Bangers & Cash

If there's a tough job to be done, Jack is often the one chosen to be in the firing line.

Today he's off to West Yorkshire to extract a 1987 Peugeot 205 GTI from a garage in anarrow lane. The geometry is against Jack but the car is well worth it. It's one of themore prized 1.9s and has been stored safely away for many years whilst its owner hasbeen climbing mountains around the world.

Derek is on charitable duties. He's off to Essex to pick up a car and 3 motorbikes whichhave been brought back from Ukraine by people who have been delivering supplies inthe war torn country. The auctionproceeds will be split between the Ukrainian ownersand the British-based charity which provides aid. It's a passion project for Derek butPaul and Dave are far from impressed by the quality of the lots their father brings backto Yorkshire.

"Specials" which are recreations of classic cars are much maligned in the trade. Derekthough has a real soft spot for them and the dedication of the people who make them.Unsurprising then that he's fallen for the charms of a vehicle that recreates the look of a1929 Alvis Silver Eagle – a serious rival to Bentley in its day.

Car collectors are renowned for generally going a step too far. Despite occasional assertions that "enough is enough",there's always another car to buy. The result is that every now and again a collection has to be pruned. That's the situation faced by Ron Jones. Derek visits Ron's Shropshire farm to pick up four fine examples of Britishautomotive excellence from across the decades.

There's a 1937 Austin Seven van hand-painted in the livery of Ron's business, aTriumph TR2 from the mid-50s and a couple of 60s gems; an Austin Healey and a 1965Austin Mini "woodie", so named because of the wooden trim on its bodywork. They areall fine examples of their type.

Two very different beasts are also brought into Thornton le Dale. Owner DouglasMcLay is parting with two cars he's raced on tracks all over the country - an MGA and aTerrapin. Derek, who thinks cars should be respected and well treated not thrashedaround a race track, is less than impressed.

He's more intrigued by a pair of AAmotor-bike and sidecar units in their original AAcolours. These stunning 60s bikes evoke memories of the days when AA men used tosalute members as they drove past.

And, this week, it's not all work. Member of the team find time to head to the North Eastfor the Andrew Hardy Classics Car Show where a 13 year old lad who loves getting hishands dirty under the bonnet is showing off his restored VW Golf.

The Mathewsonsdon't just deal in classic cars. Paul and his son Charlie head to Leicestershireto collect a vintage Albion truck. For owner Tom Harrison it's been a part of his family for over half a century. Steeped in nostalgia, it belonged to Tom's Dad and holds treasured memories oftravelling to car shows together when Tom was a boy. Both Paul and Charlie fall for theAlbion's charms and its rare collection of travelling hardware shop memorabilia.

Derek heads to Congleton to pick-up a much-loved personal collection belonging to a Lambrettaenthusiast. They've been ridden and maintained by Don Marshall for 40 years, but now it'stime to move them on. "We're only custodians of these things, you can't take them with you"says Don, so heading Pickering way are three Lambrettas including a rare 125 DL and one that'sstill a bit of a project. Also going under the hammer is his Yamaha DT.

In a bubble of its own is the ever-fluctuating Classic Ford market. Back at the auction, there'smuch interest in a two-owner, totally original Sierra Cosworth in diamond white with 32000 on the clock… sixteen thousand pounds from a Ford main dealer back in 1987.

Original low mileage vehicles are the holy grail for collectors of most cars – butespecially Fords. Dave is optimistic as he travels to leafy Leicestershire where StevePerry has a pair of them, a 1980 Ford Granada Ghia and a 1981 Ford Cortina. TheCortina, remarkably, has just 9000 miles on the clock. Dave's optimism is well founded when he assesses what he feels are amongst the best examples of this era Fords in thewhole country.

Paul has found a 4 wheeled pearl closer to home - a 1990 Audi Quattro which is lurkingat HQ. The car - which heralded the motor industry's digital computerised age - is inbeautiful condition. It also happens to be alimited edition vehicle signed by Swedishrallying legend Stig Blomqvist.

Derek meanwhile is off on a jaunt to the east coast seaside resort of Bridlington. He'svisiting Peter Marson who runs a vintage emporium in the town. Peter specialises inmotorbikes and scooters. Derek isinterested in a couple of vintage bikes but uncoverssome other treasures too in Peter's packed shop.

Derek heads up the A1 to County Durham where Neil Walker is reluctantly letting hislate dad's car collection go. There's a Wolseley Hornet, a Simon Templar Volvo P1800and an unusual Japanese take on a classic British Jag; the Mitsuoka Viewt. Half Nissan, half Mk II Jaguar and a whole lot of oddity. Even so Derek thinks it will dowell. Star of the haul though is a 1960 MGA Roadster. As Derek says `it's one of thenicest driving British cars that there is'

Paul's in the wilds of North Cumbria to collect a 1964 Sunbeam Rapier and a 1959Hillman Huskey. They'd been the owners pride and joy, but he's decided to letsomeone else get the pleasure from them. Back at base Derek's not sure they are allthat they seem. A quick test with the magnet shows the Sunbeam has fibreglasspanels. `It'd have been muchbetter if the Hillman had a pair of plastic wings, and theSunbeam had had original ones'. `They are a bedroom wall poster supercar, that hasn't gone galactic with values' saysDave of the Lotus Esprit Turbo that's just tipped up. It's a car made famous by theJames Bond films and when new owner Neil saw it he knew he had to have it `Here isa car that merits my attention' . And he knew he'd grabbed a bargain; 20,000 mileson the clock, an immaculate chassis, and a near pristine interior. A whole lot ofcarfor the money and a very definitely a licence to thrill.

It's the end of a busy week after another successful auction and while Derek's in the yard tryingto fettle a 1967 Ford Zodiac, Dave's heading off across the North Yorkshire moors to collect aFord Fiesta XR2i that's been stuck in a leaky garage for the past twenty-one years. When theMathewsonsaren't selling cars, they're racing them, so Jack and Paul have taken their FordEscort Mk1 and Mk2 rally cars to Dalton Forest for a relaxing weekend tearing around the pine-fringed tracks. Also keen to get out on the road, Derek visits a fantastic private collection inLincolnshire. He returns with an immaculate low mileage 1967 Humber Sceptre; a 1956 SivaTourer with a Ford Popular engine, a car made famous in early episodes of the Dr. Who TVseries; a quirky Garner tractor and a 100 year-old horse-drawn hay wagon. Back at the garage,a lovely 1953 AJS motorcycle is dropped off for the auction by its owner and draws anappreciative crowd.