Tag Archives: brightwells

Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane

Posted on by
Reply

1948 Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane 16

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster U.K. | March 27-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Armstrong-Siddeley, which I guess never officially had a hyphen but I’m hyphenating anyway because that’s how I did it last time, was founded via a merger in 1919 and existed as a motorcar manufacturer until 1960.

The Hurricane drophead coupe was launched alongside the Lancaster sedan at the end of WWII. The Hurricane remained in production until 1953 in two different forms. This, the 16, is the less-powerful of the two. It’s equipped with a 2.0-liter inline-six that was rated at 70 horsepower when new. There was a larger Hurricane 18 model with a 2.3-liter six as well.

Combined production between the two engine options was just 2,606, all of which convertibles. It was the first Armstrong-Siddeley with an independent front suspension and was boded in-house, unlike the Lancaster. The pre-sale estimate is $15,000-$18,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $17,195.

Mitsuoka Viewt

Posted on by
Reply

1998 Mitsuoka Viewt 2-Door

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 17-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

“I want a Jaguar Mark II but I don’t want it to be an unreliable nightmare. Also, I want it to be a hatchback and look like a crappy hatchback, from the side.” Well then do I have the car for you. The Viewt is the car that put Mitsuoka on the map. It’s basically a re-worked Nissan Micra (or March) that is supposed to look like a Jaguar Mark II from the front.

This first-gen example is based on the 1992-2003 K11 generation of the Nissan Micra. Most Viewts were four-door sedans, but it looks like someone convinced them to tack their front end on a hatchback. Power is from a 1.0-liter inline-four that produced 54 horsepower when new.

The Viewt is technically still in production but on an updated Nissan platform. Over 12,000 have been produced thus far, a very small percentage of which I believe to be two-doors. This relatively low-mile example should sell for between $4,000-$7,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,235.

Alvis TB 14

Posted on by
Reply

1950 Alvis TB 14

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 27-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Alvis built a string of really nice-looking post-war sports cars, including the TC 21, TD 21, and TE 21. But before those, was this, the TB 14, which was based on the TA 14 saloon. The TA 14 was the company’s first post-war car, and the TB 14 was their first two-door sports car.

The TB was only produced in 1950, which was the final year for the TA, before it was replaced by the TB 21. It is powered by an in-house 1.9-liter inline-four rated at 68 horsepower when new. The car topped out at around 80 mph. Unfortunately, it was quickly overshadowed by the Jaguar XK120, which was much more of a performer.

Only 100 were produced, and about a third of them remain. This one was restored after having been parked for 25 years. It is now expected to bring between $43,000-$49,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $41,923.

Austin K2/Y

Posted on by
Reply

1943 Austin K2/Y Ambulance

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 27-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Every major manufacturer got involved in the war in some regard. Consider that right up until the war started, Austin was building this tiny car. Then all of a sudden, they’re manufacturing heavy trucks (though they did build armored cars during WWI).

Between 1939 and 1945, Austin built 13,102 examples of this field ambulance. And that’s all it was… there was no “troop-carrier” variant. Ambulance only. The 3.5-liter inline-six made 60 horsepower when new, enough to propel this three-ton truck to 50 mph. The gruesome record during the war is apparently 27 injured soldiers carried in one load, including on the fenders and hood.

This example was used by the Royal Navy and has been in the same family since it was disposed of by the War Department in 1948. It can now be yours for between $26,000-$27,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

TVR 290S

Posted on by
Reply

1992 TVR S3 290S

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 27-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

TVR produced an “S” series of cars between 1986 and 1994. They were the transition between the wedge-shaped TVRs of the 1980s and the insanity of the 1990s. There were four “S” cars powered by V6s, and there was the V8S.

The S2, S3, and S4 all shared the same 168-horsepower, 2.9-liter Ford V6. The changes between the series were mostly cosmetic (or emissions-related), and the S3 was launched in 1990. It got a stiffer chassis than earlier cars as well as longer doors and an interior redesign.

Only 887 examples of the S3 were built through 1992, making it the most common of the S cars. But, uh, they are still not common at all. This is a cheap way into TVR ownership (though there is nothing saying that TVR ownership will remain cheap). The pre-sale estimate is just $8,700-$10,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $8,524.

