Long-term owner cars up for sale

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Richard Edmonds Auctions of Chippenham, Wiltshire has managed to find some remarkable ownership histories.

1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Supercharged Super Sport Spider by Zagato

Star of the sale (23 May) has to be a Zagato spyder bodied 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 that came as a ‘Super Sports’ with the desirable compressor when it was new. These cars totally overwhelmed motorsport in Italy’s early 1930s and this may have been one of them as it’s earliest history remains unknown. Fact is that it turned up in London as early as in 1948, when it was bought from racing driver Reg Parnell. It would remain in the UK for the rest of its life. Long-term owner Michael Hirst had it for 58 years after purchasing it in 1961 - with a Ford V8 under its bonnet! He retrofitted a correct replacement 1750 unit in 1964 and started on a long journey of enjoying it and tracing back its history. Although never confirmed, it may have been a car that was used at Brooklands in 1929…

1930 Lagonda 3 Litre Tourer

Although very sporty, too, and from the same era, the 1930 Lagonda 3 Litre Tourer in the same sale is quite the opposite in many ways. Hang on, it’s had a similar long-term owner in the shape of Lagonda Club founding member Alan Hitch. He bought it in 1955 and kept it until his death last year. That’s 65 years! There seems to be no doubt that Hitch pampered his darling motor and the history coming with it surely must be something, too, dating back so many years and having undergone lots of (Continental) journeys, mechanical overhauls and rebuilds. With an £85,000 to £90,000 estimate, it’s exactly that of the Alfa-Romeo divided by 8…

1914 Chater-Lea 10hp Tourer

Not quite so impressive in terms of ultra long-term ownership, but a nice car we didn’t want to withhold here is the 1914 Chater-Lea 10hp Tourer, owned by the vendor since 1984 – still 37 years. Remarkably, it was restored soon after his purchase but never driven on the road again! The auctioneer writes: “It is now mellowed and patinated, and will need some recommissioning. The engine is free but has not been run for many years.” A good excuse to sell at the relatively low price estimated..?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Pictures courtesy of Richard Edmonds.

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