Classics and veterans headline Mossgreen line-up

Sunday the 18th of October will see several meticulously restored veteran, vintage and classic cars and bikes go under the gavel at Mossgreen auctions.

For their Collectors' Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia auction, Mossgreen has lined up some highly desirable and rare vehicles, including a 1958 Jaguar XK150 Fixed Head Coupe as well as a stunning 1916 Stutz Model 4C Bearcat Roadster.

First released in 1957, the XK150 bore the design hallmarks of its XK120 and XK140 predecessors, but was a radically revised car.

Built for speed, the XK150 was the pinnacle of classic Jaguar sports design, with a single screen replacing the split screen at the front, along with a shallower wing line at the doors and a wider bonnet over the preceding XK140's.

The XK150's production ended in October 1960 after 2265 Roadsters, 4445 Fixed Head Coupes and 2672 Drophead Coupes had been built.

The XK150 was succeeded by the E-Type, which started a whole new legacy.

The XK150 up for auction is a beautifully restored factory RHD version, which was dispatched on 15 December 1958 and then sold new to a man in Northern Rhodesia.

Documentation shows that it was then owned in 1980 by Ross Burgess in Launceston, Australia and then sold to Rob Rowland in Victoria.

The current owner acquired the car in 1989, and has since completed a concourse-standard restoration commencing in 2000 and finished in February 2015.

Originally finished in cream livery with biscuit trim, this XK150 is now presented in midnight blue with a contrasting pale grey interior trim. The classic Jaguar's price range is forecast as $140,000-$160,000.

The second headlining act in the exclusive and prestigious Mossgreen line up is a 1916 Stutz Model 4C Bearcat Roadster. This veteran roadster has become a regular at classic vehicle shows and rallies in Victoria, winning the 'Best Veteran' award at the National Concours d'Elegance as well as a suite of other trophies.

It is still perfectly capable of running in modern traffic; even though there is evidence of this vehicle's registration in Australia all the way back in 1916.

This Stutz was bought by the current owner in 1952 from a motor wrecker in Dandenong.

Mechanically complete, the Stutz carried the remains of a utility truck body, until the current owner added a single-seater contemporary body and used the Bearcat in its current form from 1955 to 1959.

After spending decades garaged, in 1996 the Bearcat was dismantled and restored. Plenty of research was undertaken to ensure the authenticity of the restoration, with much of the work modelled on dimensional drawings and technical details provided by the Stutz Club Inc. (based in the USA).

This Stutz Bearcat was fully road registered in 1997 with "STUTZ B" plates, now operating within the VCCA (Vic) permit scheme. A historically significant and visually stunning vehicle, the Stutz 4C Bearcat has been valued at $320,000-$360,000.

Other notable vehicles in the auction's line up include a 1956 Ford Thunderbird and a 2004 Elfin Clubman Type 3 Works race car.

Also featured is an impressive selection of motorbikes including a 1962 Rickman Metisse G50 R, a 1938 Velocette KTT MK8 500cc R and a 1919 Cleveland 13ci Lightweight, all of which sit alongside the private collection of speedway legend Billy Lamont.

Mossgreen is the leading destination in Australia to buy, sell and enjoy objects of beauty, rarity and value.

For more information on the Mossgreen auction head to the online catalogue of all the vehicles and items up for auction.