The Hippopotamus Song
Back in October I was bragging about the opportunity of driving ‘Samson’, the car that held the World Land Speed Record in 1905. Well off I went to Lake Perkolilli near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, but unfortunately I was unable to get behind the wheel. The weather gods intervened and the rock hard clay pan lake turned into a quagmire more reminiscent of the lyrics of one of Flanders and Swann’s hits, “Mud, mud, glorious mud”. Still, undeterred, the Lake Perkolilli 1914 – 2014 Centenary of Speed still went ahead, though with a few amendments to the original programme, that saw competitors relocate on the second day to the local trotting track. Hopefully the following images give you a flavour of this fantastic event in the Goldfields.
Over a million reasons to work with me…
UNIQUE FASTBACK TOPS MOTORCLASSICA AUCTION
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers and Valuers, Australia’s oldest house established in 1878, and for whom I work as the consultant classic vehicle specialist, achieved record sales at its classic car auction held at Motorclassica in Melbourne on October 25th.
Topping the bill was a 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental, the only one of its kind delivered new to Australia and held in single ownership for the last 37 years, which sold for Aus$1.15 million after spirited telephone bidding. This is believed to be the second highest price ever achieved at auction in the Southern Hemisphere. Other notable prices achieved in the sale which cleared 80% of offered lots, were for a 1937 BMW 327 at Aus$191,000, a 1956 Porsche Speedster for Aus$264,000, with a beautiful 1936 Cord Sportsman’s Convertible Coupé fetching Aus$258,000.
In a truly international class sale, a buyer in Germany purchased the rare factory right hand drive1956 BMW 503 Cabriolet for Aus$217,000, a 1968 Holden Monaro Bathurst GTS 327 for Aus$151,000 was sold to a buyer in London, whilst the 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce at Aus$101,000 is off to the USA.
Auctioneer James Badgery was on top of his game in front of a packed house at the Royal Exhibition Building and in total hammered approaching $3 million.
For full results please visit www.theodorebruceauctions.com.au or contact me directly.
Way out West
As you read this I will be driving the first British car to break the 100 mph barrier. The Napier L48, known as ‘Samson’, set a World Land Speed Record of 104.651 mph, driven by Arthur E Macdonald, on the 24th January 1905 on Daytona Beach in the USA. I am really looking forward to taking part in the Lake Perkolilli 1914 – 2014 Centenary of Speed and having the opportunity to drive this legendary vehicle. I have never driven anything quite as old before. My previous ‘oldest’ is the very rare 1913 Nazzaro Tipo 2, in the like of which the pioneering Italian ‘piloto’ Felice Nazzaro himself, drove when winning the Targa Florio that same year. Here I am ‘losing my head’ driving the Nazzaro last year in Western Australia.
The Lake District
As well as heading off to Lake Dumbleyung in Western Australia this month following in the large footprints made by Donald Campbell, I am also hoping to make it back to South Australia in November. Campbell achieved the unique double of the World Land Speed Record (Lake Eyre, SA ,17th July 1964) and World Water Speed Record (Lake Dumbleyung, WA, 31st December 1964) in the same year. In between he also broke the Australian Water Speed Record on Lake Bonney at Barmera in South Australia on 23rd November 1964. It should make for a nice little chapter on the book I am writing celebrating the British Speed King’s annus mirabilis 50 years ago in Australia.
Going once…!
Later this month, on October 25th at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Victoria, will be my major classic car auction of the year. I am rather pleased with the contingent of consigned cars that I have gathered together. Please take a look at the full catalogue on line via the following link:
http://arts.theodorebruceauctions.com.au/asp/searchresults.asp?st=D&pg=1&ps=25&sale_no=AS0146.
