1963 Humber Hawk Estate

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £3,000, then £150 is added, making the total amount payable of £3,150.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £250 for processing the NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

The 1963 Humber Hawk Series III Estate we have with us today comes with virtually no history or provenance to speak of.

As with the other cars in this vendor’s collection, we haven’t been able to start or drive it and, consequently, our opinions are confined to the car’s cosmetic condition. We don't know if it is seized.

There are, however, a few scraps of paper and photographs with this car that give us a tantalising glimpse of a rather refined and aristocratic past.

We have done our own ‘research’ and corrected a few of the mistakes contained in the documents. We now believe the following to be more or less true:

This car was supplied new to the Countess of Yarborough and first registered in the UK on 14.06.63. It was Trafalgar red and had a manual, 4-speed floor-shift gearbox.

Apparently, it was used for chauffeur-driven holidays around Scotland. When the Countess died in 1977, ownership passed to her daughter, Lady (June) Wendy Lycett (1924 - 2012) and the car spent the next 14 years resting at a garage in Scots Gap, Northumberland.

A document with the car states that, “Over the last 5 years the car has had some body restoration and has not been used on the road since 1989.” Unfortunately, we don’t know when that document was written, so can’t place it on the car’s time-line.

We know that the car was bought by Character Classics Ltd of Cumbernauld on 01.12.98 and then sold to a gentleman in Altrincham on 27.7.02.

The car was bought for the vendor’s collection in 2003, apparently having been sourced on his behalf by the Director of Service, Restoration & Retail Sales at Aston Martin Lagonda Limited.

On the occasion of the car’s 1999 MoT, the mileage was recorded as 50,017.

In 2003, it was 50,340.

Today, the odometer reads 50,394 miles.

The condition of the bodywork puts this car in the ‘project’ category. Other aspects of it have fared better. Obviously, we don’t know anything about the engine and mechanicals.

This is a rare survivor of what was once a very up-market and prestigious model.

The kind of people who bought Humber Hawk ‘shooting brakes’ then would probably be driving Range Rovers now.

Clearly, it’s seen better days, but traces of its former grandeur are still discernible and, to the right enthusiast with the right expertise and wallet, this could yet be a very rewarding project.

The bodywork is fairly true, the panels are straight, and there are relatively few dinks, dents, creases, folds, nicks or scrapes to report.

If you limit your gaze to the upper 80% of the car you’ll be looking at some fairly reasonable paintwork, chrome and trim that, while far from pristine, isn’t too shabby, and a general level of condition that seems more or less consistent with the car’s age.

Cast your eyes to the lower 20% and you’ll see that rust has gained a foothold along the sills and is seemingly intent on working its way upwards through the doors and bodywork.

Some areas are worse affected than others, but there’s obviously a job to do – and sooner rather than later.

The front wheels seem to be in decent condition, the rear wheels less so.

There is some kind of tar or oil spilled over the rear bumper. The o/s/f window has dropped. The lower half of the tailgate is refusing to open.

Like the outside, the inside has seen better days but is far from being beyond salvation.

In keeping with the car’s exterior, everything inside seems to us to be very original and authentic.

The red leather upholstery on the front and rear bench seats is in reasonably good condition and would no doubt respond well to some decent cleaning products and a good helping of elbow grease.

The rubber mats and covers on the floor are very grimy and have done a less than thorough job of protecting the carpets beneath them.

Aside from the grime and shabbiness, there is a lot that’s decent and intact here.

The dashboard has held up pretty well and, although we can’t vouch for the functionality of any knobs, dials, switches, levers or knobs, most of the fixtures and fittings look to be in fair condition.

The luggage space at the back is also not too bad, although there is trim loose in various places and the whole area needs some serious TLC.

Unsurprisingly, the sills are now host to extensive flaking and corrosion. The extent to which any of it is threatening to compromise the structural integrity of the vehicle is something you will want to judge for yourself.

The engine and engine bay appears to be in pretty good nick all things considered. The material on the underside of the bonnet is ripped and loose. We put the car in gear and rocked it, but the fan didn't move. We don't have the tool to hand crank the engine, but if you have one, you're welcome to come and give it a go.

The car comes with a few letters, photographs and bits of anecdotal information.…but no service history or any record of work done (or not done).

Currently, it has neither an MoT certificate nor a V5.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

We haven’t been able to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat one dimensional.

There is work to be done here, for sure, but the rarity of this highly original, low mileage and once very fine car might well make the work worth doing and, eventually, even quite rewarding.

Provided, of course, that the car’s engine and mechanicals prove to be in good working order.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £3,000 - £5,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.