Historics’ October sale drew quite the crowd at Brooklands: the car park was so full that overspill facilities had to be used. An auction which promises over 100 cars, with 20% of what’s on offer in dire need of TLC, was bound to attract a lot of attention from private buyers as well as dealers.

At the back of the marquee, past the young 1998 Ferrari 355 F1 Berlinetta (sold at £29.5k before premium), a stern white 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 Limousine by Thrupp & Maberly (£26k) and the gleaming Mercedes-Benz SLs ranging from 190, 230, 280, 300, 320 to 500 guise, the restoration brigade sat, dignified and mysterious, in individual car ports.

Headlight-less Bristols in various stages of disarray winked at an equally bare Lancia Aurelia: all sold as restoration projects, they came largely complete with original, though sometimes unfitted parts. Pre-premium £1300 was paid for a 1959 Bristol 406 Saloon, all the way to £26k for the 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT sporting matching numbers, stripped to bare metal: a competition car crying out to be put back on the track.

Elsewhere, and in infinitely better condition, a smart 1962 Daimler SP250 ‘B’ spec (Dart) changed hands for £39.5k. An ex-Metropolitan Police car, the Dart was one of only 26 cars used by the Police to chase drivers fast enough to fool lesser cars. As part of its glamorous past, the Dart has served as course car at the Goodwood Revival, and has an open invitation to participate in future events, operational Winkworth bell and microphone included. Goodwood marshal and famous ex-racer Win Percy is the new owner, which – given the car’s past history – seems an entirely appropriate fate for the Dart.

Jaguar KX120 roadsters may pull strong results, at £51k, and the Drophead Coupe’ version be even more sought-after, at £67k, but a less known 1923 American LaFrance Raceabout in need of some attention sold for £20.5k thanks to its rather agricultural but endearing charm.

Renault’s answer to pre-war British Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, the Stella series, did not survive the war unscathed: most of the vehicles were recycled because of the aluminium used for their bodies, and what remains is usually carefully looked after in private collections. Therefore a 1929 Renault Monastella Laundelette, stored in a barn for the last 30 years, may have sold for just £550 but it is a project for the very brave only.                 

Historics ends its second year of trading with a flourish: the percentage of sales is around 65%, grossing over £1.1m.