Classic Barn Finds At Auction

Hampson Auctions has an incredible list of cars up for sale at its Oulton Park Gold Cup sale, taking place on the 28th of July 2024 at the Oulton Park circuit. Highlights include two literal barn finds: a 1970 Jaguar E-type 4.2-litre 2+2 and, the car it lived with, undisturbed since the mid-1980s, a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The auction also features a restored 1956 Bristol Drophead Coupe, a rare right-hand-drive Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ and a 1978 Maserati Merak SS.

Managing Director Zach Hamilton said getting the cars out of the barn was good fun. The Jaguar E-type Series 2, purchased by the vendor’s late husband for his 21st birthday in the mid-1970s, has been untouched in the barn since 1986 after a theft attempt outside Woolworths. The 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, another of the vendor’s husband’s cars, joined it a few years later. Both cars, requiring full restorations, are offered with no reserve.

In contrast, the 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead Coupe has recently undergone a full bare-metal restoration, with the vendor suggesting it could be a show-winner. It has coachwork by Abbotts of Farnham and the original toolkit is included too. Estimated sale price: £160,000-£180,000.

The 1978 Maserati Merak SS was originally delivered to an American owner and later displayed in a museum from 2001 to 2017. Its exceptionally low mileage of 29,000 is credible, though not warranted. This left-hand-drive vehicle, imported to the UK in 2020, retains its period-correct interior, including a 1970s Blaupunkt cassette player, and has recently received new black wool carpets, costing a four-figure sum. It is estimated to sell for £55,000-£65,000.

Among several Ferraris in the auction is a 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ one of only 154 right-hand-drive models, estimated at £90,000-£110,000. The sale also includes a 1991 Ferrari Testarossa (£80,000-£100,000) and a 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, maintained for the past two decades by its engineer owner specialising in classic and rally cars, offered at no reserve.

Other no-reserve lots include a well-preserved 1973 BMW 2002 Tii in Seventies-style BMW Motorsport livery, a charming 1933 Austin 10/4 Saloon, a charismatic 1991 Nissan Figaro, and a 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, complete with the cherished ‘PGH 2’ registration number.