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

Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for Part 1 of an in-depth conversation with Simon Hope, one of the Hs behind H&H Classic Auctions. With over 40 years in the auction world, Simon shares stories from his auctioneering career that started in the late 1980s, including setting up H&H with Mark Hamilton in 1993 and hammering a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB for £6.6 million in 2015 (still a world record for a steel short wheelbase).

This episode explores how Simon went from buying antiques at 12 years old to running one of the UK's most respected classic car auction houses. We discuss consumer protection laws for classic cars, MOT exemptions, auction fees, and why you want an ascending or descending market but never a plateau. Simon explains why dealers are essential to auction houses, the importance of lot order, and his philosophy: "People buy from people."

What You'll Learn

• How Simon started auctioneering at 12 buying antique job lots
• Why he walked into car auctions after running salvage auctions
• Setting up Hamptons first classic car auction in November 1989
• The 1989 market crash and Japanese buyers committing harakiri
• Why H&H started with 5% buyer and seller fees (revolutionary at the time)
• Finding Buxton Pavilion Gardens for £8 for four days
• Why auction houses prefer ascending or descending markets, never plateaus
• The importance of 80% sell-through rates vs industry standard 40%
• Why consumer protection laws don't work for 60-year-old classics
• Should classic cars have mandatory safety checks?

Key Questions

Should classic cars be exempt from MOTs?

Simon believes most classic car owners are responsible and check their cars regularly. The people who'd abuse the system aren't following the law anyway. He MOTs his Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows every 2-3 years for structural integrity because his kids ride in them, but it doesn't need to be an official MOT certificate.

Do consumer protection laws work for classic cars?

"Total bloody nonsense bollocks." Treating a 60-year-old Cadillac the same as a Currys fridge freezer doesn't work. The laws protect buyers from bad sellers, but bad sellers will be bad anyway. Good sellers get caught in the crossfire. Classic cars need ring-fenced consumer protection that protects both buyer and seller.

Why do auction houses prefer moving markets?

"Earn on the turn." Whether prices go up or down, auctions facilitate transactions. On a plateau, if a car's worth £20k, you can't get £22k plus premium because five dealers have it at £20k. Descending markets bring more cars (people offloading) but lower commissions. Ascending markets are numerically better, but both work better than stagnant.

A Nod to

H&H Classic Auctions

National Car Auctions

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#SimonHope #HHClassics #ClassicCarAuctions #Ferrari250GT #AuctioneeringStories #BuxtonPavilion #MarkHamilton #ClassicCarMarket #ConsumerLaw #MOTExemption #TheOldCarLady #40YearsAuctioneering

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions

Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for a special auction episode recorded on Friday 13th February 2026, predicting results for Manor Park Classics' sale the following day.

Sam goes through her shortlist from a dealer's perspective, estimating hammer prices, then reveals actual results with insights from Jim Gregory (Sales Director at Manor Park Classics) and Richy Barnett (Markets Editor for Classic Car Weekly).

This episode explores where the classic car market is heading in 2026. From a £5,750 Rover P6 V8 to a £10,350 Jaguar XJS that smashed estimates, Sam analyses what sold, what didn't, and why. We discuss the death of E-Type values, the rise of modern classics (1980s-2000s), and whether XK8s will leapfrog XJS as the affordable Jaguar.

Featured Cars & Results

• Rover P6 3500 V8 (1972) - Mexico brown, single family ownership, sold £5,750
• Triumph TR7 Drophead (1981) - 30k miles, hammered £6,400
• TVR S2 (1989) - British Racing Green, sold £6,900
• Bentley Arnage Red Label (2000) - 146k miles, £31k service history, bargain at £8,280
• Jaguar XJS 4.0 (1995) - Guided £5.5-6.5k, smashed estimate at £10,350
• Mercedes 560 SEC (1989) - Sold £20,460
• BMW 328i Sport (1998) - Sold £7,590
• Alfa Romeo 156 - Sold £8,500, having a moment

What You'll Learn

• Why service history matters with higher mileage cars and why high mileage cars can be a better bet than low mileage.
• How to spot auction bargains (Bentley Arnage at £8,280)
• Why E-Types have fallen and won't bounce back
• The sweet spot: £7-25k for monthly sales, £50-100k struggling
• Why 1980s-2000s modern classics are the hot decade
• How finance deals put exotic cars everywhere
• Why leggy but maintained cars beat garage queens
• The importance of MOTs even on exempt cars

Key Questions

What's hot and what's not in 2026?

Hot: Modern classics (1980s-2000s BMWs, Japanese cars), Porsche Boxsters/Caymans, XJS straight-sixes, TR7s, Alfa 156s. Not: Pre-war to 1950s British cars, E-Types fallen and won't recover, £50-100k cars struggling. The market shifted from cash buyers to finance deals making exotics accessible to everyone.

Are XJS values finally rising?

Yes! The £10,350 XJS (guided £5.5-6.5k) proves the market is waking up. Jim Gregory and Richie Barnett agree they're having a moment. Question: will XK8s leapfrog them as the affordable Jaguar, or will XJS become the E-Type successor?

What makes a good auction buy?

Single-family ownership, full service history, current MOT (even if exempt), regular use, original spec, right colors. Avoid: cars needing recommissioning, anecdotal mileage, wrong colors (beige Mercedes 190E didn't sell despite being perfect), high estimates leaving no trade margin.

A Nod to

Manor Park Classics Runcorn Cheshire

Jim Gregory and Richy Barnett.

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#AuctionSpecial #ManorParkClassics #ClassicCarAuction #JaguarXJS #BentleyArnage #RoverP6 #TriumphTR7 #Mercedes560SEC #ClassicCarMarket #2026Market #ModernClassics #TheOldCarLady

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions

Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for a conversation with Martin Buckley, motoring journalist and classic car author whose first book was published when he was just 19. Martin has written over 20 car books including the acclaimed Facel Vega volume, and his passion stems from his parents' collection of rusty BMWs, Lancias, and Jaguars.

This episode explores how car books shaped Martin's career. From his first books about BMW E9s to writing the Facel Vega history (dealing with sniffy French owners' clubs), Martin shares stories about swapping price tags in Manchester bookshops and why sometimes it's better to have the brochure than the car. We discuss Italian design versus German engineering, why the BMW CS is the perfect shape, and why exotic cars are everywhere now.

Featured Books

BMW The Bavarian Motor Works by Michael Frostick - Martin's first proper car book

The MG File - Martin's first published book at age 19

Facel Vega (Palawan Press) - Martin's masterpiece, £750 when published

British Leyland The Truth About the Cars by Jeff Daniels (1980) - Brilliant BL decline account

Jaguar by Paul Skilleter - Where Martin learned Jaguar history

The Controversial Corvair - Ralph Nader's "unsafe at any speed" story

What You'll Learn

• How Martin published his first book at 19 years old
• Why BMW E9 CS is the perfect shape - part Italian, part German, masculine and feminine
• The story behind the Facel Vega book and hostile French owners' clubs
• Why Italian designers beat German ones (they made suits of armour first)
• How Martin's parents' rusty exotic cars shaped his career
• Why it's better to have the brochure than the car sometimes
• Why exotic cars are everywhere now (finance deals, not cash buyers)

Key Questions

Should an author's opinion come through in car books?

Yes - readers want new information, not regurgitated facts. The best books interview people who were actually there. Martin wants books with soul, like Jeff Daniels' British Leyland book capturing the tumbleweed moment when they unveiled the Austin 3-litre disaster.

Why are Italian designers better than Germans?

Italians were good at making suits of armour and bashing metal over stumps for centuries. They have design houses like Bertone and Pininfarina. Germans prioritise practicality over beauty. Even pretty Mercedes were designed by Italians. The BMW E9 CS was probably designed by Gandini - too good to be German.

Did your parents' cars shape your career?

Absolutely. Martin's dad bought rusty exotic cars for £1,500 in the 1970s - BMW 2800 CS, Lancia Flavia, Jaguar S-Type, Fiat 130. They were symbols of a way out, cars that shouldn't have been on their road. Martin says "I wanted to get in these cars and fuck off."

