Last week I drove a long way to see the remains of a car (1926 Riley) described by the auctioneers as a barn find and, more interestingly, as having been stored for 50 years in a 'well-ventilated barn'. The chassis and engine were almost past recovery and I assume that the barn must have had no sides.

In the art world I understand that 'school of', 'follower of', 'believed to be by' cover all possibilities. For future reference could anyone give me examples of vintage car auctioneer speak so that I can avoid wasting everyone's time.

Had a similar experience a few years ago A friend and fellow pilot asked if I would "vet" a "Simon Templar" Volvo P1800 for him, we flew up to Leicester from Bournemouth. Having got to the sellers abode he took us to a ramshackle shed,levered the doors open to proudly show us some ferrous oxide with a Volvo badge. It had been described as "an easy restoration" , not by an auctioneer granted, but goes to show the buyer should always beware.English is a great language but to often gets stretched to the point of breaking.

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

Well that will just serve you right for not buying an Austin Seven!

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia.

Goodness knows I've been there, seen it and got the "T" shirt!
The thing to do is ask the auctioneer for a "Condition report"
They are legally obliged to be accurate and fair!
J

Location: As far east in Kent as you can get

Hmmm sounds like the same car I traveled to see last year when it was auctioned by HVA. It was certainly well-matured and both the engine blocks supplied with it were cracked. The chassis was also very heavily rusted. I was outbid and in retrospect, was glad of that as I feel the price was too high, considering the condition. The car is now for sale on the VSCC website, if that tells you anything.

John

That's the one, charming vendor though, and at least the remains are now in a weather-proof workshop, but after 7 hours on the M25, M40 and M42 motorways, and the light nearly gone (no electricity in the workshop), I was disappointed.

Totally agree john

And feckless I'm sure you will be aware there are auctions and there are auctions.

On the hole I find HVA quite genuine.

but do tend to find with there cars the descriptions are not the best. But this is probably because they don't see the car themselves until the day before the auction. So the discription is what they are given by the vendor.

There is another auction nearby, when selling cars state any car details given are taken from paperwork supplied and NOT from the car.

This leaves it very very open for dodgy sellers, to put there dodgy cars in with dodgy paperwork.

For example I have a buff log book here for a 1923 austin 7. So I could in theory enter a pile of ruby bits into the auction as a barn find. And the auction will happily list it as, ( barn find collection of parts from a 1923 austin 7, chassis number 14-- engine number 15--).

Buyer beware always check it for yourself, so you have nobody else to blame.

Tony

Location: Leics

Not at auction,but dealer advertised on eBay.
Did a 300 or so mile detour to look at a 1929 Cherolet advertised.Dealer admitted it had been re engined with a later stove bolt type engine,Not bad I thought a bit more power,reconditioned engine,done by an engineer.
So went to view,the impression I had been given was that it was up and running.
It sat in the middle of a number of static cars,tyres half inflated,cobwebs on the headlamps,thought I'm not going to be able to test drive this.
Decided to sit in it for driving position,oh floor boards up,oh no battery,oh not going to be able to hear it running then.Pedals,1,2,where's the third? Oh there's no throttle pedal.
Left at that point.
It's still advertised on eBay.

Austin in the shed, I sympathise with you. One might have thought a dealer in Vintage cars would have more honesty but the one you mention must be a complete a...hole.

The scoundrels who sold my '26 Dodge Brothers to the previous owner managed to get the car running just long enough to get it off the trailer and onto his drive. From then on the car never ran again until it came into my possession. I was horrified at some of the bodges and spent a lot of time and money sorting it out.

I remember my late Father once went to see a "restored" M type MG Midget advertised by a well known dealer only to find it was a 'bits'a'. It even had Morris 8 wheels!

Location: DERBY

When we were admitted through the gate to see a cross between an ageing bovva boy and Del Trotter I knew it wouldn't be good.