Amazing Barn Find Brough Sells for Big Bucks
An amazing find came out of a barn in England where eight Brough motorcycles were found with heavy patina in the collection of the late Frank Vague. Found in 2015, the eight motorcycles went up for auction in 2016 and one of which became the most expensive Brough and most expensive British motorcycle ever auctioned. Pulling in 331,900 British Pounds ($477,205) was the 1932 Brough Superior 800cc BS4 project bike.
What made the 1932 Brough Superior BS4 Project so unique is that it was one of 10 built with an inline four cylinder engine with three-speed transmission supplied by automaker Austin. Because the the engine was mounted longitudinally in the frame, it was too long to use a conventional chain drive so the original Austin shaft drive was kept and provided power via a crown and pinion setup to two rear wheels mounted seven and a half inches apart.
The twin rear wheel setup left much to be desired from a handling perspective as a stand alone bike but it made the motorcycle ideal for the addition of a sidecar. Originally the 747cc Austin engine boasted 13 horsepower and was later increased to 797cc to increase performance. This was done by adding high-compression cylinder head, hotter camshaft, and twin cooling radiators to the motorcycle.
The 1932 BS4 is only one of seven known to survive today and a restoration will require an expert touch. Bonhams predicted the motorcycle would auction between $110,000 and $170,000 thus making the $477,205 taking price all the more amazing.
To read more about this and the additional Brough motorcycles sold in this historic auction, head over to the original article at Hemmings Daily.
Photos courtesy of Bonhams.
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