Cliff Chambers
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.
Latest articles
Top Five: Road Cars Peter Brock Built
Top Five: Road Cars Peter Brock Built
Top Tips for Buying a Used Chrysler VG Pacer
Chrysler’s budget-priced Pacer appeared in 1969 with bright colours, distinctive ‘Tombstone’ seats and a three-speed floor-shift. A year after the original VF model was launched came a restyled and more refined VG. This was the Adelaide-built car that Chrysler believed had the right combination of power, equipment and pricing to do battle with the rival Holden Torana and Ford Falcon V8.
Auction Action: High-Flying Ferraris and Muscle Cars Dominate Monterey Auction Week
A range of spectacular classics went under the hammer in Monterey, with countless multi-million-dollar motors changing hands.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Cadillac (1948-58)
Given that the United States in 1929 went close to sending the whole world bankrupt, it was seriously unfair that 20 years later it was rolling in loot and producing cars that hardly anyone else could afford.
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Extraordinary Engines: Jaguars' XK Six Cylinder
Long time Jaguar fancier and Retro Rides market analyst Cliff Chambers looks at the exceptional six-cylinder engine that kept Jaguar at the pinnacle of British prestige and sports car design for almost 40 years.
Top 10: Ultimate Aussie Collector Cars
Market Analyst Cliff Chambers finds the key to the wishing well and with it a collection of Aussie-built performance machinery to make any enthusiast’s mouth water.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Nissan Skyline R31 (1986-90)
In the mid-1980s Nissan Australia was in a pitched sales battle with other local manufacturers Ford, Holden, Mitsubishi and Toyota, as well as rival importers. The company badly wanted a large ‘family car’ contender and in 1986 reconfigured the Japanese-spec Passage sedan to meet local needs. At the same time, it designed a competent and attractive station wagon version which Japan didn’t have.
Top 10: Cheap Cars That No Longer Are
Here’s 10 collectable cars that once ranked among the cheapest in the market but now cost more than high-performance or prestige models. Retro Rides Market Analyst Cliff Chambers looks at the stellar gains made by these 10 rudimentary models and explores the reasons behind their rise.
Design: How two tiny ‘winglets’ fitted to the 1948 Cadillac sparked a global styling revolution.
Our devotee of automotive history, Cliff Chambers, explains how a fighter plane inspired GM’s greatest designer to add fins to the 1948 Cadillac, sparking a design trend that captured the automotive world.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtop
Having watched as Holden’s two-door Monaro pinched the limelight and lots of sales, Ford could only wait until 1972 for its XA Falcon Hardtop to be ready for sale.