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| The ex-Edith Field/Innes Ireland,1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé: £500,000 - 700,000 |
It’s Festival time. I can just smell the new-mown grass and hear the ‘thunk’ of mallet on marquee peg as the final preparations for Bonhams’ top-level, mid-summer sale move on apace.
Two entries stand out in the catalogue. First up is the 1925 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix Two-Seater (chassis BC31, once owned and hillclimbed by Bugantics editor Jack Perkins and estimated at £400,000 - 500,000). As ‘one of the most beautiful cars ever’, the Bugatti Type 35 is as remarkable for its perfectly proportioned bodywork as it is for the fact that it is uniquely recognisable – you might just confuse a Hispano with a Lancia with an Alfa, but a Bugatti? Never.
This particular chassis is well documented and, although as with any car coming out of long-term display (at the Haynes International Motor Museum, Somerset in this case) some recommissioning would be recommended before it hits the hills again, it looks an attractive purchase. They don’t come along that often, nowadays.
The special-bodied – by Carrozzeria Bertone – LHD 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé (£500,000 - 700,000) is interesting, and comes from the era of the post-War, North American super-rich indulging themselves with imported performance cars. As one of a run of eight cars commissioned by Bertone board member, the American industrialist Stanley Harold 'Wacky' Arnolt, the car had been shown at Pebble Beach in 1955 (taking home a 3rd place trophy in Class C, 2-seater sports cars $4500-10,000) by its first owner, Mrs Edith C Field.
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| 1969 Porsche 911E 2.0-Litre Coupé: £24,000 - 28,000 | 1971 Range Rover Three-Door Estate: £10,000 - 12,000 |
Just out of a full restoration by marque experts Goldsmith & Young, the car is now presented “in exquisite condition”, so Bonhams states. Villa d’Este or Pebble, anyone?
Elsewhere in the sale, there’s a mix of cars to suit most tastes and pockets, and many eminently ‘Goodwood-able’. There’s an ex-BMC Competitions Department, 1959 BMC 5-Ton Race Transporter (£30,000 - 40,000, just right for the Revival), a 1959 Porsche 356A Convertible D (£70,000 - 80,000, perfect for either event or a tour of the West Sussex lanes) and a ‘concours standard’ (at £27,000 - 30,000, it should be...) 1964 Morris Mini Cooper 970S Mk1.
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| 1958 Facel Vega HK500 Coupé: £20,000 - 30,000 | 2004 Pagani Zonda C12 7.3-Litre Roadster: £200,000 - 250,000 |
On the Aston front, in addition to the rare Bertone-bodied DB2/4 there are another 11 cars catalogued, including a competively estimated (£70,000 - 90,000 – I think there is a ‘1’ missing here) 1963 Aston Martin DB5, a 1989 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante 'Prince of Wales' (£140,000 - 160,000) and two pre-War cars, including a 1933 1½-litre Aston Martin 12/50hp '2nd Series' Tourer for £80,000 - 120,000.
Other early cars of note include the 1937 Bentley 4¼ Litre All-weather Convertible (£130,000 - 150,000), the 1936 SS100 Jaguar 2½-litre Roadster (£220,000 - 250,000) and the 1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Tourer, for £120,000 - 150,000.
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| 1925 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix Two-Seater: £400,000 - 500,000 |
And high-performance Italian car enthusiasts will appreciate the 1967 Lamborghini 400GT 2+2, £100,000 - 120,000, a car originally sold to Beatle Paul McCartney, no less. There’s also a 1967 Ferrari 330GTC (£160,000 - 190,000, LHD but red – a pity) and a 1986 Lancia Delta S4 'Stradale' from the Patrick Collection. Estimated at £80,000 - 100,000, the dark metallic red homologation special has covered just 2192km from new and is, in effect, a ‘one owner’ car.
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| The ex-Gerry Marshall, DTV, 1971 Vauxhall Firenza Competition Saloon 'Old Nail': £30,000 - 40,000 | 1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Tourer: £120,000 - 150,000 |
Prior to the motor cars Bonhams will offer a selection of ‘Festival-level’ automobilia that includes many books and magazines, plus an interesting number of watches afforded their own section in the catalogue.
These include various vintage Heuer stopwatches – the perfect opportunity for 1960s role-playing as Norah Tyrrell, Nina Rindt or Bette Hill. Or whatever turns you on.
To see the complete lotlisting of the Bonhams 1 July Goodwood sale, please click HERE.
The 2011 Bonhams Festival of Speed sale will be held at Goodwood House on Friday, 1 July. Collectors' Automobilia will start at 10:30, Watches at 13:00 and Motor Cars at 14:00. For further information, visit www.bonhams.com/eur/carsgoodwood.
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Bonhams
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