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The 1970 Bahama yellow "Lord Brett Sinclair" Persuaders Aston Martin DBS PPP6H Chassis DBS/5636/R driven by Sir Roger Moore.
Purchased in 1989 and kept for a while before being sold in 1994.
Hello, my name is Duncan. I started selling cars part time in the 1970's whilst still at school.
Whilst trading part time I completed an apprenticeship at the local main agent and obtained the necessary mechanical and technical qualifications via the local Technical College and main agents training centre.
My then employer closed down and I was made redundant. With the crucial and invaluable help of my late parents, Mr George Ellison and Mrs Stella Ellison I decided to become a full time dealer and restorer.
I was fortunate enough to become eligible for Lady Thatcher's 1980's enterprise allowance scheme for new start ups which provided £40 per week for 1 year. This was a big help at the time and along with the support of my late parents .
Schoolboy beginnings. Cortina MK1 "specialist". 1970's An early 1960 Jaguar MK2 3.8 MOD. Date early 1980's
1st E Type. A 1963 3.8 reg No. RFA 964 Chassis 860837 . Sold as a project car for £2500.
Early 1980's
Our 1st Rover 3.5 Litre P5B Coupe SVT 237L Bought in 1980 through Meadowfield Garage Sandsend, run by our late friend the talented classic car restorer and rally driver John Cockerill.
Would love to hear of this car.
After some time trading from West Ayton we moved to the current location in 1987. The country was riding high and soon the classic market would be too.We were now selling Jaguar E Types and Aston Martin DB6's for around £10K and our first Aston Martin DB5 was sold in 1987 for £14000.
Our 1st Aston Martin DB5 sold in 1987 for £14000.
These DB5's are so nicely balanced but Sir or madam may have to wait a little while before attempting 2nd gear.
Aston Martin DB5 reg. 3150 DG DB5/1348/R. A very original project car purchased 8 miles from my home. Sold to a Kent dealer who drove it home.
Date 1989.
As an aside, does anyone remember those lovely hand written notes you would receive from the late Captain Ivan Forshaw when buying even the smallest of parts from Aston Service Dorset.
1965 Aston Martin DB5 JKX6C chassis DB5/2100R. Bought in 1988, driven and enjoyed until being sold in 1992 to an RAF Pilot. A quick and fabulous driving DB5.
1963 Maserati 3500 GTI, my daily driver in 1987. Purchased with a dismantled engine. Thanks to Bill McGrath and Corley Motors for their generosity in supplying the cam timing details, tightening torques and so on and also the parts needed for the engine. An exciting and quick car, in between £500 pounds a pop Bill McGrath fuel injection pump rebuilds. It was a similar fuel injection system as the type used on some Jaguar D Types models.
It was hard to put a foot wrong by the late 1980's. If you had paid too much you only had to wait a week and you were in front again.
By 1989 we had sold approaching 100 Jaguars and Astons combined and assumed this was the new normal, but it was all about to end in the crash of 1990. Prices crashed 50 to 80 percent and unfortunately many dealers closed.
Selection of E's . Would sir or madam like a 3.8 a 4.2 or a 5.3? Date 1988.
The phone is very busy and E Types are selling like hot cakes . These 2 V12 E Types were both bought buy the same private buyer and delivered to Twickenham. Late 1980's.
Kerbside pitch 1989.
Mr George Ellison helping to collect a 1933 Rolls Royce 20/25 Thupp & Maberly 6 Light from a gentleman in Bridlington. 1980's
Advertising was chiefly through "Classic and Sportscar" magazine and Exchange and Mart. I built some excellent contacts some of whom would buy sight unseen based on my phone description.
August 1989 Classic and Sportscar advert
1966 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage chassis
DB6/ 2452/R Sold to a big Cheshire dealer, Mr G. He casually walked past the front of this car and said "I'll take your DB6" He didn't even walk round it.
It was a shrewd purchase as there was still another
5 months left of rising values. Sold in 1989
1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud 111 Ex Sir Ralph Richardson Sold in 1989.
1972 Lamborghini Espada S2. 9690KP chassis 8666. Appeared in the 1973 film "Take Me High" starring Sir Cliff Richard. Sold as a project car in 1989.
E Type's heading to Sussex.
Classic and Sportscar article. 1991.
1967 Jaguar E Type S1 Roadster PHM 587E chassis 1E1745 owned by Terry Nation a writer for Dr Who, Survivors, Persuaders, The Baron, The Saint, The Avengers, Department S, Blake's 7 and so on.
Sold in 1997.
November 1989 Classic and Sportscar advert
1963 Maserati 3500 GTI Touring. 488 FLB Previously supplied by the noted high end dealer Roland Duce.
Sold in 1988 and 1989.
The Ex Sir Ralph Richardson Cloud 111 being delivered to the lakeside lake district home of the new owner, our friend, Mr "B" B a highly respected Rolls Royce collector and garage chain owner. Happy times. Date 1989.
1967 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage chassis DB6 2570/R A Limerock Sprint entrant. A project car.
Sold 1988
1960 Facel Vega HK500 6.3. 1st owner Dave King. A press car with period film history.The hotter manual version with twin 4 barrel Carter carbs. Tremendous performance with 390 BHP on tap.
Special thanks to Facel historian Richard Stevens for sharing his knowledge.
1967 Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R SMT 594F
Ex ministry of War . This car had some interesting modifications including a quick starter inhibitor bypass button, rear seat belts and grilles in place of the fog lights .
While I was examining this car another potential buyer turned up at the vendors home armed with cash. The two of us had an auction over the kitchen table with the vendor acting as auctioneer.. I had virtually no cash on me but the vendor who didn't know me from Adam took my bid and trusted me to honour the deal and let the loaded with cash underbidder go. That meant a lot. Thank you Mick.
"Siegfried Farnon's" All Creatures Great and Small Rover P4 75 driven by actor Robert Hardy CBE ."James,you will take inordinate good care of my Rover, there's a good fellow " A project car .Sold 2019.
A fabulous-time warp low mileage Wolseley 1500 being purchased by the noted classic car dealer Nick Szkiler of Grundy Mack Classic Cars which became Classic and Sportscar Centre, West Knapton. A long term valued contact since 1984 and a very fair buyer. He has one of the largest classic car dealerships in the country.Date 1998.
E Type + Cloud 111 heading to Sussex.1990's
1966 Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R HBL 689D being collected by Cars Europe transport on behalf of the noted museum buyer. 1 of several cars purchased by them. Sold 2016.
Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 GVO 184J possibly Ex Laura Ashley sold 1997. A quick car off the line.
The 1986 Tudor Crisps advert Rolls Royce Silver Spirit D66 YTN ."Is this really your car Terry"
Kept as an occasional treat for a few years. Unapproached ride quality. My late mother could enjoy this fabulous car free of back pain. Sold 2020.
Bentley R Type ex Alan Whicker CBE
LUG 2 . Special thanks to Steve Lovatt of Ristes for supplying some misplaced history . Sold in 2007
A fabulous 1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
DEF 764T chassis V8/VOR/12059V Possibly ex Sir Peter Vardy.Bought in 1992, enjoyed for 2 years and sold to a gentleman from Hampstead in 1994.
1978 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 XLD 440S The Autocar magazine road test car. Sold in the early '90s.
1963 Maserati 3500 GTI Touring sold for the second time and being delivered to its new owner in Kent.
Date 1989.
I have so far been fortunate to meet many wonderful customers both trade and retail from all walks of life, and also been honoured by the trust bestowed upon me to provide cars for some of the worlds notable museums and collections.
Congratulations if you have made it this far and thank you for reading.
Here's to the next 40 years
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