A classic collection of cars for sale
The entire collection of a classic car museum in Somerset,England, will go under the hammer next month.
The Exmoor Classic Car Collection, the retirement project of collector Stephen Johns, will be sold by Bonhams.
The specialist museum, in Porlock in Somerset, was set up by Mr Johns when he moved to the West Country 12 years ago.
Mr Johns, an entrepreneur who ran a pyjama manufacturing business in Keighley, West Yorkshire for 45 years, started up the museum to house the large collection he had built up over the years.
Highlights among the 10 cars, 13 motorcycles and assorted automobilia he amassed are:
• A 1972 Ferrari 246GTS Dino Spyder, expected to fetch between €127,350 and €152,821.
• A 1927 Bugatti Type 40 tourer, expected to fetch between €101,000 and €127,350.
• A 1923 Rolls-Royce 20hp Doctor’s Coupé by Mitchells of Nottingham, estimated to sell for between €48,393 and €57,308.
Other lots of interest are a 1930 Singer Porlock Sports Junior bought by Mr Johns because of the connection between its name and the location of the museum, and a 1948 DOT 125cc AA motorcycle truck that is the only one of its type.
Tim Schofield, director of the Bonhams motor car department, said: “The Exmoor Classic Car Museum could be described as every motoring enthusiast’s dream. Museums like it don’t really tend to exist today. When you walked through the doors it was like walking into some forgotten past.
“Today everything is locked away behind glass cabinets but in this museum the public could touch the cars, open their doors and look inside, and flick through the old photo albums.
“It will be a great shame to see it close but Bonhams wishes Mr Johns the very best for his second retirement.”
The collection will go under the hammer at the Bonhams Beaulieu Sale in Hampshire on September 8.
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J. Brown
Aug 25th 2012, 15:07
you can keep the cars....all I want is the automobilia collection !!
Gaetano Attard
Aug 22nd 2012, 09:23
If I had the cash I would love to get the 1972 Ferrari 246GTS Dino Spyder to start my own Collection.
Mario Tabone
Aug 23rd 2012, 07:52
Judging by your name I hazard a guess that you might be from Hamrun in which case your biggest problem would not be buying the Ferrari but finding a place to park it !!!!!! lol
Jeff Mead
Aug 23rd 2012, 14:49
Who in his right mind would want to drive a Ferrari in Malta, with the state of the roads and the way some locals drive as if they are king of the road and sod everyone else, i brought my motor from the UK, was at the time in an immaculate condition, paid import duty PLUS the illegal vat imposed by YOUR LOVELY GOVERNMENT, then they had the audacity to charge me extra to drive on your roads (LOL more like back tracks) extra payment for a local reg.plate and the list goes on, i have actually paid just as much as what i paid for my motor back home----disgusting/Maltese greed got the better of them, any road i wouldn't sell my car to my worst enemy now the state its in, not even given it away. so before you decide to drive an expensive motor or even buy a new one, think not only one twice but three times.
Reuben Spiteri
Aug 24th 2012, 17:35
@Jeff Mead: Sour Grapes? Perhaps you don't know that Malta has the highest percentage of Ferrari owners per capita
Alfred J. McEwen
Sep 16th 2012, 12:09
Alfred J. McEwen
@Reuben Spiteri
Owning a Ferrari and ``sour grapes`` have nothing to do with Jeff Mead`s comment. He is quite right in saying that besides being ripped off by the government taxes and registration in bringing his car to be wrecked here, most roads are only fit to be negotiated by 4WD. All you have to do is to go to Sicily and see the difference, where not one pothole could be seen anywhere on any road one cares to drive on. Besides, you`d be lucky to get out of 2nd gear in a Ferrari out here any way, having said that, I wish all Ferraris the joy and longevity they deserve.
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