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Classic Car and Bike Auction at Sledmere House - Saturday, 14th March

Posted On: 24 Mar 2020 by Easy Live

The Spring Classic Car and Motorcycle Auction at Sledmere House on the 14th March brought enthusiasts from all over the country to our region, not to mention attracting telephone and Internet bidding from as far away as southern France. We were fortunate that the sale went through just before the Corona Virus situation in this country started to take off but even so the pandemic made its mark.

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Classic Car and Bike Auction at Sledmere House - Saturday, 14th March

The auction’s star lot, a replica AC Cobra, was bought by an airline pilot based at Luton Airport. When he was telephone bidding £22,450 (inclusive of buyer’s premium) for the Cobra he had a job. By the time he travelled up to our area to collect the car a couple of days later his airline was stopping flights and his immediate employment prospects were looking distinctly dicey. At least if he does find himself on extended leave for the duration of the pandemic, he willhave the pleasure of a summer with a car that isa replica of the fastest production car in the world back in the 1960s,oncerecordinga speed of 185 mphonthe M1 (whichat the time did not have a speed limit).

Unlike the pilot, another successful bidder has not even been able to collect his car because of the pandemic. Living in Lyons in southern France, he paid £7,000 for a 1987 Westfield 7SE. The plan was that his son would come up to collect the two- seater sports car but with France going into lockdown they have decided to leave it with us for the time being.The Westfield attracted a lot of Continental interest. In addition to the successful buyer, two other Frenchmen were involved in the bidding, plus an Englishman now living in the Algarve and a Belgian. Incidentally we first sold this car two years ago when it went for £4,600. So it has been a really good investment.

 

 

The star entry in the bike section of the auction had a similar story: It was a 1985 Yamaha RD500LC,a street legal, road-going version of Yamaha's factory YZR500 competition motorcycle which at the time was leading the world championship with Kenny Roberts. This machine first went through a Sledmere Auction in 2018 at which point it made £16,500. Eighteen months later it achieved £18,975, knocked down to a Plymouth buyer after a hotly contested battle involving bidders in the room, on the telephone and via the Internet. Shows why people are investing in these things.

Other noteworthy results were achieved by somewhat gentler forms of two-wheeled transport. A 1949 Excelsior Autobyk, a barn find 98cc machine capable of over a hundred miles to the gallon, was knocked down to a bidder from Rugby for £1,035, just above top pre-sale expectations.

Meanwhile a lovely little ‘Fizzy’, the 49cc Yamaha FS1-Esports mopedon which countless sixteen-year-olds took to the roads for the first time, went for £4,830. Despite the 48mph top speed, it has been elevated to cult status,one of the most collectible of 'modern' Japanese motorcycles. (Perhaps not unconnected with memories of its legendary ability to attract girlfriends!)

Whilst this was not the biggest auction that we’ve staged at Sledmere House, the results were impressive (85% sold) and the national/international bidding is indicative of the fact that we’re on the map and continuing to grow interest.

The next Classic Car and Motorcycle Auction at Sledmere is scheduled for Saturday July 4th. It already has a strong motorcycles entry and we are in discussions about the inclusion of an extraordinarily interesting northern Lincolnshire car collection that would be a superb entry in the event. Also, given that locked down car and bike collectors are going to have lots of time to sort out their garages, workshops and barns in the next few weeks, that auction could be a real cracker.

All prices include buyer’s premium.