All but one classic driven (or occasionally pushed) past the South Western Vehicle Auctions rostrum changed hands during a 99 per cent sold sale at Parkstone just outside Poole, where previously restored and authenticated examples of a 1967 Austin Mini Cooper 1275S and a 1972 Ford Escort RS1600 achieved very strong prices.

Meanwhile another clutch of collector vehicles for all pockets will be seeking new owners this weekend at the first Charterhouse car sale of the year at the Shepton Mallet Showground, writes CCB contributor Stratford Godfrey.

A statistically almost perfect set of results were achieved by South Western Vehicle Auctions at its first drive-through of the new buying season with changes of ownership for 70 of the 71 classics during a 99 per cent sold £435,736 Friday morning session at Parkstone, just outside Poole, where a packed auction hall saw £47,520 handed over for a previously restored 1967 MkI Austin Mini Cooper 1275S and a 1972 MkI Ford Escort RS1600 made £42,500.