Tag Archives: historics at brooklands

Bamby

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1984 Bamby

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | November 26, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

You have to think that Bamby Cars Ltd of Hull, England, was so named because they wanted the association with a certain cute cartoon deer that everyone is familiar with to correspond with this small, cute microcar. Of course, Alan Evans, the designer and builder of this car, had to spell it a little differently or face the wrath of one of the meanest squad of corporate lawyers known to man.

This car uses a 50cc single-cylinder engine from Yamaha, a fiberglass body and a single gullwing door that allows the lone passenger to climb aboard. Produced in 1984 only, the Bamby is sufficiently rare, with only about 25 produced.

Somehow, this auction has managed to wrangle two of these cars for this sale. This one has covered 2,600 miles since new and is being sold at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $5,006.

Carver One

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2008 Carver One

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | November 26, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

There’s an almost sci-fi like fascination with building “cars” that can lean into corners. Mercedes built a concept car years ago where the front tires lean when you turn. Piaggio has a scooter that does it. It’s just not very practical and the engineering involved seems intense. But Carver Europe (formerly known as Vandenbrink after Chris van den Brink who co-developed the technology behind this car with Harry Kroonen) managed to bring one to market.

It’s a three-wheeler, which in many countries technically classifies it as a motorcycle (even though it has a roof and doors). The engine is mounted out back and is a 660cc turbo straight-four making 65 horsepower. Might not sound like much, but it’s enough to get up to 115 mph. The passenger compartment has self-leveling technology that allows the body to swing in the corners (think of it as leaning into the turn) to give you a very jet fighter-esque experience.

The Carver originally went on sale in the early 2000s, probably in 2002. But due to a nearly €30,000 price tag as-new, demand was low and the company went belly-up in 2009. Only about 200 were ever made and this one should sell for between $16,000-$22,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $36,852.

Dellow Prototype

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1947 Dellow Prototype

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | November 26, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Dellow was a motorcar manufacturer from a city near Birmingham that was founded to make a very specific type of automobile by Ken Delingpole and Ron Lowe in 1949. Early cars were based on the Austin 7 chassis, but these were meant for Post-War off-road Trials racing, hence their decent ground clearance and rugged looks.

The car you see here is thought to be the third Dellow built – a true prototype. It sits on a chassis from a 1938 Austin 7 van – a longer wheelbase than the base 7. The engine is from a Ford and it’s a 1.2-liter straight-four. It led a life on the circuit – from hillclimbs, to road-racing, to off-road trials, racking up wins as it did. Some famous drivers got their starts driving Dellows up muddy English hills.

It’s been treated to a complete restoration and has become one of the best documented examples of the marque. The last Dellows were produced in 1959 and some people see it as the ancestor to the Lotus. The factory turned out only about 300 cars during its existence, making this a rare car today. It should bring between $19,500-$24,500. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $20,859.

Berkeley SE328

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1957 Berkeley SE328 Sports

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | November 26, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Berkeley Cars Ltd of the amusingly-named Biggleswade, England, was in existence only between 1956 and 1960. In that short time frame, the company managed to produce about 10 different models. The SE328 Sports was the second model introduced, and it was produced between January 1957 and April 1958.

This car is powered by a 328cc two-stroke twin-cylinder engine – a six cc improvement over the original Sports model. Power is a stout 18 horsepower and it cost $1,600 when new in the U.S., where they were officially exported to. Top speed was right at about 62 mph.

The Sports was the second best-selling model Berkeley had with 1,259 produced. The small engine, fiberglass body, and diminutive size make this a fun, economical toy for those with the means. This 35,000 mile example will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $5,284.

Tourette Microcar

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1957 Tourette Supreme

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | November 26, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

This incredibly rare, incredible micro, microcar was built by the Progress Supreme Co. Ltd. of Purley, London between 1956 and 1958. Progress Supreme was originally known as the Carr Brothers, probably named after the founders.

This three-wheeled microcar looks like something somebody drove right off a kiddie ride at an amusement park. It is powered by a 197cc single-cylinder, two-stroke engine that makes enough horsepower to scoot this thing up to what has to be a terrifying 55 mph. It weights only 500 pounds and has a thrifty 2.7 gallon gas tank.

This is one of only two known surviving Tourette mircocars of an original production run of just 26. There are replicas, but this is the real thing – one of the rarest microcars out there. The pre-sale estimate is $22,000-$30,000 – but it could go higher. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $38,938.