A Nod to

Palawan Press - Published Facel Vega bookSt John Square Manchester - Where Martin swapped price tagsChaters Bookshop Manchester - Specialist car book shopJeff Daniels - Autocar journalist, British Leyland book authorPaul Skilleter - Started Practical Classics

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#MartinBuckley #CarBooks #FacelVega #BMWE9 #PalavanPress #ItalianDesign #ClassicCarAuthor #MotoringJournalist #BritishLeyland #TheOldCarLady #RustyExoticCars

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions

Join Sam Grange Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for a conversation with Richy Barnett, classic car enthusiast, book collector, and Markets Editor for Classic Car Weekly. Richy’s career started at Chaters Car Bookshop, and he now curates what must be one of the most impressive car book collections in the country with a whole room fitted with bespoke bookcases.

This episode explores the golden age of car books when they were treasured birthday presents and the only way to learn about exotic cars. We discuss rare editions, 1960s car book illustrations, and whether we're the last generation to value physical books. From Ian Rimmer's Rolls-Royce Experimental Cars masterpiece to Simon Kidston's limited-edition Lamborghini Miura book (now worth £3,500), Richy shares his favourites and explains why Italian styling with American engines creates the perfect car.

Featured Books

Rolls-Royce and Bentley Experimental Cars by Ian Rimmer (1986) - Masterpiece with beautiful writing

The Complete Book of Lamborghini by Pete Lyons - Bought from Chaters in 1989 for £17.20

Lamborghini Miura by Simon Kidston - Limited edition, one per chassis number, now £3,500

A-Z of British Coachbuilders 1919-1960 - Gurney Nutting speciality

Facel Vega by Martin Buckley (Palawan Press) - £750 when published

What You'll Learn

Why 1960s car books featured beautiful illustrations instead of photographs

How the likes of Chaters Car Bookshop shaped a generation of enthusiasts

Why Italian styling with American engines creates the perfect hybrid (AC 428)

The DNA of Audi from Auto Union and Nazi connections to modern cars

Why physical books are more trustworthy than Google for research

How Simon Kidston's Miura book went from cover price to £3,500

Key Questions

Are we the last generation to value car books?

Richie believes younger enthusiasts will still seek out books, but the ritual of saving pocket money and treasuring them as birthday presents is probably gone. Quality publishers like Palawan Press prove demand exists for beautifully researched car books.

What makes a great car book?

The best books tell stories about people behind the cars. Quality writing, beautiful illustrations, thoughtful typeface design, and proper binding all matter. Books like Ian Rimmer's Rolls-Royce experimental cars are written "with soul and love" not just facts.

Why are some car books worth thousands?

Limited editions like Simon Kidston's Miura book or Martin Buckley's Facel Vega become collectible because they're beautifully produced and cover desirable subjects. The right book on the right subject always finds buyers.

A Nod to

Chaters Car Bookshop - Where Richy’s career started Classic Car Weekly - Richy’s Markets Editor Palawan Press - High-quality motoring book publishers Simon Kidston - Limited-edition Miura book author Ian Rimmer - Rolls-Royce experimental cars author Martin Buckley - Facel Vega book author

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#RichieBarnett #ClassicCarBooks #ChatersBookshop #ClassicCarWeekly #CarBookCollector #AC428 #FacelVega #LamborghiniMiura #RollsRoyceExperimental #PalavanPress #SimonKidston #MartinBuckley #TheOldCarLady #MotoringSBooks #CarBookIllustrations #booktok #classiccars

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions

Join Sam Grange-Bailey (The Old Car Lady) for a conversation with Albert Walsh, a veteran of the motor trade with over 55 years' experience. Albert is a well-respected member of Porsche Club GB, regularly consulted for pre-purchase inspections, and a consultant for Manor Park Classics Auctions.

