Cheffins’ Summer Vintage Collective sale

Posted by Chris Graham on 10th September 2024

Peter Love reports on the Cheffins’ Summer Vintage Collective sale, which offered the largest range of restored commercials so far this year.

Cheffins Summer Vintage Collective: Guy Big J4 was a late addition to the sale and sold for £2,500.

Rutland-based haulier CS Ellis had a number if vehicles on sale, due to a planned reduction in its heritage fleet to free-up space needed for operational purposes.

Looking a little ‘dusty’, but a solid commercial, is the 1950 FG5/12 generator unit and the sister to the famous Billy Smart Circus example sold for £7,000.

Highlight in the Ellis line-up was the 1944 Atkinson L1586A 8×4 ACK 864 with dropside bodywork; a stunning restoration that had been on the 2013 HCVS London to Brighton Run. This was the one they all wanted, and it sold for £15,500, in concours condition.

Excellent Foden project complete with Foden’s own two-stroke engine, sold for £1,800.

The 1955 Bedford RLH ‘Green Goddess’ had been very well-restored, though we suspect the CS Ellis house livery wouldn’t have been everyone’s first choice. Complete with all the usual kit, it sold here for £6,000.

Ellis’ 1986 ERF E-series restoration project was yours at £2,600.

1950 Foden FG5/12 6×4 box van, LRO 499 had been created by Long Wheels Company on a Foden chassis cab with Gardner 5LW for the Associated British Picture Corporation Ltd. The vehicle is similar to the more famous Billy Smart Circus example, but no longer has its generator pack. Said to run and go well but in need of refreshing, particularly paint-wise, it changed hands for £7,000.

1947 Foden DG DHH 74 now needs a cab repaint, but is very solid. Changed hands at £9,500.

My personal favourite here was green 1947 Foden DG 6×4 DHH 74, which sold here for £9,500. Now in need of a little TLC, the one-time Brighton Run participant has gone to a Foden collector in Kent.

This 1955 Bedford RLH Green Goddess is no longer green, but had been well-restored. It sold for £6,000.

There were other entries in this section with some selling, others not. One to change hands was the 1965 Foden S21 FGF 601C, ballast tractor conversion again in good rally condition moving on at £12,200. The 1974 ERF LAG, VYB 83M flatbed, another good looker, could have been yours for £13,000. The blue 1966 ERF KV flat, again ready to rally, sold for £8,000.

£15,500 was paid for the 1944 Atkinson L1586A eight-wheeler.

New to Hygena Kitchens and later with John Clements Amusements of Bristol, this 1974 ERF LAG has come up well and sold for £13,000.

This 1966 ERF KV sold for £8,000.

1957 Bedford C-type flatbed with six-cylinder diesel and needing a light refresh sold for £7,200.

1965 Foden S21 ballast tractor conversion sold for £12,200.

Two light commercials that sold. The 1957 Commer Cob has been seen at Goodwood and raised £7,000, while the Austin A35 van, in Dowson Engineering livery, got to £7,200.

This auction report come from the latest issue of Classic & Vintage Commercials, and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE