1964 Vanden Plas Princess

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. Companies buying this car will pay duty + VAT and also 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 tried to start or drive 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 you and/or your appointed engineer should inspect it before placing any bid.

With the proviso that we haven’t been able to start or drive this car and can therefore only attest to its cosmetic condition, we think this Vanden Plas 4-Litre Princess R (VIN: VRS3612) is an honest, original and relatively solid example of a particularly rare model.

In common with many vehicles from the vendor’s collection, the car comes with very little history and no service records.

We know that the car was first registered new in the UK on 15.9.64.

We know that on the occasion of its 2006 MoT, its mileage was recorded as 70,262.

We know that its last MoT was on the 22.4.10.

We know that, today, the odometer reads 72,520 miles.

We understand that it entered the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles in 2016.

And we believe, from a hand-written note accompanying the car, that it was the 612th Princess R to be built.

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

The two-tone brown and cream paintwork looks pretty good from a few feet away.

Get closer and it becomes evident that there is some bubbling and blistering in various places around the bodywork, most notably either side of the grille below the lights.

There is also bubbling to be found on the front wings, on the doors, on the sills, and between the rear screen and the boot lid.

That said, the bubbling is by no means endemic, but it will need to be addressed and, obviously, sooner would be better than later.

The chrome work is pretty good in most places, although there are some scratches here, and a spot of foxing there – particularly on the hub caps.

The wheels appear to be basically sound as does most of the badging and trim.

For reasons best known to itself, the driver’s door is currently refusing to open.

The interior condition is broadly in keeping with its exterior counterpart.

In other words, it’s basically sound but a bit shabby in places and clearly in need of restorative attention in others.

It is, however, impressively original and authentic.

The leather front seats have more creases than Keith Richards.

There is a hole in the seat cushion on the driver’s side. The underlying structures, though, seem fine, and the seats are both supportive and comfortable.

The rear bench seat has fared rather better. We’d say its creasing is at about Gordon Ramsay level.

The carpets and mats aren’t too bad overall and would probably scrub up well if threatened with some soapy water and lashings of elbow grease.

Some of this grand vehicle’s sumptuous wood veneers have held their condition remarkably well – notably on the rear picnic tables and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the door cappings.

The veneers on the dashboard, however, have parted company with their lacquer and are cracked, peeling and faded in many places.

The door cards are reasonable. The headlining at the rear is stained and loose in places.

The instruments, gear selector and steering wheel are very much of their era and are in good condition.

The interior trim around the doors is worn or missing in places.

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

The boot looks solid and is currently home to assorted automotive parts, including exhaust sections and light clusters.

Lifting up the carpets here or elsewhere in the car reveals plenty of rust dust and some corrosion but nothing that falls into the galloping rot category, as far as we can see.

There’s plenty of brown to see underneath and, although much of it is superficial, some of it isn’t.

There is some rust and flaking in and around the sills, and there are holes visible in the exhaust system, but the extent to which the corrosion extends, and whether or not it affects the structural integrity of the vehicle, are questions you’ll want to answer for yourself.

The engine and engine bay look to be in fairly decent condition. There are some bits and pieces missing and these may or may not be languishing in the boot.

The car doesn’t come with a service history or any record of work done.

Currently, it has neither an MoT certificate nor a V5. We don’t know what the document written in Arabic is however, it is a facsimile and not an original title document.

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 limited.

That said, provided the car’s engine and mechanicals prove to be in proper working order and amenable to recommissioning, we think this could be a project worth pursuing.

Yes, there is some bubbling to attend to on the bodywork and the undersides and engine will need assessing by an expert eye, but the underlying car seems to us to have a decent amount of integrity.

With the right expertise, passion and investment, this could be re-elevated to its former status as a fine example of a high-quality, rare, Roll-Royce powered, coachbuilt luxury vehicle.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £5,000 - £8,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, 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’.