Bonhams, Festival of Speed, Goodwood, July 5, 2019 (Updated July 19)

Since no one in his or her right mind who loves cars needs an excuse to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed the FoS is more like an excuse to attend Bonhams auction.

This is never a big auction, more like a place for the right crowd to gather away from the sensory overload of the Festival.

This year Bonhams had a marvelous selection of cars on offer, heavily British-oriented with delectable Bentleys of the W.O.-era, a choice Alfa 8C 2300 tourer and one of Nigel Mansell’s “Red 5” Williams F1 cars that topped the sale at $3,380,372.

Speaking of a “Red 5” the humiliating performance of another red “5”, the Ferrari driven by Sebastian Vettel in this year’s British Grand Prix, is dramatic contrast to Mansell’s measured, mature performance in the Williams.

Two of the cars that were unsold on the block, McLaren P1 XP and AC Ace Ruddspeed, were reported as sold afterward but at undisclosed amounts. Their result is reflected in the unit-based figures below, but not in the transaction amounts. If included they would have added some $1.6 million to the total.

Surprisingly, the sell-through this year at the Goodwood Festival was mediocre (at best) even if it is not entirely out of character for this venue. The sale total is diminished when expressed in US$ due to the Brexit-depressed UK£.

The unsold lots had total high bids of $17,260,783, a lot of money left on the table.

The comparison with 2018 is breathtaking, not only for 2019 but also for prior years, making 2018’s Festival of Speed auction an outlier among FoS auctions. It included the Aston Martin DB4 GT “2 VEV” which sold for $13,323,753. In 2018 There were six lots sold on hammer bids over $1 million – benefiting from the unusually strong GB£ noted below. These six lots brought a total of $32,391,181, nearly as much as the combined 2019, 2017 and 2016 total of $32,415,495.

Here are the numbers.

Year Cars Sold/ Offered Sale % Sold < Low Est Sold > High Est Average Sale Median Sale Total $ Exchange Rate
2019 41/83 49.4% 47.8% 7.7% $247,861 $115,055

[46.4%]

$10,162,309 $1.2506
2018 57/87 65.5% 42.9% 30.4% $731,784 $142,601

[19.5%]

$41,711,668 $1.3216
2017 57/87 65.5% 63.2% 14% $230,363 $140,216

60.9%]

$13,130,669 $1.2995
2016 53/89 59.6% 55.8% 9.6% $172,123 $129,289

[75.1%]

$9,122,517 $1.3217

On site observations are by Chris Sharpe. I have left his descriptions largely as he wrote them including the British-isms. I wrote the transaction comments.


 

Lot # 303 1913 Hupmobile 32hp Tourer; S/N 35943; Green, Black fenders/Black leather; Black Canvas top; Estimate $18,759 – $25,012; Older restoration, 3- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,134 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $20,854. – RHD. 10 spoked wood wheels, screen side lamps, running board with tool box stowage, acetylene main headlamps, string wrapped 4 spoke steering wheel, in line 4 cylinder with modern Daytona replica carburetor. – The bodywork is quite rough, poor paint finish with chips, dints and corrosion clearly coming through. The wood wheels look unsafe with gaps between the spokes and rim, they have very dry and aged varnish with no lustre at all. Lights are original but dented and poor. Door mats for floor mats! The top is black vinyl wax jacket finish but darkened on the inside. Black leather seats are fair and useable with a good clean. Campaigned and used extensively by Bonhams own team, then represented as over £50,000 spent on an extensive restoration in recent years. Engine bay showing signs of good use, paint flaking from the heat. A tired old car despite the money spent. – Sold by Bonhams at Harrogate November 2009 for $26,977 but since it stayed in the UK its GBP result of 16,100 all-in is probably more appropriate when put beside today’s GBP 16,675 all-in and GBP 14,500 hammer. Since Bonhams benefits from both sides of the commission this is actually minimally profitable, a usable old crock for a moderate price.

Lot # 309 1963 Austin Mini Cooper S 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N A2S7384499; Red, White Roof/Black leather, red piping; Estimate $50,024 – $75,036; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $42,592 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $48,981. – RHD. Roof mounted spot light, cream painted steel wheels, wider tyres, sporting seats with bucket style driver’s and smaller navigator, 3 prong Moto Lita wood rimmed steering wheel, door leg pads, dash mounted timing analogue period Heuer Monte Carlo stop watches, twin 1 3/4 inch SU carburetors, sump guard, duel fuel tanks, spare wheel holders, competition exhaust. – Presented with poor paint which is chipped, grazed and spidered. The door hinges finish are the worst I’ve seen at auction. Restored between 1984 and 1990 so a patina of use since. Museum stored for the last 6 years so it will need a thorough recommission of all perishables including tyres. The interior has fared well and looks fresh, the seat leather is still supple, clearly a good hide food has been correctly applied. The engine bay has minimal road dust but looks aged. Some work required, very much an enthusiasts car backed with a deep history file with FIVA and BMIHT certificates. – A post-block sale at a negotiated price that is a sound value, even if not up to the consignor’s pre-sale expectations. It isn’t what it appears to be but that doesn’t lessen the visual image or the driving experience.

