MG sa smashes sales estimate
Rare barn find estimated at £8k ends up selling for £19k at Brightwells sale
An extremely rare Charlesworth-bodied MG SA Tourer found a new home at Brightwells’ 24 June Bicester Heritage auction for more than double its upper estimate.
One of five SAs built, the car, which was sold as part of a deceased estate, was expected to make between £4000 and £8000. It was laid up in a garage in the 1960s because of an undisclosed fault and remained there for the next 50 years. Rarity was undoubtedly a factor in the £19,040 it achieved at auction, but crucially, the car is also complete, right down to its side screens. Some removed parts, including the door handles, have been stowed inside the cabin.
Brightwells’ department head of Classic Motoring, Matthew Parkin, said: ‘ The SA’s comparatively low estimate was based upon expectations of the vendor, the car’s condition and the cost of the restoration.
‘When you think about the costs of getting this car back to pristine condition, £19,040 is chicken feed. It’s all there, and all original. It’s effectively a giant Meccano set. The new owner knows exactly what they’ve got, and can go right through it to their liking. People buying cars in this condition – eminently saveable – enjoy the process of bringing them back to where they need to be.’
One other SA is thought to be in the UK; when restored, the new owner can expect to insure it for at least £70,000 – the price of a similar, immaculate car sold by RM Sotheby’s in 2011. ❚ brightwells.com