At age 14, surrounded by stacks of motoring magazines from the local junk shop, Cliff Chambers was warned by a concerned mother that he would ‘Never get anywhere knowing a lot about old cars.’ Seventeen years later when his definitive book, Making Money From Collectable Cars was published, she was proud to be proven wrong.
That was in 1987, but Cliff’s life was already revolving around all things automotive. From working part time in a panel shop while at university, he moved to motor industry consultancy roles and managing a Championship winning rally team.
During the 1990s he joined the classic vehicle insurance industry, at the same time becoming a prolific writer for magazines and motoring websites. Then came his ongoing contribution as one of the country’s leading vehicle valuers.
Away from work, automotive events and objects remain prominent in Cliff’s world. He has owned more than 40 cars now considered ‘classic’ and within his collection of motor-related items there remain some of those magazines acquired as a fact hungry teen.
Cliff brings to Retro Rides a blend of unique industry skills and a love of vehicles that will become more obvious with every contribution he makes to the site.
Chrysler joined the locally-manufactured Australian family car market in 1962 with its radical R Series Valiant, but less than two years later had reverted to a design that was equally remarkable for its conservatism.
While we think of Holden and Ford as the pioneers of the Aussie automobile, back in 1919 there was an earlier attempt at building an Australian Six.
The Citroen DS is one of the most uniquely-styled vehicles to have ever graced our roads, and while prices have spiked in recent years, they now seem to have stabilised.
In the Summer of 1970, Holden panel vans lined the seafront and legions of young Aussie blokes clamoured to get their Chiko Roll-smeared-hands on Chrysler’s stove-hot Valiant Pacer. Not to be out done, Ford Australia’s memorable play for the burgeoning ‘youth market’ was a big-winged ute that became an instant hit with the kids and a star of the car show-circuit – the XW Falcon Surferoo.
Automotive designs sometimes benefit from ‘happy accidents’, and Triumph’s Stag is among them.
Market Analyst Cliff Chambers pops his head up from the near constant stream of online auctions to report on some of the more interesting models that found new owners, or at least should have, during the first few weeks of 2025.
Early LandCruisers are fair dinkum commercial vehicles, with little in the way of creature comforts. However, for those brave and hardy souls prepared to endure such privations, a well-preserved FJ40 has a style and presence that is utterly unique.
The latest book by Ross Vasse, a leading authority on locally made Ford muscle cars, details every XC Falcon Cobra, living or deceased.
Several significant multi-million-dollar motors are up for grabs at Broad Arrow’s Amelia Island auction this March.
Subaru began selling its versatile 4WD Brumby utility on the Australian market in 1977, but it took until 1982 for a more powerful and comfortable second-generation version to arrive.