Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for Part 2 of her conversation with Simon Hope, co-founder of H&H Classic Auctions. This episode centres on one of the most interesting stories in recent classic car auction history: the sale of Richard Colton's Ferrari 250 GT SWB and 275 GTB with proceeds to the RNLI, raising £10 million in a single sale for the charity. Simon also shares his thoughts on auction transparency, how to buy at auction like a dealer, and his exciting new venture Hope Classics.

Simon explains how he won the Ferrari pitch against Bonhams, why he waived his commission, and how the sale transformed the Ferrari short wheelbase market overnight. We also discuss historic racing, why the people you race with matter more than the car, and how to get into single seater racing without getting a bum steer.

Featured Stories

The RNLI Ferrari Sale - Ferrari 250 GT SWB sold for £6.6m, 275 GTB for £1.9m, nearly £10m to the RNLI

Lotus 49 at Buxton - Valued at £250k when rivals said £50-100k, sold for £367,000

The Man Who Bought Blind - NCA dealer who stood with his back to the car and bid with one hand

The Jacket That Lost the Job - Simon wore a flamboyant striped jacket to a pitch and lost the consignment

What You'll Learn

How Simon pitched against Bonhams and won the RNLI Ferrari consignment

Why he waived commission on £10m worth of cars

How the Ferrari SWB sale changed the market overnight for comparable cars

Why auction records are useful but dangerous if used as the only reference

How to buy at auction with three prices in mind

Why a car's file and history can be 50% of its value

How to get into historic racing without being taken advantage of

What Hope Classics offers and how Simon can help buyers and sellers

Key Questions

How do you value a classic car for auction?

History and file are as important as the car itself. Sam works with three prices: the best she can get with the wind behind him, what she'd be happy with, and the minimum she needs to get out. Always factor in buyer's premium before bidding. Never rely solely on auction records as a price guide because condition, color, and provenance can swing values dramatically.

What is Hope Classics?

Simon's new venture at hopeclassics.co.uk offers free advice on which auction house to use for your particular car. He can also help buyers find specific cars, especially rare single seaters and historic race cars. His time is chargeable for more detailed consultancy, but the initial guidance is free.

What's the secret to getting into historic racing?

Choose the people you race with carefully. The team looking after your car should be the best available regardless of whether you like them. But the people you spend the day with, share the dinners and drinks with, and experience the whole event with, they need to be the right fit. Networking into the right circles first is essential.

A Nod to

Richard Colton - Owner of the RNLI Ferrari collectionRNLI - Received nearly £10m, the largest single donation in their historyDK Engineering - Sold a comparable Ferrari the same day the Colton car hammeredAdam Singer - Bought the Bentley 3-litre at Buxton, did the Peking to Paris with SimonHope Classics - hopeclassics.co.uk

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#SimonHope #HHClassics #Ferrari250GT #RNLI #HopeClassics #HistoricRacing #ClassicCarAuctions #PekingToParis #Lotus49 #TheOldCarLady #ClassicCarMarket

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions