Over 80 entries went under the hammer at SWVA’s most recent classic car sale on April 29, with British classics proving especially popular

Lots at SWVA were hugely varied, ranging from a 1924 Willys-Overland Model 91 through to a 2004 MG TF. However, it was well-established British classics that particularly impressed during a busy sale for the Poole firm.

A 1968 Morris Minor Traveller set the tone when it was hammered away above guide for £7700, only to be trumped by a very smart two-door saloon model from the same year, which beat its £5995-£6,995 estimate to reach a hammer price of £8800. It was a good day for the numerous Triumphs too, as a 1973 Stag was sold above its £6750-£7750 guide for a hammer price of £10,400, a lovely 1964 Spitfire reached £10,000 against an estimate of £6000-£7000 and a 1977 2500S Estate more than doubled its £2500 lower guide at £6000.

The British successes didn’t end there though. A 1948 Rover P3 75 comfortably beat its guide at a hammer price of £7200, with 1972 P6 3500 also selling above expectations at £6600 and a lovely P4 110 from 1964 doing likewise at £9100. In addition, a 1967 Wolseley 6/110 described as “out of the box” surpassed its modest £6750-£7750 estimate to reach £8600 and an ‘Audax’ Hillman Husky was hammered away for £6000 against a predicted £3500-£4500. We were rather taken by a 1975 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 Coupe too, which was another to perform ahead of expectations when it sold on the hammer for £16,800.

Offering a more lightweight sporting flavour was a 1970 Lotus Europa S2, which trumped its modest £17,000-£18,000 estimate to make £23,000, with a supercharged 1936 MG PB that been treated to a total nut-and-bolt restoration another to impress when it sold for £33,500 against a £28,000-£29,750 guide. Arguably the most impressive performer of all, however, was a 1970 Ford Cortina 1600E that more than tripled its £4000-£5000 estimate to sell on the hammer for £15,000. Earlier, another 1970 1600E – this time a no-reserve project that had not been taxed since 1979 – had been hammered away for £3500.

Brits didn’t have it all their own way though. A Volkswagen Corrado VR6 performed well to make £8100, with a couple of Mercedes-Benz also putting in strong showings. An excellent 1996 E320 Cabriolet made light of its £8000-£10,000 estimate to sell on the hammer for £13,400, with an R129-generation SL320 from 1998 making £9500 against a guide of £5000-£6000. Upping the obscurity somewhat was a 1974 Steyr Puch Haflinger 4×4 that sold for an eye-catching £7200, while other unusual entries included a 1958 Auto Union 1000 Coupe at £6200 and a striking 1966 Renault Carevalle at £11,500.

With several three-figure bargains also to be had, this was a sale to suit a wide range of tastes and pockets. For the full list of results, visit swva.co.uk

  • One of the real stars of the auction was this Mk2 Ford Cortina 1600E. The 1970 example had been in the same family for 34 years and came with oodles of history. At £15,000, it more than trebled its £4000-£5000 guide price.
  • Thought to be one of only 60 remaining Coupe variants, this 1975 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 had recently been recommissioned and subject to much expenditure. It showed 58,000 miles and sold above its £12,000-£12,500 estimate for £16,800.
  • Resplendent in metallic Reynard Bronze, this 1977 Allegro 1500 Estate showed just under 50,000 miles and looked to be in very good shape throughout. It was hammered away for £3400 against an upper estimate of £2000.
  • At the more recent end of the Octagon timeline was this outstanding 1.6-litre MG TF from 2004. Totally original and showing a mere 19,600 warranted miles, it comfortably beat its £2500 upper estimate to reach £3800.
  • One of three Morris Minors in the sale was this 1968 1000 saloon. Showing a mere 47,500 miles, it was described as a top drawer example and sold on the hammer for £8800 – well ahead of its £6995 upper estimate.
  • Surely the most unusual entry of all was this 1974 Steyr Puch Haflinger 4x4, which had spent its earlier years on an estate in Scotland. With the vendor since 2000, it flew past its £2000-£4000 estimate to sell for an impressive £7200
  • A rarity in the sale was this distinctive 1966 Renault Caravelle, which had been with the vendor for seven years and came with a large history file. It was hammered away at the top end of its estimate for £11,500.
  • Resplendent in Bamboo Green, this very smart 1979 Citroën 2CV6 had covered a genuine 73,000 miles, backed up by paperwork that also included a certificate for Ziebart rust treatment. It sold on the hammer for £5900 against an estimate of £4000-£5000.
  • This 1936 MG PB had been treated to a total nut-and-bolt restoration including a new ash frame, and had also been fitted with a period supercharger. In wonderful condition, it was expected to sell for £28,000-£29,750 but was hammered away at £33,500.