Classic children's cars among collection of vehicles up for auction
Classic children’s cars including 1960s Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar and an Austin Pathfinder pedal car are among collection of vehicles set to go up for auction after being discovered in a barn
- The collection of rare, classic vehicles were found in an outbuilding near Repton in Derbyshire
- They belonged to car enthusiast Peter McManus who left them to his children after his death
- The vehicles are due to go under the hammer at a sale by Hansons Auctioneers on January 20
Classic vintage cars – including an ‘extremely rare’ child’s miniature Jaguar – are set to sell for tens of thousands of pounds after being discovered in a barn.
The vehicles, which were found in the outbuilding near Repton, Derbyshire, belonged to car enthusiast Peter McManus.
He ensured his love of motoring did not exclude his children – and believed that ‘if he could have a Jaguar, so could they’.
Due to go under the hammer at a sale by Hansons Auctioneers, of Etwall, Derbyshire, on January 20 are the children’s cars – a 1960s Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar, valued at £3,000 to £5,000, and an Austin Pathfinder pedal car, converted to a petrol-engine, valued £4,000 to £6,000.
A promotional leaflet with the Cheetah declares: ‘The miniature sports car children can really drive. Based on the famous E Type Jaguar, the Cheetah Cub is any child’s dream car.
‘With the small petrol-driven engine it will give them all the thrills of race-track driving in complete safety’.
Due to go under the hammer at a sale by Hansons Auctioneers, of Etwall, Derbyshire, on January 20 is a 1960s Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar, valued at £3,000 to £5,000
An Austin Pathfinder pedal car, converted to a petrol-engine, is valued £4,000 to £6,000 ahead of next month’s auction
A promotional leaflet with the Cheetah declares: ‘The miniature sports car children can really drive. Based on the famous E Type Jaguar, the Cheetah Cub is any child’s dream car. ‘With the small petrol-driven engine it will give them all the thrills of race-track driving in complete safety’
McManus bought the extremely rare child’s Cheetah Cub Jaguar at London’s Earls Court Motor Show in the early 1960s
A retired Rolls-Royce engineer, he replaced its petrol engine with an easy-starter Honda. However, the original Villiers engine comes with the car
The Austin Pathfinder with a Villiers 75cc petrol engine was made by a Derby-based motorcycle engineer in the 1950s and later purchased by McManus. It requires minor recommissioning and new tyres
A rare 1960 Mark II Jaguar with only 50,000 miles on the clock, owned by McManus from new will also be sold at another Hansons auction in March
Its garage-mate was the Bullnose Morris which has had three owners from new. It was sold by G H Robbins of Evesham in 1922 and registered in July that year
Two full-size original classic cars, one which celebrates its 100th birthday in 2022, will be sold at another Hansons auction in March.
One is a rare 1960 Mark II Jaguar with only 50,000 miles on the clock, owned by McManus from new.
A Hansons spokesman said: ‘Finds like this in original condition, stored with care in a clean and dry outbuilding, don’t come along often. This curvaceous classic is a delight to behold, a design gem of its time.
‘It will go to auction with an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000. The same sale will include a 1922 Bullnose Morris, £15,000 to £20,000.
‘According to the sellers, Peter’s son and daughter, all the cars represent family togetherness, high days, holidays and happy memories.
‘They have decided the time is now right to sell their late father’s classic cars and the miniature motors they were lucky enough to drive as children.’
McManus, a keen motor car enthusiast, bought the Jaguar Mark II from new in 1960.
The family said he treasured it so much, it was only ever used on ‘high days and holidays’, including some New Year trips to Scotland, hence its low mileage.
Its garage-mate was the Bullnose Morris which has had three owners from new. It was sold by G H Robbins of Evesham in 1922 and registered in July that year.
Robbins bought it back in 1939 and kept it until he died in the 1960s. It was bought by McManus in 1963 and used as a wedding car by his daughter.
A Cheetah D Type Jaguar, extremely rare Petrol driven child’s size Jaguar, made in the early 1960s by a collaboration of three companies, the Watsonian sidecar company, the Swallow sidecar company (later manufactured the SS Jaguar) and the Birmingham Fibreglass company
The Austin Pathfinder pedal car with petrol engine conversion, a very rare car, made during the 1950s by retired Miners in Wales
This is an original steel bodied car with a Villiers 75cc petrol engine. It requires minor recommissioning and new tyres
The Jaguar was powered by a Villiers 75 cc petrol engine but later upgraded to a more reliable Honda engine with electric start
An Austin Pathfinder pedal car, converted to a petrol-engine, is valued £4,000 to £6,000 ahead of next month’s auction
Due to go under the hammer at a sale by Hansons Auctioneers, of Etwall, Derbyshire, on January 20 is a 1960s Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar, valued at £3,000 to £5,000
The children’s Austin Pathfinder was converted by a renowned motorcycle engineer from Derby who built it for his son
McManus bought the extremely rare child’s Cheetah Cub Jaguar at London’s Earls Court Motor Show in the early 1960s.
A retired Rolls-Royce engineer, he replaced its petrol engine with an easy-starter Honda. However, the original Villiers engine comes with the car.
The Austin Pathfinder with a Villiers 75cc petrol engine was made by a Derby-based motorcycle engineer in the 1950s and later purchased by McManus. It requires minor recommissioning and new tyres.
McManus undertook an apprenticeship in engineering in Derby and, during the Second World War, worked on Merlin engines at Rolls-Royce.
He died at the age of 94 in 2017.
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