Muscle car enthusiasts dream of the day they can build a big shed in a secure location and fill it with perfect examples of every model that has excited them during a misspent youth.
For one enthusiast, that dream had become reality, but with fulfilment comes the day when a collection of this quality must be passed on to new owners. For this vendor, that day was Tuesday September 23, 2025.
Burns & Co of Bayswater, Victoria were the chosen auctioneers, with CEO Ashley Burns delivering the patter and wielding the gavel.
“These are benchmark cars,” Burns told buyers in the saleroom and online. “These are the cars that in years to come will be remembered, against which we will make the comparisons.”
Up first were three promotional light boxes, usually slow sellers that make $500-600, yet on this night the bidding was intense, with one of the Holden boxes reaching $2200. Then came the cars.
For a catalogue dominated by some of the country’s most collectible Holdens, it was logical to get the Falcons out of the way first and that’s the way the listings went.
Up first a tidy and reasonably authentic XT Fairmont V8 with flashy wheels and a 347-cubic inch ‘stroker’ V8. On other days this was a $45,000 car, but it set the tone of the sale with a $56,250 winning bid.
Next came a pair of EB Falcon GTs, not normally an easy sell but these were far from the EB GT norm. First up was the automatic which had travelled just 4230km in 33 years. It was followed by a five-speed manual version, in popular Cobalt Blue and indicating just 24,400km.
Ferocious duels erupted around both cars and when final bids were taken the auto stood at $73,500 while the manual reached a probable record price under the hammer of $90,000.
FPVs haven’t been treated kindly at auction during the past few years, and despite a verified 8400km travelled, Burns’ 2014-build GT-F might have struggled. It didn’t, hitting the rostrum with a pre-sale offer of $95,000 and going on to make $101,000.
Switch the mood lighting from blue to red because next to come was the first of the Holdens.
In 2004, HSV built just 132 examples of its all-wheel drive Coupe 4 and this car, in Sting Red, was number 82. Again, a low kilometre example with 30,800 showing, it was a slow starter but eventually found its way to $94,600.
The VR GTS was another rare HSV, number 88 from a total 277 built. Showing just 34,000km after 30 years, this was a stand-out bargain in a forest of big-ticket cars with a winning bid of $56,000.
First of the Brock lots was a VC in Palais White, showing 148,000km and sitting a little lower on its Irmscher rims than a stock VC would. Surrounded by some exceptional HDTs, this one crept its way into six figures before ending the night with a new owner at $115,500.
HSV’s W427 was produced as a 20th Anniversary tribute to its brand but arrived at precisely the wrong time to achieve the production target of 427 sales. Production of the most powerful Australian production car of its era faltered in the face of the Global Financial Crisis after just 137 had been made.
The W427 offered by Burns & Co was #119 had to rank with the best available and came log booked to confirm its 23,520km. The car climbed quickly past $150,000 but sold at $159,000 – ridiculously cheap for a car of its significance and about the same as you might pay for 307-cubic inch HK Monaro in OK condition.
VK Group A HDTs are known as Blue Meanies and one that boasted Peter Brock as its first owner was sold during the crazy COVID years for more than $1 million. Surely with that kind of pedigree, something similar and even without the famous driver’s bumprint on its seat would still be worth $300,000?
This VK was an outstanding example with provenance galore including the car’s original owner attending the auction and 26,000 documented kilometres. From a starting bid above $200,000 it moved in $5000 rises, but buyers were being cautious, perhaps saving their money for the VL Walkinshaw that was to come, and it was referred for negotiation at $248,000.
Then followed Peter Brock’s final volume seller; the VL Group A ‘Plus Pack’ with controversial Polariser tucked under a flap ahead of the windscreen and showing 61,000km. Hopes were for this car to exceed $200,000 and it made that easily, surging after a welter of small bids to sell above reserve at a record-setting $245,500.
Another HSV that might have sold for immense money during the years following Holden’s closure was the GTSR W1 with its 474kW supercharged LS9 engine.
