Classic American – September 2019

Meanwhile,areasonably clean and recently imported 1950 Chevy 3600

pick-up, with upgraded 327cu in V8 andafour-speed Muncie transmission,

did change hands for £9744, despite not reaching its lower estimate of

£11,500. UK registered, its beige paint was somewhat underwhelming,

but it looked to beasolid investment now that similar vintage pick-ups are

sellingfor double that price.

The same could be said for the unusual 1968 AMC M151 A2 MUTT

(Multi-UseTacticalTruck) ,Vietnam-era jeep, examples of which appear

for sale only rarely.These sturdy and durable workhorses remained in US

militaryservice far longer than the originalWillys Jeep and its derivatives,

but early examples were plagued with safety concerns, suffering many

roll-over accidents when cornering.

The A2, with revised independent suspension, resolved most of these

problems, yet their reputation resulted in the US Army literally cutting them

in halfor quart ers,before selling them on to the civilian market. Of course

enterprising militaryenthusiasts simply welded them back together! One

presumes such was not the fate of this clean example, which sold for an

affordable £11,872.

An attra ctivemetallic blue1965 Mustang Coupewith a289cuin V8,

autoand extremely loud exhaust, wason offer ,havingbeensold at a

previousHistorics auction in2016. Inthe interi m, much hadbeenspent

improvingthe car, though ithadtravelle dless than 100 milesint he

process. Offeredatbetween £14,000and £18,000, it exceeded itsupper

estima te, achievingarespectable£19,244.

For thosewho preferrednewer performance vehicles, there was a

stunning black2010 ChevyCamar oSS. These are farrarer in theUK

thansimilarage Mustangs, so someone gotabargain, asthe car sold for

£15,904, just below itslower estimate.

TwoC1Corvettes were on offer,both red and veryattractively

presented, one an early 1954 model and the other dating from 1962.

Perhaps the estimated price of the older car was optimistic,areflection of

those achieved in America, as it could not reach its £59,000 to £68,

estimate, despiteafullrestoration. The later,twin headlamp, 327cu in V8-

engined, Irish-registered car fared better.Withonly 32k on the odometer,

an all-red body,with matching hardtop and interior,ith ad an estimateof

between £54,000 and £65,000. It proved popular with bidders, eventually

changing hands for £59,360. Whether Historics’ next auction on September

21, also at Brooklands, will have as many American vehicle consignments

remains to be seen. Let’shope so.

2010 Chevrolet CamaroSS.

1972 Buickboat-tail Riviera.

1965 Mustang Coupe.

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