More than a hundred Austin Westminsters are set to be destroyed in a special banger race on July 23 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of event organiser Spedeworth Promotions. And anybody selling a Westminster – or derivative model – in the coming weeks is being warned that banger racing enthusiasts are actively buying cars specifically for the race.

The story was first revealed by our sister publication, Classic Car Buyer, which warned: “This orgy of destruction is set to be a highlight of the banger racing season and an extremely prestigious event within the scene.” The Austin Westminster and derivatives – including the Wolseley 6/99 and 6/110, Vanden Plas 3-Litre and 4-Litre R – have always been iconic models among the banger racing fraternity, thanks to their size, strength and power.

And back in the Eighties, with MoT failures available for next to nothing, they were the ultimate banger racing choice. As CCB explained, however, racers wanting to take part in this one-off anniversary event are willing to spend whatever’s necessary to get the right car:

“Cars are already being advertised as “ideal for the all-Westy event” on internet auction sites. They’re being bid for strongly, too. At the time of writing, two very rough cars are up to nearly £700.”

The message is simple: if you’re planning to sell a Westminster (or sister model) for anything up to £1500 between now and the end of July, be aware that the biggest demand will be from banger racers. The best advice? If you’re fussy about what happens to your Westminster, hold off the sale until August – by which time this unique all-Westminster event will have passed.

Meanwhile, if you’re selling a Westminster (or similar) and have been approached by banger racers, tell us what happened – and whether the sale went ahead. Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .