Little Classics News: 3 April 2015
Nearly 200 Classic Cars & Bikes Confirmed for H&H Duxford Sale
One of H&H Classics’ most popular venues, the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, will once again provide an impressive backdrop to a varied catalogue of classic cars and motorcycles to be offered at its forthcoming 15 April sale.
Leading the pack will be the 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk 2 (top), a car in wonderful condition. This classic Grand Tourer benefits from a recent bare-metal respray and significant mechanical work, and is estimated at £200,000-240,000.
With interest in the sale already running at high levels after news of the early consignment of the ex-Ian Walker, 1960 Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite (above) (£80,000-100,000), it’s sure to be standing room only among the retired warbirds of the Imperial War Museum’s world-class collection of military aircraft.
Joining the DB6 and the Sprite will be another 88 classics representing a broad selection of must-haves for today’s collectors’ market, from manufacturers like Porsche and Ferrari.
Forever associated with the film The Graduate, a 1967 Alfa Romeo 1600 Duetto (above), similarly finished in red, in rare right-hand drive Spider form, is estimated at £19,000-23,000. Other much-loved classic cars include the £50,000-60,000, 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 and a Latin classic made famous in The Italian Job, a 1969 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupé. This one is in lustrous metallic red and estimated at £50,000-60,000.
The H&H team have also assembled a broad selection of pre-War cars, with stand-out entries including the sporting, bare-metal 1932 Riley 9 Gamecock (£32,500-37,500)and the 1935 Alvis Silver Eagle / Speed 25 Special, a real post-vintage thoroughbred for £35,000-45,000.
Finally, with it becoming ever harder to find a parking place in today’s crowded city centres, H&H offers help in the form of Lot 53, the 1959 Daimler Ferret MK 2/3 (above). In charge of this armoured car, the successful bidder will be assured of long-term parking anywhere, the Ferret’s (deactivated) Browning 0.30 calibre machine gun saying more than any ‘back in 5 mins’ note ever could.
Moving onto classic motorcycles, a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow Series C (below) will lead the pack of two-wheeled classic desirables. Famously, the Black Shadow was an even quicker version of the Vincent Rapide, then the ‘world's fastest production motorcycle’.
The 150mph speedometer hinted at prodigious performance from the Black Shadow’s 1000cc, blueprinted v-twin: in 1950 the hand built, all-black machine was capable of an easy 125mph. H&H’s 1952 example has ‘matching numbers’ and is in highly original condition – bar 19in alloy rims – just requiring recommissioning to put it back on the road. It’s estimated at £ 55,000-60,000.
98 other classic bikes on offer include a 1933 Velocette KTT MK4 (above) (£13,000-15,000, a verified ex-works machine), a 1962 Norton Manx 30M (£28,000-33,000, with factory frame) and the 1969 Linto 500cc Grand Prix racer (below).
The name ‘Linto’ was a contraction of designer Lino Tonti’s names. Tonti is best known for the design of the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport. After a promising debut for his GP machine in 1968, Tonti decided to build a run of 15 for 1969, all bearing a potent 64bhp ‘twin’ of his own design. Discovered in Argentina in totally original condition, and coming out of a Japanese museum, the ’bike is one of the 15 and offers collectors a unique opportunity to acquire a rare piece of racing machinery. Estimate: £90,000-110,000.
For those looking for more up-to-date two-wheeled Grand Prix technology, there’s Darren Dixon’s 1988 British Championship-winning 1988 Suzuki RG500 MK14 estimated at £30,000-35,000, while lovers of nostalgia will appreciate H&H’s ‘teenager special’ 1977 Yamaha FS1-E, the immortal ‘fizzie’, modestly estimated at £2,500-3,500.
You can discover more about this classic car and motorcycle auction at www.classic-auctions.com or contact H&H Classics Ltd on +44 (0) 1925 210035. Email: info@handh.co.uk.
