation and is from the first year of C3 production in 1968.

Priced at $37,500 (£33,900), it’s said it wouldn’t take much to get the car running ahead of a full restoration.

10. Daimler Conquest Century Drophead Coupé

Only 234 Conquest Drophead Coupés were built by Daimler, so this 1955 example already has rarity on its side to make it appeal as a project.

This good-looking four-seat convertible shares its mechanical parts with the more common saloon models and it’s already been partially restored.

H&H is selling the Daimler with no reserve at its 19-20 October sale, and says the car runs and drives. It also comes with a large and very complete history file that makes this a project more than worthy of pursuing.

11. Dennis F8 Fire Engine

Affectionately known as Jemima, this Dennis F8 Fire Engine was previously owned and cared for by the Devon Fire Brigade.

It was used to attend classic vehicle shows and has been kept in running order, so it should be a straightforward job to recommission this 1955 appliance.

For sale through South West Vehicle Auctions, the Dennis comes complete with all of the hoses and ladders it would have had when working. It’s being sold without reserve at SWVA’s sale at the end of October.

12. Fairthorpe Electron Minor

Given how much you could pay for a sports car from the 1950s or 1960s, this Fairthorpe Electron Minor represents keen value with its auction estimate of £3-4000 at Anglia Car Auctions’ 5-6 November 2022 sale.

Not only does that get you a slice of early component car fun in a sporting two-seater, this example has a supercharged engine for added performance.

This car was registered in 1960 and has a 948cc A-series engine. It also comes with a rare hardtop, which was an option when the car was offered new as a kit. Around 700 Electrons were made in total and this one is from the earlier years of production.

13. Hispano-Suiza T49

If you’re looking to be on the road for next summer in your latest classic car project, this 1926 Hispano-Suiza T49 could be just the ticket.

On sale with Gavin McGuire’s Fine Automobiles, the T49 has had a ground-up restoration to the chassis and mechanical parts. It now needs its coachwork, which can be specified by the new owner.

The car is described as being how it would be when it left the factory and destined for its original coachbuilder. It’s also being sold for £85,000 with four expert books to help the new owner decide on the style of body they want for the car.

14. Intermeccanica Italia Coupé

Anyone who fancies getting stuck in to restoring a slice of Italian exotica but can’t stretch to Ferrari or Lamborghini prices, help is at hand. Gallery Aaldering in The Netherlands has an Intermeccanica Italia Coupé for sale for €44,950 (£39,400).

The pretty coupé needs a complete restoration, but the car is largely complete, rust-free and comes with a simple, robust 5.7-litre Ford V8 engine.

That should make it a much simpler car to renovate than blue-blood Italian supercars of the same era as this 1970 Italia, yet it will still have the same sort of performance.

15. Jaguar E-type

With a lovely patina to the interior, complete history from new and a genuine odometer reading of just 48,100 miles, this E-type Series 1 4.2 Coupé is a great chance for the new owner to create their perfect Jaguar.

It’s on offer from model specialist E-type UK, and has just three previous owners and its original registration number. The price? POA…

An earlier restoration was started by its most recent owner after being disinterred from a barn, but this stalled because of a lack of time. Now, this matching-numbers 1967 Series 1 E-type is ready to be restored to as-new or upgraded by E-type UK.

16. Jaguar E-type V12 Coupé

This 1972 Jaguar E-type V12 coupé is typical of the sort of project many of us lust after.

It’s a desirable car in any condition, and this one presents the chance to take the restoration in any direction of your choosing with an estimate of £16-20,000 in H&H’s 19-20 October auction.

The car needs a complete renovation, which would allow a UK buyer to change it from left- to right-hand drive. It would also be possible to swap the existing automatic gearbox to a manual if you wanted, so this E-type is a blank canvas to work from.

17. Jaguar XK120 FHC

On the surface, this 1952 Jaguar XK120 looks very rough, but underneath it has had a lot of work already carried out by its two previous owners.

The chassis has been sand-blasted and painted, and much of the running gear has been sorted. It also comes with its original engine and gearbox.

