An auction of rare "barn finds" has yielded classic car merchant Silverstone Auctions £1 million in total sales at its inaugural Practical Classics Restorations Show. The figure denotes a sales rate of 85 percent, an all-time record for Silverstone Auctions, with a total of 87 cars showcased at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre in the UK on Saturday.
Topping the sales was a 1962 Facel Vega HK500. Noteworthy for its unusual right hand drive configuration, the HK500 was snapped up for £64,400 (US$107,692.82). Other vehicles attracting similarly high bids were a 1969 Aston Martin DBS Vantage, which sold for £51,175 (US$85,575) and a A 1970 Aston Martin DBS V8 Series I, which sold for £49,450 (US$82,691).
“This was a fantastic sale and we look forward to seeing many of the restoration projects brought back to their former glory very soon,” said Nick Whale, Managing Director of Silverstone Auctions.
While many of the vehicles generated interest as examples of rare automotive engineering, the appeal of others can be attributed to their place in television history. A 1969 Morris Milk Float featured in the opening shots of the 1980's soap opera Eastenders went for £2,300 (US$3,845), while a 1981 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 Series III Saloon driven by characters in the British series Minder, was sold for £15,525 (US$25,960).
Perhaps the most unlikely of the barn finds was a 1958 Jaguar XK150 Drophead Coupe. Purchased by an Italian collector in the 1980's, the car was exported to Sicily and kept in storage for around 20 years. It was then re-discovered, repatriated back to the UK and sold for £62,100 (US$104,900) at auction.
Click through to the gallery to see these cars along with other notable sales from the event.
Source: Silverstone Auctions