Lot # 312 1934 MG NE Magnette Tourer; S/N NA0522; Cream, Dark Brown fenders/Dark Brown leather; Dark brown canvas tonneau cover top; Estimate $200,096 – $300,144; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $206,349 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $237,301. – RHD. 1,271cc/74hp sohc inline six, twin rear mounted spare wheels, silver painted wire wheels with front wheel mudflaps, fold down windshield, single driver’s aero screen, quick release radiator cap, leather hood straps, racing fuel filler cap, radiator and headlight stoneguards, banjo-spoke steering wheel. – Charlie Dodson’s 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy winner with a long racing history thereafter even after WWII. The hood of this car has chipped edges, paint blemishes and general poor finish. There are stone chips to the sills. Road dust is visible on all the suspension leaf springs and uprights. The interior follows suit of a well-used and weathered car. The engine is clean and with no obvious leaks. The wheels are smart enough and well painted. This important and well known works racer was stored in Scandinavia until a recent sale. PA Body fitted in 1993, represented as the original cylinder block removed and included in the sale. This car is well presented, if not perfect but will definitely require a thorough inspection before a prolonged outing is dared. – This is a rare, factory-campaigned, race-winning 6-cylinder MG with a long history. It is one of only seven competition versions built by MG on the NA chassis. MG NAs are rare enough; of NEs only this one appears to have been auctioned. Its history, rarity and survival loom large in the price it brought, especially when measured against standard NAs which have a mid-$40’s history in US auctions. This result is a lot of money but few will argue against its appearance at pretty much any historic event where it offers to appear and there should equally be no argument with the price it brought.

Lot # 315 2013 McLaren P1 XP Coupe; S/N SBM12ABB3BW990006; McLaren Orange, Black/Black Alcantara; Estimate $1,625,780 – $1,875,900; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,375,660. – Experimental prototype displayed at the New York and Geneva shows in GTR specification. Carbon fiber structure, active suspension, 3.8 liter twin turbo 727hp V8, 176hp electric motor, 7-speed dual clutch gearbox, drag reduction and kinetic energy recovery systems. – Having show car only use and complete refurb/rebuilt by McLaren with a reported 340 miles from new this is an as-new car never driven to any extent on the road. Two private owners since McLaren. – Reported sold by Bonhams after the auction, the final result is undisclosed. Whatever it was makes no difference in this highly developed, sophisticated supercar’s value. It is “worth” what the car trader who bought it says it is.

Lot # 317 1954 Swallow Doretti Sports Convertible; S/N 1138; Red/Black leather; Black top; Estimate $50,024 – $62,530; Recent restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $45,022. – RHD. Foldaway top, tonneau and side screens, silver painted wire wheels, Ferrari 250 leather seats, 2,138cc engine, Le Mans inlet manifold with H6 SUs, performance cam, high torque starter motor, Laycock overdrive. – The paintwork is good at first glance but a closer look reveals glazed, bubbling and chipped areas. The windshield surround and exterior trim are slightly pitted and reused without plating. The dashboard Jaeger instrumentation look original, smart and correct. Smart new red carpets have been fitted but they are clearly made of nylon. The seats have been recovered recently but are showing slight creases. The steering wheel is period correct but looks like a bespoke design, with a horn bezel indicator switch just like a big Healey. The wheels are covered in road and brake dust. The interior has been retrimmed but the seats, from a Ferrari 250, have cleaned up to look period correct. The Laycock overdrive is represented as recently refurbished. The engine bay has been detailed but not overly so, it looks right for a restored car with minimal use since debut. The engine is a correct type TR2 replacement, recently rebuilt. This car’s appeal is its rarity and you’d be proud enough to take it to a local show and stand out from the crowd. – The restoration started in the 2000’s but not completed until recently is readily apparent in the age of the cosmetics. One of 276 built and rarely surviving, most were sold originally in the U.S. where they are much more valuable than this, occasionally crossing into six-figures. The extended restoration and replacement engine do this one no favors, but it is still worth more than the reported high bid here.

Lot # 318 1948 Delahaye Type 135M 3-pos. Drophead Coupe, Body by Pennock; S/N 800843; Burgundy Red/Light sand leather; Cream canvas top; Estimate $300,144 – $350,168; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $237,614. – RHD. 3.6 litre straight six cylinder, Type 135 spec giving 113bhp, triple Solex carburetors, suicide doors, chromed exterior elbow jointed top frame side bars, single bar bumper irons with slim overriders, chromed rear wheel arch guards, elasticated leather door card storage pouches. – This beautifully proportioned carriage is represented as having a full strip down restoration 13 years ago. It is also represented as a matching numbers vehicle. The exterior paint and panel fit are to the highest standards and are showing no signs of age, this star is clearly timeless. The exquisite interior has been retrimmed with exceptional finesse and again no signs of ageing. Only tiny trim imperfections and minor incorrect materials, such as modern carpet fibre, give the game away. Near perfection, a superb standard of restoration. A gem whose sparkle brightens your day, shine on! – Bodied postwar by Pennock in The Hague. Sold by Bonhams at the Grand Palais in 2018 for $211,106, GBP 151,700 at the time. Even at the sub-estimate high bid here (GBP 190,000) the offer is quite fair and could have been accepted with scant regret.