This episode takes you through Albert's journey from driving at 13 in his dad's garage to working for the northwest's most prestigious dealers including Ian Anthony's Porsche Centre, Mercedes-Benz, Bauer Millet, and Bentley Ribble Valley. Albert shares stories about the glory days when customers paid in briefcases full of cash and Friday lunchtimes meant racing E-Types down the East Lancs Road.

From his first car (a sit-up-and-beg Ford Pop) to his beloved 1986 Porsche 911 Super Sport Targa, Albert's collection includes British, French, and German classics. We discuss dodgy dealers, celebrity car deals gone wrong (including David Beckham's TVR Cerbera), and why the 1980s were the heyday of the independent motor trade.

Featured Cars

1968 Volkswagen Beetle 1500 - Albert's first legal car, written off on Cross Ply’s in the snow

1986 Porsche 911 Super Sport Targa - Bought for £11,750 in 2000, sold for £16,000

2CV - Red one-owner example bought from Ian Anthony's for £1,200

Mercedes-Benz W124 estate in Red - Albert's favourite Mercedes, "the fire engine"

Citroën SM - Fastest front-wheel-drive production car of its time

Lotus Elise - Albert's speciality, ran his own Lotus repair business

What You'll Learn

Why the 1980s were the heyday of the independent motor trade

How Ian Anthony's operated waiting lists over a year for new Porsches

The truth about pre-purchase inspections and spotting cut-and-shut cars

Why customers who "need to check with the wife" never come back

How Martin Inghams’s Autotrader adverts became legendary

The art of "borrowing" stock cars for classic car shows

Key Questions

What makes a good pre-purchase inspection?

Albert uses paint depth gauges, axle stands, and decades of experience to spot welded repairs and hidden damage. The best dealers have nothing to hide. Trust your instincts - if something feels wrong, it usually is.

Who were the big characters in the northwest motor trade?

Martin Ingram (legendary adverts), Lawrence Millet (gentleman dealer), Ian of Ian Anthony's fame (forward-thinking Porsche dealer), Len Taylor (threw rude customers out), and mechanics like Albert's dad who could diagnose faults by ear alone.

What was the worst car you've inspected?

A Porsche Boxster that had been cut-and-shut with welded inner wings, a 997 with piston slap the dealer claimed was "just a lazy tappet," and cars with missing spare wheels and keys the owners swore were "in the garage somewhere."

A Nod to

Ian Anthony's Porsche Centre - Premier Porsche and BMW dealer Mercedes-Benz - Where Albert learned the W124 inside out. Bauer Millets - Lawrence Millet and Chris Bauer's exotic dealership. Bentley Ribble Valley - John Ashworth's Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Lotus dealership - his son Stephen Ashworth is the founder and Chairman of Manor Park Classics. Kinsey Jones - Top Lotus dealer in Europe. Martin Ingram - Independent dealer with legendary Autotrader adverts. Porsche Club GB - Albert served as Register Director and Chairman of Motorsport.

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#MotorTradeStories #PorscheClubGB #EnsorMercedes #BaronMillet #MartinHam #ClassicCarInspections #Porsche911 #LotusElise #MercedesW124 #CitroenSM #2CV #1980sMotorTrade #NorthwestDealers #TheOldCarLady #ClassicCarDealer

Produced By Worth A Listen Production

Join Sam Grange-Bailey (The Old Car Lady) as she takes an exclusive tour of Martin Buckley's personal classic car collection. Martin is a leading motoring journalist, monthly contributor to Classic and Sports Car Magazine, and author of over 20 books.

His classic car collection spans the 1950s-70s, including a rare 1971 Oldsmobile Toronado (America's first mass-produced front-wheel-drive car), a 1971 Renault 16 TS (the first true hatchback), an NSU Ro80 with revolutionary semi-automatic gearbox, and a one-of-a-kind 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II extensively modified with a Spirit four-speed gearbox (£20,000 conversion), Land Rover Discovery disc brakes, and electronic ignition.

Originally owned by R100 airship engineer Denton Burney, Martin's modified Rolls-Royce demonstrates how thoughtful classic car modifications enhance usability without destroying authenticity. We also discuss his 1956 Riley Pathfinder (nicknamed the "ditch finder"), Range Rover, and exotic Lancia Flaminia.

