Classic old-timers – including an “extremely rare” miniature jaguar for children – are said to be sold for tens of thousands of pounds in a barn after they are discovered.
The vehicles found in the outbuilding near Repton, Derbyshire belonged to car enthusiast Peter McManus.
He made sure his love of driving didn’t rule out his children – and believed that “if he could have a Jaguar, they could too”.
At an auction by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire on January 20th, the kids’ cars will go under the hammer – a 1960s Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar valued at £ 3,000-5,000 and an Austin Pathfinder pedal car. Converted to a petrol engine, valued at £ 4,000 to £ 6,000.
An advertising brochure with the cheetah states: “The miniature sports car can really drive. Based on the famous Jaguar E-Type, the Cheetah Cub is every child’s dream car.
“With the small gasoline-powered engine, it will give you the thrill of racetrack driving in complete safety.”
At an auction by Hansons Auctioneers of Etwall, Derbyshire, on January 20th, a Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar from the 1960s valued at £ 3,000 to £ 5,000 is expected to go under the hammer
An Austin Pathfinder pedal car converted to a gasoline engine is valued at £ 4,000 to £ 6,000 ahead of next month’s auction
An advertising brochure with the cheetah states: “The miniature sports car can really drive. Based on the famous Jaguar E-Type, the Cheetah Cub is every child’s dream car. “With the small gasoline engine, it will give you the thrill of racetrack driving in complete safety”
McManus bought the extremely rare child’s Cheetah Cub Jaguar in the early 1960s at London’s Earls Court Motor Show
A retired Rolls-Royce engineer, he replaced his gasoline engine with an easy-to-start Honda. However, the original Villiers engine comes with the car
The Austin Pathfinder with a Villiers 75cc gasoline engine was manufactured by a Derby-based motorcycle engineer in the 1950s and later purchased by McManus. It requires a minor recommissioning and new tires
A rare 1960 Mark II Jaguar with only 50,000 miles on the watch, owned by McManus again, will also be sold at another Hansons auction in March
His garage colleague was the Bullnose Morris, who had three new owners. It was sold by GH Robbins of Evesham in 1922 and registered in July of that year
Two original, full-size oldtimers, one of which will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2022, will be auctioned at another Hansons auction in March.
One is a rare Mark II Jaguar from 1960 with only 50,000 miles on the clock, owned by McManus again.
A Hansons spokesman said: “Finds like this in their original state, carefully kept in a clean and dry outbuilding, don’t come often. This curvy classic is a real feast for the eyes, a design gem of its time.
“It’s going to be auctioned at an estimate of £ 20,000 to £ 30,000. The same sale includes a 1922 Bullnose Morris, £ 15,000 to £ 20,000.
“According to the sellers, Peter’s son and daughter, all cars stand for family cohesion, happy days, holidays and happy memories.
“They have decided that now is the time to sell their late father’s classic cars and the miniature engines they were allowed to drive as children.”
McManus, an avid car lover, bought the Jaguar Mark II new in 1960.
The family said he loved it so much that it was only used on “midsummer days and holidays” including some New Year trips to Scotland, hence its low mileage.
His garage colleague was the Bullnose Morris, who had three new owners. It was sold by GH Robbins of Evesham in 1922 and registered in July of that year.
Robbins bought it back in 1939 and kept it until his death in the 1960s. It was bought by McManus in 1963 and used as a wedding car by his daughter.
A Cheetah D Type Jaguar, an extremely rare child-sized gasoline-powered Jaguar manufactured in the early 1960s as a collaboration between three companies, the Watsonian Sidecar Company, the Swallow Sidecar Company (later manufactured the SS Jaguar), and the Birmingham Fiberglass Company
The Austin Pathfinder Petrol Converted Pedal Car, a very rare car manufactured by retired miners in Wales in the 1950s
This is an original steel body car with a Villiers 75cc petrol engine. It requires a minor recommissioning and new tires
The Jaguar was powered by a 75cc Villiers petrol engine, which was later upgraded to a more reliable Honda engine with electric start
An Austin Pathfinder pedal car converted to a gasoline engine is valued at £ 4,000 to £ 6,000 ahead of next month’s auction
At an auction by Hansons Auctioneers of Etwall, Derbyshire, on January 20th, a Cheetah Cub D-Type Jaguar from the 1960s valued at £ 3,000 to £ 5,000 is expected to go under the hammer
The Austin Pathfinder for kids was rebuilt by a renowned Derby motorcycle engineer who built it for his son
McManus bought the extremely rare child’s Cheetah Cub Jaguar in the early 1960s at London’s Earls Court Motor Show.
A retired Rolls-Royce engineer, he replaced his gasoline engine with an easy-to-start Honda. However, the original Villiers engine comes with the car.
The Austin Pathfinder with a Villiers 75cc gasoline engine was manufactured by a Derby-based motorcycle engineer in the 1950s and later purchased by McManus. It requires a minor recommissioning and new tires.
McManus trained as an engineer in Derby and worked on Merlin engines for Rolls-Royce during World War II.
He died in 2017 at the age of 94.
