The first WB & Sons sale of spring is set to be as packed with eclectic, unusual and enticing lots as ever. Here are some highlights

WB & Sons returns with another blockbuster sale this weekend on April 27 at its base in Newcastle upon Tyne, and as ever there are plenty of interesting lots on offer.

There are plenty of convertibles that look tempting ahead of the summer. A now-scarce 1993 Ford Escort Mk5 XR3i Cabriolet caught our eye, looking tidy and guided at £1000-£2000, while a 2003 BMW E46 M3 Convertible is rare being a facelifted manual car in Phoenix Yellow, justifying a £9000– 11,000 estimate. A 2007 Mercedes SLK200 Kompressor might be too new for some, but with just 9000 miles on the clock it practically is, making the £9000–11,000 estimate look like great value. For those fancying an older German drop-top, a 1989 Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet looks smart with a modest drop and ATS Classic wheels, making the £3000–5000 estimate look very reasonable.

There are numerous classic commercials in the sale too, such as a 1965 Bedford CA Pickup, benefitting from recent electrical updates and estimated at £5000–7000. A 1960 Albion Harrington DP30F offers a potentially bargainous entry to classic bus ownership with its lack of reserve, while we were also taken by a 1980 Ford Transit Mk2 Flatbed, guided at £8000–12,000.

Ford fans are well catered-for throughout, with a 1988 Escort RS Turbo Series 2 boasting just 60,000 miles on the clock carrying a surprisingly reasonable £10,000–14,000 estimate, while an Olympic Blue example of its Mk1 Escort RS2000 predecessor dating from 1975 is guided at £35,000–40,000. A Mk1 Fiesta XR2 replica is joined by a Mk3 XR2i, and a 1960 Ford Popular 100E with Minilite-style wheels and a pre-Crossflow engine is tantalisingly offered with no reserve. Finally, a 1999 Mondeo Ghia X Estate offers a tidy, high-spec example of the MK2 Mondeo for an estimated £3000–4000.

There are a few projects with potential in the sale, including a 1990-registered Bertone X1/9 that is still wearing the infamous ‘barn find dust’. Seemingly quite tidy underneath the dirt, the lack of reserve could make it worth a punt. An Austin Maxi of any sort is an auction rarity, but a 1980 example estimated at a mere £800–1200 in this sale is ripe for improvement, with bodywork and interior trim that looks honest and tidy. Finally, a 19,000-mile 1987 Austin Metro is in need of some attention to the Hydragas, but looks absolutely saveable and is estimated at £1000–3000.

For the full catalogue, head to wbandsons.com

  • Offering a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud experience with more discreet brightwork, this 1960 Bentley S2 presents beautifully in Old English White. Sporting the 6.2-litre V8 and a retrimmed interior, it’s guided at £20,000–25,000.
  • Owned by the vendor for 10 years and said to be largely original, this 1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 2 looks smart in Mercury Grey. With 60,000 miles on the clock and a chunky history file to support it, the £10,000–14,000 estimate looks very reasonable.
  • This 1997 Subaru Impreza WRX boasts a rebuilt forged engine and six-speed STI gearbox, putting 358bhp to the ground. Fully rebuilt suspension and a recent respray in Sonic Blue ensures it looks and drives fantastically in equal measure, equating to an atrractive £8000–10,000 estimate.
  • With just 69,000 miles and four previous owners to its name, this 1959 Ford Zodiac Highline looks fantastic in Richmond Blue over Arundel Lilac, complete with rechromed bumpers, overriders and headlight bezels. A retrimmed interior completes the look and results in a £16,000–20,000 estimate.
  • It may need some paint and bodywork, but this 1968 MGB GT looks smart on Minilite-style wheels, runs and drives well and includes a reassuring history folder, making the £2500–3500 estimate looks very reasonable.
  • A real rarity in the UK, this striking 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier van uses the 2.4-litre air-cooled flat-six engine from the Corvair sports car and was imported in 2021. UK registered and sure to turn heads, it’s expected to fetch £10,000–14,000.
  • Offered without reserve, this 1960 Ford Popular 100E looks fantastic in bright green and sits on smart Minilite-style wheels. It started life with a 1172cc sidevalve engine, but now has a pre-Crossflow unit and makes for a head-turning useable classic.
  • Perhaps the most brightly-coloured car in the sale is this 2003 BMW E46 M3 Cabriolet. It’s a rare facelifted car in Phoenix Yellow with a manual gearbox, and appears in excellent unmodified condition, justifying a £9000–11,000 guide price.