Tag Archives: brightwells

Beutler-Bodied Bristol

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1951 Bristol 401 by Beutler

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | April 8, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Bristol 401, which was the company’s second automobile, is rare enough as it is. Just 611 were produced between 1948 and 1953. Remarkably, this makes it the most common Bristol product. Most of them were bodied as two-door coupes by the factory.

This car, and one other, were shipped as bare chassis to Beutler in Switzerland to get custom coachbuilt bodies. The factory 2.0-liter inline-six remained unchanged and was rated at 85 horsepower.

After being bodied, it was sent to its first owner – who ordered it this way – in Sri Lanka, of all places. It returned to England with its second owner in 1960 and has resided there since. It was later restored and fitted with a later Bristol engine. No estimate is posted, but you can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold.

Ford Zodiac

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1965 Ford Zodiac Mk III

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Zephyr was Ford of Britain‘s “big car” from 1950 through 1972. The Mark III Zephyr was sold from 1962 until 1966, and it was available as the Zephyr 4 or Zephyr 6, each denoting a cylinder count.

The Zodiac was the luxury version of the Zephyr 6. It could’ve been had during the entire run of the Mark III Zephyr and is powered by a 2.6-liter inline-six that was rated at 109 horsepower, which was more than lower Zephyrs had. Top speed was 100 mph. Styling was also improved: four headlights, a narrower C-pillar, and an upmarket interior.

A Zodiac model would be offered again during the next generation of Zephyrs, but that would be it. This one has spent the last 11 years with its most recent of its seven owners. The estimate is $12,000-$14,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $13,023.

Reliant Scimitar SS1

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1987 Reliant Scimitar SS1

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Reliant Scimitar debuted in 1964 and was restyled multiple times and produced across various generations through 1986 (and then by Middlebridge through 1990). Most of those were shooting brakes.

The Scimitar SS1 was a mostly unrelated two-seat sports car styled by Giovanni Michelotti and produced from 1984 through 1990 before being renamed the Scimitar SST and later the Scimitar Sabre.

Various engines were offered, and this car has a 1.6-liter Ford inline-four that was rated at 96 horsepower. The car also had pop-up headlamps, independent suspension, and a composite body. Including the successor models, just over 1,500 of these were made. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,708.

Smith’s Milk Truck

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1989 Smith’s Milk Float

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | February 11, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Smith Electric Vehicles was founded in 1920 in England. They moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 2011 and were out of business by 2017. Their main product over the years were electric delivery vans.

Which is what we have here. Basically, this is the electric, 1980s British version of a Divco milk truck. It doesn’t look all that interesting, and it probably isn’t too interesting to drive. Even Brightwells couldn’t come up with more than a sentence for a lot description. And that description ends with a question mark. It may as well just say “Well, why not?” (Can we also talk about how fresh milk deliveries are still happening in England?)

What I find interesting about this truck is that it comes from a manufacturer of commercial vehicles that most people have never heard of. And here is someone’s opportunity to have a relatively low-maintenance “historic commercial vehicle” for very little cost: just $3,000-$4,000. Click here for more info. Or less info.

Update: Sold $4,317.

Lancia Augusta

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1935 Lancia Augusta Sedan

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | December 3, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

The Lancia Augusta was a small car produced by the company between 1933 and 1936. Offered mainly as a four-door sedan, the car was also built at Lancia’s French factory. French-built cars were called the Belna and could be had with fancy coachbuilt bodies.

Power is from a 1.2-liter V4 rated at 35 horsepower. In all, 17,217 Augustas were built before the model was replaced by the Ardea. Despite its entry-level-ness, the Augusta never really took off in Italy, and it’s sales numbers were dwarfed by the Fiat 508 Balilla.

This one was restored in the 1970s and has known history dating back to the ’60s. Another mechanical refresh was carried out in 2012, though the car is said to need a little recommissioning before use. It has an estimate of $14,000-$17,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $15,946.

