A classic 1974 Daimler Sovereign, with an old Mercedes, are among a plethora of old vehicles found in a Bay of Islands barn that are now up for auction.
A classic 1974 Daimler Sovereign, with an old Mercedes, are among a plethora of old vehicles found in a Bay of Islands barn that are now up for auction.
It’s El Dorado for car collectors everywhere - the barn find that uncovers rare and desirable vehicles.
And lovers of rare vehicles are in for a treat with the 120-plus lots that include plenty of in-demand classic cars found in a barn in the Far North and are now up for auction.
The find includes old Jaguars and Daimlers; Mercedes Benz; Peugeots; Austins; a Model T Ford more than 100 years old and a bright red Morris Minor, with all going under the hammer in two online auctions run by Northland Auctions out of Kerikeri.
The auctions, which also includes parts, machinery and tools, will excite motor enthusiasts, but for auctioneer and Northland Auctions owner Brad Jackson, it’s a dream come true.
The Model T Ford that is more than 100 years old, going up for auction form a big barn find in the Bay of Islands that has more than 120 vehicles.
‘’I’ve been doing auctions for about 22 years and this is by far the best find I’ve ever come across. I watch American Pickers (US TV show that follows a team as they scour the country for hidden gems in junkyards, basements, garages and barns) and have always dreamed I’d one day find something similar, and here it is.’’
Jackson said it’s not often he laughs when he sees items for the auction, but he did when he went to the Bay of Islands property where the items were contained in a 1000sq m workshop.
‘’I can’t really repeat the first words I said as you wouldn’t print them, but I just said to my son ‘Wow! it’s amazing’. It was just like American Pickers and I’d always hoped for a find like that.
‘’It was like a supermarket, but instead of being full of food, it was packed with all these classic cars, aeroplanes, parts and memorabilia. I’d never seen anything like that, but to have it here in Northland blew me away.’’
The lap of luxury from a classic Jaguar XJ6 found in a Pakaraka barn and to be sold at auction on-site this month.
He said the elderly collector had a love of automobiles and aeroplanes and had collected them over the years, along with many spare parts, many of which can no longer be sourced in New Zealand. He did all the work on everything himself so it’s all well looked after.
‘’When I got the call the person said their dad had a few cars in his workshop to sell and I got a big surprise when I went to have a look. It was a huge collection, with some outstanding examples of vintage and classic vehicles.
‘’He had a big love of automobiles and aviation and he’d spent many years building up his collection - I think his attitude was life’s too short to drive a boring car - and while some have been sold over the years, we’ve got everything that’s left and it will be sold.’’
It’s bright red, like a fire engine,and this Morris Minor is going under the hammer from a Bay of Islands barn find.
Jackson said there had been huge interest in the auction, with details sent to all car clubs across the country, and he expected Kerikeri to be buzzing for the two-day auction as people fly in to bid.
Jackson also owns All About Auctions, in Auckland, and some of the finds from the barn had already been sold there.
‘’He had a collection of great quality mobility scooters and we’ve sold all those, while we had 500 different lots of his model car and planes, and they’ve all gone in the Auckland auctions ... there was just so much great stuff in there.
A 1951 Austin A40 with fitting number plate and about to go under the hammer.
‘’He has put most of the regos on hold so it won’t be too much hassle to get them back on the road and there are so many parts it’s unbelievable, with the experts saying you just can’t get them here any more and would have to order them from overseas, if they were available at all.’’
Jackson said there was really something for everybody among the lots and he was sure there would be plenty of people going away from the auctions very happy with their buys.
‘’I mean, there are just so many great examples of some classic vehicles here and it’s going to be a big weekend when we hold the auctions - I can’t wait.’’
One of the classic, and in great condition, Austins found in a barn that is now up for auction, along with 119 other old vehicles.
As for what he thinks the haul will be worth, he says that’s for the market to decide.
The first auction - tools and machinery, including diggers, bulldozers, ride-on lawnmowers and trucks, will be on site in Pakaraka on September 21 from 10.30am.
The second auction, with all the vehicles and parts, will be from 10.30am on September 22.
For more details of the auctions, including photos of all the lots on offer, go to www.northlandauctions.nz.
This TD2000 roadster was one of almost 120 cars found in a Bay of Islands barn that are going to auction.
