Wheels & Deals with Sam Grange-Bailey

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
📧 [email protected]
💬 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 Hampsons first classic car auction in November 1989
The 1989 market crash and Japanese buyers committing harikari
Why H&H started with flat buyer and seller fees (revolutionary at the time)
Finding Buxton Pavilion Gardens for £800 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. Sam MOTs her Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows every 2-3 years for structural integrity checks because her 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. If a car's worth £20k, you can't get £22k plus premium if five dealers have one at £20k. Descending markets bring more cars (people offloading) but lower commissions. Ascending markets are numerically better, but both work better than stagnation
A Nod to
H&H Classic Auctions 
National Car Auctions  
Get in Touch
📧 [email protected]
💬 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
📧 [email protected]
💬 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
📧 [email protected]
💬 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
📧 [email protected]
💬 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