Strong Result In 'Barn Find' Classic Sale

LONDON – May 10, 2010: The sale of a large one-owner collection of classic cars dating from the late-1940s to the 1980s attracted a massive crowd of buyers to BCA Blackbushe on Bank Holiday Monday, 3rd May. The 30-plus car collection had been in the hands of the owner from the Margate area for a number of years and had been stored in lock-ups and garages.

A strong turnout of trade and private buyers saw an estimated 500 plus bidders in the Auction Hall for the sale, which had been promoted as ‘The Barn Find Collection’. 41 cars were entered - the vast majority from the one collection – and all the vehicles were sold as seen, many without reserve.

The ‘Barn Find’ cars had been in storage since the early 1990s and all needed recommissioning before returning to the road, with several being serious restoration projects and others only suitable for parts. In total, 35 sold out of 41, including all the Barn Find vehicles.

The auctioneer was Blackbushe branch manager James Gibson. He commented “There was huge interest in this sale from the moment it was announced and the event attracted a large turnout of buyers on the day. The collection had been built up over a long period of time and most buyers were enthused to find so many vehicles in unmolested and original condition - even if that condition was poor on many of the cars.”

Top seller on the day was the 1959 Ford Zodiac 2.6 Convertible - a very rare car requiring some significant restoration. Finished in white over blue and sitting on white wall tyres, this car had remarkably straight bodywork, despite needing all the fittings re-assembling. Brought for £6,300 plus premium, this was an exceptional price paid for a very scarce car.

There were several restoration project Daimlers on offer to interest post-War collectors, including a 1949 DB 18 4-door saloon, 1954 Century Conquest Saloon, 1958 Majestic 4-door saloon, and several Century saloons. All sold for between £200 and £500, while the 1959 Daimler DK400 - one of just 86 built in total with the standard Limousine body – sold for £1,800 plus premium.

There were also several interesting cars dating from the 1960s and 1970s. A 1966 Bentley TI 6.2 saloon which had a starring role in the Seventies crime-busting series - The Sweeney – sold for £1,550 plus premium, while a Bentley T-Series 6.7 saloon from 1976 realised £1,300.

The 1969 Crayford Cortina Mk 2 1600 Convertible was another rare car, finished in red with black hood and red leather interior and sitting on Rostyle wheels. Despite being in poor condition, it still looked good value, selling for £1,600. Other mid-sixties Cortinas – including a 1966 Mk 1 two-door and 1967 Mk Estate – ranged in value from £200 to £550. The 1975 Morris Marina Pick-Up was a rarely seen model as relatively few were sold at the time and this example – with all the correct trim intact - sold for £480.

The sale also featured several American cars, with a 1972 GM Oldsmobile Toronado ex-London Motorshow car selling for £1,000. The 1966 Ford Thunderbird 6.6 Coupe realised £3,300, with a 1965 T’bird Convertible in poor condition, selling for £700. The rare 1970 Chrysler Valiant Convertible from Australia, also sold for £700.