Shout for Lulu or get a Minor shock

Whether you like your transport pre-war or post-war, with two wheels or four (and even three if you have memories of Dad’s old motorcycle combination) there’s something to suit all tastes at our next sale. Brian, director of DVCA, has been busily gathering a superb mix for the event at Athelhampton House, near Puddletown, on June 7 with a really broad appeal for a variety of budgets.

Two English classics immediately catch the eye of post-war enthusiasts, with a supercharged 1995 Aston Martin DB7 coupe (guide price £23,000 - £28,000) and a 1958 Jaguar XK150SE Fixed Head Coupe (£50,000-£60,000) bound to set the bidding alight. A 2001 DB7 V12 made £26,000 at the March sale after spirited bidding, so the arrival of this burgundy example in June should also attract interest.

The Jaguar, the ultimate in the series that started with the iconic XK120 and its 132 mph blast along the Jabekke Straight in Belgium during 1949 and ran through until the E-Type arrived in 1961, is a car that Brian knows well, having sold it to its current owner after its previous owner, a motor body repair specialist, rebuilt it during the 25 years he owned it.

There are two further Jaguars in the sale, both S-Type saloons. The first, registered in 2000, is a rare manual V6 3.0 that has covered a mere 25,190 miles (£3,000-£4,000), the second a 2001 with the same engine but the more familiar auto gearbox and a mileage of 40,600 (£1,200-£1,700).

Summer lovers can let their hair down in a 2005 Mercedes Benz SLK350 automatic (£6,000-£7,000), which has a built-in umbrella in the form of a folding metal hardtop for inevitable wet days. A 1981 Triumph TR7 roadster (£1,800-£2,400) showcases this controversial British sports car in its best light while those who like the back-up of readily-available spares for their classic might also be tempted by the 1981 TR7 roadster (£200-£300) offered for either restoration or a source of parts.

In the mid-80s, Alfa Romeo launched the 75 to celebrate the Italian marque’s 75th year – managing its racing team launched the career of one Enzo Ferrari. In the sale is a 1992 T-Spark Limited Edition, number 3,457 of the 3,500 built (£6,000-£8,000) and with a detailed history from 1994 to 2017 accompanying it.

Morris Minor enthusiasts have a choice of three, a 1959 two door, a 1960 four door (both £3,000-£4,000), and a 1954 Series II split screen four door (£7,000-£8,000) which adds up to far more than the £14,000 sum of its restoration parts. The Ford Performance Blue paint and Minilite alloy wheels are a tantalising suggestion of what’s beneath, including a Ford 1600 Kent Crossflow engine, XR2 five speed gearbox, Mark II Escort rear axle, and massively upgraded brakes plus Metro Mk II switchgear and reclining seats with head restraints.

BMC, as it was back then, was not averse to taking the Minor and making it faster, the ultimate factory version being the Riley 1.5, built on Minor underpinnings with a different body to hide them. The sale features a 1963 Series III version of the Riley (£7,000-£9,000) that has covered just 50,800 miles.

That BMC could do this was thanks to Riley’s pre-war reputation, exemplified by the 1931 Riley 9 four seat tourer (£15,000-£18,000) that’s also in the sale. It actually features the 1932 Plus Ultra chassis and was re-bodied as a tourer in 1980 after the shed in which it lived collapsed on top of the original fabric-covered Monaco coachwork during the 1960s!

Another pre-war open car in the auction is a 1938 Austin Opal convertible (£10,000-£14,000), which arrives from the ownership of a fastidious enthusiast and is affectionately known as Lulu. Someone will be sure to “Shout!” for this one, believes Brian.

For many people, the introduction to motorised days out after the war came courtesy of Dad’s motorcycle combination. He might spend 10 minutes trying to kickstart it, so for those with memories of those days it’s good news that the 2003 Triumph 900 Thunderbird fitted with a Hedgingham open torpedo sidecar (£7,000-£9,000) has an electric start button!

Former “ton-up” boys wanting to relive their youth might do well to look at the 1957 BSA Road Rocket (£6,000-£8,000) while those delving deeper back in time can take home the 1925 Model B25 Round Tank 250 (£3,500-£4,500). It may not be so fast, but with its FU number plate this almost-centenarian doesn’t need to be!

“It’s going to be an interesting sale,” says Brian, who is still accepting entries for the auction. “It’s a very wide mix of cars and bikes, plus some interesting memorabilia, too. There’s something for everyone, from a simple brochure to a road blitzing Jaguar icon, never mind that Q Car 1950s Morris Minor!”