Description
Kelham Hall | Newark, Nottinghamshire Viewing: Tues 22nd September 2026 from 12pm Auction: Weds 23rd September 2026 12pm Location: Kelham Hall Main Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 5QX Registration No: ALP 777B Chassis No: A-A2S7S536858 MOT: Exempt Very nicely presented Mk. I example, with matching Red paintwork and upholstery Entered from the Ronald White Collection Modest recorded mileage of 72, 700 Current registered ownership since 1990 and showing just six former keepers on HPI With the reverberations of the 1956-1957 Suez Crisis being felt worldwide, Leonard Lord commissioned Alec Issigonis to work on a radical small car project. His response was the now legendary Mini. Featuring an ingenious transverse-mounted powertrain (with engine sat atop the gearbox), all-round independent ‘rubber cone’ suspension, front-wheel drive and compact rack and pinion steering, the newcomer was a packaging masterpiece; not to mention one of the most influential automotive designs ever conceived. Although the primary focus of the White Collection is Minis with racing or rallying provenance, it would hardly be complete without a very sound and correct example of a standard production car. This 1964 Austin Mini 850, evidently the recipient of a high-quality restoration, perfectly captures the model in its purest form, just as Issigonis intended it. Its history is known back to 1987, when it belonged to a Mr. Colin Garrod of Ipswich, who owned it until 1990, when it passed to another local enthusiast. Ronald White purchased it with the intention of using it as a parts car, before realising it was far too good for such a fate, and so the work commenced to bring it up to its present high standard. As far as documentation goes, the V5 indicates that the Mini has had the same registered keeper on the DVLA’s system since 1990, with six registered keepers recorded prior to that. Also supplied with an MOT certificate from 1989, this is superbly presented and thoroughly correct early Mini would be a welcome site at any rally, subject to its being recommissioned. About the Ronald White Collection: A lifelong enthusiast, Ronald White inherited his interest in motor cars from his father, Joshua. Joshua was still an adolescent when he took over a small bicycle repair shop and grew it into a successful family-run garage as private car ownership became more commonplace after the Great War. Father and son alike caught the collecting bug, and Joshua started the collection with a Bullnose Morris, which he displayed at the garage, and it grew from there. One of the White Collection’s gems is a delivery-mileage Morris Minor, which Joshua had the foresight to preserve from new, astutely identifying it as a landmark in the post-war Morris range. Another was the Alvis, which was sold new to a local gentleman, Nevill Bond, who lived at a stately home called The Argory. Joshua bought it back after Mr Bond had suffered an assassination attempt while driving it! The Whites also developed a personal friendship with Harry Ferguson; hence, the White Collection came to feature Ferguson tractors. By the 1950s, Joshua White Ltd. was well-established as a large BMC, Ford, and Ferguson dealership. It was around that time that Ronald—known to friends as Ronnie—started competing in tests, hill-climbs and rallies with his local motor club in Northern Ireland, always displaying the proud sponsorship of Joshua White Ltd. Upon his father’s retirement, Ronald took over the business and also set up Armagh Garages to sell Fiats. Come the 1960s, his competition career blossomed and took him all over Ireland and into England and Scotland. He was successful in many events, including the Circuit of Ireland Rally. In the late 1970s, his interest turned to rallycross, again competing in Ireland and England. It was a testament to his amiable personality that many of his employees at the garage would work through the night to prepare his cars for their sporting outings, and several continued to maintain his collection after he retired from running the garage. While his father had collected significant production cars, Ronald’s particular interest was competition cars. Naturally, many of his own race and rally cars found their way into his collection, and perhaps the most significant is ’52 LPH’, one of eight Austin-Healey Sebring Sprites prepared by John Sprinzel. Ronald bought it in November, 1962, and campaigned throughout the 1960s with his sister as navigator. He never lost his enthusiasm, and even in his twilight years, he was taking his cars to venues such as Goodwood and Beaulieu to demonstrate them and share his passion with others. ** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply** Catalogues can be purchased for £20 (admits 2...
