12 £10,000 Goodwood Revival classics

Get your Goodwood Revival wheels for less

The Goodwood Revival is one of the highlights of the classic year, with the event being as much about dressing up and feeling part of times gone by as it is about wheel-to-wheel motor racing.

It is a three-day celebration of cars and ’bikes that would have competed during the circuit’s original period of use – 1948 to 1966. If you own a period-correct car and bring it to the Revival you can get VIP parking close to the race circuit, and a wander around here is often as fascinating as the main displays.

However, you don’t have to spend an absolute fortune to get into the Goodwood spirit. We’ve unearthed 12 classic cars that will get you access to the VIP section for less than £10,000, and all were for sale in the UK at the time of writing.

We’ll see you at Goodwood on 17-19 September.

All photos are of representative examples

1. Riley RME (£8995)

Riley’s RME was an executive car par excellence, which built on the RMA’s success by carrying on with the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and hydraulic braking system.

However, to give it extra pep away from the traffic lights the rear axle ratio was changed from 4.89:1 to 5.125:1. As a sports saloon it managed to be elegant, swift and relatively economical.

Riley RME (cont.)

Such handsome shapes can be expensive, but the good news is that RME values have yet to climb out of the range of attainability.

These are stylish cruisers, and keep up with modern traffic well. We spotted a lovely-looking 1953 Riley RME in Wales. Finished in green, it has done just over 66,000 miles and is listed for sale at £8995.

2. Morris Minor Convertible (£7950)

The Morris Minor was the backbone of Britain for many years, with estates, saloons and vans making it the perfect adaptable machine for the post-war era.

It was a technical marvel thanks to Sir Alec Issigonis, with unitary construction, rack-and-pinion steering and independent suspension.

It would become the first British car to sell more than one million units, with 1,619,958 eventually produced.

Morris Minor Convertible (cont.)

Today it makes a great starter classic, with a very enthusiastic owners’ club, lots of easily accessed technical knowledge and plenty of spares support.

Perhaps the best news is that even the convertible won’t cost the world to buy, meaning you can cruise your way to Goodwood with the roof down for less than the cost of hitting the options list hard on a brand-new Volkswagen T-Roc convertible.

We spotted ‘Daisy’, a white 1960 example with just under 42,000 miles on the clock, in Surrey for £7950.

3. Austin A40 Farina (£6200)

The Austin A40 Farina was a big change in naming conventions; previous A40s had been named after parts of England. The Farina, however, was different – it was styled by the Pinin Farina design studio.

Though popular in saloon form, it was also available in Countryman specification, which appeared like a mini estate car. The current (BMW) Mini Countryman is rather similar in prospect, although obviously not quite as tiny.

Austin A40 Farina (cont.)

The range was powered by three versions of the A-series four-cylinder engine, ranging from 34 to 48bhp.

Those figures might not be huge, but the car weighs around 800kg, making it a potent force in motorsport. George Doc Shepherd took the 1960 British Saloon Car Championship in an A40 Farina, and Pat Moss campaigned one successfully in the 1959 Monte-Carlo Rally.

However, if you’re looking to drive an A40 with a little less competitive heat, then we found a Mk2 DeLuxe in Surrey with just under 40k miles for £6200.

4. Ford Fairlane (£9750)

The Ford Fairlane started out as the flagship of the Blue Oval’s model line-up in 1955, but by the time of the fourth-generation car, it was the firm’s mid-range option.

It became known for its ‘torque boxes’, four boxed structures in the lower body designed to smooth out bumpy roads by moving vertically.

The engines offered went from straight-sixes to V8s – the most powerful being the 427cu in V8 designed for the Thunderbolt. Sadly, one of those isn’t in our £10k budget.

Ford Fairlane (cont.)

However, a straight-six offers enough power to be enjoyable, and even better news is that because some were built in Australia and New Zealand, right-hand-drive examples can be found, for those for whom the appeal of an American car is diminished by sitting on the ‘wrong’ side.

We spotted a 1963 Fairlane sedan with a 2.8-litre straight-six in Staffordshire, finished in fetching metallic gold, for £9750 – perfect for this year’s Goodwood Revival.

5. Triumph Herald (£5500)

The Triumph Herald took the massive flares and wing adornments of American cars, and brought them down to a size and style more acceptable in Britain.

However great a Cadillac Coupe de Ville might be, threading one through the average British town centre in the 1950s would have been a bit of a challenge, so the Herald took that rakish flair and made it more digestible for UK tastes.

The sharp styling was penned by Giovanni Michelotti, and its diminutive size and tight 25-foot turning circle made it a great city car.

Triumph Herald (cont.)

A variety of body styles was available, from two-door saloon to three-door estate car, but if we’re in for some late-summer sun at the Goodwood Revival 2021, it would be remiss not to choose the ever-charming Convertible, which was introduced in 1960.

We found a 1962 example, finished in white in Essex on just under 78k miles, for £5500.

6. Land-Rover Series IIA (£7500)

The Land-Rover Series IIA has a reputation for being the strongest of all the Series models, and the one with the biggest global reach in terms of public perception.

Since its 1961 launch, it has popped up all over the world, and for some remote communities was the first vehicle they’d ever seen.

Its ability to conquer tricky off-road conditions is well known, and it’ll probably be the classic vehicle to have if rain turns the Goodwood Revival car parks into a mudbath.

Land-Rover Series IIA (cont.)

Prices have escalated immensely, but you can get into the Land-Rover hobby – because it is more a lifestyle than just a mere vehicle – for a lot less than it would cost to get into many other founding icons of motoring.

The best news is there are plenty of sources of help available, good parts support and the knowledge that whatever the road, the Land-Rover Series IIA could probably deal with it without breaking a sweat.

