Rainey Collection auctioned in UK
While high-value collectables, like a Porsche 911 RS Lightweight, Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL were the top sellers at Bonhams’ recent Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale, there were a handful of lots with an Aussie connection in the form of four cars from the Joy Rainey Collection.
Better known in the UK for her motorsport exploits, Joy was actually born in Victoria to well-known local racer and mechanic Murray Rainey. Growing up around cars and racing, Joy got her first taste of competition in go karts as a teenager.
As a 21-year-old student in England, Joy bought an E-Type Jaguar that was planned as a road car, but ended up being raced in hillclimb competition, after which the young Joy became hooked on that motorsport discipline.
In the new millennium, Joy took on non-competitive long distance events, including the 2004 London-to-Sydney Marathon in a 1970 Morris Minor and driving a 1904 ‘curved dash’ Oldsmobile across America in 2013.
At the Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale, Joy had four cars consigned, all of which were well-maintained and well-used examples with competition history.
1933 Morgan Super Sports roadster
Oldest of the quartet was a 1933 Morgan Super Sports, which Murray Rainey had purchased in 1965 and restored over a two-year period. Campaigned by him – with Joy as passenger – in the 1970 Coppa Monza road rally in Italy, the Morgan was first raced by Joy in 1973, but had been used mainly for touring since.
Made more reliable with the fitting of a steel flywheel and pistons, the JAP-engined Morgan came to auction well-patinated, but in good running and driving condition. Against a £24,000 (AU$40,000 approx.) high estimate, the Morgan sold for £37,950 (AU$ 64,712).
1970 Morris Minor 1000 rally car
The Morris Minor driven by Joy in the 2004 London-to-Sydney Marathon had been comprehensively rebuilt over eight months specifically for the 10,000 mile endurance event by Trevor Hulks, who also served as co-driver for the event.
Modifications and additions to the 1275cc-engined Minor included twin fuel tanks, a full roll cage, sump guard, rewired electrics and front disc brakes.
After completing the London-to-Sydney, Joy and Trevor also campaigned the car on the 2005 Lands End to John O’Groats Rally in the UK.
The Morris came to auction in good condition, with UK registration and documentation, as well as a recently rebuilt engine. It sold for a surprisingly-good £14,375 (AU$ 24,512) against an £8,000 high estimate.
1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 coupe
Purchased in 1972 as a daily driver, Joy said the 1970 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 suited her restricted growth and proved a delight to drive. A class win in her first motorsport outing in 1974 at the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb convinced her to continue in the sport, although most future competition would be done in other cars.
The Jag had been in storage for many years before it was cosmetically restored in 2000, but the interior was left untouched. An engine rebuild was done in 2015, followed by a new clutch, new windscreen, door and window rubbers, new tyres and fully-rebuilt brakes.
Coming to auction in good running and driving condition, but still original in many areas, the E-Type carried a £40,000 pre-auction high estimate, which it comfortably exceeded to sell for £55,200 (AU$ 94,127).
1936 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 twin-supercharged special
The jewel in the collection was undoubtedly the 1936 Alfa Romeo. A 6C 2300 model fitted with twin superchargers, the Alfa had been restored and modified by Murray in the 1970s, following similar work done on an Alfa 8C Special. Purchased for only £100 back then, initial plans to sell the car on quickly, or combine it with a BMW body were scrapped in favour of a thorough, more period-authentic restoration. Joy was a driving force behind this, even offering to part-fund the restoration so she could use the completed car in historic hillclimb events.
Fitting the superchargers (which came from the cabin of a jet fighter!) required the manufacture of special manifolds to mount them to the engine, while ‘upside down’ carburettors and dry-sump lubrication also had to be made work.
Early problems with the 6C were cured, after which it proved to be both fast and reliable in hillclimb competition – including beating Murray’s larger 8C on several occasions!
A Classic Class hillclimb winner, the Alfa was used less regularly when Joy moved up to the RAC Hillclimb Championship in the UK and raced more dedicated competition machines.
It was brought out occasionally for selected events, including the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed and various historic meets at both Prescott and Shelsley Walsh until 2012.
Rightly carrying a pre-auction estimate of £220,000 – 300,000 (AU$375,100 – 511,500), this winning classic competition car sold for £225,500 (AU$ 384,523).
An additional lot of engine, gearbox and suspension parts from a 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 S project of Murray’s that was never undertaken sold for £17,250 (AU$ 29,414).
For full results and further details from this auction, go to: bonhams.com
