- 8 hours ago
Bangers and Cash - Season 13 - Episode 02: Sunbeam Alpine/Daimler Sovereign
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TVTranscript
00:05On sale this week.
00:07Sunbeam Alpine. What a car. It's going to make a right car, isn't it?
00:11We don't know where the key for this car is.
00:13I'm hoping it's in here, but I've not been able to get in because of all this other stuff that's
00:16in here.
00:181983, damn this day, the sovereign.
00:20I know a lot of people are not going to like this and not going to agree with me, but
00:24motor dealers will.
00:25And we used to say an XJ6 is the best driving car on the road.
00:30It's the Viva GT. Complete time warp. An unbelievably rewarding project for someone.
00:36Well, it says it all, doesn't it? Owned by the current owner for 36 years.
00:38They are. You can tell straight away.
00:41I thought I'd do this for a living, didn't I, really?
00:43Mercedes Unimog. Here we go. Drove one of these as a kid.
00:46Got fond memories. I love them to bits. I think they're brilliant.
00:50You've driven up from Macclesfield this morning. I have.
00:52What's the journey like? Look at your cruise control.
00:54Cruise control? No, you've just got to have a big right foot.
01:00The Matthewsons, a dynasty of classic car auctioneers.
01:0555. The joys of an auction.
01:07Most people will go to a sale with something in mind, but come away with something different.
01:11The fun is the chase. We'll have a look and we'll advise you from there.
01:15You just don't know what's on the end of the phone, what you're going to find when you open them
01:18doors.
01:19This is a family's love affair with motors that have lived a life.
01:23Testing, testing.
01:24Most people will buy a car because they can relate to it.
01:28Maybe a car that Dad had. You're selling dreams.
01:30Right, here we go.
01:47This sort of comes to us all. You get to an age. You get to a time in life.
01:51You've somehow run out of free time. You're definitely run out of enthusiasm and energy, I can assure you that.
01:57And too many vehicles then start to become a liability. Not a pleasure, a liability.
02:01So, consequently, there are times that you just have to have a clear out.
02:06We've just got a couple of bikes to get out from up there. I think there's four or five to
02:10get them down, I think.
02:11They went up on that old pallet there, so they'll come down on that old pallet there, won't they?
02:16Fancy grip system on the bottom of the ladder. There's a bit of gap, I'd say, that's nearly rubbed off.
02:21With a firm grip on health and safety, it's time for Derek to let go of the past.
02:26Yeah, you hang on to her. You want to be forward a bit more yet? Just to clear this.
02:34It is a big decision for guys like us, you know? It's a bit like selling one of the kids,
02:38you know?
02:39You have to think about it a bit first. Couldn't be easier, could it, really?
02:43It turns out that I think we've added up, it's 43, I think, all told. And they're going to go.
02:48I mean, I haven't had my leg over one for five years, I should think.
02:51And I'm not over keen on the big heavy ones anymore. For that reason, they're too big and they're too
02:57heavy.
02:58Shut up, dog.
03:00A mate of mine said, yeah, he said, you always feel better when you've got rid of a load of
03:04stuff.
03:04He said, it's a bit like constipation.
03:06He said, you know, you have a good clear out and the next morning you feel different altogether.
03:10And he's got a point, hasn't he?
03:13There's a 250 Peugeot, which is a really unusual little bike, a little four-stroke,
03:17which I fell in love with a long time ago and bought.
03:19Gerda Forks, rigid back end, real period 1930s machine, and a Peugeot, quite rare.
03:25Aerial arrow there, a golden arrow.
03:27Got the right hand of our grips on as well. Look, red grips, as it should have, and all the
03:30rest of it.
03:31They're the bike we wanted as a kid.
03:33When I was 13, 14-year-old and the 16-year-olds were riding around on one of them,
03:38we thought, we're going to have one of them. Oh, man.
03:41There were so many old pre-war and just post-war British bikes running about in London,
03:47of course, everywhere. Every street had a load of them.
03:49But when you saw one of them, you thought, oh, this is like a spaceship.
03:53Modern technology there.
03:54That thing there, that area, I've got no interest in it whatsoever, personally.
03:57I don't know why I've got it. But it's the era that I quite like.
04:01It's a BSA. It's an old version of an Empire Star, I believe.
04:05So it's sad to see that go, really.
04:07You do create an attachment to them, you do, because there's a story behind everyone.
04:11And that's the sad bit, that it's almost like an end of an era.
04:16You've got to move on, and all eras come to an end.
04:19All good things come to an end.
04:21And I've got to face it, that my collection and bike collection days are over.
04:26Simple as that.
04:34Tomorrow, I've got a little road trip again.
04:37Who's going?
04:38Me and Rodders.
04:40What?
04:42Charlie.
04:45So tomorrow, myself and Charles are going out to Northampton,
04:50where we're going to extract a Sunbeam Alpine and a Daimler Double Six
04:55that have been in the garage for some time.
