23 £20k classic cars for sale this week

Has Christmas come early?

If you’re in the market for a new-to-you classic car, this weekend looks like being a prime opportunity with three major auctions taking place here in the UK.

There’s Bonhams MPH’s December Auction on Friday 11 December at Bicester Heritage, then Classic Car Auctions’ December Live Online Auction and Historics Auctioneers’ Ascot Racecourse Sale both on Saturday 12 December.

2020 has been a rotten year, so if you think you deserve an early Christmas present or you simply want something to take you into 2021 in style, we’ve scoured the catalogues from those three sales and selected 23 classics that, if their pre-sale estimates are right, could be yours for no more than £20,000.

Prepare to be tempted…

1. 1981 Volkswagen Golf GTI (est: £9-12,000)

We are starting with what we think looks like an absolute peach that’s also predicted to sell for well within our self-imposed £20,000 budget.

This Mk1 VW Golf GTI has been restored for the Channel 4 TV show Mend it for Money, indeed its auction is part of this story and, COVID-permitting, the sale will be recorded for the programme. 

1981 Volkswagen Golf GTI (cont.)

Going under the hammer in CCA’s sale on Saturday following a restoration including a professional, glass-out repaint, a rebuilt 1.8-litre engine, new Bilstein suspension and a reupholstered cabin, it is described as being in ‘beautiful condition’.

Its Mars Red exterior hue is the original shade, too, and we love the black and red interior.

2. 1983 Ford Fiesta XR2 (est: £11-15,000)

Let’s stick with hot hatches for a little longer with this Mk1 XR2 consigned to Historics’ Ascot auction.

Described as being ‘very good and original’ and still wearing its famous, original ‘pepperpot’ alloy wheels, this 72,622-mile Fiesta has spent some time in Northern Ireland, returning to England in 2017.

1983 Ford Fiesta XR2 (cont.)

Earlier this year it was bought to be used as a prop in ’80s TV and movie filming, so it certainly looks the part!

Its grey, pinstriped cabin looks to be in decent order, indeed the whole car appears to be in good, original condition which is promising, considering many of these must’ve lived hard lives in the hands of boy racers when new.

3. 1957 Citroën DS19 (est: £18-24,000)

It is time for a change of pace with our next pick – and it might just be a budget-buster, too.

This early, original, French-market Citroën DS19 was in its homeland until sold to motoring journalist Richard Bremner in summer 1989, when he brought it across the Channel.

1957 Citroën DS19 (cont.)

It has since competed in the Cartier Style et Luxe concours at 2006’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and in 2015 it was shown at the same event, this time serving as a display vehicle on the DS Automobiles stand.

Its current owner has had the pleasure of it since 2016 and now it is being sold with Bonhams MPH, the auction house saying that ‘early examples as good as this one are rarely found now’.

4. 1938 Rover Ten Coupé (est: £4-6000)

One of the oldest cars in our list and one of the most affordable is this delightful Rover that is being offered with no reserve.

What’s more, its 38,482-mile odometer reading is believed to be true – pretty incredible for an 82-year-old car. But that doesn’t mean it has lived a sheltered life.

1938 Rover Ten Coupé (cont.)

Its first owner was the Rover Car Company, during which time the director had the use of it.

Since a restoration in the late ’90s, it has been well maintained, achieved concours glory, and been entered in car club runs and rallies. Plus, Bonhams MPH says that both its sunroof and opening windscreen are in fine working order.

5. 1991 Porsche 928 (est: £9-12,000)

Also being offered with no reserve is this Porsche 928 S4 in Classic Car Auctions’ sale.

It is a UK-supplied, right-hand-drive example that has done 110,000 miles. And if you think its Amethyst Metallic paintjob is eye-catching, just wait until you peek inside.

1991 Porsche 928 (cont.)

That’s a Silk Grey leather and Rubystone Red interior, which might not be to everyone’s taste, but certainly makes this lot stand out.

What will please any prospective bidder is that this Porsche has been recommissioned prior to this Saturday’s auction, and it is being sold with a chunky history file and a fresh MoT.

6. 1969 MGC Roadster (est: £18-24,000)

Our first drop-top has the potential to bust our £20,000 budget, but for the right car sometimes you have to find a few extra pennies.

This C was sold new to America and comes with lots of history from its time in the US.

1969 MGC Roadster (cont.)

As you can see, it has been converted to right-hand drive, this done during a recent restoration in which it also received new chrome, wheels and tyres, a fresh leather interior, a new windscreen, radiator, wiring loom, steering rack and more.

Sounds like it is ready to be enjoyed!

7. 1939 Lancia Aprilia (est: £18-22,000)

Pictured here at Bicester Heritage ahead of Friday’s Bonhams MPH auction, this green over cream Aprilia has been in Northern Ireland since the 1950s and has been with its current keeper for around 30 years.

In that time it was always stored in a heated garage and has clearly been cherished.

1939 Lancia Aprilia (cont.)

That owner also restored the Lancia, albeit 25 years ago, work which included an interior retrim.

Today, it is understood that mechanically it is in fine fettle and it is rust-free, although the paintwork could do with being smartened a little.

8. 1970 BMW 2800CS (est: £10-12,000)

Ah, the graceful lines of BMW’s E9 coupé.

And, yes, this 67,000-mile example is in need of some TLC, but if it sells within its pre-sale estimate and you’re shopping with our £20,000 budget, you’ve got a few grand leftover to get started on that work.

1970 BMW 2800CS (cont.)

With smooth, six-cylinder power and a four-speed manual gearbox, this will be a wonderful machine once finished.

And even today its Granada Red paint is still eye-popping, its black-leather-trimmed interior smart-looking, too.

9. 1974 Citroën 2CV twin-engined 4x4 special (est: £15-25,000)

And now for something a bit different – and something so cool and left-field that we just had to share it.

This unique vehicle took more than 3000 hours to create. It was built in the ’80s by Jack Hanon for the Rallye de l'Atlas, a jaw-dropping 1800-mile race across Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, and uses two Citroën Ami frames cut and welded together, plus a pair of Citroën GSA flat-fours, one at either end, connected together.

Both engines still have their transmissions, and a share gearlever and clutch pedal.

1974 Citroën 2CV twin-engined 4x4 special (cont.)

With glassfibre body panels and 12 inches of ground clearance, it really is quite a machine.

Hanon campaigned it in events across Morocco for a decade, before he and his wife emigrated to Canada and took it with them.

Following Hanon’s passing in the ’90s, his widow kept the car for two decades. Since 2014 it has been with the vendor who has restored it to its original 1985 specification.

10. 1972 Rover 3500S ‘Huntsman’ (est: £9-14,000)

This Rover was actually sold in May 2018 by Historics for £13,776, and now is consigned to Classic Car Auctions’ sale this weekend.

In the intervening two years it has covered very few miles, taking its total to 64,000.

‘Huntsman’ refers to the period options of Davos White paint, a brown-vinyl roof, brown rear pillars and painted brown sills.

1972 Rover 3500S ‘Huntsman’ (cont.)

Inside, the Dark Tan Ambla ‘box-pleat’ seats look to be in good condition, while this example has further options including front and rear headrests, Sundym glass and the Continental Touring Kit, the latter the reason why there’s an externally mounted spare wheel and a strengthened bootlid to take it.

With a 3.5-litre V8 and four-speed synchromesh gearbox, it’s surely ready for the open road.

11. 1960 Alvis TD21 Coupé (est: £16-20,000)

In Alvis’ centenary year, we couldn’t ignore this elegant, Park Ward-bodied TD21 Coupé.

With its 3.0-litre ‘six’ it is said to run and drive well, but cosmetically it would benefit from some time and effort.

1960 Alvis TD21 Coupé (cont.)

It was restored in the early 2000s by its then-custodian who owned it for three decades and was an Alvis Owner Club member.

More recently, both its brakes and wiring loom have been refreshed.

12. 1969 Lancia Flavia Coupé (est: £9-11,000)

Another ’60s coupé, this Pininfarina-penned 33,216km Flavia was first registered in Switzerland, and recently has split its time between England and France.

Described by Historics Auctioneers as being a ‘very good example’, in the past it has been fettled by renowned British marque specialist Omicron, and more recently by NBA Sportscars.

1969 Lancia Flavia Coupé (cont.)

The red-leather upholstery is a perfect match for the grey exterior and this example also has power steering, which together with its four-speed manual ’box and 2.0-litre engine should make for a fine on-road companion.

Could you be tempted?

13. 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth (est: £20-25,000)

Maybe it’s a bit cheeky of us to include this lot from CCA’s sale, given that it is right at the top of our budget and requires attention – we’d remove those wheels for a start and source a smart pair of multi-spokes…

How much work will it need? The vendor says ‘substantial recommissioning following 16 years of dry storage’ – you have been warned.

1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth (cont.)

Yet these Cosworth classics are ever-increasing in desirability and with just 5545 built in the first place, your work could pay off.

Either way, do it right and you’ll have a serious B-road weapon.

14. 1927 Ford Model T pick-up (est: £8500-11,000)

This Ford could hardly be more different from the one we’ve just looked at! Plus, at 93 years old it is the earliest vehicle in our list.

Model Ts were available in a wide range of body styles and this charming pick-up would make a real head-turner.

1927 Ford Model T pick-up (cont.)

Add some stylish sign-writing and it could be a lovely vintage promotional or advertising vehicle, or simply a quirky addition to a collection.

Either way, Historics understands it runs, drives and is in ‘quite sound condition’.

15. 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280E (est: £8-10,000)

The W114/5s are often overlooked in favour of the 123-series saloons, but it appears there’s a lot to like about this example, consigned to CCA’s fast-approaching sale.

It is thought that the 16,500km on its odometer is genuine on this left-hand-drive car imported from Japan, and it is described as being ‘delightfully preserved’.

1974 Mercedes-Benz 280E (cont.)

The Deep Blue paintwork is a lovely match for the navy MB-Tex and cloth-trimmed, five-seat cabin which appears to have a period Mercedes-Benz radio fitted within the smart-looking dashboard.

Six-cylinder power, understated elegance and the reassurance of the three-pointed star? Will you be bidding on this come Saturday?

