Minder cars to be sold at auction

Two cars made famous by the television series Minder are to go to auction next month and both look set to become ‘nice little earners’.

A 1981 Daimler Sovereign, driven by the most famous second-hand car dealer on TV, Arthur Daley, and a 1977 Ford Capri driven by his sidekick Terry McCann, have been listed by auction site H&H Classics to go to sale at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, on April 20.

The Daimler, which recently underwent a bodywork restoration and £5,000 of mechanical fettling, has covered just 43,990 miles since new, and is expected to sell for £35,000 – £45,000.

The actor who played Daley, George Cole, reportedly wanted to buy the vehicle himself, however it was given away in a TV Times competition.

The Mk2 2.0-litre Ford Capri, driven by Dennis Waterman’s character in the comedy drama, is also believed to have undergone a restoration, and despite showing 88,700 miles on the odometer, is expected to sell for between £65,000 and £85,000.

If it does reach its target, it could potentially set a new record price for a 2.0-litre Capri, which is a testament to both the car’s popularity, and the power of celebrity provenance.

H&H Motorcar Specialist, James McWilliam, who consigned the pair, commented: “Both cars have been sympathetically restored and estimated to make allowance for their small screen history. We know from past experience that playing a major role in a TV series can have a big impact on value, as witnessed by the 1976 Jaguar XJ12C that we sold last October which made a record breaking £69,440 despite needing total restoration, due to its New Avengers TV provenance. These cars are celebrities in their own right.”