04:57So that one's a bit tricky, because I did street view it,
05:00and I'm not sure we can get the lorry in the drive.
05:03It's tight.
05:04So we'll be off by somewhere between five and half past tomorrow.
05:07Did you know that, Charlie?
05:09Yeah, I did.
05:09Oh, did you?
05:10Yeah, yeah.
05:11With an early start, we've got to get the truck prepped.
05:15We can drive it in the yard.
05:16Yes.
05:17You can't drive it on the road, because you're not holding up.
05:19Yes.
05:20And I'm not a capable enough driver, John.
05:24Even though you're some sort of world rally champion.
05:27No!
05:28Wrong person.
05:29That's Colin McRae.
05:39I have a lot of memories of this car when I was very young.
05:42Because if you ever saw another Sunbeam Alpine, you always used to flash your lights.
05:45I remember that quite vividly.
05:48In Northampton, Richard McGill is preparing to say farewell to two rather different cars.
05:54A 1960 Sunbeam Alpine, and a 1983 Daimler Sovereign.
06:00Both belong to his late father, an aircraft engineer who dabbled in antique dealing.
06:07He was an engineer on Comet's VC-10s, and he ended up as a flight engineer on 747 Jumbos.
06:14The flight engineer is the person who basically controls the engines.
06:18They don't exist anymore, it's just a computer these days.
06:21But he was one of the last generation of human flight engineers.
06:27Did your dad tend to collect?
06:30Yes.
06:31When I opened the boot of the Daimler, there was a 19th century Japanese doll's house in parts,
06:37in boxes there, which I had to kind of assemble, which was rather ridiculous.
06:44My dad bought the Alpine, I think probably in about 1970.
06:48It's never been out of the garage since about 1973, I'm afraid,
06:52which is why it's in the state it's in here, which is rather dusty,
06:55and the tyre's very flat to the ground.
06:57As you can see, it's got a hard top, but the hard top comes off.
07:00When we were out in it, it was always with the hard top off and the soft top down.
07:04It was always sunny days. It always came with the hard top.
07:07I think these on their own are quite valuable, I think.
07:09Quite rare, obviously, because most sunbeams, you see, will just have the soft top.
07:13I think this is probably quite hard to make a new one.
07:16My dad really loved it.
07:17I suppose one of the first kind of things he bought for sheer pleasure, really,
07:20when he was an engineer.
07:25The Roots Group's answer to the MGA and the MGB,
07:28the Alpine was known for its rally car speeds and stylish good looks,
07:33with a wrap-around windscreen, wind-up windows, retractable hood and plush interior.
07:40Styled by the Americans and characterised by a pair of flashy fins,
07:43this was all about the aesthetic, not the aerodynamics.
07:48The Alpine was unlikely to blast you into orbit.
07:51But roof down, this nifty two-seater would require a headscarf and hat.
07:57But before Bond put Aston Martin on screen, 007's vehicle of choice
08:01was a Lakewood Blue Sunbeam Alpine Series 2,
08:04driven by Sean Connery and Dr No on location in Jamaica
08:08and sealing its 60s Brit-style legacy.
08:16If you look inside the car, there's the remains of a second engine,
08:19so I'm guessing there's that kind of issue.
08:23I suspect it may have been that it just, you know,
08:26he'd found a problem with it and then it just never got fixed.
08:29We've got, I think, a gearbox here.
08:33I think that's a gear stick there.
08:36All sorts of stuff.
08:39We've also got another window from the back, the same as this.
08:42We don't know where the key for this car is.
08:45I'm hoping it's in here, but I've not been able to get in
08:47because of all this other stuff that's in here.
08:49The Daimler's got keys.
08:51The Sunbeam, we're not sure, so hopefully once we're in here
08:53and we're clearing this stuff out, it'll be in the ignition.
08:58I suppose the Daimler's a more niche thing
09:00because it's not got that sexy-cool aspect of the Jaguar.
09:03I suppose it's kind of like a Jaguar minus the sex appeal, I guess.
09:06It's got this really, really pristine Connolly leather in it
09:09and this beautiful walnut dash.
09:12It's nice seeing kind of analogue dashboards these days
09:15with so many different dials.
09:17We're not heavy on dials in cars these days.
09:20It's got quite an early computer in,
09:22but all it really would do is tell you
09:24how many miles per gallon you were doing, and it was really scary
09:27because the most you ever got was about 12,
09:30but quite often you'd be seeing it doing
09:31and you'd be doing four miles per gallon, six miles per gallon.
09:34It's a 4.2.
09:36I suppose it's a lot bigger than most cars these days.
09:38With the Daimler, I don't think it'll make a lot.
09:41I mean, people were sort of suggesting like 500 to 1,000.
09:44That's, you know, it's not to be sneezed at.
09:46The Alpine, although they're an old car and, you know,
09:49they're very attractive, they don't hold super value,
09:53so I suspect with that, you know, maybe 2,500, 3,000.
