References: [1990] EWHC 1 (QB)
Links: Bailii
Coram: Otton J
The plaintiff had contracted to sell a vintage Bentley racing car ‘Old Number One’ for £10 million pounds. The buyer came to suspect its authenticity and refused to complete. The plaintiff sought specific performance.
Held: During the course of its life any such car would have alterations and replacements made, and by 1930, only one or two parts of the original would remain. Included was a radiator on which had been inscribed a list of the car’s racing successes. Even so, there was a continuous history of the car through the various events and repairs. The claim succeeded. Adopting the criteria suggested the car was the Old Number One: ‘The plaintiff has faithfully, sympathetically and accurately restored it to its last known racing form, i.e. the form it was in Brooklands in 1932 when it crashed. There has been no break in its historic continuity from the time when it first emerged from the racing shop in 1929 until today.’
This case is cited by:
- Cited – Lloyd -v- Svenby QBD (Bailii, [2006] EWHC 315 (QB))
The two claimants sought title to a car registration plate and to a chassis number. They were to be applied to historic racing cars.
Held: The power to assign registration marks lay with the Secretary of State. Any legal rights rested not with . .