Austin Champ

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1953 Austin Champ

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | December 3, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

The Willys Jeep was a hit during WWII, and the basic concept has remained popular in civilian life since. Well, the Brits didn’t want to have to keep buying American Jeeps – and there was some nationalistic pride to be had too by developing their own version.

So in stepped Austin with this, which unofficially became known as the Champ. Produced between 1951 and 1956, the jeep-like truck is powered by a Rolls-Royce-sourced 2.8-liter inline-four that made 80 horsepower. It’s a 4×4 with a waterproof engine and a snorkel. A civilian version was also available.

This one remained in service with the British military until 1967 and later went to the Netherlands. It wears an older restoration and carries as estimate of $14,000-$16,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $21,077.

DKW Munga

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1965 DKW Munga

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | September 14, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

DKW was part of Auto Union, having joined that group in 1932. The last DKW-branded automobiles were produced in 1969, after which the four-ringed logo would go on to adorn Audis alone.

Known for smaller, more inexpensive cars, DKW products were never built in great numbers. The Munga was an all-wheel drive, multi-purpose off-road car that debuted in late 1956. Production continued on through 1968, during which time 46,750 were built. The trucklets were used by the West German military and border police along with other European countries.

There was also a civilian version, which was popular in Africa and South America. Power is from a 1.0-liter two-stroke inline-three that made about 50 horsepower. This well-used example carries a pre-sale estimate of $3,400-$5,800. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,863.

Railton Cobham

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1936 Railton Cobham Deluxe

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | August 3, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

Here’s one you may not be familiar with. Railton was founded by Noel Macklin, who previously founded Invicta. He named his next company after Reid Railton, a British world speed record holder. The kind of weird part was, Macklin used American Hudson powertrains for his British-built cars (initially inline-eights).

The Cobham, of which this appears to be an early example, was the “small” Railton at this time of its introduction, with power from a 2.7-liter Hudson inline-six. An even smaller Railton would debut in 1938 and was based on Standard mechanicals instead of those from Hudson.

Just 81 examples of the Cobham were produced, either as a sedan or drophead coupe. This is one of about six that remain. It was repainted in 1993, receiving mechanical repairs and upgrades as needed over the years. The pre-sale estimate is $24,000-$30,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold. Offered for sale at half it’s lower estimate above.

Update: Sold Brightwells September 2022, $17,707.

Rover 8HP

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1904 Rover Eight

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | June 18, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

Rover was one of the U.K.’s longest-running automotive marques. The Rover Company Limited got its start as so many others did, with bicycles. They were founded in 1878, and motorcycles followed in 1902. The first Rover car was 1904’s Eight, an example of which we have here.

The first Eights were powered by a 1.3-liter single cylinder that made eight horsepower. A 1.0-liter sleeve-valve single was offered for the model’s final two years of production in 1911 and 1912. The car had a backbone frame that was essentially just the running gear, and this evolved into an ash chassis by 1907.

This first-year Rover is said to be the oldest surviving Rover in private hands and one of the earliest Rovers built. It has known history back to 1921 and is a former London-to-Brighton participant. It has a pre-sale estimate of $85,000-$90,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $122,595.

Marcos 1600GT

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1968 Marcos 1600GT

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 7, 2022

Photo – Brightwells

The first of the Marcos GT line of cars was the 1800GT, which featured a Volvo powerplant. Two years later, the Volvo 1800 was out, and the Ford Kent-powered 1500GT was in. Due to the power drop between the two, Marcos bored the 1500 out, selling an uprated 1650GT for a brief time before introducing the 1600GT, which was sold from 1967 through 1969.

This model featured a 1.6-liter Ford Kent inline-four with a crossflow cylinder head. Output was rated at 100 horsepower when new. The 1600GT outsold earlier models, with 192 built in the three years of production.

Originally blue, this car has been redone, with the engine overhauled to displace 1,670cc, among other upgrades. The pre-sale estimate is $15,000-$18,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $16,449.