Reflecting the time of year, the February sale was a relatively modest affair with 91 classics on offer of which 65 were successfully sold to give a sale rate of 72% for a total of just under £569,000.
Top price of the day went to a nice, usable 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII in the favoured ice-blue-over-cream colours which made a healthy £50,400. Next best was a superb 2011 Bentley Continental GT with the desirable Mulliner Driving Specification and only 40k miles which made a top estimate £36,350 – about £100k less than it cost new but that’s depreciation for you!
A tidy 1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible which had spent much of its life in Japan made £32,480, the price perhaps being held back slightly by a colour change from the original green to ‘wedding white’.
A smart 1942 Dodge WC56 Command Reconnaissance Vehicle also did well at £26,880, as did a beautifully restored 1978 Jeep Wrangler CJ-7 Golden Eagle Levi’s Edition which made an impressive £25,080. Sticking with the American theme, a sharp-looking 1965 Ford Mustang 289 Notchback which had been restored in California 15 years ago made £21,330.
Also imported from the States was a smart RHD-converted 1968 MGC GT which made £16,910, while a lovely 1973 MGB GT from 30-year ownership comfortably beat its estimate to finish on £11,760.
Unusually for Brightwells, there were only three pre-war cars on offer but all were keenly snapped up. A delightful 1925 Amilcar C4 Sports made a top estimate £25,310 and is now on its way to a new home in France where it was originally made almost a century ago. A well-used but equally well-loved 1932 Riley Nine Gamecock fetched £18,290 while a beautifully mellowed 1936 Alvis Silver Eagle with loads of history made £17,360.
Also worthy of mention was a highly original and unrestored 1969 VW Beetle 1500 with just two owners from new which almost doubled its estimate to finish on £10,860. Equally Germanic was a 1988 Audi Coupe Quattro 10v with a leggy 216k miles but tons of service history which fetched £17,920.
All but two of the nine motorcycles on offer also found new homes, top price going to a 1948 Norton Model 18 in need of mechanical recommissioning which made £5,600 with a smart 1969 Triumph Trophy 500 T100C not far behind at £5,230.
The next Brightwells Classic Vehicles auction will be on 29th March with a closing date for entries of 17th March so if you are thinking of selling, please get in touch by calling 01568 611122 or by emailing classiccars@brightwells.com.
