A ‘barn find’ E-type Jaguar – the last Series 2 roadster to leave the Jaguar plant at Browns Lane – heads the entry for Barons’ British Heritage Sale at Sandown Park on Tuesday, July 30th.
The vendor – and only owner – bought this important car new from Jaguar in 1971, after seeing it displayed on a perspex plinth in the British Leyland showroom in London’s Piccadilly. Over the next five years he covered 55,000 miles in the car, which was always serviced at Jaguar Cars in Coventry, with the work overseen by Jaguar’s then service manager, Mr Norbury.
The vendor put the car into storage in 1976, and it has been barn-stored ever since, so has not been driven in some 37 years. Although now requiring full restoration, the car is totally complete, and comes with its original toolkit. The estimate for this fascinating car – the ultimate restoration project for any fan of the quintessential British sports car – is £35,000-£45,000.
The 1968 Nerus Silhouette racing car in the sale is a real rarity. Built to compete in the short-lived Formula F100 series – which aimed to replace GT events at club meetings – the Essex-made Nerus Silhouette F100s would be amongst the most successful in the series. The example on offer at Barons, which has been totally rebuilt, has enjoyed great success in the hands of David Beckett over a 25-year period and comes complete with FIA papers. It is said to be the only Nerus ever built with a two-litre engine. Estimate: £63,000-£68,000.
Barons’ British Heritage Sale entry really showcases the diversity of Britain’s motor manufacturers, from powerful sports and performance cars and stately saloons to charismatic starter classics and family cars that will bring back a host of memories for many.
The 1978 Aston Martin V8 Oscar India is an early example of this much sought-after model, and is one of just 16 that were equipped with the ZF 5-speed manual transmission. This handsome motor car carries an estimate of £45,000-£50,000.
A fine example of a British sports car comes in the form of the FIA-spec 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII historic racing car on offer. This has seen little use in the past 10 years, after a successful career in club racing, and just four hours of circuit use since a full engine rebuild. This race-proven but barely run-in competition machine carries an estimate of £47,000-£51,000. And those looking for a classic British sports car on a slightly slimmer budget would do well to consider the 1966 Sunbeam Alpine Series V with Holbay engine. £4,500-£6,000.
Not a sports car, but a powerful, highly desirable and collectable piece of British motoring history, the 1973 Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico in the sale boasts a period Burton Performance 1700cc engine. This replaces the modest 86bhp of the original equipment engine with an impressive 168bhp, making the car very lively on the road. £20,000-£23,000.
It’s so often the classic family cars that evoke memories, and the 1961 Ford Consul saloon is likely to do just that. With its green and cream bodywork and extensive recent restoration, including a complete retrim in leather, new chrome bumpers, stainless steel exhaust and new brakes, clutch and dynamo, this is very well presented and just waiting for a new home. £5,000-£7,000.
The Morris Minor and the Mini are two famously cute British classics, and Barons has good examples of each at Sandown Park, with the 1969 Morris Minor Tourer offering top-down motoring at an affordable price. The property of the widow of the late Charles Harbord, known to classic car enthusiasts for his ‘Cars for the Connoisseur’ magazine, it carries an estimate of £2,500-£3,500, making it the ideal starter classic.
The Mini on offer is a more recent car, a 2000 Classic Cooper Sport from Rover’s Mini Classic range. Finished in red with white roof and bonnet stripes, and with black and silver leather interior, this is an exceptional little machine. £6,500-£8,000.
The British have a fine history of producing stately saloons, and the 1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III is stately indeed. This RHD example was repatriated from the USA earlier this year and is finished in Ermine white with cream hide. £20,000-£22,000.
Jump forward some 20 years, and Rolls-Royce was producing the Silver Spirit, which had replaced the Shadow as the basis of its range. Barons has a 1983 Silver Spirit in the July 30th sale, and the vendor has described the car – which has covered just 49,000 miles from new – as ‘stunning’. £9,500-£11,000.
Sporting saloons are another key element in British Motoring Heritage, and the 1990 Bentley Turbo R Saloon is a sporting saloon that offers remarkable value for money at £4,250-£5,250. And a more recent example of a potent sporting saloon (0-60mph in just 5.6 seconds) is the magnificent 1999 Jaguar XJR V8 Supercharged, its Azure blue paintwork making this 370bhp performance car a real head-turner. At £4,000-£5,500, this is also a tremendous amount of car for the money.
Although it’s a British Heritage sale, there is also a section for cars not built on these shores. Entries here include a very rare 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL (£10,000-£12,000) and a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SEC pillarless coupé. This very highly-specified, luxury car cost in excess of £110,000 when new, and now has an estimate of £8,500-£10,000.
For further information, or to consign a car to the sale, visit www.barons-auctions.com,
