More than 1700 people packed into Anglia Car Auctions' King's Lynn sale on 5 April, with three quarters of a million pounds leaving buyers' pockets. The sale is notable for its large number of affordable classics and the diversity of its listings.
The highest price achieved was £50,400 for a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 230SL that was mostly original aside from a respray,. That was closely followed by £46,200 for a 1985 Rolls-Royce Corniche, beating its upper estimate of £45,000.
A staggering £15,225 changed hands for a 1968 Triumph TR5 PI that had recently emerged from long term storage in a barn. It was described by the vendor as being in need of full restoration, and few would have disagreed. It sported matching numbers and four GRP wings. There was no reserve or estimate.
Of the Youngtimers, a 1987 Volvo 340 GL that had covered just 132 miles from new sold for £5350, once again with no reserve. After just two weeks' use, the first owner crashed into a bollard and locked the car away. It was sold in timewarp condition with the original paper mat protectors still in place. Unsurprisingly, the brakes were bound and it was hesitant to start.
A 1992 Renault 5 Campus had a very similar story, this time showing just 202 miles on the clock. It eventually sold for £3570.
A 1991 Bentley Turbo R seemed good value at £5800. Despite the air conditioning system requiring attention, the big saloon had covered just 43,000 miles, was fitted with new tyres and came with an MoT valid until January 2015. Will these ever get any cheaper?
A great project was bought in a 1988 BMW 320i convertible that sold for just £900. It was described as being a solid example that would benefit from cosmetic refurbishment.
Another bargain came from the Patrick Rugg collection. The 1993 Citroën XM Prestige was estimated at just £800-1200 and sold at its upper prediction. It had clocked up just 77,000 miles and boasted a cambelt change at 72k, full leather interior and 'wobbly web' alloys.
Raising eyebrows was a 1994 Volkswagen Golf GTI that more than doubled its upper estimate of £1600, selling for £3675. It had covered just 37,005 miles from new and boasted 15 main dealer service stamps, but nonetheless surprised the room.
From the same stable, a 1993 Volkswagen Corrado 16v showing 63,328 miles on the clock sold for £2730, showing the increasing interest in these angular coupés.
When it came to the more 'classic' cars, a trio of Fiat 500s failed to sell, despite their number including a very nicely finished 1974 Abarth recreation.
Beating its pre-sale upper estimate of £20,000 by some £5725 was a 1967 Jaguar S-type. The 3.4-litre manual was finished in Opalescent Light Blue with contrasting Burgundy interior and was fresh out of long term-storage following a full restoration. The car was sold with bills for parts and servicing totalling more than £50,000.
A 1967 Jaguar E-type 2+2 sold just above its lower estimate at £15,750. The original car was last on the road in 1985 and was fitted with a roof rack, reputedly for the transport of sheep carcasses because the first owner was a vet. It required restoration.
A 1930 Chevrolet Sports looked well finished, and being right-hand drive was perfect for British roads. It sold on estimate for £9450.
Needing cosmetic improvement was a 1968 Daimler 250 V8, which was very well bought at just £5302.50. Though rough around the edges, it came with a MoT certificate and had travelled 60 miles to the sale with no issues.
A 1956 Ford Consul sold below its lower estimate of £3000, eventually being sold for £2992.50. It looked to be an idea starter classics and was taxed until January 2015.
Click here to see the complete list of results.
