AUCTIONEERS are gearing up for the sale of the contents of Moretonhampstead Motor Museum which are estimated to sell for up to £900,000.

Dorset-based Charterhouse Auctioneers is handling the sale at the museum site on May 15 and 16.

They have estimated the 120 lots of classic and vintage cars, motorbikes and 300 lots of memorabilia could fetch between £700,000 and £900,000.

Museum founder and curator Frank Loft has been a client of the auction house for many years.

Richard Bromell, from Charterhouse, said: ‘He bought many of the vintage and classic cars, motorcycles an automobilia from our auctions over the years and we are delighted to be instructed to conduct the sale for him.’

The oldest vehicle in the auction is a 1918 De Dion Bouton Model HD 15 CV charabanc.

A 1936 Rudge Special could sell at auction for £7,000 to £9,000. Photo Charterhouse Auctions
A 1936 Rudge Special could sell at auction for £7,000 to £9,000. Photo Charterhouse Auctions (MDA )

This is followed by a 1922 Wolseley Seven tourer, a 1924 AC Anzani 12 hp open tourer, a 1928 Riley Wentworth 11.9 hp FHC and a 1929 Rolls-Royce 20/25 hp Weymann saloon with coachwork by H J Mulliner.

Other cars in the collection include a 1970 Ford Cortina Lotus, a Realm Engineering Jaguar D Type recreation, a 1959 Jaguar XK150 SE FHC, a 1954 Triumph ‘long door’ TR2 and other Austins, Mini’s, Jowett’s, Morgan, MG’s, Sunbeam, Railton, Hillman and even a 1971 Morris A60 camper van with a Sun Tor conversion.

However, there is also a selection of ‘micro-cars’ including a Bond Bug, a BMW Isetta 300 (with the proceeds of this being donated to The Children’s Hospice South West), a Messerschmitt KR200 and a Berkley T60 roadster.

Amongst the automobilia, there is the last Austin J40 pedal to be made, other pedal cars, enamel signs, vintage petrol pumps, forecourt displays, petroliana, mascots, showroom light boxes and even the AA telephone box from Pains Hill and the AA garage sign from Bovey Tracey.

The AA Bovey Tracey garage sign expected to fetch between £1,000 and £1,200 at auction. Photo Charterhouse Auctions
The AA Bovey Tracey garage sign expected to fetch between £1,000 and £1,200 at auction. Photo Charterhouse Auctions (MDA )

The enamel AA garage sign is expected to sell for between £1,000 and £2,000; the 1970 Ford Cortina Lotus Mk II to fetch £20,000 to £30,000 and the 1936 Rudge Special motorcycle could sell for between £7,000 and £9,000.

Viewing will take place at the museum on Wednesday May 14.

The museum was opened by retired teacher Frank in 2013.

His ‘affliction’ of collecting vehicles had begun in 2008 after selling his residential home in Dawlish.

At that time, his collection amounted to just three classic cars and a similar number of motor cycles.

He soon found himself extending barns to accommodate his growing collection which was, by then, attracting visitors from local motoring groups.

He had initially bought a property in Kingsteignton to house his vehicles.

But as the collection outgrew the original site, he took a ‘leap of faith’ in 2012 and buying the old bus depot which became home to Moretonhampstead Motor Museum.

From his initial 70 vehicles, the museum soon expanded and Frank’s prized collection grew significantly.

Now aged in his 70s, last year he took the ‘difficult and emotive’ decision to sell up.

But despite his hopes to pass it on as a going concern to someone with a similar passion, no buyer was found.

Further information and live internet bidding is available on charterhouse-auction.com