Simko Motorcars of Connecticut, USA, is asking $28,500 (c£25,700) for the car, which is fair value for an XK120 in this condition.

This example comes with all of the trim parts unique to this model, which will make restoration a simpler job.

18. Lamborghini Espada

As projects go, you won’t find many bigger or more complex than a Lamborghini Espada.

This one being sold by H&H in its aforementioned 19-20 October sale has the temptingly low estimate of £10-15,000, which reflects the amount of work needed to bring this car back to the road.

However, this 1972 Espada has the advantage of being an original UK right-hand-drive car and its V12 motor is said to turn over by hand, so it’s not seized.

Although it will require a great deal of work and money to restore, the Espada is a great looking and very practical supercar classic – the result could be spectacular.

19. Land-Rover Series One

One of the earlier Land-Rover Series One cars, this 1951 model is for sale with Anglia Car Auctions and spent a good portion of its life in the south of France.

Now back in the UK and with an estimate of £6-8000 at the 5-6 November sale, it appears to represent a straightforward restoration of this popular model.

The previous owner has already carried out some work to the car, replacing the fuel tank and exhaust system. It also comes with some spare body panels, though its new owner may choose to preserve the exterior’s weathered look.

20. Maserati Quattroporte

One of only 216 cars of this type made, the Maserati Quattroporte 4200 Series 1 on sale from Gallery Aaldering is a project that looks to be teasingly close to being road ready.

While the body needs considerable tidying, the mechanical components have been overhauled.

The Quattroporte is up for sale at €48,500 (£42,500) from The Netherlands-based company and is said to have very straight body panels finished in a special ‘Oro Longchamps’ gold colour.

21. MG TA

Typical of the sort of car that many classic fans dream of restoring, this MG TA, on sale from Mathewsons in its 21-22 October auction, is very complete and on sale with an estimate of £10,500-11,500.

The biggest question for the next owner will be whether to fully restore the car, or get it running and use it straight away.

While the engine will need checking before it can be started, the bodywork of this 1939 TA appears to be very straight and the ash wood frame is said to be very strong, which should make any restoration much easier.

22. Porsche 356 SC

This 1964 Porsche 356 SC coupé is one of the last of this model and was ordered with the uprated 95bhp engine that made up the SC pack.

This car is a matching-numbers example, still finished in the original Light Ivory with red leather upholstery it was sold with when new.

As the basis of a restoration, this car is ideal, because it comes with all of the original trim parts and is complete mechanically. It will require a full restoration, but the $49,500 (£44,700) price is fair for 356 in this specification and condition.

23. Riley Lynx Two Door Tourer

For an enthusiast of pre-war cars, this 1933 Riley Lynx Two Door Tourer should be an easy project to put back on the road. It comes fitted a non-original 12/4 engine, but it has been rebuilt, and the body is in good shape with a fully repaired ash frame.

The work needed to complete this car includes a new wiring loom, sorting the brakes, interior trimming, new hood, and plenty of minor jobs.

As a stylish open touring Riley from the 1930s, at £28,000 this Lynx is strong value and looks like it needs more time than money to make it complete again.

24. Saab 900 Turbo 16v Convertible

Among modern classics, few are harder wearing than the Saab 900 range. The Turbo 16v Convertible is one of the most desirable of this Swedish model and this one is being sold with no reserve by Manor Park Classics at its 22 October sale, with only one former owner to its name.

The 1989 Saab will need recommissioning after standing unused for several years, but the engine starts and the car drives.

This makes the 900 Convertible an ideal winter project, because a bit of work now will see it ready for use next summer.

25. Sunbeam Alpine Series V GT

This 1967 Sunbeam Alpine is the definition of a running restoration. It comes already running and driving, but there is still plenty of work to do in order to bring it up to a good standard.

Berlinetta Classic Car Auctions says there is evidence the body has been restored and painted, and the car comes in its rare and original green colour.

With a 1725cc engine and manual gearbox with overdrive, this 1967 Alpine Series V GT is a project ripe for someone to improve it, and it comes priced with an estimate between £6-9000.