Vintage wheels sale ‘enthusiast’s dream’

10:38am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A SIGNIFICANT collection of vintage light cars and motorcycles is to be auctioned in the New Forest at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, in September.

Stafford East's collection is well known, but during the last 20 years the nonagenarian retired Buckinghamshire garage owner has kept it under lock and key.

Now he is putting his three GN cars up for sale alongside his seven motorcycles with auctioneers Bonhams on Saturday, September 13.

Star of the collection is Kim II, a chain-driven GN which was driven to 100 victories in its racing days in hill climbs and speed contests.

In its latter years in competition its driver was Archie Frazer-Nash who set up GN with friend Ron Godfrey. It is expected to make between £50,000 and £70,000.

Also up for sale are a GN Akela, one of a team prepared specially for the 1922 200-mile race at Brooklands, and a 1922 GN Vitesse, a road car designed to take two passengers.

Also going under the hammer are a 1930 Brough Superior with sports sidecar successfully campaigned by Mr East and his late wife in vintage events, and a 1908-built Motosacoche, a pedal-assisted single cylinder motorcycle build in Switzerland.

Bonhams' motoring specialist Stewart Skilbeck, who hacked back the ivy to prise open the garage doors, said: "This collection is an enthusiast's dream, combining significant racing history with rarity, originality and that wonderful barn discovery' ingredient that excites the vintage enthusiast."