Thursday 14th July 2011

Ex-Gerry Marshall Landie up for grabs

Brooklands Historics sale has 'lots' of interest...

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The latest in a long line of car auctions this summer takes place on the 19th July at the 'Historics' auction at Brooklands. As usual there's no shortage of interesting lots featuring the usual historics, classics, and sports cars, but one vehicle attracting attention is the ex-Gerry Marshall Land Rover.

We covered his legendary exploits in 'Baby Bertha' recently in PH Heroes, and at Goodwood the 'Old Nail' 1971 Firenza he raced before he slid the wide-bodied V8 machine to a number of his 625 race victories was sold at auction. The Land Rover (lot 256) was his personal vehicle for many years before he passed it on to the son of a fellow racer, and it still has the rev counter he had fitted as well as well as all the various stickers that were lovingly slapped on to it. And no, none of them say 'Kenwood' or 'Motorsport'...

The estimate of £4,000-6,000 for a 1972 Land Rover SWB seems a bit steep - you can usually get a 'restored' one for that. But the 'Old Nail' Firenza made £47,000 at Goodwood (including buyer's premium) against an estimate of £30,000-40,000 so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Landy burst its upper estimate on the back of the success enjoyed by the ex-Marshall Firenza.

And while we're talking Firenzas, this blue one should go for somewhat less than the one at Goodwood - although it appears to be a bit 'semi-prepared' and could do with either being fully converted for either racing or road duty. £4,000-6,000 is the estimate on this one and I doubt it would go beyond that. Cool shape though, no?

Of course if you prefer your Fords and have a bigger budget, you're more likely to go for this RS2000 'recreation' which has been built more with competition in mind. The estimate is curiously broad at £11,000-16,000 although I'd expect it to land in there somewhere.

If, however, you're after some serious performance then there's plenty to bid for depending on your preferred style of serious performance. There's an Ultima GTR, two Integrales, and a Carrera 2S on one hand...and an 8.2 litre Cobra replica on the other!

Oh and I couldn't sign off without mentioning a commercial vehicle...bear with me. This Commer 'Cob Van' is estimated at £4,500-7,500 and looks like butter wouldn't melt...but it's running a Jack Brabham-fitted 1725cc Alpine engine with an alloy head, twin carbs, and an overdrive 'box! Historic racing support vehicle, anyone...?

[Denorth]

silly question - since when all 'car sale' ads can replace actual news from motor world?

[soxboy]

Denorth said:

silly question - since when all 'car sale' ads can replace actual news from motor world?

I for one find this sort of news far more interesting than 'car is 0.02 secs faster round the 'Ring' or 'new $5m Veyron made out of mercury and cherub foreskin'.

[Zletsgo]

soxboy said:

I for one find this sort of news far more interesting than 'car is 0.02 secs faster round the 'Ring' or 'new $5m Veyron made out of mercury and cherub foreskin'.

Agreed - has more relevance to the average pistonhead than merely poster cars!

[Motown Junk]

Love the Firenza! Had a red 2 door Viva with white Weller 8 spokes back in the day

[B10]

I like the Aston Martin badge on the LR's norn button.

[Oddball RS]

Zletsgo said:

soxboy said:

I for one find this sort of news far more interesting than 'car is 0.02 secs faster round the 'Ring' or 'new $5m Veyron made out of mercury and cherub foreskin'.

Agreed - has more relevance to the average pistonhead than merely poster cars!

+2

[Captain Beaky]

Never mind the cars, I'll take that van

[LuS1fer]

My boyhood hero was the Droop Snoot Firenza. Always had copies of the DTV mag which regularly featured Gerry. He had a lovely 2300SL too. Oh no, I want one again.

[gaz9185]

Brilliant interesting article.....can we have more such? A bit more interesting than activities 'foreign' to many, i.e. who went fastest round the "Ring".

[Hot Dog Harrigan]

I'm not sure that £4-6000 for the Landie is steep especially considering it's history. Old Landie prices seemed to have sky rocketed over the last few years.

I only paid a few hundred for my first one about 5 years ago & although I've admittedly done a few bits to it over the years I wouldn't dream of trying to sell it for any less than a couple of thousand or more.

[Crazy Don]

Me thinks Bill Blyndenstein would turn in his grave seeing one of his stickers on that Firenza complete with twin Strombergs and a horrible cast iron exhaust manifold. What a tuning genius that man was!!

[swampy56]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAK4jBKmow&fea...
Gerry Marshall in action, went to see this race and I was only 7 years old at the time. Awesome race!

[LuS1fer]

Crazy Don said:

Me thinks Bill Blyndenstein would turn in his grave seeing one of his stickers on that Firenza complete with twin Strombergs and a horrible cast iron exhaust manifold. What a tuning genius that man was!!

I take it Blynd-enstein was a Freudian slip...

[RichardR]

Has that Firenza got Ford wheels?

Gotta love that droop snout!

[urquattro]

Captain Beaky said:

Never mind the cars, I'll take that van

Me too, I could really fall for that, glad me and credit card are not going otherwise a foolish but fun decision could arise.;)