Mercedes O319 Minibus

Posted on by
Reply

1964 Mercedes-Benz O319 Minibus

Offered by Brightwells | Online | February 18, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Mercedes-Benz has been in the commercial vehicle business for a long time. Longer than just about anyone, in fact. The L319 was a “light” commercial platform produced by the company between 1955 and 1968. It was their first such vehicle, slotting in between a small delivery van and a run-of-the-mill truck.

They were available in a variety of body styles, including vans, flatbed trucks, and more. A minibus variant called the O319 was also available. This would’ve originally had a small, 55-horsepower diesel engine in it, but now it has a replacement 2.0-liter diesel inline-four.

This tiny bus has apparently been in a private Welsh collection for years, being primarily used as a wedding party bus (though the interior still has very bus-like rows of seating). It is expected to sell for between $41,000-$48,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Bid to $34,192… Brightwells doesn’t make it easy to tell if a car sold or not. This one missed its estimate so I’m not sure.

Alpine GTA V6 Turbo

Posted on by
Reply

1990 Renault Alpine GTA V6 Turbo

Offered by Brightwells | Online | February 13-18, 2020

Photo – Brightwells

The GTA was the first “Alpine” that was technically branded as a Renault product. Alpine become the model, as this was the first new Alpine model launched after Renault acquired Jean Rédélé’s company in 1973. The GTA went on sale in 1985 and was built through 1991.

There were a number of different sub-models offered, including a base, naturally aspirated version. There was also a Le Mans model, an example of which we have featured before. By 1990, the car had been fitted with power-robbing emissions equipment, and this V6 Turbo model is powered by a, you guessed it, turbocharged 2.5-liter V6 rated 182 horsepower. Sixty arrived in seven seconds, and the car topped out at 151 mph.

This car has aftermarket wheels that make it look like a Venturi, and it is expected to sell for between $10,000-$13,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $10,931.

Pilgrim Family Tourer

Posted on by
Reply

1980 Pilgrim Family Tourer

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | February 13-18, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Pilgrim Fiberglass was founded in 1985 in Brighton, England, by Den Tanner and Bill Harling. The company is still around, having outlasted early models like this to become one of the most prolific Cobra kit car manufacturers in the world.

Their first two models were the Bulldog, which was introduced in 1985, and the Family Tourer, which went on sale in 1989. The Family Tourer was essentially a four-seat version of the Bulldog and largely shared its 1950s MG-inspired styling.

The basis for the car was actually the fifth-generation of the Ford Cortina. This is based on a 1980 model, hence the model year listed above, even though it was built in 1992. It’s powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four and features a steel backbone chassis. Only about 250 Family Tourers were built, and this one will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $4,398.

Chimaera 4.5

Posted on by
Reply

1999 TVR Chimaera 4.5

Offered by Brightwells | Online | December 10, 2020

Photo – Brightwells

The Chimaera was TVR’s “tourer.” It was intended for long-distance cruising and was sold between 1992 and 2003. Now, TVRs don’t have the world’s greatest reputation for reliability (so take “long-distance” with a grain of salt), but the intent was still there. Also, who cares. TVRs are awesome. And this one has over 90,000 miles, so take that, reliability skeptics.

There were a number of different power levels of Chimaera offered. We’ve featured a 4.0-liter example previously, and this one is two steps up. The 4.5 is powered by a 4.5-liter Rover V8 rated at 285 horsepower. Top speed was supposed to be 160 mph.

All Chimaeras were drop-tops, and only one model was slotted in above the 4.5. This example is finished in Canyon Red over Biscuit leather. It is expected to sell for between $13,500-$16,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $14,903

MGC Roadster

Posted on by
Reply

1968 MG C Roadster

Offered by Brightwells | Online | December 7-10, 2020

Photo – Brightwells

The MGC was a short-lived relative of the long-running MGB, the latter of which went on sale in 1962 and was produced through 1980. The B lost its chrome bumpers in 1975 and gained big rubber units, which made the earlier cars seem a lot prettier. This 1968 C is pretty much indistinguishable from the chrome-bumper MGB, with the exception of a subtle hood bulge.

Why the bulge? Well, the C was powered by a 145-horsepower, 2.9-liter inline-six. That’s two cylinders and 50 horsepower more than the B. The MGC was only produced between 1967 and 1969. It’s just a blip on the map of MGB production.

The car was supposed to be a replacement for the Austin-Healey 3000 (but it really wasn’t), and the heavier six-cylinder engine threw off the car’s handling. It was not a success, and only about 4,500 roadster variants ended up being built. This one was restored 30 years ago and is now expected to bring between $28,000-$31,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $22,560.