09:57I think even when it's done up, it's not going to be worth a ton of money,
10:01but hopefully somebody will love it.
10:03It's going to be a challenge today.
10:05The street outside is quite narrow.
10:07The driveway is quite narrow down the bottom,
10:10so I'm anticipating we could have a few problems.
10:12The tyres are flat to the ground on both cars.
10:16Hopefully they'll take some air and we'll be able to pull them out,
10:18but we'll see.
10:19It's going to be a bit of an adventure, I think.
10:36Can you pound an Alpaca?
10:38Oh!
10:40Oh, I'm loving this. This is brilliant.
10:43Look out the window.
10:44Which window?
10:45Office window.
10:47Back in Pickering, it's not just full-sized classics turning heads.
10:51Sometimes the tiniest wheels create the biggest thrill.
10:56Oh, with you.
10:57Oh, that's reverse.
10:58Oh, no, no, no, no!
11:00Oh, oh, oh!
11:02Come on!
11:03Oh, yours is faster!
11:04Oh, no!
11:05I didn't want to crash into you!
11:09This has got, like, loads of power!
11:11I don't know why!
11:12I know!
11:13LAUGHTER
11:15Sorry, bye-bye!
11:20Grandad, do you want the rides?
11:21Go in the back!
11:22I love it!
11:22Speed bump!
11:24Whee!
11:26Iris, come here!
11:27Oh, no, straight off!
11:29That was really good!
11:30I mean, me and Emily are going to take these home, I think.
11:32Might take us a while.
11:34How long do you think?
11:35Fifteen miles home, isn't it?
11:39Yeah.
11:40At about...
11:40Ten miles an hour!
11:41Ten miles an hour!
11:51As the old saying goes, we're as muck as brass.
11:54And taking pride of place in the showroom is a barn find Vauxhall Viva.
12:00It's the first time I've looked at this.
12:01Rare bit of kit, this.
12:03Bags of potential.
12:04Those of you who are perhaps a little bit more observant will notice that there's a radiator missing.
12:09Apparently that is in the boot.
12:10Oh, is it?
12:10That's quite clean in there.
12:12Look at all this, look.
12:13Still got stickers on there.
12:14I tell you what, someone spent some money on this.
12:17Oh, well, it says it all, doesn't it?
12:18Owned by the current owner for 36 years.
12:20They are.
12:20You can tell straight away.
12:22It underwent an extensive and expensive restoration between the 80s and 90s.
12:25There you go.
12:27I ought to do this for a living, didn't I, really?
12:29Oh, this'll do all right, this.
12:31What a proper little car.
12:33It takes a fair bit to impress me.
12:35I wouldn't say I've seen it all, but I've seen a fair bit.
12:37And normally speaking, I'm disappointed.
12:39Because people's descriptions of the cars tend to be, they get a little bit romantic with
12:44them, don't they?
12:44And they get a bit personal with them.
12:46And then you grow old with them, and you tend to forget what is actually out there and
12:51available.
12:52I tell you what, what a proper little car.
12:54I know she wants some paint.
12:55Look, she's all, she's on.
12:57But it's only surfaced up, innit?
12:58It's nothing major, is it?
12:59Honestly, I think it's worth.
13:00First impressions, I may be way out, I haven't even looked at the guide.
13:03I'll have a look at the guide after I've opened my mouth.
13:05I think, 20 gram.
13:08But the current owner doesn't have diva demands for his Viva, and has set the guide at half
13:14that price.
13:168 to 10.
13:17Really?
13:20I'm amazed.
13:21Oh, well.
13:22We'll see who's near on the day, won't we?
13:24I've just opened my big mouth and said 20, haven't I?
13:26Do you know what?
13:278 to 10,000 pounds, there should be an orderly queue of people waiting to see this car.
13:30You wait, I reckon that'll be a bit of a sleeper, that.
13:33Well, put it this way, if that comes at 8 grand, it's going in my garage.
13:37We're all going to be lined up, aren't we?
13:39Right, anyone's got 8 grand, everyone's hands are going to go like that, aren't they?
13:42Everyone in the production crew, all the office staff, all the guys that come in, and girls
13:46who come in on the telephones and the rest of it, even if they're not remotely interested
13:49in vivas, if they've got any savvy, they're all going to go, whoa, aren't they?
13:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:02Father and son duo, Paul and Charlie, have arrived in Northampton to collect the Sunbeam Alpine
14:08and the Daimler that belonged to Richard's father.
14:12Hello.
14:13Hello.
14:14Right, mate, well, we're in.
14:15That was the hard bit.
14:16So, how long they been stood then, mate?
14:18That's been there since 1973.
14:20No.
14:21Yep, that's been there since about 2002.
14:24A long time.
14:26We might have some sticky breaks then, eh?
14:28I would imagine so.
14:30Yeah, so would I.
