The Repair Shop's Dominic Chinea has confessed he is "gutted" after financial constraints forced him to abandon his dream purchase of a rare vintage car. The BBC presenter, a well-known motoring enthusiast, owns a collection that includes a 1957 Porsche 356a, several Land Rovers, a VW camper, and a 1936 BSA motorbike. However, his income from the popular programme only stretches so far, and he was compelled to miss out on a sporty little motor he had genuinely fallen for.
Dream Car Eludes Dominic at Auction
Sharing his frustration on his personal YouTube channel, Dominic revealed he had registered his interest with auctioneers Bonhams for a 1935 Morgan Super Sports, despite being fairly certain he could never afford it. "Can I afford it? No," he says. "Do I need it? No. I've registered just in case it's an absolute bargain." Unfortunately, the scarce pre-war three-wheeler proved anything but a bargain. Bidding quickly soared from an opening £8,000 offer to a substantial £18,000. A devastated Dominic remarked: "I kind of expected it to go for a lot of money... I'm gutted."
The Morgan Super Sports Legacy
The Morgan Super Sports was celebrated in its era for its exceptional power-to-weight ratio. The original racing prototype secured a Gold Medal in the 1911 London-Exeter-London Reliability Trial with designer H.F.S. Morgan at the wheel. It also triumphed in the inaugural cyclecar race at Brooklands the following year. While development was halted during the First World War, ongoing refinement throughout the 1920s and 1930s eventually resulted in the 1935 model fitted with Matchless V-twin engines, which many collectors regard as the ultimate realisation of Morgan's vision. Roadworthy examples typically command between £25,000 and £35,000 today, and even a Super Sports requiring restoration can still achieve a respectable sum.
Future Plans and Current Projects
Although this specific model proved beyond Dominic's budget, it may serve as motivation for a substantial rebuild project down the line, should he locate a chassis requiring his specialist skills. "There's something about these early V-twin three-wheeled crazy things that I quite like," he said. "So maybe one day I'll find a bit more of a project that I can actually afford." He accepted philosophically that "it wasn't meant to be" for this particular dream motor. In the meantime, Dominic has plenty to occupy himself with. He has been restoring a dilapidated 1957 Series 1 Land Rover discovered near his new Cornish home, describing it as among his most demanding projects yet, given the chassis was entirely corroded and the vehicle had been partially buried beneath vegetation for multiple years.
Just a few weeks ago, Dominic revealed that the restoration work had encountered a significant setback when he inadvertently damaged the Land Rover's seat base while lifting the rear tub. He explained that he will need to contact his Repair Shop colleague, upholstery specialist Sonnaz Nooranvary, before the Land Rover can be deemed finished. Catch The Repair Shop tonight (Wednesday, April 29) from 8pm to 9pm on BBC One.