Lot # 319 1957 AC Aceca Coupe; S/N AE511; Sky Blue metallic/Mid Blue leather; Estimate $100,048 – $137,566; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $100,048 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $115,055. – RHD. 1,991/105hp six with triple carburetors and ineffective pancake air filters, wire wheels, stainless sports exhaust, leather and wood trimmed bespoke dashboard with excellent Smiths clocks, wonderful dogleg stick gear shift. – The paintwork has been resprayed to a very average standard with imperfections and ripples. The original faded exterior trim has been refitted without improvement. The interior wood is faded as are the weather seals. A known car, owned by the secretary of the owners club. Repainted some 20 years ago. The wheels look freshly painted and tyres are serviceable with good tread depth. The driver’s seat base has slight use creases. A poor showing overall with potential for value to be added. – AC-powered Bristols fared poorly against their later Bristol-powered family members for years but the surprising performance potential of the ancient AC six (designed in 1919) recently has brought them back into favor as represented by this moderate but realistic transaction, a result that’s fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot # 321 1963 Porsche 356C Rally Coupe, Body by Reutter; S/N 215153; Royal Blue, White stripe/Light Gray leather; Estimate $100,048 – $150,072; Modified restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $106,301 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $122,246. – 5 stud steel wheels with no hub caps, twin bumper mounted driving lights, enlarged 1,980cc 137bhp engine, wood rimmed Moto Lita steering wheel, leather sports bucket seats with six point blue racing safety harnesses, roll bar, two dash mounted navigator stop watches and Tripmaster. – Your first impression is new paint, which I’d grade as 8 out of 10. Reused exterior trim, a quick freshen up job? Well, better than that as it was restored four years ago by Willi Kauhsen and few miles since. The exterior is blemish free, sculpted and smooth in that wonderful Jello mould 356 way. Wheels and tyres look right but the tyres could require good use and a heat cycle at least to bring out the grip. The interior is too good for a working rally car in my opinion. The seat leather is superb but too smooth and impractical for a driver’s car. The engine bay is exceptionally clean and smart. Whilst I admire the presentation, the point has been missed for me with this type of high expenditure reworking. I simply couldn’t throw this car around hairpin bends without upsetting the perfectionist in me. Can a car be too good? In this case, yes. – Impressively presented both cosmetically and in the engine compartment, the performance potential and condition are balanced in this result with the modifications that detract from its purist appeal. Both Bonhams in its pre-sale estimate and the bidders in their result recognized that balance in this realistic result that should be exciting to drive even while the new owner winces at every stone chip. The new owner will pay a price for those in the resale market but until then get great enjoyment from this Porsche.

Lot # 323 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Long Chassis Tourer, Body after Touring; S/N 2311222; Engine # 2311222; Blue/Chestnut brown leather; Estimate $5,002,401 – $6,253,001; Rebodied or re-created, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $4,126,980. – Straight eight cylinders enlarged to 2600cc with a Roots type supercharger, black radiator grille with large chromed Alfa Romeo badge, black painted wire wheels with two ear knock-ons, driving lights, leather hood straps, Alfa Motometer, raked windshield with additional edge side screens deflectors, large Alfa Romeo rear badge, – Alfa Romeo’s first eight-cylinder road car model. Replica Touring body by Rod Jolley. Engine fully rebuilt by Neil Twyman in 2011/2012 with a total cost of around GBP 60,000. Like most 8C 2300s, the engine has been enlarged to 2.6 litres. Superb blue coachwork greets you. Only tiny bubbles around the cycle wing rivets are to be found. The exterior metals are lightly buffed, just right. The friction dampers have minor surface rust. The tonneau is black canvas with brown leather straps and is in great condition. The straps are slightly darkened on the ends from use. The seats and door cards are creasing, as soft quality leather does, I found the creases sublime. The steering wheel is brown Bakelite and old looking. The controls have a perfect patina. This illustrious chassis has had many guises. You can be sure those body bolts are only finger tight, it’s had more costume changes than a Broadway chorus line. Represented as having a nut and bolt restoration rebuild in 2011. This included an engine rebuild. The handsome carriage has had no racing and minimal mileage since restoration so should be in good working order. But eight years is a long time so perishables such as the battery, etc. could need replacement. Exuding quality from every pore this is a truly great car that has to been seen to be completely appreciated. – Offered for private sale at The Auction in Tokyo in 1992 clothed in what was described as Touring Spider coachwork, one of 2311222’s many guises, but all of them apparently retaining its original chassis and driveline. It’s hard to argue with the seller’s determination to keep it at the reported high bid.