14:32I'm hoping we can just pull it straight out, straight on.
14:36We might have to go this side and try and pull it away from the wall.
14:39Seeing how they're going to get it out is going to be interesting,
14:42because that's been what I've been more worried about than anything, I suppose,
14:45is how you actually do it.
14:47How are you getting it, son?
14:49There's an engine and a gearbox and lots of stuff in there.
14:52Oh, is there?
14:52Yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:53Oh, yeah, it's busy in there, innit?
14:55It is.
14:56Just hold it this way as it slides.
14:58Despite the flat tyres and sticky breaks, the Sunbeam finally sees, well, Sunbeams,
15:04for the first time in 52 years.
15:08Yeah, it looks really good.
15:09Bit of weekend work.
15:10Yeah.
15:13Back tyres are gone.
15:15Hope it clears.
15:21Put them on again, Charlie.
15:23They know what they're doing, don't they?
15:24Amazing.
15:26These are British Airways light crew shirts.
15:29Probably from the 1980s, I would imagine.
15:33All empty.
15:35All empty.
15:40I think to say it's been in there longer than he's been alive, I think that's come out pretty
15:46well, to be fair.
15:47Yeah.
15:47I think it's kept well, but it's not all rotten and horrible.
15:52Obviously, it's going to have a little bit in it, but it's not horrendous.
15:56It's not quite Mini Cooper S rotten.
15:58When you sell it, does it go looking like this, covered in dust?
16:02It'll sort of depend, really, on how much of that's left on it by the time I get back,
16:06you know?
16:06Yeah.
16:07That one will probably be better left like that.
16:10Yeah.
16:10Just as it was left.
16:11As a project, yeah.
16:13The Sovereign, perhaps, that might be beneficial to have a wash.
16:16While getting the sunbeam out was a doddle, there was an unfortunate casualty.
16:21He just destroyed the table.
16:22I made it woodwork when I was 12.
16:2512 years old when I made that.
16:27Is that right?
16:28Yeah.
16:31With what's left of the sentimental table safely stowed, it's time for the potentially dramatic
16:36Daimler departure.
16:39Why is this going to be tricky?
16:40Because it's a Daimler double six.
16:44Because you were too high and it's going to bottom out because you know how low they are.
16:47They're definitely not a compressor, isn't they?
16:49I have a sort.
16:50Basically, I'm not going to name any names, but Derek took the compressor out.
16:55So we've got to load it with flat tyres.
16:58But obviously, with flat tyres, it's an inch and a half, two inch lower than it should be.
17:03What we're trying to do is make that back of the lorry as low as we can for less of
17:08an angle, so that that will go on there without bottoming out.
17:13It is free, actually.
17:15Yeah, yeah.
17:16Straighten up.
17:19Yeah.
17:23I think that's about your lot, mate.
17:26I don't think there will be any more.
17:27The most interest I think is going to be caused by the Sunbeam.
17:30The old Daimler's lovely, but, as we all know, not massive money.
17:35Because it's the easier one to do, of course, but the more valuable one at the end of the day
17:39is the Sunbeam.
17:40A couple of grand a piece, I would have thought.
17:42I don't think the Daimler's going to do any more.
17:44Shame in it, because it's a nice old car.
17:45And I don't think the Sunbeam's going to do any more either, to be honest.
17:48It's crazy seeing the cars hanging up in the air like that.
17:52We haven't got any low bridges, have we?
17:56Right.
17:57Well, I'll shake your hand now.
17:58Oh, thank you. It's been lovely. It's been a real pleasure.
18:00We'll be blocking the road again.
18:02Cheers, Paul. Cheers, Charlie. Thank you very much.
18:05It's the sort of start of the end of an era.
18:08Quite a strange situation.
18:23With the usual variety of lots on display,
18:26prospective buyers are taking the browsing business very seriously.
18:30What attracts you to it?
18:32I just want a project, really, and I want some of this fairly easy to do.
18:36And this looks like a good candidate.
18:38And you don't see many of these knocking around, are they really?
18:40That's another attraction for it, really, you know.
18:43Say you were to buy it, what would be the first thing you'd do on it?
18:45I'd get it running, make sure it's pretty safe.
18:47How'd you say?
18:49Not getting it clean?
18:50Well, yeah, I'd get it clean this well, obviously, yeah.
19:01The auctions are rattling through.
19:04And the dusty old Vauxhall is proving you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
19:09The Viva GT, complete time warp.
19:12An unbelievably rewarding project for someone.
19:1414,002.
19:1614,005.
19:1715,000.
19:1915,000.
19:1915,005.
19:20Currently at 15,500 pounds.
19:2316,000.
19:2516,000.
19:2616,005.
19:2717,000 pounds.
19:29But look, it's got four exit tailpipes, look.
19:32That's just so you can lift it up like a wheelbarrow.
19:36How rude.
19:3717,500.
19:3918,000.
