Classic Car Buyer Magazine No.214 Campbell's Sunbeam Fires Up Back Issue

What is it about ‘barn finds’? As most of you probably know, I have one myself – a certain 1962 Vanden Plas 3-Litre saloon, which I bought at auction last summer in order to save it from the banger racers who were competing to buy it. It’s safe from them, but so far I’ve singularly failed to find time to do anything with it other than give it a good cleanout. Maybe this weekend, but probably not... There does, though, seem to be
something of a revival of interest in classic projects at present, and while I’m all for this if it means more cars are being returned to the road and thus saved for future generations to enjoy, I do wonder if everyone ‘investing’ in a car that’s been off the road for ages really understands what the job involves. Of course, I’ve no real right to criticise people who buy projects and then don’t work on them, and if anything I’ve even less of an excuse, because I do know what’s involved, but then again, mine will be done eventually or passed to someone else who I know will do it.
Some of the prices being paid for ‘projects’ seem pretty strong. Here’s an example: At Anglia Car Auctions’ sale on Saturday, January 25 (report on page 21 of this issue) two 1959 Ford 100e ‘Populars’ were up for sale. One was a tidy car in running and roadworthy order, and being sold with a stack of interesting history; in other words it was a car that could be driven away legally subject to insurance and taken straight to a show. It
sold for £2310. The other was essentially a ‘winter project’; again it was sound and generally original and came with good history. It had though been out of use for several years, the paint was faded, the interior a bit tatty, and it was sold as a non-runner, and would have needed transporting away. It sold for £1680 – just £630 less.