Lot # 328 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III BJ8 Works Rally Convertible; S/N HBJ827537; Red, White hardtop/Black leather; Estimate $250,120 – $312,650; Competition restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,120 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $287,638. – RHD. Wire wheels, five front rally lights, airscoop grille ends aluminium panels, glassfibre hardtop, fender vents, two spare wheels and shaped trunk, rear spotlight, works carburetor access panel, aluminium cylinder head, triple Weber DCOEs, magnesium alloy inlet manifold, sports exhaust, straight cut gearbox with Tulip spec ratios, uprated overdrive, uprated wiring harness, dual brake circuits with servo, extra dash clocks, new Avon tyres and a fire extinguisher. – 1964 Spa-Sofia-Liege rally winner driven by Rauno Aaltonen with Tony Ambrose. A very good finish paint with only minor stone chips on the arches and sills. The inner wheel arches are body coloured and well-preserved, with no underseal or patches showing. The brake calipers have surface corrosion showing through. There is soot and heat soak evidence on the exhaust side pipes. This purposeful important works rally team car is better than original, fresh respoked wire wheels, a clean chassis and engine bay. The interior looks fresh with slight use on the driver’s seat. The tyres are fresh and this car genuinely looks ready for a long distance rally or tour, just showing some age and use. A well presented car, the seller can be rightly confident. – So can the buyer. RM sold this car in Paris in 2017 for $214,160 (GBP 170,700 at the time, this result is GBP 230,000.) Not much except recent maintenance seems to have been done to it in the past two years. This is a generous bump in value, but this also is its home country where its history and that of Austin-Healey carries additional weight.

Lot # 332 1928 Bentley 4 1/2 Liter Tourer, Body by Vanden Plas; S/N MF3157; Engine # MF3157; Green/Red; Black canvas top; Estimate $750,360 – $1,000,480; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $500,240 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $575,276. – RHD. Green painted wire wheels, black mohair hood and tonneau, rear mounted spare, radiator mascot, AA members and Bentley club badges, 4 spoke Bakelite steering wheel, running board low mounted tool box, – Originally a R. Harrison & Son saloon body. Fitted with a replacement frame in 1929 from ST3001 (1928 Le Mans-winning “Old Mother Gun” also auctioned here) after an accident. Rebodied in 1933 with Vanden Plas Touring coachwork from XT3633. First restored in 1978, then in 1997 before going to the present owner in 2005. A superb paint finish on the hood and fenders. The canvas main body is as new. The headlight exteriors are fresh black gloss painted but the inner reflectors are aged. The radiator surround, windshield and all other minor exterior trim are nickel finished with small water staining but otherwise perfect. The red seat leather is wearing through and cracking. The carpets are about 10 years old but good quality. A few small improvements could easily elevate this car a notch. – An historic Bentley with the most popular Vanden Plas Tourer coachwork, eligible for the most exclusive events and tours with more than sufficient power and handling (if not brakes) to handle modern traffic. The “Old Mother Gun” connection is tenuous but intriguing. The bidders didn’t seem to give it much credence in their valuation.

Lot # 335 1921 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost London-to-Edinburgh Tourer; S/N 48CE; Light Grey/Black leather; Estimate $312,650 – $375,180; Rebodied or re-created, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $250,120 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $287,638. – RHD. Derby built Silver Ghost delivered to US when new. Reproduction coachwork by Alpine Eagle. Double Elliott speedometer/odometer, nickel brightwork, black wire wheels. – Engine rebuild in 2017, restoration in the 1990’s, originally a Locke Town Coupe for Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt (Anne Harriman.) Eventually found in 1957 being used as a pickup on an Illinois farm and restored with this London-to-Edinburgh replica coachwork. New engine block and rebuild December 2017. Grey coach paint done to a high standard. Black leather showing no wear or marks. I reviewed this car last December, “All the important brightwork lamps, exterior speedometer look in the correct period condition. Exactly how an important car should be preserved and presented, clearly had great recent ownership for such an important carriage” – Sold at Olympia eight months ago for $351,679 (GBP 276,000 at the time, this result is GBP 230,000) an expensive ownership experience with limited opportunities for use during the off-season. It’s a serious value in this transaction.

