Lichfield auction sees historic vehicles rev up £50,110

Lotus leads line-up in busy sale

HAMMER prices for historic vehicles totalled £50,110 in a Lichfield auction last month.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers' sale at The Lichfield Auction Centre on July 27 saw bidders in the room, over the telephone and online battle over iconic sports cars and motorbikes.

Highlights included a restored 1972 Lotus Elan Sprint FHC sports coupe in red, gold and white, which sold at £17,700.

The Lotus, which set tongues wagging when it was displayed at The Alrewas Show next to Richard Winterton Auctioneers’ stand, is the final and most developed version of the original two-seat Elan and, although mechanically derived from the Series 4, was marketed as a model in its own right.

The ‘absolutely delighted’ winning bidder, who comes from the Burton area, said: “It has been a dream to own this specific model since I was 16 – and I’m not 16 anymore!

"I couldn’t be happier. I’m made up with it.”

The Elan boasts a 1558cc big valve petrol engine, dual Dellorto carburettors, Spyder sub-frame, four-speed manual gearbox, iconic pop-up headlights and black vinyl bucket seats.

This classic British sports coupe was lovingly restored by a precision engineer local to our saleroom between January and July 1998 and came to auction along with a photographic and receipted timeline together with working notes and adjustments for the restoration, catalogue, pamphlets and workshop manuals.

The sale also featured a 1967 MG B Roadster convertible sports car and a 1974 Innocenti Mini Cooper, both restored.

Made under licence in Italy and exported to the UK in 1980, the Mini sold at £8,800. The MG B made £5,000.

A 1956 ex-military 88 inch Series One Land Rover, which entered service with the Durham Light Infantry in 1956 and was decommissioned and registered for domestic road use in 1966, sold at £7,250.

The sale also featured a 1964 Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ assembly restoration project in need of completion, including chassis, body panels, gearbox, engine, and other parts, sold at £3,400.

Motorbikes in the auction included a 1966 Royal Enfield Turbo Twin 250cc, sold at £1,150, and a 1938 Velocette GTP 250cc, sold at £1,900. Both were road ready.

A 1955 BSA Golden Flash 650cc ready for restoration, and with the cherished number plate ‘ROB 326’, sold at £3,600.

The sale also included another cherished number plate retention document for ‘BDH 100’, which made £1,150.

Richard Winterton Auctioneers offers a special Buyer’s Premium of 10% plus VAT on the hammer price of motor vehicles.

To arrange a free valuation of all types of motor vehicle, or to enquire about a home visit for large collections or house clearances, email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.