We found a 1965 example that’s done 110,000 miles in Hertfordshire, wearing a £7500 price-tag.

7. Fiat 850 (£9950)

The Fiat 850 looked to carry on from where the successful 600 left off, and came in two versions – normale, with 34bhp, and super, with 37bhp. It wasn’t technically advanced for its age, but the saloon became loved for its cute face.

The car’s rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout meant it became ripe for a sporty version, and in 1965 a coupé was introduced at the Geneva motor show. Designed by Felice Mario and Gian Paulo Boano, it used a 47bhp engine good for 84mph.

Fiat 850 (cont.)

The coupé also came with sport seats, a racier steering wheel, a round speedometer and front disc brakes.

More was to come, with Abarth turning its hand to the car with the OT, OTR and OTS coupés, which had up to 74bhp depending on which one you picked.

An Abarth coupé would bust our budget somewhat, but if you’re happy with 47bhp than you can get one of these stylish two-doors for much less than you might imagine. We found a blue 1966 car on 25k miles in Hertfordshire for £9950.

8. MGB Roadster (£7750)

The MGB Roadster is one of the most popular classics in the UK, and with zesty performance and crisp handling, it’s easy to see why.

Introduced in 1962, it was faster and smoother than the MGA before it. It would be in production for 18 years, gaining many hundreds of thousands of fans for its endearing styling.

Its lightweight construction and relatively high-performance BMC B-series engine helped the MGB dance to 60mph in just over 11 secs. That’s not bad for 1963…

MGB Roadster (cont.)

The great thing about MGB ownership is that there are lots of people to advise, guide and support you, with active owners’ clubs and communities. There are many events to take part in, too, plus excellent spares supply.

The only problem is finding enough sun to enjoy it with the roof off. Here’s hoping the Goodwood Revival 2021 weekend is a scorcher… We found a red, 98,000-mile example from 1963 in Surrey for £7750.

9. Vauxhall Cresta (£8000)

The Vauxhall Cresta might not seem too extreme for any American readers, but the Cresta PA was a huge dose of Americana delivered to the UK market.

Its fins might not be as huge as its US inspiration, but they certainly cut a dash in the less extrovert UK, while power came from a 2.3-litre or 2.7-litre straight-six.

Inside it was a luxurious place to be, with leather and nylon seats, woven pile carpet and a heater fitted as standard. Just the thing for a drive-in movie theatre – in chilly Stoke-on-Trent.

Vauxhall Cresta (cont.)

Though nearly 82,000 were made, very few remain. In the 1970s the car became popular with 1950s revivalist fashionistas, with many Crestas modified and customised.

Nearly all Crestas were four-door saloons, but Friary of Basingstoke converted a few into estate cars, which are very rare nowadays.

We saw a brown over cream Vauxhall Cresta for sale in Dorset, listed at £8000.

10. Rover P4 (£6995)

The Rover P4 was quite a styling departure on its launch in the late 1940s. Its Gordon Bashford-sculpted lines were distinctly modern for the age.

With a choice of straight-six engines, and a top speed of 83.5mph, its impressive pace and road manners drew praise from overseas.

One US magazine went so far as to call it the finest car in the world, barring a Rolls-Royce. The P4 would become a quintessential middle-England car thanks to its refined yet understated aesthetic.

Rover P4 (cont.)

By 1953 a more economical four-cylinder engine was added to the range, resulting in better handling for some aficionados. A much larger straight-six appeared the same year, which could whisk the well-heeled to 90mph all-out.

Power outputs would continue to grow, and by the time the P4 bowed out in 1964 you could choose a 123bhp model with a Weslake cylinder head for 100mph motoring.

Happily, picking up your own P4 will not cost you the same as a Rolls-Royce. We found a 1956 Rover P4 in Merseyside, on 93k miles, for £6995, meaning you could waft to the Goodwood Revival in serious style.

11. Citroën 2CV (£9500)

The Citroën 2CV might not be the most powerful on our list, but given this car’s ability over ploughed fields it’s the one we’d choose if we had precious cargo from Goodwood’s many stalls and shops we wanted to keep safe.

Its purpose, according to company boss Pierre-Jules Boulanger, ‘was to provide transport for those who have to travel by car because of their work, and for whom ordinary cars are too expensive to buy’. As a result, it really is no-frills motoring.

Citroën 2CV (cont.)

This might count against it if you’re making the trip from Scotland, but the 2CV’s many fans would probably see the long journey as a great adventure with a mechanical friend, rather than a mere car journey.

That’s because the 2CV is such a deeply charming classic – it’s a car that sparks joy and devotion in those who love them.

Fancy having a go yourself? We found a 88,000km, ripple-bonnet example in Dorset from 1959, priced at £9500.

12. Volvo PV444 (£8995)

The Volvo PV444 heralded a new approach to motoring for the firm – it was a model to reflect the economic realities of the immediate post-war age.

The car was economical to run, with a choice of four four-cylinder engines over its 22-year life; it was the first Volvo with such an engine for 20 years.

This was also Volvo’s first uni-body car, taking inspiration from a 1939 Hanomag Volvo engineers had bought and pored over.

Volvo PV444 (cont.)

Despite a focus on economical motoring, the PV444 became an accomplished rally car due to its inherent toughness. It’s still a popular choice for historic rallying today, offering a relatively low cost of entry to the hobby.

However, it still makes for a charismatic but eminently practical classic that could probably still be a great daily driver. We found a burgundy 1953 example for sale in Oxfordshire on 70k miles, stickered at £8995.

So, have we tempted you ahead of this year’s Goodwood Revival?