December Auction Report: Online Boom Amid the Holiday Season

Market Analyst Cliff Chambers dusts off the sand and sunscreen to bring us his first Auction Activity report of the year, looking back at some interesting collector cars that were offered and frequently sold during the final month of 2024. 

While some major auctions took their end-of-year break, the online segment boomed and a pair of rare Datsuns that hadn’t been seen in decades went begging.

Global sales site Collecting Cars has been attracting some excellent stock and, increasingly convincing vendors to set achievable reserve prices. 

Leading the list of desirable vehicles sold during December by Collecting Cars was an early Porsche 356 Coupe in left hand drive that was bid to an excellent $260,500.

One that didn’t sell and probably should have when offered a few days short of New Year was a scarce DB4 Aston Martin. It reached $488,500 and came with receipts for recent refurbishment. However, it had undergone several repaints during an interesting life and that may have deterred buyers.

Another car sold new into an overseas market and which brought enticing money at auction was an E30 Series BMW M3. Originally delivered to a Japanese owner and still LHD as it should be, the M3 went to a new home after bidding reached $88,000. Similar cars have been offered retail at up to $130,000.

This left-hook E30 M3 sourced from Japan was a steal at $88k, well below the usual $130k retail mark (Image: Collecting Cars)

‘Bimmer of The Month’, however, had to be the lovely 325iS, also an E30 Series car but locally delivered, which Collecting Cars showed as selling for just $53,000. Again, this was well short of the $65-70,000 routinely achieved by these cars.

Japanese classics and collectibles-in-waiting also did well at Collecting Cars during December, led by a very striking Datsun 510 Bluebird SSS two-door that had been modified for club-level motorsport and made $69,000.

Also worth tucking away was a scarce Subaru Forester STi at $25,250 and an even less common Legacy (Liberty) B4 Blitzen turbo wagon. B4 wagons weren’t sold new in Australia and this bright red example sold for just $10,250.  

Over at Collectors’ Garage, sales were tapering off as the Festive Season approached but anyone in the market for a Bentley had a couple of attractive prospects. 

Most expensive and one of only 252 RHD cars was the 1993 Continental R coupe that reached $100,000, however buyers with less to spend could have picked an older but still presentable S1 saloon that sold to a high bid of just $22,000.

While most sites which invite floor bidding had mostly wrapped up by November 30, Burns & Co held over their final sale of the year until December 8.

Their auction fielded over 50 cars and bikes, with the headliners being two very early Datsun 240Zs, several Monaros and a modified LX Torana SS. Sold at $130,000, the LX represented bargain buying in a market that a few months back might have paid over $160,000. 

This heavily-modified LX Torana fetched $130k, making it another relative bargain sold in December (Image: Burns & Co)

Older of the Datsuns was Build #4 which dated from 1969 and which according to the Burns blurb had been hidden away by Nissan Australia for many years. Frantic bidding saw it reach $186,000 and fail to sell on the day but it almost certainly will be gone by now.

The second 240Z was slightly later (Car #60), with better presentation than the first lot yet it attracted minimal interest, achieved a top bid of $66,250 and didn’t sell.

One that did find a new home and excited fans of opulent American classics was the 421 cubic-inch, Tripower equipped Pontiac Grand Prix in lovely condition which made a very reasonable $85,000.

Other US-sourced models to be sold but at below-par money included two Ford Thunderbird convertibles, 1961 and 1964 models, both in decent condition and at least $20,000 below retail at $37,500 and $42,000, respectively. 

Lovers of later-model General Motors product had several opportunities during the sale, including a 2009 Camaro sold for $57,500 and a limited-build HSV Maloo. It was #13 of the 100 Gen 2 SV Maloos made during 2016 and had done just 18,000km but was referred at a very muted $65,000. An earlier E2 GTS sedan which was a nice car did find a buyer at $55,000.       

This 1979 HZ Kingswood used by South Australian police fetched top-dollar out of a trio of ex-cop Holdens (Image: Burns & Co)

Final mention must go to Burns’ trio of Holden police cars which demonstrated the ways that scarcity and quality can make big differences at auction.

Each of the cars was genuine ex-Police but the first on offer, a VT Commodore V8, made just $20,500. Excitement then built when spirited bidding greeted the next lot, a quite exceptional VN V6, and it hit $43,000. 

Then followed the superstar lot; a totally refurbished HZ Kingswood V8, said to have been a South Australian Highway Patrol car, that reached an astronomical $86,000.

Action aplenty looks certain as January unravels, with Burns & Co back in action on January 19. Chicane Auctions in Melbourne is currently taking entries for a sale on January 30, which includes a notable 1970 Ford XY Falcon GT.

Queensland-based Lloyds will recommence their Classic, Muscle and Barn Finds sales on January 25,  followed by two separate sales involving European, British and American Classics on 31 January.  

Donington in Melbourne is promoting a range of specialised sales but their first major auction of Classic vehicles won’t occur until late March.

Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.