FIRST AUSTRALIAN DELIVERED BENTLEY AND LEX DAVISON'S ALFA ROMEO

ARE THE STARS AT NOVEMBER AUCTION OF COLLECTORS' CARS

The first is a 1922 Bentley 3 Litre 'Short Chassis' Tourer that was sold new in Victoria to the Syme family who owned The Age. The car has been owned by the Higgins family for over 60 years and is offered for sale for the first time since 1942 having been owned for most of its life by one of the founding members of the Bentley Drivers Club of Australia. 'This car is simply stunning and is without doubt the most pleasant vintage tourer we have offered for sale in the past 18 months...' enthuses Robert Glover.  'It oozes originality and has never been unnecessarily restored. We barely ever discover highly original vintage Bentleys and they don't come any better than this. I could think of very few motor cars I have seen in Australia that I would rather have in my own possession....' The car is expected to fetch in excess of $160,000.

Bonhams & Goodman are also delighted to have been entrusted with the sale of Lex Davison's 'Little Alfa' on behalf of Diana Davison-Gaze and the Davison family who are a three generation legacy in Australian Motorsport. This particular 1928 Alfa Romeo 1,500 was originally sold new in saloon form to Lex Davison's father. In 1945 Lex Davison converted the car into a racing special originally retaining its original radiator and fitted with a very simply two seat body. The car's first race was at Bathurst in 1946 during the honeymoon of Lex and his wife Diana! In order to make the car more competitive in c1950 the chassis was shortened, the engine was fitted with a supercharger and the extremely attractive two seater body that the car carries to this day was fitted to the chassis. The modifications worked with the car recorded at 112 mph. Lex Davison had competed regularly with the car at until he purchased a larger and more powerful P3 Alfa after which time the car was known as Lex's ‘Little Alfa'. Having won no less than four Australian Grand Prix and having competed in numerous races both in Australia and overseas, Davison died whilst practicing at Sandown in 1965. Since then his 'Little Alfa' has remained in the ownership of his widow Diana Davison-Gaze and is offered for sale for the first time since new. The car carries with it many amusing and heroic stories and comes from a legendary Australian racing family. (Illustrated) It is estimated to achieve around AU$400,000.

Further entries are now invited for this important sale. Such is the quality of the sale that only the finest entries are sought.

Illustrated:

1922 Bentley 3 Litre ‘Short Chassis' Tourer
Estimate: $160,000 - 200,000

Enquiries:
Robert Glover
National Head of Collectors' Cars
+61 (0)2 8306 2206
Robert.glover@bonhams.com
 
David Bird
Senior Specialist, Collectors' Cars
+61 (0)2 8306 2207
David.bird@bonhams.com