London Concours: Best of the Rest

The present owner spotted this Alfa Junior Spider under a car cover in his neighbor’s garage. Finally, after a wait of two years the neighbor agreed to sell the car. Re commissioned after six years off the road the current owner has motored extensively around Europe in the Alfa, just as its makers intended.

Restored in 2015/16 by AC Heritage of Brooklands to Rudd Speed period specification as raced in early 1958, this AC Ace’s (constructed in 1956) competition history includes the 1956 Mille Miglia, driven by Bruno Ferrari, and a first in class finish in the hands of Lotus works driver Michael Anthony in the 1958 Belgium Gran Turismo Spa.

In the ‘Convertibles: The Golden Era’, this 1968 Alfa Romeo Junior Spider was delivered new to South Africa and came to the UK in 1995. One of only 179 examples constructed in right hand drive.

Proudly displaying its Alpine Rally plate, this 1956 Aston Martin DB/4 MK11 was originally purchased from Brooklands of Bond Street by Count Charles de Salis who, with Captain MacGregor, entered that year’s Alpine Rally, gaining a second place class finish and winning a coveted Coupe des Alpes. The Count sold the car in 1957, whereupon the car disappeared from the scene until its appearance at the 1970 London Jubilee Parade and Concours at Alexander Palace. In 1983, having passed through various owners, the car went into storage, reappearing in 2015 when it was purchased by its current owner as a barn find project.

Originally supplied to Sidney Langsam, the developer of the Colorado racing venue ‘the Continental Divide’ this rare 1964 left hand drive U.S. market Series 2 Aston Martin DB4 recently emerged from long time storage in the USA. The current owner purchased the car in 2018, and entrusted specialist restorer Thornley Kelham with its 18 month restoration.

This 1990 Aston Martin Lagonda Saloon Series IV number 13645 was the last chassis produced. Sold to the Drambuie Liqueur Company of Edinburgh who retained the car until 1994, when it was sold to a customer in Germany having covered only 200 miles. Correctly stored within the owner’s private museum and used only sparingly the mileage has increased to 3700.

As the name implies this 2011 Aston Martin One-77 is one of only 77 examples of this 220 mph 7.3 Liter V12 super Coupe built. The lightweight, immensely rigid carbonfibre monocoque is clad in a seamless handcrafted aluminum bodyshell. At the time of launch the One-77s V12 was claimed to be the most powerful normally aspirated engine in the world.

This 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake is one of 99 constructed to celebrate Zagato’s ongoing relationship with Aston Martin, and the coachbuilder’s centennial celebration. Registered on the first of May and driven to Brescia to form part of Andrea Zagato’s 12 car team entry in the Mille Miglia, the Zagato has now covered over 8500 miles touring Europe and doing the supermarket run, though I imaging the owner parks in the quietest part of the car park.

In 1966 Giotto Bizzarrini entered the Giugiario-designed and Chevy V8-powered P538 in the Le Mans 24 hour race without much success. Entered in the ‘Lost Marques’ class this 1976 Bizzarrini P538 was one of seven further examples constructed by the original Bizzarrini foreman Salvatore Diamonte. With input from Giotto Bizzarrini, and employing his wife Rosanna to help with body fabrication, four had previously been constructed in the 1960s, with three more, including this example, being constructed in the 1970s.

The V6 was not enough for this Dino…

…the Moto Technic 1974 Dino Evo 328 GTS. It is fitted with a 300 bhp 328 V8 engine and transmission utilizing the fuel injection system from a 355 and the braking system from a 360. An Outlaw Dino!

From the ‘Lost Marques’ class, this 1961 Facel Vega HK500 was originally supplied to Douglas Behrend, an attorney at law and husband of Aida Grey, a beauty expert and founder of the institut de Beaute, a mecca of the rich and famous in Beverley Hills.

The Facel was purchased by its current owner and imported into the UK in March 2016. It was previously owned since 1982 by wine expert Peter Meltzer.

The winner of the ‘Convertibles, The Golden Era’ class, and also best in show was this Ferrari 330 GTS. In November 1967 this GTS was one of the stars displayed at the Turin Motor show. In 1969 the GTS was purchased by Jamie Wyeth of Pennsylvania before passing into the hands of Carl Cantera of Delaware, who purchased the car from the Ferrari dealer FAF Motors of Tucker Georgia in the mid 1970s. Carl successfully showed the car for over 20 years before the car passed into the care of his son in 1999. With only 48,238 miles of use the car was sold to the UK in 2017 whereupon the car was given a major mechanical overhaul going on to win a best in class and Platinum award at the Ferrari Owners Club National Concours.

This 1967 Fiat Dino Spider is no. 415 of the first 500 built. It spent most of its life in the Modena area of Italy, and the Dino was imported into the UK in 2007. Since then the Dino has been displayed at various prestigious events and has also spent time as a Goodwood grid car.

Another from the ‘Lost Marques’ class, this 1967 ISO Grifo GL300 is particularly rare as it is the only right hand drive series 1 Grifo with an original sunroof. This example has only covered 64,000 miles from new and has been in single ownership for 30 years. The original owner had a well-known Kings Road Chelsea restaurant frequented by the cream of swing 60s London.

