Going, going, vroom: Hawke's Bay's British Car Museum is for sale, complete with 500 vehicles

Perry Field, the nephew of British Car Museum owner Ian Hope, pictured in the museum which is going on sale this week. Photo / Paul Taylor

Calling all car enthusiasts - Hawke's Bay's iconic British Car Museum is going on sale, complete with about 500 vehicles.

Many people will be familiar with the museum on East Rd in Haumoana which has been enjoyed by likely thousands of people over the years.

The museum has been closed for about two years since museum creator and car collector Ian Hope passed away.

Now his nephews feel the time has come to sell the museum that Hope believed was the biggest British car museum in the world.

Hope's nephew Perry Field said the museum began when his uncle bought a Morris Minor to do up for his first great-nephew.

Without children of his own, he got a Morris Minor for each great-nephew and niece, 19 cars in total.

Hope was a mechanic and "always loved cars", first starting the museum out in Te Awanga when an old garage came available.

Then the premises in Haumoana, originally a pack house, became available in the late 90s and Hope shifted the cars there, extending the building to fit more cars.

Hope was an avid collector and he generally didn't sell anything, so, pianos, signs, flags, car magazines, old petrol pumps and other memorabilia of a time gone fill the museum.

"If somebody offered him an elephant, he'd probably still take it because he just didn't say no," Field said.

The late Ian Hope pictured in 2016 at his British Car Museum which is going on sale this week. Photo / Warren Buckland

As well as Morris Minors and hundreds of other cars, there's a 1973 Austin Taxi, a genuine Mini Ute and, believed to be the oldest vehicle in the museum, a 1923 Dennis fire appliance with a hand crank siren.

There is also a collection of Vauxhalls and one of the many stories Hope passed on was that a visitor once told him he was from the Vauxhall museum in the UK, and Hope had more than they had.

"I know the enjoyment I've had here... there's been so much pleasure going around here and seeing the smiles on people's faces.

"We have got to the stage where it's time for us to pass this on regrettably and I hope if someone buys it, they have a good heart."

Field said hope was a "magnificent" uncle who was very careful with his money, but very generous with his time.

"He was like a second father to me... I'm so grateful for the time I had with him."

He had a wealth of knowledge about cars and would know the exact number of certain cars that were made.

Hope only ever bought two new cars – a 1963 Austin Mini and a 2003 Jaguar S-Type with a 'SIR IAN' number plate.

The 3600sq m of buildings, 2.4 hectares of land, memorabilia and 500 cars are going on sale as one package and it is hoped a buyer who is interested in continuing it as a museum will come forward.

It is the most unique listing Harcourts commercial sales and leasing consultant Shannon Caldwell has ever had.

"It's very, very different. I've never sold anything that's got 500 cars, it is a very unique property."

The property will go on sale this week and tenders close July 7. Those interested should get in touch with Shannon Caldwell through the Harcourts website.