19:41It's 18,000, so that's far surpassed what we thought it would do.
19:44I thought it would do 15.
19:45I do rate that car, though.
19:47That's a lot of money for a Viva, innit?
19:49Are we all finished then?
19:51At 18,000 then for the first.
19:5318,000 pounds for the second.
19:56And a quarter.
19:5618,250, Will.
19:5818,250.
19:59Got it.
19:5918,250.
20:01Third and last time.
20:03Are we all done at 18,250 pounds?
20:0818,250.
20:10Wowzers.
20:10There you go, I told you.
20:12I like that car, innit?
20:13There you go.
20:13It just proves it, doesn't it?
20:14Brilliant.
20:15Well done.
20:19Next up, the multi-purpose miniatures.
20:22Pumpkin picking.
20:24It could be for Dave.
20:26Dave's mobility.
20:27Dave, do you want this?
20:29It's got your name on it.
20:30I know, it's great, isn't it?
20:31You were driving it, weren't you?
20:33Yeah, me and Amy were sat on it.
20:35We test drove them, so we know the work and the batteries are good.
20:39We're actually really shocked at how quickly they went.
20:41And they were like, quite like, they went straight away.
20:45The three-inch-scale Sentinels steam wagon, battery-powered lorry with trailer.
20:50It's lovely, innit?
20:51What a cracking bit of kit.
20:53Slap me on, 500 pound I've got.
20:54500 pound away, then 550, 600, 600, 650.
20:58700 pound.
21:00Third and last time.
21:02Provisional keys, 700.
21:04And as for its party pow...
21:06Three-inch-scale AEC Matador, battery-powered lorry with a car.
21:12Whereabouts?
21:13500, 500, 50, 600, 600 pound.
21:16600 pound all done, then provisionally 600.
21:19The offer wasn't accepted, but it went on to sell at the timed auction for 650 pounds.
21:26The offer wasn't accepted, but they were a lot of friends.
21:29The offer was a great event of just 7%, it was 3.
21:35And he'd come a little bit.
21:37Even, the offer was a great event of 2000 pounds.
21:37The offer was a great event of the experiment.
21:38Jack, you're not Derek.
21:40No.
21:41Only to be started by Derek.
21:43There I started.
21:45What's going to happen?
21:50isn't it eric looking younger these days i mean look at him leaping out of that car like there's
21:58no tomorrow with his ears burning grandad and his knee are outside in the yard well here we have
22:11xj6 daimler version top of the shop brilliant car i love them i just absolutely love xj6s
22:19i know a lot of people are not going to like this i'm not going to agree with me but
22:23motor dealers
22:24will and we used to say an xj6 is the best driving car on the road in the 1970s and
22:3080s no question
22:31about it nothing drove like an xj6 mercedes rolls royce don't care what nothing drove like these
22:38and what i mean by that is that they drive as smooth as a rolls royce they drive as quietly
22:42as
22:42a rolls royce but they handle better than the rolls royce it's as simple as that and a mercedes
22:47you can jazz them about you can fly about with them around the roundabouts in around the corners
22:52and they're perfect for in london because you could jazz them about they were just lovely i love them
22:57to bits i'll have another one one day if i live long enough to actually use an everyday car because
23:02i was
23:02fortunate i use these four days a week going into london auctions the drive home and the unwinding
23:09of your mind and the relaxation was all down to one of these so i can't speak highly enough so
23:15what
23:15did daimler add to it to make it such an amazing car oh nothing nothing it's cosmetic only cosmetic
23:22silly things you know better trim slightly different grill and emblems and very little difference at all
23:26the rumor has it that when it came to mark ii jags i can't speak for xj guys used to
23:32tell me that they
23:33pick about every one in ten mark twos off the line and turn it into a daimler and they then
23:39refined
23:39them and they added on the daimler extras and they became a daimler but the same car it's all right
23:44nice straight car yeah as soon as it came in i thought that's a real honest level car look how
23:48nice
23:48and straight door skins are lovely i mean this this is could be 18 months old you know it's great
23:53the interior is lovely bit of wear on the driver's seat beautiful dashboard oh to die for isn't it
23:59yeah it's got oh seven it's probably been around the clock 107 000 you wouldn't have thought so
24:03would you really but all this is all the same so it makes no difference where you buy a jag
24:07or a
24:07daimler but i could live with this car more look around it make a lovely car just see a speckling
24:11on the chrome look it'll come off yeah look it's coming off i've got rough fingers and i look
24:16like like i've got fingers like a bit of wild wall and i look there it is
24:21if it was all cleaned up and presented as nice as it could be i think the motor could fetch
24:26somewhere
24:26between four and five grand as it at the moment i think it's going to offer around the three grand
24:31mark
24:31three to four make a cracking car that
24:41rumbling into pickering hq is mick newton's teutonic titan
24:47morning morning how are you all right i'm going down memory lane aren't i i used to in my youth
24:54a long time ago as long as mine no it ain't as long as yours i used one a fair
25:00bit up at langdale
25:02i spent hours and hours and hours in it running around the woods and stuff yeah i spent hours in
25:06it this morning getting up did you where have you come from uh cheshire macclesfield have you yeah and
25:11i'm ready for a sleep yeah you'll be fed up with it might be cheap now then oh christ man
