Brightwells selling Vauxhall Heritage surplus stock

[bunglebus]

https://www.brightwells.com/news/2020/09/vauxhall-press-release/

[loserone]

I never thought I'd say this, but that Zafira GSI could be good value.

Thankfully I find Vauxhall seats incredibly uncomfortable so won't be sitting uncomfortably at the edge of my seat when it goes.

 

[jon.k]

I think the combo van was a nice design for a small van. I used to like the way the side mouldings blended into the lights. I wouldn't mind that one actually.

[outlaw118]

Am I the only one that thinks it's a bit weird that the newer stuff at least weren't just plucked off the assembly line and put straight into "The Collection"? The older stuff I can understand, when built ie 1930 something there wasn't a museum running, but later stuff like the Zafira GSi and the Corsa?

AVAS btw

[Dick Cheeseburger]

This is a travesty; how can they admit that and still sell the damn thing?

What a bloody shame. ?

 

[Agila]

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

This is a travesty; how can they admit that and still sell the damn thing?

What a bloody shame. ?

 

That's pretty poor. I really hope it goes to someone suitable that the owner would approve of.

Another point is, a 1938 car bought in 1938 ie brand new as a teenager. Also coincides with WW2. I hope the 2k to 3k estimate is given away to an appropriate charity, seems wrong to go in vauxhalls pocket.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Agila
Added a second part

[Dick Cheeseburger]

2 minutes ago, Agila said:

That's pretty poor. I really hope it goes to someone suitable that the owner would approve of.

I guess the original owner is long gone. I wonder what his family think though? I'd be gutted if it were my father's car and he'd donated it in good faith. Really poor show. The least they could do is now donate it to another museum or something, rather than try and make money from it. 

[ProgRocker]

I think @dollywobbler has driven the Chevette.

[barrett]

Ssshhhhh! Don't tell anyone about this! I am going to have a crack at the 10/4 if I can get a bridging loan. Might mean a shonky Panhard Dyna or less shonky Humber Sceptre will be for sale in the near future...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

This is a travesty; how can they admit that and still sell the damn thing?...

Because they can.

See also Jaguar Land Rover.

[HMC]

Always interesting when manufacturers/ former manufacturer owned collections get thinned. Anyone remember the (as it was then) heritage motor centre sale in about 2003?

They had loads of esoteric first and last BLARG models . They were pretty much driven there straight off the production line; and decided to get rid. One such vehicle was A—-KWK that Metallicy red ambassador that was later rescued from a driveway and restored by a member on here.

[SiC]

8 minutes ago, HMC said:

Always interesting when manufacturers/ former manufacturer owned collections get thinned. Anyone remember the (as it was then) heritage motor centre sale in about 2003?

I was chatting to one of the guys at the Atwell Wilson museum. This car was literally in the pile of cars that were going for scrap and thought of no interest at the time:

https://atwellwilson.org.uk/issigonis-prototype-1970-mini-9x.html

The Atwell-Wilson museum saved it and restored it. They started asking questions about it's history and the Gaydon researchers dug up that it was actually Issigonis personal car and one of his final experimental test mule. Gaydon later admitted that it should never have been got rid of in the first place. 

[SiC]

3 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

This is a travesty; how can they admit that and still sell the damn thing?

What a bloody shame. ?

 

In someway it's no bad thing if it gets restored and cherished. Better than rotting away around the back of a museum outside because they got forced into a new building that has been scaled down in size. 

I imagine the curators had to make a few hard decisions from dwindling budgets and this is where they were forced to draw the line. Can't keep them all, so some will have to go. Vauxhall right now is a dieing brand, with less independence every year and going to be even more so under PSA ownership. Especially as vehicle platforms are being consolidated to allow the industry to survive. 

[SiC]

If that 10/4 did go for the £2k-3k mark and didn't need a whole crap load of work, I'd be sorely tempted...

[barrett]

To be fair, Vauxhall to make at least some attempt to maintain and use their 'heritage fleet' of cars, which is more than can be said of many factory collections. the cars being sold here are duplicates of examples already part of the fleet, and I imagine the firm's new French overlords are attempting to cut some unneccessary chaff from the main wheaty collection.

That said, we borrowed the 10/4 they are keeping a couple of years ago, and it was far from running well and was clearly in need of a proper service at the very least. For such an important car - a quiet landmark in British motoring history, lest we forget - it was a little disappointing.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

In someway it's no bad thing if it gets restored and cherished. Better than rotting away around the back of a museum outside because they got forced into a new building that has been scaled down in size. 

