Stags & Minors lead the way

Richard Bromell on what to look out for at auction

‘I’m certain some people are keeping their cars off the market over Brexit’

We’re approaching the second half of the year – what’s your prediction for the market?

Ooh, crystal ball time! More of the same but hopefully some moving forward on Brexit. I’m certain some clients are keeping their cars off of the market, waiting to see what will happen. Equally there will be bidders who are keeping their powder dry at our auction, waiting to see which way the market will go.

Is the trade still buying from auction?

Yes. When we started conducting specialist classic car auctions 18 years ago we relied upon dealers and we rely upon them today. Gone are the days when they spend their time driving from auction to auction. Today they give us a call, ask a load of questions and we email as many images of the car as they like, including any special requests. They then either book a telephone line or bid live on the net while sitting at home drinking a beer or a nice cup of tea.

Will ‘market stalwarts’ – Morris Minors, Jaguar E-types and Triumph Stags – remain popular?

Looks like a best of British line-up here! I am biased, having had a Stag and a Minor, and they will always remain popular. There are great club scenes, forums, shows and rallies for all of these. Add into the mix plenty of spares and the result is enthusiasts keeping the cars running and running. Stags and Minors are still in bountiful supply with a good range of affordable projects still about. The E-type is the same, but for many we have to take out the word ‘affordable’!

Are project cars still in demand?

Project cars offer a blank canvas. They are also less expensive than buying an on-the-road car. The owner can recreate the car they had (or wanted) when they were younger.

What have you got lined up for your next sale?

We have classic and vintage car auctions on Sunday 17 June in conjunction with the Bristol Classic Car Show, followed on Sunday 15 July with our auction at Sherborne Castle, which we hold in conjunction with the Classics at the Castle car show. In for the June sale are a sweet little Morris Mini Minor Super DeLuxe at £50007000 and a restored Porsche 944 S2 at £9000-11,000. In for July is another Porsche, this time a 928 S4 which has had £17,000 spent on it over the past year by its fastidious owner (£20,00022,000) and a Jensen Interceptor which has been modified and tricked out by its owner.