Our 10 favourite cars at Brightwells' C&SC Show auction

By Marc McLaren

| 11 Jun 2018

Our 10 favourite cars at Brightwells' C&SC Show auction

Heading to The Classic & Sports Car Show in association with Flywheel later this month? Then why not combine the day with a spot of shopping.

Brightwells will be holding its Bicester Classic & Vintage auction at the event, which takes place at Bicester Heritage on Sunday 24 June, and it's packed with interesting and desirable vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

In total 100 lots will go under the hammer, and truthfully we could have picked out dozens to write about. However we eventually managed to whittle our selection down to the 10 classics below.

1. 1986 AC 3000ME

Guide price: £20,000 – £25,000

One of the oldest independent car makers in British history, AC Cars can trace its roots back to 1903.

The dramatic 3000ME was based on a design developed by Lola engineers Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables, and was first shown in 1973. It didn't actually go on sale until 1979, however, and the car on sale was only registered in May 1986; chassis number 210, it was the third-last 3000ME to be produced.

Surely the most original and lowest mileage example you could ever hope to find of this rare and striking sports car, it has just 4400 miles on the clock and has had only two registered keepers.

Finished in fetching Cherry Red, this car is in lovely order throughout and would sit well in any collection.

2. 1974 Ford Capri Uren Stampede

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Guide price: £39,000 – £44,000

If a standard Capri's not quite sporty enough for you, how about this one-of-a-kind Stampede modified and upgraded by Jeff Uren’s Race Proved outfit?

One of just eight Stampedes made and the only one based on a Mk2 Capri, the example up for sale now has a 5-litre Ford G-CODE Boss V8 engine good for 384bhp and a 140mph top speed, making it quite the fast Ford.

To further add to its desirability, it was given a custom paint-job in the 1970s by the acclaimed Mech Spray, and still proudly sports this eye-catching finish today.

With just 22,000 miles on the clock from new, and with that powerful engine having had a full rebuild in 2015, it goes to auction in fantastic shape.

Given that Capris now regularly change hands for more than £15,000, and that the G-CODE engine has alone been known to go for as much as £20K, we wouldn't be surprised to see it soar past its top estimate of £42,000.

3. 1935 Riley Amilcar Special

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Guide price: £60,000 – £80,000

This outstanding Riley Amilcar Special was originally registered in Armagh in 1935 as a Riley saloon, and was built into a Riley special in the early '90s by Richard Scaldwell.

Scaldwell incorporated several Amilcar parts, including the radiator grille, rear springs and Marchal headlights, into a well-proportioned body reminiscent of a Bugatti Type 35, especially from the rear. The car still features the original 1896cc Riley engine, which fires up with a magnificent noise, and it's been well looked after by the vendor, with plenty spent on it in recent years.

It's now ready for a new owner due to lack of space and use, and as the vendor admits “driving it bravely was a little beyond me…”

4. 1962 Alvis TD21

Guide price: £24,000 – £28,000

The TD21's combination of luxury interior and 100mph performance proved a big success when it arrived in 1958, and little has changed 60 years on.

Back then, The Motor described it as having "a Jeeves-like quality of responding to its master's whim" while Autocar praised it as "one of the most enchanting owner-driver cars imaginable," singling out the quality of the Park Ward coachwork with doors that "close with a majestic clunk – more like an air of finality than a noise."

One of only 1069 made, this example was produced in 1962 and has been well looked after since. It underwent an engine rebuild just 1000 miles ago and an extensive Red Triangle restoration to the bodywork in 2001/2, all of which makes its estimate of £24,000 to £28,000 look very reasonable.

5. 1954 Bentley R-Type Countryman

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Guide price: £40,000 – £50,000

Perhaps even more exclusive is the 1954 Bentley R-Type. Delivered through Radford to Countryman spec, it has every known option and accessory, including an impressive selection of drinking vessels for rear passengers.