There is also some lovely memorabilia to be had at the auction which can be viewed on line at:
http://arts.theodorebruceauctions.com.au/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=1&ps=25&st=D&sale_no=AS0149+
If you cannot be there in person you can bid on line at invaluable.com
For what it’s worth…
I am delighted to announce that along with the other various hats that I wear, I am now carrying out valuations for McWilliam & Associates, Fine Art Valuers. Established in 1987 M & A offers Australia’s most recognised independent valuation service under the aegis and expertise of the highly respected Colin McWilliam. Up until now M & A has offered valuations in Fine Art, Furniture, Jewellery, Collectables and Residential Contents. They will now with my assistance be extending these services to include the valuation of classic motor cars and classic boats and related items. For further information on the full range of valuation, collection management and curatorial services for high end and discerning collectors, private, corporate, institutional and government clients, carried out with strict confidence and security go to www.mcwilliamasscoiates.com
Fast Boats
At the beginning of September I flew to Queensland’s Gold Coast to meet with Powerboat World Champion, Ross Willaton. Ross works with the Maritimo Factory Offshore Racing Team and took time out to talk with me during his preparations testing a new boat at the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships in the build up to the World Championships in Europe commencing in April 2015. It was a fabulous Queensland day, beautiful sunshine, blue skies and warm breezes and a really interesting interview and tour of the Maritimo Offshore Racing Team’s incredible set-up. Any editors who are interested in the story, please let me know. Next time, I hope they let me drive it!
Coming up next with fast boats is my impending trip in October to Lake Dumbleyung in Western Australia following in the footsteps of Donald Campbell when he broke the World Water Speed Record in Bluebird K7, in 1964. Campbell thus became the only person ever to break the land and water speed records in the same year. For further details on either of these stories please email james@marinamarini.com.au
Motorclassica 2014
Once again I am running the Motorclassica 2014 auction on behalf of Theodore Bruce, Australia’s oldest auction house established in 1878, and for whom I act as the consultant car specialist. Following on from our resounding success in 2013 where we sold a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 for a world record price at auction and Holden Prototype Number 4 for a world record for any Holden at auction, we are off to a great start for this year’s event, to be held on the evening of Saturday 25th October at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne, with some marvellous cars already consigned.
The Bentley R-Type Continental is often cited as one of the most elegant and refined luxury cars of all time and in its day was the fastest four seater car ever built. The example we are offering at auction was featured at the 1955 Australian Motor Show and is the only R-Type Continental Fastback delivered new to Australia. With just five owners from new, the latest custodian took responsibility for this beautiful machine, BC30D, 37 years ago in 1977. Other highlights of the sale will include a very rare factory right hand drive 1956 BMW 503 cabriolet, a 1947 Chrysler Town & Country Woody convertible, a highly desirable 1956 Porsche 356 Speedster, a Victor motorcycle and sidecar in original condition celebrating its 100th anniversary, an iconic 1937 BMW 327, a stunning 1954 Sunbeam Alpine Mk 1 (think Grace Kelly in “To Catch A Thief”), along with a selection of beautiful pre-war American automobiles including what is believed to be one of only two surviving Packard Coupés by Holbrook.
For further details go to www.thedorebruceauctions.com.au and www.motorclassica.com.au
The Melbourne Argus newspaper featuring the Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback, BC30D, March 22nd 1955.
Lake Perkolilli
In October I will be covering the centenary of motor racing on the remote West Australian dust track of Lake Perkolilli out beyond Kalgoorlie. It should make for a fascinating occasion especially as I will also have the opportunity to drive the famous reconstructed 1904 Gordon Bennett Napier L48 “Samson” 15 litre racing car! The fastest British racing car of its day Samson set a World Land Speed record on Daytona Beach in America in 1905. Later its engine was used in the 1914 and 1915 Griffith Cup winning speedboat Nautilus II, of which I brokered the sale to the Australian National Maritime Museum a few years ago. The engine is now back in “Samson”, which Bill Body in the December 1988 issue of Motor Sport Magazine stated, “Whether or not you approve of the modern reconstruction of old cars, you must concede that this is the recreation of the decade. Modifications made were in keeping with the ethics of a highly experienced engineer intent on providing a habitat for a decidedly historic engine, and had the task not been undertaken there would now be no 1904 Napier L48.”
Whilst way out West I will also be visiting Lake Dumbleyung in order to complete my saga of Donald Campbell’s historic undertaking of being the only person ever to break the World Land Speed Record and World Water Speed Record in the same year in 1964. This should prove to be an interesting follow up to my visit earlier in the year to Lake Eyre in South Australia.
Viva l’Italia
May and June in Northern Italy for the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza on Lake Como and the ASDEC Classic Motorboat Rally in Venice is hard to beat as hopefully these images show. Look out for my articles on the above in the following magazines, Rewind, Invictus and Octane. 
