Pedals to the metal at Shannons Late Autumn Sydney Auction
• Desirable circa-1950s Austin J40 pedal car
• Australian-made Cyclops pedal car
• Stylish Lambretta and Vespa early ‘60s scooters
With the collectible value of children’s vehicles rising worldwide, canny enthusiasts will be investing into pedal power at Shannons Late Autumn Sydney Auction on Monday (May 30).
Most desirable of the four kids’ collectibles on offer is a sought-after and appealingly presented circa-1950s Austin J (for Junior) 40 pedal car presented in original ‘played-with’ condition.
Originally produced in the Austin Junior Car Factory in South Wales by disabled miners, J40s were made from scrap metal off-cuts from the Longbridge Austin car factory and were built and painted the same way as the full-size adult cars.
The J40 was probably the best pedal car on the market at the time and featured working headlights and horn, detachable wheels with Dunlop pneumatic tires, an opening bonnet and boot and a lot of good quality chromework.
Because of their iconic status, Austin J40s compete exclusively in the annual pedal car race at Britain’s world-famous Goodwood Revival, where they are a crowd and media favourite.
J40s were expensive in their day, selling for £33 pounds including purchase tax – the then-equivalent of up to three weeks’ average working wages.
Because of their worldwide collectability today, Shannons expect the example in Monday’s auction to sell with ‘no reserve’ for $4,000-$5,000.
More affordable for pedal car enthusiasts is a basic all-metal WWII-era Australian-made Cyclops Chevy pedal car, so-named because of its design similarity to the Chevrolet cars of the era.
Painted red and with a crank drive, it was rated suitable for children two to five years, with Shannons expecting the example being auction to sell with ‘no reserve’ for $800-$1,200.
Also ‘no reserve’ and expected to sell for similar money is a very well played-with, 120cm-long pedal car of indeterminate age styled on a 1960s Chevrolet Impala that would be a stunner with a new coat of red paint.
Meanwhile two-wheel enthusiasts have a big choice in Monday’s auction, with eight motorcycles and scooters on offer – five with ‘no reserve’.
Interesting for collectors is a pigeon pair of period Italian scooters – a circa-1960 Lambretta LI150 Series II and a circa-1961 Vespa 150cc Scooter – both offered with no reserve and expected to sell in the $2,000-$4,000 range.
But if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, there’s also a ‘no reserve’, unrestored Vintage child’s scooter in the auction that Shannons expect to bring around $150.
View all May 30 Shannons Sydney Late Autumn Classic Auction Lots