25:18yeah what's it do about 45 it's come up with 64 at 45 yeah how long we had it then
25:24me about two
25:25years i think so what you've been doing with it then i've always liked him to fund it two
25:30tractors had to go yeah and a series three long wheelbase land rover but it's a bit heavy for my
25:36ground really so it's just been a toy it's been a toy yeah now i've got to cast the toy
25:40in how are we
25:41valuing it mic i think we'll discuss that later oh yeah when you calm down yeah and had a cup
25:47of
25:47tea no doubt yeah black leave the bag in well i think it's grand good well i think we ought
25:51to get
25:52the kettle on when i'm sat down you have to tell me how much it is what you yeah that's
25:55right yeah yeah
25:56all right do you have sugar no no no sugar looking inside i don't think i've ever seen one of
26:04these
26:04before it looks fairly basic yeah they are basic they're a bit heavy going yeah but it is quite old
26:09it's
26:10not like a modern thing is it what do they drive like very heavy but good fun you don't see
26:15them
26:15every day do you you certainly don't know you've come up from macclesfield this morning i have what's
26:21the journey like any cruise control with me it's control no you've just got to have a big right foot
26:26no cruise control i'm afraid no no electric windows no electric windows not yet somebody will convert it
26:34perhaps we've gone right off it with no electric windows hey oh bloody hell yeah take it home then
26:40well well you're here now aren't you you got a cup of tea in here me oh that'll do
26:47over a cuppa an estimate of between 15 and 16 000 is agreed are you going to miss it yeah
26:54i probably
26:54will actually yeah yeah and i've got to go home on the damn bus because i've lost my train pass
26:59and my wife can't come and pick me up because she's looking after our grandchildren today so
27:05i've got to find my own way home it's gonna be a long day for you isn't it it is
27:08yeah
27:09all right we'll have a beer when we get back
27:19while paul's been reacquainted with an old friend another arrival turns out to be a buddy of derrick's
27:26i love them i used to love these when i was a lad like and the reason i loved them
27:29is because we
27:30couldn't afford to deal in mgbs they were too dear but we could afford to deal in alpines so they
27:34were
27:35a second rate cheaper sports car do you know what they've remained that way all the way through right
27:39till now and it's such a shame because they're a lovely car to drive this is the last one with
27:44the
27:44high fins which i like when they went on to the next one they they cut the fins down they
27:48were noticeably
27:49lower down not so prominent as this which actually went down very very well when a few
27:55years later they do the facelift model it's even better it would appear people like it more you
28:00know they go out and buy it because it's the current model than that but now now we all want
28:06the high
28:06fins again just about all american cars in the 50s 60s and early 70s had fins and and of course
28:12we did
28:13didn't we you know the pa crestas the zephyrs and zodiacs and all the rest of it we all had
28:17fins there
28:18was a craze in actual fact in the mid late 50s if like something like a mark one zephyr or
28:24zodiac which
28:24didn't actually have fins it was rounded off you could buy fins to stick on and uh and and and
28:30loads of people did and to be honest they look pretty good i can see them now dress them up
28:34quite
28:35a bit of cartage in there yeah yeah we got a fair bit yeah there's a pair of carburetors in
28:39there i can
28:40see manifold and what have you i can only assume it's all there i'd love to get stuck into this
28:45this
28:45is my sort of thing this is a retirement project but i've got so many of them i can't ever
28:49take any more
28:50but oh yeah this is it's easy job isn't it it's a dead straightforward easy job nice car got a
28:56lot
28:56of potential this car who is going to buy this almost certainly someone who had one in the 70s
29:03it could even go as much as four but i somehow doubt it i think it'd be around the three
29:07grand mark
29:08so there you go got the makings of a nice car
29:13sunbeam alpine what a car it's going to make a right car this isn't it here we go then 2700
29:18quid we've got 2800 pound on sale and going tonight lovely project that 3000 pound the one to have
29:263500 and going and sold then are you all done then buckingall 37 and auburn's back at the north and
29:32the
29:33south here going on will three thousand seven hundred pounds and auburn's winning at the moment
29:37four thousand pound four one four thousand one hundred san auburn's four thousand two goal on
29:43south and then going four thousand seven hundred going to san auburn's four eight four thousand eight
29:48hundred four nine third and last time san auburn's goal san auburn's san auburn's again 51 5 100
29:57goal you're out 5 100 sold and gone then 5 100 are you all done for the first second third
30:04and last
30:04time san auburn's five one there you go well done five one the sunbeam alpine is off to a novice
30:11mechanic in st albans who's had it on his dream car list 1983 damn this dame the sovereign me and
30:20dad
30:20picked this up came from the same stable as that red alpine yes this has been stood since about
30:27two thousand dish they are charlie and paul collected it the other day then it's a 4.2 there
30:31where are we going to be on that we've got three we've got four we've got five we've got 600
