Prized cars go under hammer

Long-time classic car collector John Stewart is putting some of his prized collection of classic cars up for auction in Christchurch today.

Stewart started collecting classics as a hobby when he left school at 14.

He now has a collection of classic and unique cars in storage, parked in sheds, at his house and on display for private viewing at Stewarts Classic Cars Museum, in Wairakei Rd, near Christchurch Airport.

The car attracting most interest in the lead-up to today’s Turners auction is this rare 2-litre twin-cam

1970 Vauxhall GT, that he found in a North Island car yard 18 years ago.

It is a restoration job, that despite his best intentions, hasn’t made it to the top of the list.

So, now it’s being offered for sale.

His own first car was a 1948 Ford V8, and he has owned more than

40 of them over the years. Three of them will be offered at today’s auction.

Also coming up in the auction is a rare Ford Mustang California S, considered desirable by collectors and with a potential value of $60,000 to $70,000.

The retired businessman says in its heyday, his collection was thought to be one of the largest in New Zealand.

“The minute I buy a car I start putting it back to original condition as much as possible.

“I have as much fun hunting up the bits and putting them back to the way they should be, as anything else,” he says.

The auction is the third classic car event Turners in Christchurch has organised in the last year.