August 2016 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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We’re back with more from Monterey with Russo & Steele. The top sale was this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL for $1,155,000.

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

Our featured Tojeiro California failed to sell and you can find complete results here.

While Monterey may have been the center of the car world in August, it wasn’t the only place where cars could be had. Historics at Brooklands held a sale during Monterey week. We weren’t able to feature anything from it, but the top seller was this 1934 Bentley 3½-Litre Roadster Special for about $187,000. More results can be found here.

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Next up is Bonhams Beaulieu sale where this 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Coupe was the top seller at $390,392.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Among our feature cars, the Brasier brought the most, at $79,679. The Chalmers was next with a price of $39,879 and then the Rochet-Schneider at $23,007. The Clyde, Briton, and Garrard all failed to sell. Complete results can be found here.

Silverstone’s Salon Prive sale was held in early September and we weren’t able to feature anything from it, but this 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 brought the most money, by just a few hundred dollars, selling for $277,019. Click here for all the results.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

And finally, we jump to Auburn, Indiana, where Worldwide Auctioneers held their annual sale there. The car we featured from this sale, the Townsend Typhoon, failed to meet its reserve and did not sell. The top sale was this 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Coupe for $572,000 – quite the premium over the car Bonhams sold above. Click here for full results.

Photo - Worldwide Auctioneers

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

May 2016 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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We’re back with more from May, but as has been the case recently, we backtrack, this time to March for results from Coys’ Spring Classics sale in London. A previously-featured Delin Voiturette sold for $93,610. The top sale was this 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000 S for $368,200.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The one-off supercar, the Aspira F620, went for $126,110. Complete results can be found here. Moving on, we end up at Bonhams Aston Martin Works sale, where our featured Lagonda wagon failed to sell. What did sell, and for the most money, was this 1963 Aston Martin DB4 Series 5 Vantage Convertible for $1,470,701.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our other two feature cars both sold with the V600 Vantage bringing an impressive $654,859 and the Project Vantage Concept Car $127,825. Click here for full results.

Mecum’s annual trek to Indy had a lot of cars cross the block. None were sold for more than this 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster for $1,100,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The Stoddard-Dayton we featured didn’t sell – neither did the Devon GTX or a previously-featured Locomobile. The Corvette Z06 brought $210,000 and the Buick GS Convertible went for $185,000. Click here for more results.

On to Silverstone Auctions’ Classic Race Aarhus Auction where our featured Reo Royale failed to sell. The top sale was this this 2010 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Recreation that brought about $363,500. Click here for more results.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

And finally (into June), results from Historics at Brooklands’ June sale where this 1991 Ferrari Testarossa was the top sale at $226,140.

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

A previously-featured Victor Electric brought $54,145. Our other two feature cars both sold, with the Elva bringing $124,215 and the Lea-Francis $47,775. Click here for further results.

Elva Mk III

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1959 Elva Mk III

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | June 11, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Elva was a manufacturer of automobiles – most of which were race cars – founded in 1955 by Frank Nichols in Sussex. There were sports racing cars, single seaters, and even a few road cars sprinkled in for good measure. Production ended in 1968.

The Mk III Elva was an evolution of the Mk II racer (most cars just evolved from earlier ones). This car went to the U.S. when new and is powered by a Coventry Climax 1.5-liter straight-four. The body is all auminium and it has race history going back to 1959 at the hands of Carroll Shelby’s mechanic.

The current owner acquired the car in 2009, bringing it back to the U.K. and restoring it. I don’t have an exact number of how many were built, but based on serial numbers, it is probably between 15-25 examples total. It should sell for between $110,000-$125,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $124,215.

Lea-Francis 2.5-Litre Sports

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1950 Lea-Francis 2½-Litre Westland Sports

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | June 11, 2016

Photo - Historics at Brooklands

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

Lea-Francis was founded by Richard Lea and Graham Francis in 1895. As did many, the pair began by building bicycles and cars came in 1903. Strangely for a company that began by building bicycles, motorcycle production started after cars did. An independent their entire existence, the company folded in 1960.

The 2½-Litre was introduced in 1949 and was built in very small quantities through 1953. In fact, only 77 were built in total. The engine is a 2.5-liter straight-four rated at 120 horsepower. This is the sportiest car Lea-Francis built after the war.

Kind of resembling a Jaguar XK120, this Westland-bodied Lea-Francis is among the most collectible cars that the company built. Coupling with the decent looks and low production numbers, this example with a six-year-old restoration is expected to bring between $50,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $47,775.