Lot # 336 1955 AC Ace Ruddspeed Roadster; S/N AE102; BRM Green/Dark Green Bridge of Weir cloth; Estimate $212,602 – $250,120; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $193,843. – RHD. Front and rear overriders only, no bumper irons, raked windshield with side wind deflectors, 3 spoke wood rimmed steering wheel, superb dogleg stick shift, superb dash mounted rear view mirror, rally stopwatches, Ruddspeed 2,553cc/155hp Ford Zephyr engine, triple 1 3/4 inch SU carburetors with foam air filters, comes with modified leather seating for taller drivers and the original AC engine block. – The bodywork and paint finish are of the highest quality, 10 out of 10, near perfection. The car is let down by vinyl look seats or low grade coarse leather but the interior has crisp lines and correct features. Wheels and tyres are as new. The engine bay is superb with only minor swirl marks. This car’s recent rework and overhauls have been completed to a great standard, commendations to the seller. – The AC Ace conversion by Ruddspeed to the 2.6 litre Ford Zephyr six was popular, giving a useful horsepower increase of at least twenty over even the Bristol D2 engine. From a purist’s point of view it emulated the final AC production configuration. Beautifully executed and presented, this promises to be an exceptional performer although the final result is a reasonable offer for it in its present configuration. Bonhams reports this car as a post-block sale at an undisclosed price.

Lot # 337 1956 Cooper T39 Bobtail Sports Racer; S/N CS356; British Racing Green/Black; Estimate $137,566 – $175,084; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $131,313 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $151,010. – RHD. 1,460cc Coventry Climax four, streamlined body, central exhaust, quick release engine cover straps, 4-stud magnesium alloy wheels, cowelled headlights, racing harness, wraparound Plexiglas windscreen, two side Talbot mirrors, wood rimmed steering wheel. – First owned by Alan Mackay, raced in the UK and Italy before being shipped to Mackay’s home in Australia where it raced without distinction. Later Porsche powered. Generally smooth bodywork and paint, no obvious damage repair. The nose area is extensively stone chipped from close racing. Wheels are black hammered finish on the spokes, aged and quite poor. The engine, master cylinders, brake cylinders are described as recently refreshed or checked. It is a superb and sublime racer but in need of further attention. – Hiding alongside the center driving position is a tiny passenger’s seat under the bodywork, sufficient to qualify this essentially formula Cooper for sports car racing. Its sleek coachwork speaks volumes for the era’s growing appreciation for aerodynamics and is ever-distinctive on historic racing grids. Despite showing its age and racing history it brought a solid price that reflects its potential and visual appeal.

Lot # 342 1960 Cooper Monaco-Climax ‘Mark II’ Type 57 Sports Racer; S/N DM773W; Flag Metallic Blue, White nose band/Black; Estimate $375,180 – $437,710; Competition restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $337,662. – 2,497cc/236hp Coventry Climax FPF, dual Webers, 4-speed transaxle, 4-stud magnesium alloy wheels, coilover rear springs, cowelled headlights, high roll bar, twin harnesses, full-width wraparound plexiglass windscreen, FIA luggage compartment hump on the engine cover, high central rear view Talbot mirror, wood rimmed steering wheel. – Assembled by Ecurie Ecosse from a Cooper-supplied kit. Raced by Tommy Dickson at Charterhall and Goodwood. Roy Salvadori drove it at Watkins Glen (3rd) and Riverside (6th), Jack Brabham at Laguna Seca. Dickson again took the wheel in 1961 in the UK. Crashed at Le Mans (Dickson/Bruce Halford). Raced with immediate success in 1963 by Jackie Stewart resulting in a racing record over five years of 17 wins in 34 starts. Reconstructed as an open-wheel for 1965 after being crashed by Stewart, with nine further local race wins. Restored in the U.S. in the Nineties with reproduction sports car bodywork. Mid blue metallic shows all the lack of surface preparation. The frontal area is stone chipped from enthusiastic close racing. The wheels are exposure aged but not corroded. New looking roll hoop and harnesses to meet scrutineering regs no doubt. A good racer in need of detail finishing but if the owner didn’t bother with the wheels, you’re left to wonder what else has been neglected? – Aside from its illustrious list of former drivers, or its important Ecurie Ecosse history, this Cooper Monaco is seriously attractive and will be a blast to drive. It sold for $220,000 at RM Monterey in 2001, not quite as cheap as it was at Gleneagles in ’70 where it sold for $2,764 still in its aged single-seater configuration. The reported high bid here at Goodwood is realistic for all that it is and even what it can be after thorough checkout, preparation and setup.