This example was the first R-Type converted to Countryman spec (out of only 11 in total) and was initially owned by Harold Radford himself. After spending a long period in the United States it returned to the UK in 2000 and subsequently had more than £28,000 lavished on it by its owner.

The interior really needs to be seen to be believed, but it includes front seats that fold flat to create a large double bed, cocktail sets that slide out of both rear armrests, a concealed wash bowl, hair brush and shaving mirror, and a kettle, thermos flask and picnic accoutrements.

There's even an electric shaving point. Truly, this is not your standard hatchback trim.

6. 1955 Ford F600 car transporter

Guide price: £17,000 – £19,000

For those with work to do and cars to shift, how about this 1955 Ford F600 car transporter?

Recently repainted and ready for work, the rear has been fitted out with modern ramps and decking – just the thing to transport your hot-rod to Pendine for Speed Week. Estimated at £17,000 - £19,000 it looks like a lot of truck for the money.

7. 1961 Ford Falcon

Guide price: £18,000 – £20,000

And talking of Americans, the ’61 Ford Falcon must surely be one of the best.

According to the vendor, more than £80,000 has been spent on its restoration… which makes its £18k to £20k estimate a little surprising. But that's genuinely what the current owner says, and frankly, given the amount of work done to it, we're not about to quibble.

So what was done to it? Well (deep breath), the car was stripped to the bare metal and shot-blasted to remove all paint. Any damaged areas were cut out and replaced by new sections which were either sourced in America or custom-fabricated. The body was then sprayed in the correct Cambridge Blue, and the underside zinc/lead oxide painted and under-sealed.

New screen rubbers and door rubbers were fitted, the suspension, rear axle and braking system were all overhauled and the interior was re-trimmed, using original pattern materials sourced from America (of course).

Oh yes, and the engine and gearbox were stripped and rebuilt to ensure that the 2,800cc six-cylinder and three-speed gearbox were in optimum condition.

All of which makes this car a proper concours-condition example.

8. 1984 Interstyl Hustler 6

Guide price: £6500 – £8500

Now here's something a little different. The Hustler 6 looks like it's driven straight off the set of a 1980s episode of Doctor Who and into the 21st century.

Designed and produced by William Towns, the man behind the Aston Martin Lagonda, this kit car was built around three Mini subframes, and was one of about a dozen different Hustler variants, including one that you built almost entirely out of wood that you cut to plan.

The example up for sale is a former museum exhibit and is thought to be one of only a handful of '6' models still in existence.

9. 1949 Land Rover Series 1 80"

Guide price: £20,000 – £24,000

A very early matching-numbers lights-behind-the-grille model, this Landie has had just two owners and has seen remarkably little use over the years.

It retains its original ring-pull transmission and axles, with the vendor having overhauled the brakes and lights within the last few months. The chassis is solid, with only a little rust, and most importantly, it runs smoothly.

Land Rovers tend to lead hard lives and it's unusual to find such an early example in such well-preserved condition. The wonderful patina that FNT 227 has acquired over the last seven decades can never be replicated and we suspect it'll prove a popular lot come auction day.

10. 1969 Jaguar E-type S2

Guide price: £75,000 – £85,000

The most expensive item up for sale is this 1969 E-type – and with good reason.

Incredibly, this car has covered fewer than 2000 miles from new, and has probably spent more time being restored than it has being driven.

Its first owner used it – infrequently, judging by the mileage – until 1977, when he then put it in storage for 24 years. Then, in 2001, he gave it to marque specialist Alan Collins, of Maldon, Surrey, to be refurbished – a job which took until 2009 to complete due to the then-owner's somewhat erratic attitude towards payments.

It was eventually finished, and although the full extent of the work carried out on KAR 66G is not clear, a handwritten summary indicates that the final bill was more than £26,000. Certainly it's in great condition today, and given that low mileage it may well be one of the best E-types currently on sale anywhere.

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