I imagine the curators had to make a few hard decisions from dwindling budgets and this is where they were forced to draw the line. Can't keep them all, so some will have to go. Vauxhall right now is a dieing brand, with less independence every year and going to be even more so under PSA ownership. Especially as vehicle platforms are being consolidated to allow the industry to survive. 

Whilst I agree with the idea it may be restored and cherished, it could equally end up parked in a driveway as did KWK Ambassador. I just think it's really shite that such a special car has been bequeathed in the hope it will be kept for others to enjoy, only to end up being sold to the public whilst returning a profit for VX. 

[SiC]

 

18 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Whilst I agree with the idea it may be restored and cherished, it could equally end up parked in a driveway as did KWK Ambassador. I just think it's really shite that such a special car has been bequeathed in the hope it will be kept for others to enjoy, only to end up being sold to the public whilst returning a profit for VX. 

While that's all nice and dandy in theory, the reality of the real world is that there are finite budgets and resources. It's not going to be possible to save every single vehicle in this world with a nice back story. Especially when owned by a company that needs to justify their expenditure on such vehicles, despite such a collection adding little to their bottom line.

Someone, likely a curator, had to make a decision here on what goes and what stays. One that I'm sure they rather didn't have to make. Also a decision that we're only seeing the output of and not the vehicles they have kept - each with their own story.

We also don't know the full story of this one. If it was bequeathed many years ago, which could well be if they were a teenager when it was bought, they should be very happy that it's survived this far. Without being in the collection it's unlikely it would have done. It has also lasted long enough to have becomes a vintage car and worth money. So the reality is, the fact it's lasted this long is likely thanks to it being made part of this collection.

Given there is only a handful of vehicles for sale in this auction, it sounds like they were lucky not to have to sold even more.

 

[SiC]

With visitor numbers falling off a cliff this year and still having large premises to warm, rates paid and insure, I wouldn't be surprised if other museum and car collections might end up getting split up. Especially the smaller ones. 

[Bradders59]

I would love to have the little Chevette Hatchback. Stick an Omega 3.0 or 3.2  V6 in it and it would be a stonking little motor.

[SiC]

Looks like the cars are up on their auction catalogue already:

https://www.brightwellslive.com/timedauctions/index/5043

The 10/4 has some pictures of it on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/dbj73

1937 Vauxhall 10/4 H-Type

This particular 1 owner example was donated Mr Ernest Goode who took delivery of it on the 8th of February 1938. It cost him £184 4s 5d.

 

I'd be very surprised if it only got £2k-3k... 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Some really interesting motors on their site. I love the '39 SS Jag...

 

Two Vespa PXs with 1 mile from new too. They'll sell for more than the £1500-£1800 guide.  

[chaseracer]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

I was chatting to one of the guys at the Atwell Wilson museum. This car was literally in the pile of cars that were going for scrap and thought of no interest at the time:

https://atwellwilson.org.uk/issigonis-prototype-1970-mini-9x.html

The Atwell-Wilson museum saved it and restored it. They started asking questions about it's history and the Gaydon researchers dug up that it was actually Issigonis personal car and one of his final experimental test mule. Gaydon later admitted that it should never have been got rid of in the first place. 

I wondered what had happened to that.

[omegod]

1 hour ago, Bradders59 said:

I would love to have the little Chevette Hatchback. Stick an Omega 3.0 or 3.2  V6 in it and it would be a stonking little motor.

I've sold several R25-28 RWD gearbox kits to several guys who have done just that !  Apparently they don't half go well   

[Bradders59]

Sadly, the really expensive part would be the shell. I owned a 175bhp Chevette  which was extremely quick, so 210 bhp would be even more fun. 

[dollywobbler]

9 hours ago, ProgRocker said:

I think @dollywobbler has driven the Chevette.

I have. It's an absolute peach. 6000 miles when I drove it a few years back, in utterly delicious condition and full working order. I don't have £4-5k though.

[Cavcraft]

Got passed by an absolute mintola (proper) Combo van the other day with 'yellow peril' in small writing on the back door.

[Cavcraft]

Also 'selling due to space constraints' when they have fucking acres of room in Ellesmere Port 

[sloth]

hmmmm. no novas or mk1 cavailers. my savings are safe for now.

[egg]

In related news, a story here about Vauxhall's on display in Luton...

Quote

The Vauxhall: Made in Luton exhibition at Stockwood Discovery Centre displays models from the last 115 years.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-53916943

And Hubnut visit from 2016

 

[Six-cylinder]

Shame I can't slip my Astravan Sportive in, I am sure it would make 10 times its value as a Vauxhall Heritage vehicle!