The example offered by Burns was virtually new and showing 2556km. Similar cars in the current retail market will typically be priced above $300,000, so this one was expected to max out at around $250,000. It made $270,000 but was passed in, surprisingly.
The final two Holden lots, a VN Group A SS with 35,150km and a VL ‘Walkinshaw’ showing just 7442km were expected to spark epic bidding battles and the earlier car didn’t disappoint.
First came the VN which from its $190,000 start point bounded immediately to meet the $200,000 reserve price but then didn’t budge and sold for that figure.
Then came the Walky, with several cashed-up bidders in hot pursuit. The car surged the moment the auctioneer opened his mouth to reach $300,000, meeting its reserve. Several minutes later came the final hammer price and a possible post-COVID record of $345,000.
Auctioneer Burns looked keen to get down off his rostrum and have a beer, but there were still four cars to go, and they were exceptional as well.
A quartet of American muscle classics
Heading the quartet of American muscle classics were three high value Mustangs but before them came a genuine 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. Fully restored and showing an unverified 42,000 miles, the Chev made a lowish $83,000.
The trio of Mustangs that closed out the sale were all scarce examples and expected to achieve solid numbers, but only one would end the night with a new home.
The Shelby GT500KR had history going back to Day Dot and was in extraordinary condition. Being automatic might have discouraged some buyers and while $200,000 initially looked to be a struggle, dogged auctioneering saw the KR sell at $201,000.
No qualms accompanied the Concours quality GT350, which had taken out a Gold Award at the 2013 Mustang Club National Concours and in pre-sale bidding reached $201,000. Early bids came with a clatter and $250,000 looked possible but after reaching $230,000 it was referred.
Finally came the sale highlight; one of the most significant products of the US muscle car era and a near perfect example of the 1969 Boss Mustang 429.
Holden supporters who had cheered the VL Group A perhaps groaned as the Mustang made its way to $390,000 but that was never going to be enough just months after a similar Candy Apple Red Boss 429 had hit US$500,000 at Mecum’s Indiana sale.
With the Mustang a no-sale, the Walkinshaw reigned as the top-seller from a memorable auction.
Multi-million-dollar plates headline other September 2025 sales
Neither the Boss nor the Walkinshaw could get close though to the money being splashed earlier in September at an online sale conducted by Trading Garage and featuring exclusive Victorian registration plates.
Setting the pace was VIC ‘122’ which made $625,000, followed by the arguably more desirable VIC ‘250’ which would have suited various Ford, Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari models. It was followed by the highest price so far this year for an Australian car or collectible – the $2,270,000 paid for the right to display VIC ‘50’.
Both Trading Garage and Collecting Cars sold during mid-September a range of interesting cars that weren’t cheap but certainly more affordable than most of the collectible plates.
Trading Garage’s big seller at $184,500 was a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback that had been decked out as passable tribute to film star-car Eleanor. Also, with Trading Garage and selling at $43,000 less than the Mustang was a virtually new, 399km HSV GTS-R W557 which, given time, could exceed the value of the Ford.
Collecting Cars chimed in with a Ferrari 348GT at $165,000 and an XR Falcon GT that despite a recent repaint looked authentic and was said by its owner to have travelled a genuine 18,291 miles. It sold for $155,000.
Less expensive and very appealing as ‘starter’ classics was the Autech-modified Nissan Stagea RS260 which sold via Collecting Cars at $29,500 and a beautiful Fiat 124S coupe sold for $25,000 by Trading Garage.
Rounding out September will be two Queensland sales featuring some of the nation’s most popular performance cars.
Lloyds Auctions’ regular end-of-month sale features a trio of high-profile cars with Bathurst history at their backs; a Ford XW GTHO Phase II Falcon which will go head-to-head with a Holden Monaro HT GTS 350 and a four-door LX Torana A9X.
A little closer to Brisbane, Seven82 Motors listings include a pair of authentic LX Torana SS hatchbacks, an XA Falcon GT sedan with RPO83 additions and an E38 version of the VH Chrysler Charger.
Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices in Australian Dollars (unless otherwise noted) and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.