16. 1977 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV (est: £14-18,000)

Or how about this apparently very well-presented GTV coupé, consigned to the Bonhams MPH sale at Bicester Heritage this Friday?

It is a right-hand-drive, UK-supplied example that has recently been the subject of a cosmetic restoration.

1977 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV (cont.)

Some engine work has also been done, plus the original interior was cleaned and recoloured.

It heads to auction with a good history file and is the second car in this list to have been owned by motoring journalist Richard Bremner.

17. 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL Pagoda (est: £14-18,000)

There’s no doubt you’ll need a brave pill before bidding on this lot. There’s also no way that this is a £20k classic, but seeing as its guide price falls under budget and we hate to see cars in such a sorry state, we had to share it.

Just 5196 250SLs were built, making this the rarest of the W113 models, and this example is an original right-hand-drive car with an automatic gearbox.

1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL Pagoda (cont.)

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? It is understood it was bought as an abandoned restoration – but clearly any further work stalled, too.

It will take a lot of time and money to rescue this Mercedes-Benz SL, but it will be a wonderful car when completed. Fingers crossed it finds a new home with Historics this weekend – and it has a brighter future, too

18. 1968 Morris Mini Cooper (est: £18-22,000)

From one extreme to the other we have this, which CCA describes as ‘show quality’ and ‘one of the best we have ever seen’.

You might need to stretch that £20,000 budget to secure it, but it could see you on a path to concours glory.

1968 Morris Mini Cooper (cont.)

Tartan Red with a black roof, a black, restored interior and a spotless, unmodified engine bay, this near 88,000-mile Mini looks in fantastic condition and is surely a super prospect.

We hope it goes to an appreciative home.

19. 1991 Lola T91/50 F3000 racing car (est: £20-30,000)

Apologies, we know this racer only just scrapes in to our self-imposed £20,000 limit and could well exceed it, but we had to share it – plus, 2020 has been tough and we all deserve a treat, right?

This Lola was run by the Barclays Eddie Jordan Racing Team, later taken over by Middlebridge International Racing, in the 1991-’92 F3000 season, during which time none other than 1996 Formula One drivers’ champion Damon Hill drove it.

1991 Lola T91/50 F3000 racing car (cont.)

In recent times the car has been repainted in its original livery and is said to be, cosmetically, in fine condition.

However, it should be noted that it will cross the block on Saturday with no engine. It originally had a DFY Cosworth unit.

It does have a gearbox, suspension, brakes, pedal box and one bank of exhaust manifolds, and will be sold with memorabilia including team kit and photographs signed by Hill.

20. 1954 Riley RME (est: £8-10,000)

Let’s come back down to Earth with this charming choice that you should easily be able to take home from CCA’s sale within our £20k budget.

Finished in Claret over Cream with a black-vinyl roof, it has been with its current owner since 2004 and garaged, and prospective bidders might like to know that when the engine was rebuilt it was converted to run on unleaded petrol. 

1954 Riley RME (cont.)

Although it has enjoyed some concours success in the past and received a lot of work in the 1990s, today this 1.5-litre saloon’s red-leather interior would benefit from further attention.

It is packed with character, though. We love the elegant script of the dashboard dials, with a circular clock and speedo, the smaller dials oblong-shaped.

21. 1972 Fiat 500 (est: £8-12,000)

This won’t be to all tastes, but it looks a whole load of fun!

Fiat 500 specialist R Proietti has restored and upgraded this diminutive classic. We’re talking a bare-metal respray, a retrimmed cabin and swollen wheelarches to take larger tyres and Minilite-style wheels.

1972 Fiat 500 (cont.)

This is powered by an uprated 595cc engine and gearbox, plus there’s a sports exhaust.

Receipts for this work are included in the history file sold with the car – plus, it has covered fewer than 60,000 miles.

22. 1973 Triumph GT6 (est: £8-10,000)

We go from one very usable proposition to another with this ’73 GT6 Mk3, with striking gold Minilites complementing its British Racing Green finish.

It has been restored, but this was back in the 1990s, meaning Saturday’s winning bidder might find the odd job to do.

1973 Triumph GT6 (cont.)

In the words of the vendor: “It’s a great drive and the overdrive works well. I think it’s a genuine honest car that can be improved upon for not a massive amount of cost.”

Plus, it has a brand-new MoT.

23. 1959 Porsche Diesel Standard 218 tractor (est: £9-15,000)

Our final pick isn’t your usual classic, but it’s not hard to see why it stood out.

Classic tractors – indeed hard-working classics in general – are increasingly seen at meets and this example, in its period-correct colours, would fit right in. Historics adds that it is also ready to be put to work, should the need arise.

1959 Porsche Diesel Standard 218 tractor (cont.)

It is one of more than 12,000 produced between 1957 and 1963, and today would be a welcome addition to any sports-car-filled Porsche collection.

To see this and the other lots consigned to Historics Auctioneers’ 12 December sale, click here. To view the full catalogue for Bonhams MPH’s 11 December sale, click here. And for every lot that will cross the block with Classic Car Auctions on Saturday, please click here.

Happy browsing!