Featured Cars

1971 Oldsmobile Toronado - First mass-produced front-wheel-drive American car. Martin's childhood dream, imported from Finland. £20-25k

1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II (Modified) - Spirit gearbox, Discovery brakes, electronic ignition. Owned by R100 airship engineer Denton Burney. Martin's favourite.

1971 Renault 16 TS - First true hatchback. "Almost as good a ride as a Citroën DS."

1972 NSU Ro80 - Advanced semi-automatic gearbox. "Something magical about it."

1956 Riley Pathfinder - "Ditch finder" nicknamed from it’s wonky wooden chassis jigs.

Lancia Flaminia - Italian exotic with aluminium V6 and transaxle.

What You'll Learn

Why the Oldsmobile Toronado revolutionised American engineering

How a Spirit gearbox conversion transforms a Rolls-Royce (£20,000 cost

When classic car modifications improve usability without destroying value

Why American classic cars are more practical than their reputation

Martin's philosophy: "Just use them, don't abuse them"

The R100 airship engineering connection to Rolls-Royce ownership

How Discovery disc brakes upgrade classic Rolls-Royce stopping power

Key Questions

Can you modify a classic Rolls-Royce?

Martin's Cloud proves thoughtful modifications enhance usability. Spirit gearbox, Discovery brakes, and electronic ignition make it genuinely usable. Keep original parts for reversal.

Should classics have modern upgrades?

Martin advocates modifications that improve reliability - electronic ignition, disc brakes, modern gearboxes - without altering character. "Just use them, don't abuse them."

Are American classics practical in the UK?

"More usable than people think. Never feel that big when driving. The faster you go, the steadier it feels." Left-hand drive: "Use mirrors, kerb on one side, white lines on the other."

A Nod to

Denton Burney - R100 airship engineer, Burney Streamline creator

Classic and Sports Car Magazine

Manor Park Classics

Get in Touch

📧 grangebaileys@gmail.com

💬 WhatsApp: 07405 813554

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

#MartinBuckley #ClassicCarCollection #OldsmobileToronado #RollsRoyceCloud #NSURo80 #Renault16 #RileyPathfinder #LanciaFlaminia #ModifiedClassics #TheOldCarLady #ClassicCars #ClassicCarRestoration #SpiritGearbox #DentonBurney #BritishClassicCars #AmericanClassicCars #ClassicCarInvestment

Produced By Worth A Listen Productions

This week on Wheels & Deals, it's a listener special! I'm sharing some of the fantastic stories and comments you've sent in, answering your questions, and even launching a special appeal to track down the history of a very rare car.

We drive into the "dark arts" of the motor trade, explaining exactly why a dealer in the 70's might put sawdust in a gearbox or an egg in a radiator. We also share memories of the short-lived self-serve petrol pumps that took £5 notes, and the ingenious ways people found to get free fuel.

I'm launching a worldwide appeal to help a listener in Mexico, Angel Rivera, uncover the history of his very rare 1960 Mazda R360 Kei car. We have the chassis number and a few clues, but we need your help to piece together its story. And finally, we discuss the future of the motor trade and whether the classic car world is the last bastion of the "good old days."

Pitstops:

• Can you really fix a noisy gearbox with sawdust?

• Did you ever scam a self-serve petrol pump in the 70's?

• Is it sacrilege to put modern upgrades like electronic ignition on a classic car?

• A special appeal to help find the history of a rare Mazda R360 Kei car (Chassis/Engine: 70776).

• What does the future hold for the independent car dealer?

• Do TV appearances give classic cars like the Jaguar XJS a boost in the market?

A Nod to:

• Jason Hall

• Mike Smith

• Martin Buckley

• Angel Rivera

• And all the listeners who sent in messages and comments!

If we've mentioned you but missed you here, drop me a line at grangebaileys@gmail.com.

Come Along for the Ride with Me at:

📸 Instagram: @the_old_car_lady

🎬 TikTok, Facebook & YouTube: The Old Car Lady

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