1947 Humber Snipe

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 £5,000, then £250 is added, making the total amount payable of £5,250. A company purchasing the car will have to pay dute + VAT in addition to VAT on the hammer.

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 Humber Snipe we have with us has the VIN number 4710592. We think it's the 65bhp model with a 4.67:1 final drive ratio.

It is good in some parts, average in others and decidedly below par in one or two more.

But it’s nonetheless an original and relatively sturdy and intact survivor of a once much-loved marque and model.

As well as recommissioning, it will need work to address issues with the bodywork and interior.

There are tax discs with the car spanning 1989 to 2010.

We believe it entered the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles in 2013.

The last MoT certificate for this car was issued in 2009, at which time the odometer read 49,662 miles.

The odometer currently reads 49,723 miles.

As with the other cars in this vendor’s collection, we haven’t tried to start or drive it and, consequently, our opinions are confined to the car’s cosmetic condition.

The panels are largely free of dents, creases and folds and the shut lines are pretty consistent.

Most panels on the car have areas where the paint is cracked, crazed, discoloured or otherwise flawed.

More of the paintwork is good than bad, but it’s a reasonably close contest.

Most of the chrome work is OK, but there is pitting and foxing in a few places and the snipe mascot is looking a little sorry for itself.

The wheels look to be in decent condition.

Bizarrely, the rear sections of both headlights are dented.

The paint is split and crazed on all four wheel-arch sections and on the bonnet and boot lid.

There is significant bubbling along the lower flanks of the car and into the sills and running boards on both sides.

The sun roof doesn’t currently close snugly.

Much of the exterior rubber trim is perished, cracked, warped or missing.

Like the outside, the inside has seen better days.

Yes, it’s more than a little musty and dusty, but while the seats will need re-upholstering, they do at least appear to be structurally sound.

The same can’t be said of the carpets, the fabric at the bottom of the door cards and some sections of the headlining – all of which have been rendered threadbare or non-existent by the attentions of some seriously hungry moths and their offspring.

The steering wheel and instrument panel are in fairly good condition, and although the wood on the dashboard and door cappings could do with a little TLC, it’s certainly not beyond salvation.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t tried to start the vehicle.

The glass on the clock is cracked.

The boot is cavernous and a bit grubby. There is rust in the boot lid.

There’s a fair bit of rust dust and some flaking to be found underneath, although it’s hard to say to what extent, if any, this is a threat to the vehicle’s structural integrity.

Clearly, you will want to come and see for yourself.

The engine and engine bay appear to be clean and dry and, as far as we can tell, everything is in its right and proper place.

The car comes with various letters, tax discs, articles and back copies of the Post-Vintage Humber Car Club magazine…but no service history or any record of work 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 tried to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat limited.

There is certainly some work to be done here, for sure, but perhaps less than there might first appear.

Underneath what seem to be mainly cosmetic issues is a low mileage Humber Snipe waiting to repay an enthusiastic owner/restorer with years of motoring pleasure - 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 £5,000 - £10,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, within government guidelines of course. The car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and 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’.