Buy 12 historic Vauxhalls for less than an Insignia

Tucked away behind the staff car park at Vauxhall’s former Griffin House HQ in Luton, which it vacated last year, the Vauxhall Heritage Collection has been opened up to the public sparingly to reveal its in-house museum of around 80 historic Vauxhall cars and Bedford commercial vehicles, dating right back to the Luton marque’s 1903 beginnings in South London.

Nearly all of the 80 vehicles within the Heritage Collection are ‘on the button’ and drivable, with Vauxhall extensively using a number of its pre-1966 Heritage vehicles in the past as VIP shuttles and taxis at the Goodwood Revival.

After 60 years or so in residence, Vauxhall relocated from its established Griffin House base to smaller premises elsewhere near Luton last year, temporarily leaving its Heritage Collection behind in the move. Ahead of shortly transferring its core collection to a new location at the end of the year, Vauxhall is set to sell-off eleven of its Heritage exhibits that either require some recommissioning, or are duplicate models to those already held. These complete and original vehicles will be auctioned on-line by Brightwells’ on 24 September, all with no-reserve.

The Vauxhall Heritage Collection sale will consist of nine passenger cars, one van and one coach, with the oldest being a rare 1924 M-Type 14/40 Melton tourer, and the youngest a 2013 Corsa Black Edition. Highlights of the Brightwells’ auction will include a 1931 Bedford WHB 14-seat coach from the first year of Bedford production, plus an immaculate 1981 Chevette L and a scarce 1966 Victor FC Estate in need of some recommissioning.

Ahead of the on-line sale, potential bidders will be able to view short videos of the vehicles three days before the auction, from Monday 21 September, with bids also able to be placed from this date, with each vehicle being allocated a final bidding slot on auction day.

The eleven Heritage Collection vehicles being offered for on-line auction by Brightwells’ on 24 September are:

Cars on sale:

1924 Vauxhall 14/40 M-type (partly dismantled) - est. £12-16k/no reserve
-    Owned by Vauxhall Heritage since 1998 with paperwork going back to 1925. A two-seater with rear dickie seat, the car needs mechanical recommissioning.
1931 Bedford WHB 14-seater coach (in need of recommission) – est. £10-12k/no reserve
-    Purchased by Vauxhall from original owners – Arlington Motor Company Ltd. – in 1999 and subject to an older restoration.
1934 ASY Light Six (mechanical work required) – est. £3-5k/no reserve
-    Owned by Vauxhall since 1999, the vehicle includes its original registration paperwork. 
1938 H-type 10/4 (in need of recommission) – est. £2-3k/no reserve
-    Known as ‘The Duchess’, this H-type was bequeathed to Vauxhall by its original owner, who purchased car as a teenager in 1938.
1966 FC Victor Estate (in need of recommission) – est. £3-4k/no reserve
-    Owned by Vauxhall since 1999, the rare Victor needs a brake overhaul, plus welding required along the sills
1981 Chevette L – est. £4-5.5k/no reserve
-    Comes with a large history file
1997 Combo van – est. £800-1k/no reserve
-    Immaculate inside and out; a rare survivor owned by Vauxhall since 2017.
2004 Corsa C 1.8 – est. £1-2k/no reserve
-    A rare sporting 1.8 SRi model, used in marketing and the press launch of the last generation Corsa
2004 Zafira GSi – est. £600-1k/no reserve
-    Owned by former Vauxhall Heritage Centre restorer prior to going into the Vauxhall Collection, with an extensive history file
2007 Vectra C 2.0T – est. £2-4k/no reserve
-    A low-mileage example
2013 Corsa D Black Edition – est. £2-3k/no reserve