Lot # 345 1992 Williams Renault FW14B Formula 1; S/N FW1408; Engine # 240; Blue, Yellow, White, Camel, Canon, Labatt’s, elf/Black; Estimate $3,376,620 – $4,502,160; Competition car, original as-raced, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $3,001,440 plus commission of 12.63%; Final Price $3,380,372. – Carbon composite chassis, Renault RS03 67-degree V10-cylinder engine (Mansell’s 1992 South African GP winner), 760hp, transverse-shaft Williams 6-speed paddle shift gearbox, active suspension, – Famously, Nigel Mansell (“our Nige” as Murray called him!) used his Red 5 number on quite a few FW chassis. It is presented superbly for a race car, there appears to be no visual evidence of the damage the chassis suffered at Estoril in Ricardo Patrese’s hands, taking to the air and landing heavily. Five-time grand prix winner and seven pole positions in 1992. The body shows no signs of use, no stone chips, cracks or damage at all. Slight carbonfibre strands at the floor edge, damage from loading on and off trailers, perhaps. The tyres are aged, with yellowing on the letters, the wheels are freshly painted and even the balance weights look new. The wishbones have had a fresh coat of mid black but look straight. All the rose joints looks fresh. The livery look as new and certainly not sun faded. But I’ll stop there. There is so much that requires attention when a car of this age is considered. As a display, museum or promotional piece, fine. As a historic racer? Deep pockets is a given but balls of steel will also need to be in your tool kit to campaign this low flying aircraft at the minimum speed required to warm the tyres up and get the aero working. Since the tragic image of Federico Kroymans in a crashed 1999 Ferrari F399 at Laguna Seca all purchases of this nature require a full chassis stress test. The adaptive suspension will require the right software, laptop, knowledgeable engineer and plenty of experience to be set up anywhere near the potential of the car which was started up at Williams Classic before the sale. This car has place in all British motor sports fans hearts but a space in your garage? Hmmm. – An epic automobile in Grand Prix history, Adrian Newey’s first full GP design with all the bells and whistles of early 90’s F1 including active suspension and paddle shift gearbox driven to a World Championship by a still-revered driver, Nigel Mansell. Here at Goodwood today all that was eclipsed by being a British car driven by a British World Champion. It’s one of those equivocal results where there is no “market”, just what deep-pocketed, informed bidders were willing to pay.

Lot # 346 1933 MG J4 Midget Tourer; S/N J4002; Green/Black leather; Black faded canvas top; Estimate $225,108 – $300,144; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $278,259 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $319,997. – RHD. Supercharged 746cc four, Silver painted wire wheels, single rear mounted spare wheel, high mounted side full length external fishtail exhaust, large Marchal headlights with stoneguards, fold down windshield, dual aero screens. – One of nine MG J4s built, driven by Hugh Hamilton to a class win at the 1933 Eifelrennen, second to Tazio Nuvolari’s 6-cylinder K3 in the Tourist Trophy, then seriously crashed at the Masaryk GP. Rebuilt with a new chassis frame, later rebodied. Restored in the 70’s. The paintwork is smart and crisp with only minor abrasions on the nose cowl. The seats are used but serviceable and presentable. The exterior trim is fresh and ripple free. A well-preserved car. – Another great British race car at Goodwood this year and there’s no historic race organizer worth his salt that wouldn’t be delighted to see it on his entry list. It is a giant-killing little car and brought a terrific price well into Bonhams pre-sale estimate range.

Lot # 349 1936 Squire Long Wheel Base Tourer, Body by Ranalah; S/N 1501; Engine # 1074; Maroon/Red; Estimate $812,890 – $937,950; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $700,336. – RHD. 1,496/110hp Anzani dohc 4-cylinder, supercharger, single SU carburetor, Wilson pre-selector 4-speed, folding windshield. Red painted wire wheels, large chromed headlights, chromed running board trims, suicide doors, chromed radiator cap quick release bar, canvas tonneau cover. – One of two long wheelbase tourer chassis of just seven Squires built. Bought new by Val Zethrin who later bought then the remains of Squire Car Manufacturing and assembled two additional Squires from spares. Superb bodywork, panel gap and paint finish, the best on the docket. Exterior trim is fresh and carefully replaced. The interior is perfection with great quality materials and attention to detail. An A1 job, the restoration is to be highly commended. – And the car is beautiful, one of the best designs of the prewar era in Britain. This car was offered by Gooding & Company at Scottsdale in 2017 with an exalted pre-sale estimate range of $1.5-$2 million. It brought a reported high bid of $1,050,000 in comparable condition to today when it showed about 40 more miles on its odometer. Now twice unsold at premier venues, the matter of value remains ephemeral.

Lot # 354 1968 Lola T70 Mk III Coupe; S/N SL73128; Orange, “Simoniz”/Black; Estimate $437,710 – $562,770; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $387,686. – RHD. Cowelled headlights, front nose aero downforce winglets, gullwing doors, deep racing magnesium alloy wheels with 6 studs, one large Talbot outside mirror, includes open-cockpit USRRC/Can-Am Spyder body and many spares, wheels and tires. – Originally raced in the 1968 USRRC by Chuck Parsons for Carl Haas with Simoniz sponsorship finishing the season in third place. Later sold to Bob Nagel, re-engined with a 427 Ford and raced in SCCA and Can-Am. Rebodied with coupe coachwork for Nigel Hulme in the mid-80’s. Some stone chips to the nose area, small stone chip spiders but generally good for a race car. Alloy wheels are slightly dulled on the polished rims. Some original decals are understandable faded and look great. Rear jacking points are badly marked from good use. Panels are wide but original. Interior looks original but well kept or little use and good storage. A good showing. – Eligible for USRRC, Can-Am and FIA endurance races, this is an exceptionally versatile, fast and beautiful automobile with a credible if not exemplary racing history in period and its versatility supports the consignor’s opinion that it is worth a bit more than the reported high bid here.

