'Princely' pedal Classic offered at 'no reserve'
• A Princely vehicle for a lucky pre-schooler
• Recently refurbished
• Rising world values
A fully restored and environmentally efficient Australian-made single seater convertible from the 1950s that would be a traffic stopper in any young driver’s hands will be offered with ‘no reserve’ at Shannons Melbourne Late Summer auction on February 22.
Finish in Sky Blue, with a contrasting white interior and whitewall wheels, the now highly collectible ‘Clipper’ was once a familiar sight in many Australian driveways, but was often discarded by its owners once they graduated to more popular combustion-engined cars and motorcycles.
Now, with more environmental awareness and rising prices, there has been a resurgence of interest in such vehicles from collectors around the world, with restored examples fetching many times their original purchase price.
The Australian built ‘Ford Clipper’ being offered by Shannons is one of them.
Produced from 1953-1959 with few modifications, the pedal-drive roadster was designed for children aged 3-8 years.
Guaranteed to thrill first car owners, the rakish topless model featured an enameled Australian steel body with rolled safety edges and came with nickel-plated headlights, bumper bars and mock radiator grille.
Inside, the Clipper was purposeful and boasted a formed metal seat, a small four-spoke steering wheel and a set of pedals for its twin-pedal rear wheel drive.
High-tech features included ball bearings on its back axle, while it ran on fashionable 9-inch balloon disc wheels.
Weighing less than 20kg, the 1.1-metre long Clipper was highly maneuverable and had an excellent turn of speed when driven vigorously, making it a favourite in its era amongst sporty young motorists and a clear style-setter.
Shannons believe the restored Sky Blue Clipper being auctioned represents the most fun a child, or a child at heart, could have and would be the envy of every other pre-schoolers. It may even be eligible for Classic pedal car races such as the one held in conjunction with England’s annual Goodwood Revival.
Given its excellent presentation and rising world values, Shannons are expecting bids in the $800 to $1,500 range, well above the Clipper’s original purchase price.
View all February 22 Shannons Melbourne Late Summer Auction
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