Unusual cars in the Bonhams|Cars Goodwood Revival sale
While the Bonhams|Cars Revival sale will be led by a glittering list of machines that includes cars like a 2021 Aston Martin V12 Speedster and 1998 Porsche 993 Turbo, we thought it'd be fun to take a look at the more unusual end of the auction catalogue. These are the most unusual cars for sale at the Bonhams|Cars Goodwood Revival sale.
1979 Gary Belcher 'Model T' V12 Hot-Rod
To start, you don't get much more unusual than the Gary Belcher' Model T' V12 Hot-Rod, a Ford Model T chassis fitted with a Jaguar V12. Squeezing such a large lump into such a small frame presented problems of its own, overheating problems to be more specific, with Belcher – a foremost builder of UK hot rods – fitting two additional radiators to the underside of the car to solve the problem. The vendor’s brother hand-built many of the car's components, and there are many neat touches like a steering linkage and wiring loom separately hidden in opposing chassis legs.
After being displayed at the Haynes Motor Museum for 28 years and standing in storage for the rest, this multi-award winner is now running and serviced for sale. It's estimated to make £25,000 - £35,000.
1966 'Meyers Manx' Dune Buggy
The 'Meyers Manx' Dune Buggy gets its name from the Manx Cat thanks to its poised profile and chopped tail. Using a shortened Beetle chassis, it was built for desert racing. In 1967 its creator, Bruce F Meyers, gained valuable publicity driving a Manx when he beat the motorcycle record for the Baja 1000 in Mexico. A week later the car featured in Car and Driver, the company receiving 350 orders overnight, and soon after that Steve McQueen customised his own.
A car that inspired many more dune buggies that came after it, this example is based on a 1.3-litre Beetle and is said to be up, running, and recently serviced. It's yours for £30,000 – £40,000.
1945 Willys MB Jeep' Shore Patrol'
If you want to buy a car that can sink its teeth into the nostalgia of the Revival, then look no further than the Willys Jeep; all you need is the military uniforms and you’re ready for the weekend. More rugged than your average classic, the Jeep was built to mechanise the United States military in the 1940s, so should be handy in a muddy car park.
A 'Shore Patrol' model, this particular example is thought to have served in WWII at the United States Navy's Motor Torpedo Base 17 at Bobon Point, Samar, in the Philippines, before it was returned to the US. It was shipped to the UK in 2021, comes with twenty years' worth of service history and is estimated at £20,000 – £30,000.
1972 Fiat 500 Jolly Beach Car
The Fiat 500 Jolly is the answer to the question many of us struggle with: "Exactly how do I get from A to B once I've parked the super yacht?" It's at home on the beach as it is transporting its owners around the French Riviera, and the car often served as courtesy transport at hotels and golf courses. Based on a Fiat 500, only with wicker seats and no permanent roof or doors, it's hard to think of a better-looking way of spending an estimated £40,000-£50,000.
The car crossing the blocks has been completely restored back to its factory specification and is believed to be the only right-hand drive model ordered. Its engine will need to be run in, but it comes with a fresh service and MOT.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5.0 'Rallyewagen' Coupé
The Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC doesn't find its way onto this list because it's unusual, per se, more because its application was unusual – who looks at a 450SLC and thinks: ‘rally car’? Thankfully, Mercedes did, and set to work preparing its 5.0-litre super coupé for everything the World Rally Championship could throw at. The result was a car that took a 1-2-3-4 finish in Africa at the Cote d'Ivoire in 1979, a rally known for its toughness and savage attrition rate.
This car is considered just one of seven rally cars designated ‘450 SLC 5.0' and served as a practice car in the Safari Rally and at Cote d'Ivoire before taking second place at the 1980 Rally Codasur in Argentina. It's a tribute to old-school Mercedes engineering and a slice of genuine motorsport history you can have for an estimate of £200,000 – £300,000.
1959 BMC 5-Ton Race Transporter
If you fancy leaving your next track day with a bit of panache, this car fits the list as one of the more unusual offerings at the auction, given that it isn't a car. It is a five-ton race transporter with room for an Austin Healy or two Mini Coopers and a body designed by Pininfarina. It had a past life as a service vehicle before it was swept up in the glamour of motorsport, serving as a race transporter to Leyland ST, which ran a pair of Triumph dolomites.
Sadly, those days were long behind it when it was discovered languishing in a disused railway station, serving as a somewhat basic holiday accommodation in the 1990s. A ten-year restoration saw the truck fitted with a Cummins 6.0-litre six-cylinder diesel and six-speed gearbox that brings "much-improved acceleration and drivability". It's yours for between £40,000 – £60,000.
1986 Porsche 911 Type 930 Turbo SE 'Flat Nose' Coupé
Very little is unusual about a standard Porsche 911 – its iconic shape is probably the first thing many people think of when they hear the words ‘sports car’ – but the Flat Nose is an entirely different proposition. Its 'slant' or 'flat' nose pays tribute to the Type 935 racer, and the new look was an official Porsche option in 1986. Underneath the body, you’ll find the oily bits from a Porsche 930 Turbo, with most cars getting the WLS performance kit that pushed power up to 330PS (243kW).
The vendor's late husband purchased this right-hand drive example at the 1986 Epsom Derby; it has covered just 12,610 miles since and carries an upper estimate of £200,000.
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