A Healey Silverstone restoration project was the joint top-seller at Bonhams' Oxford sale on Saturday, making £64,220 including premium.
The Healey was one of just three cars to pass the £50,000 mark and shared top-billing with a 1936 Alvis Speed Twenty-Five Tourer (below).
Third highest price came for the ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1947 Bentley MkVI Gurney Nutting (below), which amassed £55,200.
Despite the real-world prices, the event was a great enthusiast sale with loads of interesting lots, dominated by the super-rare Healeys from the same deceased estate as the Silverstone.
An ultra-rare Alvis Healey (above) pushed bidding to just shy of £40,000, while probably the sole-surviving 1947 Healey Duncan Drone roadster (below) made £27,600 and a 1948 Healey Duncan sports saloon (two below) £10,580.
There was also a brace of wonderful Lagondas that wouldn't have broken the bank for such a classy yet underrated model.
They were a 1955 3-litre sports saloon (£20,700) and a 1951 2.6-litre drophead coupé (£22,425).
Weirdest car by a long chalk was the two tone 1983 Bentley Mulsanne Turbo Sports Estate shooting brake converted by Coway of Bolton. Thought to be unique, it sold for £20,125.
Vying for bargain of the auction were an oddly-liveried Fiat 500 with full MoT that made a tempting £3910 and a tidy 1953 Bentley R-type saloon that sold for £16,100.
James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car