Lot # 358 1927 Bentley 8 Liter “Old Mother Gun” Open Single Seater; S/N RRJ1ST3001; Silver Alloy/Black; Estimate $2,501,200 – $3,751,800; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $1,750,840. – Alloy Body, 8 litre engine, central driving position, black gloss painted uprated wire wheels, leaf springs, friction dampers, hydraulic drum brakes with cooling scoops, external gear change, represented as original 6 litre block from 1934 is included in the sale. – This car, known today as “Old Mother Gun” has had many guises including the 4 1/2 liter tourer which won the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hours driven by Woolf Barnato and Bernard Rubin. Re-engined and rebodied several times during an active competition career particularly at Brooklands. Completed in its present guise by Robin Jackson for Richard Marker in 1937 with a new, longer chassis frame and the present single-seater body. Recipient of three of only seventeen 130mph badges awarded at Brooklands. Restored by Stanley Mann in 1988-89, setting British Class B records in the early 90’s. Later re-engined yet again with the present 8-Liter. An old warrior with its chin held aloft deserves some reverence and respect. The unpainted alloy body is literally panel beaten, hammer blows and hand file scrapes are badges of honour. The matte gray painted chassis shows no surface deterioration but many idle drilled holes. Although later additions, the wheels, brakes, hubs, axles and steering look suitably aged and correct for a 90 plus year old racer, modern hydraulic hoses, the only distraction. Looking inside the cockpit, modern tubular matt black support structures are clearly visible and again, Aeroquip hoses. Race cars are in a constant state of evolution and upgrade, so modern components are not totally frowned upon. And this point is the crux of the car. This isn’t the Bentley that left the factory, it has had many chassis, engine, body and component changes, the original Le Mans chassis is for sale in this auction under another “bitsa” car, the changes are known, accepted. For me, the car is now the Bentley-Jackson Special, not Mother Gun. Its history and evolution are documented and the car is applauded within Bentley circles as such. In today’s transparent information and data driven world there’s no escaping the known opinion of this car’s ancestry. So, its history from its Brooklands transformation onwards is the car we see. The first chassis was taken from the Bentley production line to the new racing department. Modifications were made for Le Mans. Experts who’ve spoken to the race department engineers (God rest their souls) passed on the knowledge of the chassis alterations to help identify the true race cars, makers marks. The bloodline is there but with many dilutions. The current iteration of this Bentley-Jackson Special has recently driven the Goodwood driveway and the Nürburgring Oldtimer event. A good custodian will continue to fettle and persuade it into a cacophony of life and good luck to them! – My best theory on the origin of the name Mother Gun is nautical. The Bentley Boys, The Right Crowd, Barnato, Birkin, Kidston etc. were the fast living heroes of the day. Speed on land, sea and air was the aim, getting faster and more press coverage than we can imagine. A good yacht’s main sail is sometimes referred to as the “Mother Gun” for the extra oomph it gives. Barnato is said to have christened the chassis, he chose the name well. This Bentley, with its powerful lungs at full chat on the Brooklands Banking must have felt like unbridling the power of a higher God. An extra depth of lung capacity more than its rivals, solid, reliable and consistently capable of 130mph plus runs. In its current form, the car’s value is in its checkered history but more so in its ability to gain access. Its gets you in to all the right events, just like buying the right land brought a title with it. The Bentley-Jackson Special’s value is in its ability to be invited to the best motoring events. Its market value is such and not in the stratosphere of a rare breed Italian because of it. “The Market” is knowledgeable, savvy and seemingly always right, in this case falling short of the consignor’s expectations.

Lot # 362 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900C 1st Series Sprint, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N AR1900C01435; Gray/Light beige English wool cloth; Estimate $325,156 – $400,192; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $275,132. – RHD. 1,884cc/90hp four, Nardi floor shift, large silver spoked wire wheels with enlarged drum brakes, chromed front and rear bumpers, white rimmed 2-spoke steering whee., soft velour headlining type seat covering, wheel arch flares. – Gray metallic would show any imperfections. There are none. Simply superb lines and finish, a joy to see. Exterior trim refitted without polishing and doesn’t match the exterior quality. Original wires are dusty but would freshen up easily. The seats have a cream soft fluffy material with red piping, strange choice but genuine, the Aurelia has the same material. A really great car with minor details to finish. Formerly in the Mario Righini collection, 2015 Mille Miglia participant. – Mille Miglia eligibility is already demonstrated and the bidders disdain for this nearly pristine 1900C Pinin Farina coupe is difficult to understand, except that it breathes through a single Weber and doesn’t have the performance of an SS. The reported high bid is close enough to being mutually acceptable that it’s surprising Bonhams couldn’t assemble a post-block deal.

