Although this collection is primarily focused on German vehicles, it all started with a British car – a 1936 Armstrong Siddeley 12hp Plus. We visit a wonderful car collection in Johannesburg.
Before the owner of this fascinating classic and race car collection walks me through his garage in Johannesburg, I sit down with him to hear his story.
IMAGES: Wilhelm Lutjeharms
This collection started with 1 car that sparked the collector’s interest and led to him becoming fascinated with cars, maintaining them, keeping them on the road and enjoying them. This collector clearly loves cars from the middle of the 20th century, and that has always been the case throughout his life.
“When I was a youngster, my dad did a lot of business in Germany and when he came back from a trip overseas one day, he told us (this was in the early ’50s) of a customer who took him for a drive in a Porsche and how impressed he was with that car and how you almost sat on the floor.
That memory left a lasting impression on me.
“When I grew up, I used to go to the café and buy CAR magazine. I could tell you everything about the cars that were on sale. If the magazine hadn’t arrived yet, I would go down the next day to check again.”
That first car
“We didn’t grow up with a lot of money. My mother used to make money by buying stuff from the railways. They had a place called the ‘excess depot’. What used to happen is that the stuff that got lost on the railways would be auctioned there.
My mother one day told me about this old car that was there… I was 17 at the time and was beside myself with excitement. I didn’t have the money to buy it, but my older brother, who had a job, did. We bought the car – a 1936 Armstrong Siddeley 12hp Plus (a sedan) – at the auction for £17.
I thought it was the most magnificent thing in the world… and so I started restoring it.
“In those days restoring a car was not like it is today. You needed to buy a magazine from England, then write a letter to the company to request the part(s). Then, 4 weeks later, you would receive a letter saying no, they don’t have the part – and you would be back at square one. It really was not an easy job.
“I then attended university, and the Armstrong was still around. Slowly I realised that I was throwing away the money I was putting into that car.
“By that time, I was in the auction industry with my brother, but I studied as a metallurgist.
The first Porsche
“I slowly started to learn about being sensible with my money. I took the Armstrong and all the bits and pieces and I sold it all, and I still lost money!
Then a friend bought a Porsche 356 for me at a sale in 1971, which I restored, but I discovered that the car had been involved in an accident. It was a 356A with the front of a -B – “a 356 A-B” – and not right.
Then I bought a 356C, but the doors needed attention and it was simply too expensive to order new parts, so I found a body specialist who did a great job for less than what new parts would have cost. I sold that car and made a small profit in the process.”
Jokingly, he says he thought he was the cleverest guy in the world at that time.
“It started rolling from here on and then another Porsche 356 crossed my path. At the time the sellers wanted R50 000 for the car, but I offered them R35 000. They didn’t want to take it. Then an auctioneer had an accident with the car and they approached me.”
As is to be expected, the collector wasn’t going to offer R35 000 for a car that had been in an accident since he last saw it, so he offered them R25 000 – and they accepted! He would eventually convert the car into a race car, which he admits he has had a lot of fun with – and still owns to this day.
Around 2004, during an international rally, he met a fellow enthusiast and Porsche 356 specialist. During conversations with the gentleman, they discussed the rare Porsche 356 Carrera 2 with the special 4-cam engine. Long story short: a car was sourced and he added a 356 Carrera 2 to his collection.
See also: Porsche 356 vs Porsche 912: Classic Comparison
Road trips
What is encouraging about the cars in the collection is that they don’t stand around. The 356 Carrera 2 is a good example: he drove it from Johannesburg to Matjiesfontein for a special car meet a few years ago.
“The first night we slept at the Gariep Dam. On the way back we drove through Barrydale, Bloemfontein and then the timing gave some issues in the Free State, so the car returned to Johannesburg on a trailer.”
If you appreciate early race cars, the Elva-Porsche will undoubtedly draw your attention.
“There wasn’t a Porsche race car between the Porsche 718 RSK and the 904. Some guys in the United States wanted one though. Elva was building some race cars at the time. They looked a lot like the Lotus 23. Porsche wasn’t completely involved with the project, that is why it was called an Elva-Porsche.
Elva built about 50 Mark VIIs (most had BMW and Ford engines). Only 18 of them had Porsche engines, most of which went to America. A local enthusiast and amateur racer bought 1, but without an engine.”
Years later, he met the owner of the Elva-Porsche and expressed an interest in buying this unique race car, but the former turned him down. Eight years later, however, the owner was willing to part with it.
“At the time it didn’t have a Porsche engine and the incorrect gearbox, but I bought it and had it restored. Then I started searching for an engine. My son assisted me and he found a 4-cam engine in France.”
Thankfully, there is also clear evidence on the car that it was originally an Elva-Porsche. Subsequently, the collector has enjoyed the car on track on several occasions.
When I saw it in the metal for the first time, I was struck by how it’s one of the most compact and lowest classic race cars I’ve ever seen. Simplicity is one of the most attractive elements of this era of race cars.
Look for a classic Porsche listed on Cars.co.za
The rest of the collection
The collector takes me through the collection, which includes a couple of Mercedes-Benz models, a gorgeous Porsche 911 (930) Turbo, a 356 Speedster and even an MG. All these cars get driven regularly.
See also: Porsche 911 (930) Turbo vs (996) GT3: Classic Comparison
The old photos, paintings and memorabilia along the walls each tell their own story and, judging from what he tells me, the collector’s love for the restoration of classic cars shows no slowing down. In the workshop at home, there are 2 Porsche 912s that he and his assistant are busy restoring.
See also: Porsche 912: Classic Drive
We page through one of his albums that details the restoration done on a Mercedes-Benz, but I cannot keep my eyes off the 220S Ponton Cabriolet which has recently been finished, as well as one of only two in South Africa pre-war 1938 BMW 327 Sport Cabriolets that has also been meticulously been restored.
See also: Mercedes-Benz 190b ‘Ponton’: Classic Drive
Finally, there is a Mercedes-Benz SL300 roadster next door, which is no garage queen and has been used often on long journeys, which is exactly as it should be!
Search for a classic car listed on Cars.co.za
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