The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Online sale revs up car buffs
Classic car buffs are taking the virtual route to Angus for an online auction generating nationwide interest.
The sale is Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club’s response to a pandemic wipeout of a calendar which includes twi c e - yearly sales and the showpiece Glamis Extravaganza event – the country’s biggest gathering of its kind and one which draws more than 10,000 visitors each July.
As they press on with plans for the live events returning in 2021, club officials say bids from as far as Devon have come in for the latest lots as enthusiasts hunt out projects to keep them busy during the coronavirus crisis.
SVVC chairman Allan Burt said: “We were all set for the regular auction in March with 850 lots ready to be sold and then we went into lockdown.
“Our second sale usually takes place in October, but that has also been stymied because of the restrictions.
“We decided to dip a toe in the water and offer the vehicles in the sale in a sealed bids online auction.”
Lots include everything from mopeds to a 1964 Ford Zephyr, which has emerged from storage with fewer than 20,000 miles on the clock and the original plastic covers on its red interior.
Many of the vehicles require a bit of TLC, but Mr Burt said the pandemic saw restoration projects restarted as collec tors found themselves with time on their hands.
“There are projects which have sat in sheds or garages for years and people are now thinking the time has come to either get on with them, or sell them on.
“The dream may have been there but with lockdown has come the realisation they will probably never get round to completing it. Another aspect is that money isn’t making a lot of interest for people just now, so while they may not have an intrinsic interest in old vehicles they see it as a bit of an investment and something to do and enjoy.”
He continued: “The enthusiasts love attending events such as the Extravaganza and our auctions.
“We hope that if things open up it may be a bumper year ahead, but there could still be a bit of reticence because the future remains uncertain.”
SVVC administrator Lesley Munro said: “There was obviously a lot of disappointment, but a great deal of understanding around the cancellation of the Extravaganza.
“This is normally the time when I am preparing entry forms to go out to everyone in January so we are all hoping there will be an Extravaganza next year.”
In June, an online Glamis Extravaganza drew nearly 100 entries and was declared a success by the club after almost 12,000 Facebook accounts logged on to the virtual car show.