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Buick, Peugeot 202, and barn finds: Never-seen-before 70 classic cars go under the hammer in SA

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On 9 November 2019, Stellenbosch will play host to a huge auction comprising more than 500 lots of vintage and classic cars.

This private collection of vehicles, in its entirety, was never before shown to the public. It consists of around 70 vehicles and more than 100 000 spares. The latter, some more than 50-years-old, ranges from engine blocks to chrome grills, and original dashboard gauges to headlight bulbs.

Take a look: A massive vintage car collection – hidden near Stellenbosch for decades – is going on auction and could fetch millions

According to High Street Auctions, some of the spares are still in their original packaging!

High Street Auctions says: "Sedans, compacts, convertibles and trucks will be auctioned, encompassing an assortment of pristine, fully restored “runners” and exciting, rare “barn finds” that span six decades of European, British and American automotive design – the oldest of which is a 1928 Buick.”

1928 Buick Convertible

                                 1928 Buick Convertible. Image: Bidway Auction House/High Street Auctions

Big collection

Joff van Reenen, Lead Auctioneer and Director of High Street Auctions, says this remarkable automotive sale has been arranged by instruction of the executors administering the deceased Bester estate."

Estimated values of these vehicles, or even minimum bids are a tricky situation to name.

Van Reenen says: "This is going to be very difficult to ascertain as we are technically selling under consent of the executor without reserves but subject to the approval of the Master of the High Court. There are no minimum bids as this is a deceased estate auction. We can only guesstimate the total auction value to be in the millions."

“What’s been increasingly astonishing over the past four months is realising the sheer scale of this collection, which took some 50 years to assemble and was solely for the pleasure of one fortunate family. A few of the restored vehicles were driven on the open road from time to time, but the complete collection has never before been made public.

“So passionate was the late owner’s love of all things automotive that he’d travel widely in South Africa and internationally to source rare gems, many of which were immaculately restored by dedicated automotive experts employed to run the workshop on the farm.”

1954 Mercedes Ponton 180

                                 1936 Ford Roadster. Image: Bidway Auction House/High Street Auctions

Vehicles going under the hammer include the following:

  • 1954 Austin Healy 100 Series convertible;
  • 1946 Peugeot 202 (believed to be the only one in South Africa); 
  • 1928 Buick convertible,
  • 1936 Ford Roadster;
  • 1931 Ford Model A Phantom;
  • 1969 MGB GT;
  • 1964 Dodge Polara;
  • 1971 Ford Mustang;
  • 1948 Chevrolet convertible;
  • 1933 Ford coupe;
  • 1934 Ford V8 pick-up – one of an assortment of trucks and pick-ups going under the hammer on the day;
  • Numerous VW Beetles;
  • 1954 Mercedes Ponton 180; and
  • 1964 Chevrolet Impala convertible.
1946 Peugeot 202
                                 1946 Peugeot 202. Image: Bidway Auction House/High Street Auctions

Watch it, live

Those interested in the auction but unable to attend it, can partake in a number of ways. The Auctioneers have made provision for live bids, telephone bids, online bids, and commission bids to be accepted.  Furthermore, the entire auction will be live-streamed on the following platforms: social media, Youtube, the High Street Auctions website and on the High Street app available free of charge on Google Play and the App Store.

“The refundable registration fee to participate in the auction is R20 000 and pre-registration is essential for the CPA and FICA conditions to be satisfied timeously,” says Van Reenen. 

When and where?

Three viewing days will be held prior to the sale that's taking place on October 9. Viewing hours have been designated as 10am to 4pm on November 6-8. The auction will start at 10.30am in a purpose-built auction arena on an estate less than 5km from the landmark Polkadraai Strawberry Farm.  

Van Reenen concludes: The auction will be a fun day out for the whole family. All the action will be in the purpose-built, under-roof auction arena, but those attending will also enjoy a display of vintage and classic cars. Food trucks will sort out hunger pangs, and there will be ample public parking.”

1971 Ford Mustang

                                 1971 Ford Mustang. Image: Bidway Auction House/High Street Auctions

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