Lot details

Year: 1970
Make: Chesil
Model: Speedster
Registration: TOF 332H
Chassis No: tba
Odometer: 268

Peter Bailey founded the Chesil Motor Company in Burton Bradstock, Dorset, in 1991, and since then it has grown to become market leaders in its field, having carved out a worldwide reputation for the quality of its products, which are handcrafted with painstaking attention to detail. It is thought that some 500 vehicles have been produced by Chesil, with the Speedster its first and best-selling model. The chassis of a Volkswagen Beetle and an additional tubular steel frame form the basis, onto which a fibreglass body is mounted.

Finished to a very high standard and showing a mere 268 miles on the odometer, this Chesil Speedster is finished in gunmetal grey, over a gorgeous black leather interior. Beginning life as a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, 41 years on it found itself in the hands of Chesil, who transformed it into the machine you see here. During the rebuild, the car received a full body respray, tracking and camber realignment, all new brakes and suspension components, an all-new interior, new soft-top roof and bumper over-riders. The naturally aspirated 1.6-litre air-cooled flat-four was also rebuilt and has since covered fewer than 300 miles.

This example has been very tastefully and comprehensively specified, featuring a wood-rimmed steering wheel, a wooden gear knob, an Empi shifter, door card storage pockets, retro-style gauges and a passenger-side dashboard grab handle. TOF 332H also benefits from a factory-fitted lower floor pan, that allows more room for taller drivers. It's accompanied by an extensive history file including a large collection of receipts, detailed build documentation and photographs from the Chesil factory.

Significantly more affordable than similar models, this is one of the nicest examples you're likely to find and is ready to be used and enjoyed by its new custodian. Consigned by Charlie McCreery