30:35pound bid
30:36at 700 800 pound at the back 900 on the internet i saw their will but one thousand pound then
30:42a bid on
30:42the internet then jack you're out internet's in at a thousand pound i'm gonna sell that's about one thousand
30:49pound and are we all done eleven hundred pound twelve hundred pound both fits on the net there
30:53twelve hundred on the net thirteen hundred is jack's telephone thirteen thirteen hundred
31:01thirteen hundred pound not a bad price for it to be fair to say it's been stood all that time
31:07when you look underneath it's rusty i know so that did well did well
31:30the
31:30pickering land
31:31a place where dreams really can come true and for paul a chance to relive his youth
31:38why are we so fond of them because in my youth what i would have been about 14 i think
31:44and a guy called
31:45Andy created the Langdale Quest which was the UK's largest off-road site and he created an
31:53off-road driving school centre in 10,000 acres of Langdale Forest. As he got a little bit more
31:59established and bigger and all the rest of it he bought a Unimog and it was something that he
32:03always wanted and I was pleased to say I was entrusted with it. Not everyone was and I was
32:09very careful with it and and I loved it you know you were king of the road it was a
32:12bigger one
32:13than this put three jeeps on the back and I was gone. Brilliant loved every minute every hour
32:20fabulous and it just sets a seed doesn't it and then you know one comes along and you think oh
32:25and
32:27you probably shouldn't because it's probably gonna shatter dreams in it because of course when you're
32:3116 you don't mind being bounced about and you don't mind the horribleness and uncomfort and everything
32:35else I'll risk it. With his rose tinted glasses at the ready Paul and the Unimog are reacquainted
32:43oh look at that instant right if I can remember what lever does what the brakes are like all or
32:52nothing I'm gonna warn you now I'm getting better at them but they really are nothing nothing nothing
32:58than everything they've got great big long toil springs on them they're designed to soak up the
33:04bumps simple as that and it does exactly that eight speed box not the quickest thing in the world
33:11but loads of gears to play with and yeah there's something about a Unimog there's just something
33:17about them isn't it they're iconic aren't they you know we have Land Rovers over here Germans have
33:23G wagons and Unimogs don't they you know it's absolutely great it's smashing
33:29we're gonna approach two tests aren't we well apparently so now we have had monsoon-like
33:34conditions over the last couple of weeks really certainly over the weekend it's been really bad
33:40so I don't know how deep it is I haven't even looked but let's be fair it's not gonna bother
33:46us is it
33:54how's it how's it reactive like it wasn't there it's just just like a puddle that's all oh that was
34:01cool I like that these are your first second third fourth fifth six seven eight and and you forget where
34:09you are because effectively you've got four you've got a four speed gearbox with two ratios so you
34:17could soon forget so they put a light on for you yeah you need the light to keep you clued
34:22up to
34:22where you are really because you forget what gear you're in because there's too many so Mercedes in
34:28their wisdom put lights on so you know what range you're in or what line of gear you're in oh
34:34we're
34:34bounding along ah she's lovely to be honest kind of first things first I would have to do the
34:44steering it's awful it's just it's tight it's actually getting better the more I'm using it
34:49but it's tight and it and it's yeah it's not nice it's not nice so I would have to do
34:54the steering
34:54the rest of it if I'm honest is probably as good or better than I remember gearbox is better yeah
35:03I like
35:03it you can go out you can get muddy you can go wherever you want within reason they're just a
35:09great big clumsy toy aren't they I think she's a lovely old girl I do oh yeah I rate the
35:18old motor I
35:19think it's brilliant and yeah there's plenty of life left in it yet for somebody in there that's the
35:24thing oh my lord oh I've not really been a car person I used to watch a lot of car
35:41programs but I've never really owned one so I only started driving during Covid I was driving my kids car
35:47we bought them a Fiat Panda to learn to drive and that's the one that I drove as well that's
35:52all I've ever driven a Fiat Panda to like I've never really owned one so I only started driving during
35:54Covid I was driving my kids car
35:54I got the MG he might be late to the starting line but Min Eben's new hobby has turned into
36:00a bit of an
36:00addiction I bought the MG it's only just over a year ago since then I bought a Triumph GT6 and
36:08I've got a
36:09series 3 Land Rover and then the Sunbeam so it's all happened fairly quickly I think I'm gonna have to
36:15pause now while I financially digest what I've done the purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg it's
36:22just the romance of it taking a bar and find and putting it back on the road giving it another
36:2720 30
36:27years life is what I want to do needless to say it's all been a bit of a learning curve
36:34and the hunt for
36:35the perfect restoration mechanic landed two hours from home in Kent with fellow Sunbeam fan Greg Theophanides
36:44I'm in Greg so what's happening I just finished reassembling the engine and should be about ready
