Written by Paul Sweeney. Many of you will know I was a friend of the late Ian Hope and helped him with his amazing collection of British cars here in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. The last I heard after Ian sadly passed away was that his museum was closed and for sale. After hearing some rumours recently, I stopped by there today to see if anything was happening. I found the real estate agent's sign now says, "Sold" and a few vehicles have been moved outside and were marked, "For Sale" (see photos). There was a contact number written on the vehicles for sale - well, it would be rude not to, wouldn't it? So I called the number hoping to find out what was happening to the collection. I was in luck - I got through to Mark, one of Ian's nephews. He told me he had taken on the challenge of disposing of the property including the car collection and that he was working on tidying up the inside of the buildings. He is also gradually disposing of many of the cars either for restoration or as parts donors and says his goal is to end up with approximately 50 of the best to keep. The new owner will take over in approximately a year's time and hopes to reopen the reduced collection to the public if possible - but Mark did stress there are many obstacles needing to be overcome before that can happen - not least the Health & Safety issues.
Anyone interested in possibly buying from Ian's collection should keep an eye on www.trademe.co.nz - meanwhile I will check back in a year from now and report how things have gone. Yes I did ask Mark if I could get inside to film, but he told me it's now designated as a hazardous work site so public access will not be possible until further notice.
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Sponsored message from Richard Edmonds Auctions Ltd. Crikey do we have a bumper weekend booked up for you at the end of the month! We're inviting final entries now for Sunday 31st July Vintage and Classic Car Sale. A great time of year to sell and with 0% seller's premium and just 10% buyer's premium, you've little lose and everything to gain! Reserves welcomed, call us now to discuss your car - 01249 444544. Veteran, Vintage & Classic Cars and Motorcycles Sunday 31st July we'll be offering 40 Motorcycles (and motorcycle spares) and a similar number of motorcars, all being loaded online over the next few days. Link to partial catalogue below. Spares, Mascots, Ephemera, Bicycles & Automobilia Friday 29th July - car spares incl. Alvis 12/50 parts, AC Cobra etc. Ephemera incl. brochures, photographs etc. Mascots, badges & select automobilia. The Old Dalby Collection, (Full contents of the museum based nr. Melton Mowbray) Saturday 30th July to include 45 motorcycles and 160 lots of spares, ephemera, oil cans and other automobilia. The Sale and Viewing will be held at Showell Farm Buildings, Showell, Chippenham SN15 2NU
Viewing - Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 8.30am-5pm, Saturday 8.30am-5pm and Sunday from 8.30am. Sales - Friday 9.30am, Saturday 10am, Sunday 10am Online Bidders - we've white labelled with ATG/the-saleroom and by doing so have managed to secure better rates for our bidders. Cars and motorcycles will remain at 1.2% (inc VAT) online fees whilst all else is 3.6% (inc VAT). There is one important measure that you must take however, if you plan to bid through the website, and that is that this reduced rate only applies if you register and bid through our website and not directly through the-saleroom.com. Directly will be 1.2% and 6%. Many thanks, from all the team. Sponsored by Lancaster Insurance Services. Is your pride and joy in need of some tender loving care and a good polish? Well you’ve come to the right place… We are thrilled to be offering one lucky person the chance to win an ULTIMATE Meguiar’s car polishing kit. Meguiar’s car care products have been long admired, since 1901 and can make most cars look shiny and new.
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All you need to do to enter is click the button below and complete the short form. Closing date 31 July 2022. T's and C's apply - open to UK residents only. Written by Gar Cole. Following the huge success of the 2021 driving tour in Cumbria, we will return this year on 8-11 October. It’s a package deal for our club; 3 night stay for 2 people with breakfast and evening meals included, plus a guided tour by the owner across the very best scenery the area has to offer. It’s a lovely old building and the food is way above normal standard, we’d go as far as to say it’s exceptional. There are just 5 rooms remaining. The cost is £450 per room for the 3 nights. A deposit of £50 must be paid directly to the hotel on 01539623242, with the balance to be paid on arrival. When booking in please quote you are with the ‘Enthusiasts car club‘ - strictly first come, first served. If you havent been to the Fat Lamb before, you can watch the video from our last visit below. Organised by Gar Cole - any queries to him via Facebook. Written by Gar Cole. Tour Dates: 17-19 June 2023A fantastic 2 day driving tour of some of the most stunning scenery in Wales.
Saturday will start from Trewan Sands and tour the island of Anglesey, taking in stops at the motor museum, go kart track, Beaumaris Castle, Trearddur Beach and other local beauty spots. Sunday the convoy will cross the Menai Bridge and head into Snowdonia National Park, climbing the striking mountain roads up-to Llanberis. Treat yourself to some of the best scenic driving roads in the UK; it’s free to join and everyone is welcome, you just need your fuel and accommodation. |
EditorsPaul Sweeney |