More swinging 60s, this time entered in the ‘ Convertibles: The Golden era’ class, this 1964 Jaguar 3.8 E Type Roadster is one of very few to be delivered new to Canada. A true time warp example which having joined a museum collection in the 1980s was impeccably preserved for nearly 30 years. Described as one of the last authentic matching numbers examples that still does not require a full restoration.

Each year the London Concours celebrates a collectors collection. This year it was the turn of Aston Martin/Jaguar designer Ian Callum. Ian purchased this 1976 Jaguar XJ12C Coupe sight unseen from St Tropez. Upon its arrival Ian came to the conclusion that the aesthetics were not quiet right so passed the Jaguar to Miles Classics in Huddersfield who stripped the body back to bare metal, lowered the suspension, retrimmed the interior and fitted 18 inch rims. Lovely.

Entered in the ‘Pursuit of Speed’ class this 1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC was supplied by Jaguar cars to an up- and-coming-racing driver by the name of Stirling Moss. The ‘Boy’ used the XK120 travelling to various race meetings throughout Europe. The unusual colour scheme was chosen by Moss and the car was handed over to him by Sir William Lyons himself.

A Jowett Javelin in VeloceToday! From the ‘Lost Marques’ class this 1953 example now owned by James Knight of Bonhams had previously been pressed into service at the Goodwood Revival as part of the Goodwood Transport Corp by its then owner Nigel Snelling Colyer. Bradford-based Jowett caused a sensation when the advanced Javelin was introduced in 1947. Unitary construction, independent front suspension, torsion bar springing and rack and pinion steering was all the work of the much underrated and innovative engineer Gerald Palmer.

If you have ever watched the Beatles anthology video you may have noticed this 1967 Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 guarded by security parked outside the Apple Corp building during the filming of their famous roof top gig.

This Lambo was one of 5 examples converted to right hand drive and registered in the UK to the EMI owned Star Group of companies, who kept the car for 4 years, during which time it is believed that Paul McCartney used the vehicle.

From the ‘Great Marques Lamborghini’ class this 1990 Lamborghini LM002 was the 40th of the 301 examples built. Originally sold to Switzerland in 1997, the LM002 joined the Drambuie liquor family’s classic car collection. Finished in Blu Acupulco Metallizzato with light grey leather trim, this 450 bhp Countach V12 powered, 2.7 ton 4 x 4 would certainly have caused a stir wherever it went. Recently recommissioned by Bell Sport and Classic this rare, original example has cover less than 14,000 miles over the last 30 years.

Entered in the ‘Lamborghini’ class this 1970 Lamborghini Espada was first registered in the Channel Islands before returning to the UK mainland in 1975. John Taylor purchased the car in 1979, keeping the car for over 30 years covering 42,000 miles and carrying out its major restoration himself during the 1980s. The current owner has covered a further 14,000 mile since purchase in 2012. Following head gasket failure, the V12 was rebuilt to Miura SV spec. One unusual feature of this example is the panoramic glass roof, only one other Espada was built with the glass roof, a series one example delivered to Prince Rainier of Monaco.

The rarest entry in the ‘Great Marques: Lamborghini’ class was this 1977 Silhouette. Designed by Gandini, only 54 examples were constructed. Dallara designed the chassis around the then new Pirelli P7 tire, which he described at the time as being the greatest single component breakthrough in the history of the car.

Of course the ‘Great Marques Lamborghini’ class had to have a Miura. In this case a 1972 SV number 4527.

Another Miura, this time in the ‘Pursuit of Speed’ class. This right-hand drive Miura S was sold new by Peter Mitchell, the Lamborghini distributor for Victoria in Australia. Chassis 114752 was built on the 10th October 1970, the speedo shows a mileage of 16,703 miles which is believed to be genuine and the car is fitted with the factory Borletti air conditioning.

And there had to be a Countach in the class, a 1988 LP5000 QV, one of only 18 right hand skirted examples.

And another Countach, again in the ‘Pursuit of Speed’ class this 1975 LP400 Periscopio is one of only 10 right hand drive UK market examples built. Invoiced when new to Mr Horrocks in Bolton for £18295.00, a figure which would have bought 10 MGBs.

From the ‘Convertibles’ class, this recently restored 1968 Lotus Elan Series 3 DHC is the rare S/E model still retaining its hard to source items like the rear view mirror, fuel filler cap and gear knob.

This 1933 Talbot AV105 was ordered on the 29th December 1932, delivered to Vanden Plas on the 12th April 1933 and then sold to Mr Boulting of London on the 31st May 1933. Mr Boulton was a keen member of the Talbot owners club and took part in the club’s 2200 mile Continental tour of Europe in 1935. In 1973 the Talbot was taken first to Singapore where it was raced and rallied, then on to South Africa in 1981. The Talbot returned to the UK in 2016 and has since been subject to a comprehensive restoration.

Not just a forgotten marque but a marque that most visitors to the show had never heard of. This 1966 Unipower GT is the first production model built. These chic mid- engined British sports cars are very rare. Of the 72 examples built between 1966 and 70 this is believed to be the only example in regular use in the UK. The Unipower was conceived by Ernie Unger and Val Dare-Bryan with the body design being the work of Ron Bradshaw whilst he was also working on the GT40 project.

Standing 40.5 inches tall and constructed on a spaceframe with bonded aerodynamic bodywork, it was powered by a transverse mounted BMC A series engine with fully independent coil sprung suspension and Cooper S brakes. Weighing only 590kg Unipowers were both fast and nimble.