Lot # 367 2001 Lister Storm GT1 GT Coupe; S/N GTM005; Black/Black; Estimate $562,770 – $687,830; Competition restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $506,493 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $582,467. – RHD. 7 liter Jaguar XKR-9 V12, Hewland sequential shift transmission, large front lip spoiler, towing eye, large brake duct air intakes in headlight surround, quad halogen bulb headlights, large carbon brake discs, quick release centre lock wheels with slick tyres, large rear aero foil wing. – Raced with limited success in FIA GT, rebuilt with the tub from GTM001, restored in 2007-08. Paint finish is well used, paint flaking on the headlight air scoops, front sills are stone chipped extensively. The windshield is delaminating. The interior is pure brutal race car with exposed switches and wires but all original, if two were ever the same? A very strong looking racer that is new enough to be raced again and attracted good attention from bidders despite not being run since 2006. – That means it needs top-to-bottom attention before plumbing the depths of its performance, a fact that seems to be minimized in the result here, generous for a car with a mediocre racing history when new.

Lot # 380 1926 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Sports Tourer; S/N SR1421; Green/Green leather; Black top; Estimate $481,481 – $500,240; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $400,192. – RHD. Short chassis Speed Model, Green painted wire wheels with two prong knock-ons, heated wrapped exhaust, friction dampers, wing top side lights, folding windshield with motored wipers, dual aeroscreens, varnished wood folding top frame. – Bonnet and fenders are good but the fabric body is sun damaged and cracking. The engine is clean and leak free but not concours. Chassis and suspension are dusty and road weathered. Wood top frames are strong but clear replacements, the wood looks like soft pine and incorrect. The interior is aged and soiled but follows suit. The tyres and wheels look aged and require a thorough refurbishment. Described as having an engine rebuild in 2013-14. A more genuine car than others here but needs a practical, knowledgeable buyer and no history is known for most of its life – There is a great, yawning chasm in this Bentley’s history from delivery until 2013’s rebuild, not calculated to endow even the most trusting bidders’ hearts with confidence nor prize their paddles from their laps. The reported high bid is irrelevant.

Lot # 382 2004 Toyota TF104B Formula 1; S/N TF104B08B; Red, White “Panasonic”/Black; Estimate $75,036 – $100,048; Competition car, original as-raced, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $75,036 plus commission of 15.00%; Final Price $86,291. – Toyota V10, full aero package, multifunction steering wheel, harnesses, race moulded seat, silver painted alloy F1 wheels, Bridgestone Potenza grooved F1 tyres, air intake camera mounting. – No racing history, believed to be a test and display car, non-running. Some minor marks and stone chips but generally superb presentation. Carbon fibre is slightly delaminating on the edges which raises concern. The wheels are repainted but poorly prepped and slight corrosion plus they have marks from centre lock nut removal. Seat, harnesses and controls look new and unmarked. Sold as a rolling chassis with no engine or electronics or transmission. – A pretty piece of showroom art for a Toyota dealer and sold for a price appropriate to that purpose.

Lot # 384 1964 Aston Martin DB5 4.7 Litre Coupe; S/N DB51751R; Silver Birch/Black leather; Estimate $875,420 – $1,000,480; Modified restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $800,384. – RHD. 4.7 litre conversion, 3 SU’s, chromed wire wheels, reclining Connolly leather seats and trim, Wilton carpets, uprated radiator, electric engine fan, inertia reel seatbelts, Alpine CD changer, air conditioning, navigation. – Stunning silver coachwork, sublime, not an imperfection to be found. Reused exterior trim with fading and rub through areas. Black leather whilst not brand new seat, is of the highest quality and near perfect. Extensively modified and upgraded during a 1999 restoration at R.S. Williams, well-maintained since. – The DB5’s brilliant design, not to mention its Bond-connection, continues to make it one of the most sought-after collector cars, but many seem to be dissatisfied with its vintage car accoutrements. That leads to upgraded, feature-rich DB5s with extensive improvements for performance and drivability. As carefully restored and presented as 1751/R is, the money spent on upgrades was lost on the Goodwood bidders who gave it a whopping discount from a similarly presented but stock configured DB5 and in the end failed to meet the consignor’s reasonable expectations. It’s a restrained British version of American Resto-Mods and to the taste of a limited clique of open-minded buyers.

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Comments

    • John Jeffries
    • August 18, 2019
    Reply

    Looking forward to see Montherey revaps, but it seems like this auctions shows the debacle that is the British economy in light of Brexit, while US auctions show our own economy is headed to recession, both evidenced by slow sales within our hobby. I’d be happy to be wrong.

      • rickcarey1
      • August 21, 2019
      Reply

      Well, the “revaps” from Monterey are in, and they’re not encouraging. Total sales down by a massive 25 or so percent, not helped by much in the way of Big Money cars and the KdF Wagen debacle at RM.
      A complementary article in the Wall Street Journal also noted a steady decline in recreational vehicle sales, a leading indicator of the last two recessions.
      Rick

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