36:50to start her up for the first time wow so having now looked at the car it needs a fair
36:54chunk of
36:55welding doing it's not terminal only a stretch of the imagination it is definitely a saveable car it's
36:59gonna need outer sills and some work on the inner sills one of the outriggers needs some repairs and
37:04things but on the whole it's not terrible certainly seen a lot worse the inner wheel arch is pretty good
37:10a few little repairs under the back here but nothing good nothing too scary we're gonna try and be as
37:16sympathetic as possible with the restoration to try and retain as much original paintwork
37:21and details and parts of the car and they're only original once aren't they so that'll be the challenge
37:27doors themselves they need some adjustment as you can see but they are solid they don't appear to be full
37:34of filler which is nice to see it saves a lot of messing around it's better than I thought it's
37:40not bad so
37:41it's not bad this is this is all good news the main structure is pretty sound so brilliant the last
37:48time
37:48this engine fired Donny Osmond was flying high in the charts ready let's do it 52 years later and with
37:59some
37:59expert factling three two one wow oh listen to that I like it I like it a lot no knocking
38:15no tapping
38:15nasty noises sounds great it's not often you get people that are as interested as men in the actual
38:22workings of the car you know a lot of people just want the finished product whereas he seems to want
38:28to
38:28be deeply involved in the whole process and and that's great I wish more customers were like
38:32that I can't wait I'm learning a lot I'm learning a lot from you Greg this is a pleasure to
38:39me
38:39brilliant it's fantastic
38:49it's auction day and Derek's still banging on about his motorbikes 1928 Peugeot 250 motorbike is a
38:58little machine rare bit of kick this one 2100 pound provisional thank you
39:0668 aerial arrow third and last time two four
39:151937 BSA 250 lovely little machine super little machine that one going 2600
39:27mercedes unimog here we go drove one of these as a kid got fond memories I love them to bits
39:33I think
39:33they're brilliant we have got 10 000 10 5 11 000 pound bid here with me 11 250 11 5
39:42for the third and
39:44last time 11 5 provisional a deal is done and the unimog sells for 12 000 pounds I've never actually
39:57been in
39:57the car because all the test runs Tim has done I've ended up being on the end of the telephone
40:02in case of
40:03a breakdown and having to go out and help push so I've just watched it going in and out of
40:08the driveway and
40:09up and down the road in rural Bedfordshire Pauline Nola is getting ready for a moment she's been
40:15waiting for a whole two years wait as it turns out along with husband Tim they'll be taking the
40:22Vauxhall Viva GT out for Pauline's first spin it is an exciting day for me yes I'm hoping it doesn't
40:30break down and I'm sure it'll be absolutely fine interesting to see how fast it can go actually
40:36because I believe it's quite a quick car off we go your first ever drive in a Viva GT yeah
40:43wow
40:44it really accelerates well wow come on it's fast despite being on the lookout for a Magnum it was
40:53the Viva GT that caught Tim's eye when I first went to Matthewsons to view the car I met Paul
41:01and he
41:01said that's going to be the car of the auction it was clear that it was going to make more
41:07than the
41:07guide price but it was the car I wanted I ended up paying just over 18,000 for it some
41:15people may say
41:21that it wasn't worth anything like that especially in view of how much work has had to been done on
41:27it
41:27but I made the decision that was the car I wanted to do next so I just went ahead and
41:32bought it that
41:33was it really Tim didn't expect such an extensive rebuild but along with Pauline's background in
41:47electronics engineering they formed quite a team overall we both enjoy the engineering side of it
41:55I don't think you could do it without the support of your partner there are many many long hours spent
42:03outside and it would be thankless if you were doing it alone without somebody being there helping and
42:11taking an interest in what it is you try and do you're being very nice to me today is true
42:17though
42:17isn't it this is nearly full time and late into the evenings it would be lonely and to be honest
42:23I
42:24wouldn't do it so this is the original Viva GT publicity document it clearly shows a car exactly like
42:31this in Monaco white with all the detailing all along I've been trying to recreate exactly what
42:37this car should look like it's easy to cut corners and fit things that people might say well yes that's
42:43of the period but wherever I can I'm trying to rebuild the car to be the same as it would
42:49have been
42:50when it left the forecourt originally working on it together did have some difficulties the wiring
42:57we've had problems with we've had problems with the interior but we've worked through them and we've
43:03got a nice car it deserves the work being done to it to preserve it for the future because these
43:10cars
43:10are really really rare now looks like somebody appreciating somebody was hurting at the car that's
43:18really good isn't it I tell you it looks lovely everybody loves it it's nice people appreciate it
43:24it makes it all worthwhile
43:26it makes it all worthwhile
44:00you
44:02you
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