MEET THE EXPERT – SARAH CRABTREE

Readers will instantly know the name of Sarah Crabtree, as the director of Evoke Classics, from the television series Bangers and Cash, and from meeting her at events in the company of Ivan, her Morris Ital. This writer has had the great privilege of witnessing Sarah pilot this fine machine around the Silverstone circuit – an experience never to be forgotten!

Sarah has previously described for us how her interest in cars began at a young age. Her father once drove a Ford Zephyr, but:

He sold that to buy a succession of British Leyland vehicles that were more practical for a family. So, when I was growing up, we used Marinas, Maxis and a Montego coloured in white and rust. I remember that we could see the road through the floor with one Morris!

As to how Sarah began her career with classic cars, she recalls:

It was many moons ago now. My first job in the industry was at a very well-known classic auction house in North Yorkshire! I’d always been a bit of a petrolhead with a thing for motorcycles, so it was pretty much a dream job for me. I’m very lucky to have stayed in the auction industry and to be working with a fab team of like-minded folk.

Of course, programmes such as Bangers and Cash capture only a fraction of the work of an auctioneer. Any reader who has taken part in a television programme, regardless of genre, knows how one minute on screen can result from a day’s work on location. In addition, Sarah thinks the principal myths and misconceptions about auctioneering are that “many people just see the hammer prices, forgetting that the auctioneer earns just a tiny slice of that in commission”.

As with any industry, the classic car business is constantly changing. Some models, such as the BL ‘Wedge’ range, have undergone an almost complete transformation of image, finally receiving the respect they merited. There is also a new generation of enthusiasts to whom the Ford Mondeo is a historic vehicle.

Sarah is “super optimistic” about the future of classic cars over the next few years and believes:

Our hobby will continue unscathed by any legislation. Interest in classics will ebb and flow as it always has, creating trends for certain makes and models. We just have to keep up with the times and try to predict what the next big thing is going to be!

And that is one of the main fascinations of the classic car world.

With thanks to Sarah Crabtree for her time and permission to use the image in this blog.