How to Honour Your Family’s Classic Car Legacy

Auctions are the best way to ensure that the labour of love car aficionados poured into their estate collection classics, pass to a new generation that will continue the legacy and treat these collections with the reverence they deserve.

This according to Creative Rides Director and Lead Auctioneer Joff van Reenen, who ahead of the company’s July 10^th to 14^th online estate collection auction, said cars are often the most difficult and emotional assets about which heirs have to decide, because they represent a lifetime of passion and family memories.

The July auction includes models from renowned collector Louis Coetzer’s barn in the Free State, exceptional vehicles from other South African estate collections, automobilia and an array of singular “man cave/lady lair” estate collector pieces – many of them hand-crafted and one-of-a-kind. 

Van Reenen, who in his 30+ years on the block has had more than 1 000 estates pass under his hammer, says it’s his experience that cars in particular are assets with emotional ties.

“They represent family holidays, Sunday afternoons with hosepipes and soapy sponges, one-on-one time in the garage handing spanners to Dad and proud school runs in head-turning steel. Cars are family memories made real.

“If a classic car estate collection’s heirs are accomplished at caring for all the vehicles exactly as they were before, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t keep them, or at least the ones that hold the most memories,” says Van Reenen.

“But if not, then the best way to honour those lifelong passions that went into creating those collections is by putting them into specialist auctions to ensure those cars go to new owners who will care for them with as much love and attention as they enjoyed in years past.”

Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick says vehicles owned by the late Louis Coetzer, listed as the country’s largest ever private collector, are featured in July’s online sale.

“Many of these cars are from the Coetzer Estate Collection housed in the Free State. The Coetzer collection is now known to have comprised around 600 cars, which would be unsustainable for the Estate to maintain. 

“It would be tragic for these cars to go to wrack and ruin. Nobody, least of all Oom Louis and Tannie Hermien’s children want that, so they are being auctioned for the next generation of classic car curators to ensure the legacy goes on.”

The top catalogue lots in the auction include:

• Lot 57: Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14. Karmann Ghias were the sports cars of the Volkswagen brand, designed by Carrozzeria Ghia with hand-built bodywork by German coach builders Karmann. This example was built between 1960 and 1969, with a rear mounted engine. Karmann Ghias are infinitely collectable, and with this car in fair condition inside and out, it can be brought back to tip-top condition with very little effort.
  
  
• Lot 61: Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 Pick-Up. This workhorse shouldn't be overlooked, because they’re becoming very collectable on the international and local markets. This lady in white appears to be complete. Powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine with a 4x4 drive system, it’s a go-anywhere, carry any load, pick-up. If you’re into the outdoors and want a vehicle that will do it all while it appreciates in value, then this is the one for you. 
  
  
• Lot 68: 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood. This station wagon is from a golden era of American classics and everybody at the time aspired to own the car that would take the whole family – pets included – on holiday road trips. This baby blue and white wagon is very complete, missing only a couple of beadings and hubcaps. Under the hood is the V8 engine and automatic transmission. The interior has been well preserved. This is one of three Brookwoods in the July auction; the other two restoration models. 

• Lot 92: 1958 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. This Cadillac is in a great condition and was still being driven by the Coetzer family. The baby blue and white paintwork is complimented by the white wall tyres and the bright chrome. As expected in a Cadillac, the interior is super luxurious. Under the hood is a fine V8 that’ll never miss a strike as you glide along the open road. 
  
  
• Lot 103: De Soto sedan. This De Soto is believed to be a 1948 model, and powered by a Flat Head 6 Cylinder engine built by Chrysler, must have been a great car in its day. The design of the pale-yellow machine is beautiful, and the car appears to be complete. Apart from some wear on the seats, the interior is good condition. Without spending a fortune, this car could be restored to its former glory. 
  
  
• Lot 105: BMW Baur Cabriolet. Baur is a coach builder in Stuttgart that has been building convertibles for BMW since the 1930s. This Burgandy example with it black top falls in the E21 Range. The body is mostly complete but the interior and engine do need some attention. This car when completed could have a value of round R400 000. 
  
  
• Lot 152: 2015 Land Rover Defender 110. This fine example of a Defender 110 is among the last of these vehicles made. What sets this car apart from other Defenders is the finish of the full leather seats with a single driver’s and passenger’s seat and headrest. Under the bonnet is a 4-Cylinder 2.2 Turbo Diesel engine putting out 90kw and 360NM of Torque. Every kilowatt is still there as this vehicle has only travelled just over 9 100kms and comes with its books as well. It’s a single-owner, platinum buy – probably the best 2015 Defender 110 in the country. 
  
  
• Derrick says this online-only auction also includes estate automobilia and memorabilia including grills, car front ends, spares, barn finds, model ships, aircraft and submarines, a full-sized billiard table, pin-ball machines, a one-arm bandit slot machine and a Michelin Man. 

“The full catalogue is available for viewing on the Creative Rides app, which is a free download on both iOS and Android. Quick links are also available on www.creativeridesauctions.com. The app is the only platform on which bids will be accepted and the bidding currency worldwide is in South African rands (ZAR).

“Bidding registration is also through the app.”

Van Reenen says the online-only estate collection auction will launch on the Creative Rides app at 8am sharp on Wednesday July 10^th and close on Sunday July 14^th at 5pm. Successful buyers will be contacted the following day.