Anyone who understands the importance of condition and authenticity when buying older vehicles at auction needed only to look at June’s Burns & Co sale of classic Australian models for confirmation.
Early in Burns’ Monday night sale came an HG Monaro GTS, finished in orange with its original 308 cubic inch (5.0-litre) engine and a four-speed manual transmission, all in near perfect condition.
Despite being fitted with aftermarket wheels, the HG rattled past the anticipated $100,000 to finish with a hammer price of $131,500. Not quite a record but stunning in a market where buyers still bid with caution.
Later in the sale – where higher prices are generally anticipated – came another HG GTS, this time in metallic blue with a transplanted 350 cubic inch V8 and an automatic transmission.
This was another nice car, with correct hubcaps and expected to exceed the price paid for the earlier car, but it didn’t even get close. Had this been a factory GTS 350, $180,000 may have been possible, but with the issue of authenticity clearly on buyer minds it was sold for just $93,000.
In a sale devoted entirely to Australian-built vehicles – those originating elsewhere would be sold later in the same week – Holden products were the clear favourites. That was despite a catalogue dotted with local Fords, a handful of early Valiants and a lone Leyland P76.
The Valiants did little to trouble the record keepers, with an S Series selling at $30,000 and the rest, including a R Series and very tidy VF Pacer, being passed in. The Leyland was an equally scarce four-speed V8 Super and didn’t sell for the $14,000 offered.
Top price amongst the Fords sold on the night came via a mildly modified Landau Hardtop which hit $78,100 and was followed by a 1974 LTD from the same vendor at $44,900.
Heading back to Holdens, the list began with a plausible SL/R 5000 Torana replica that sold for $85,000, followed by a rare and genuine Sandman Utility with 308-cubic inch V8 which achieved $79,250.
A car which auctioneer Ashley Burns described as the best EH Ute he had ever sold made a record-setting $71,900, followed by a rare ex-Government FJ Holden van at $70,000.
Another Holden which many in the rooms and online ignored was the VN Commodore V6 sedan which, with a five-speed transmission and in outstanding condition, was knocked down for a minuscule $12,250.
Excitement from the following night’s listing of non-Aussie machines was rare and confined mostly to the sale of a Jaguar XK150 Coupe at $65,250, a two-door Studebaker Lark at just $13,000 and the cheapest ‘Bugeye’ Austin Healey Sprite seen in many years at $21,250.
Lloyds’ Classic and Barn-Finds Sale
A few days after the Burns & Co. event came Lloyds’ regular Classic and Barn-Finds sale on Queensland’s Gold Coast. As has been the case for some time, Lloyds’ listings are now a fraction of the 250-300 cars that was once normal, but the sale remains strong on variety and quality.
Top price on the day and answering some questions about HSV values was the healthy $167,000 paid for a well-maintained but not pristine HSV VL SS Group A SV ‘Walkinshaw’ Commodore.
Slightly adrift of the Walky, but expected to sell after the auction, was a much newer HSV in the shape of a 2017 GTS-R W557 which, in virtually new condition, was bid to $136,000.
Other lots that kept the auctioneer’s gavel swinging included a very tidy 1979 Range Rover that sold for just $19,000, a Hong Kong delivery Porsche 928 S4 at $30,500 and muscular XA Falcon 351 Hardtop that managed six figures with its $101,000 winning bid.
Online auction platforms, Collecting Cars and Trading Garage, had been languishing in a slow market but lifted their clearance rates towards month’s end. High points for Collecting Cars included an R34 Nissan GT-R that found a home at $203,500 and a 1993 Honda NSX that sold for $140,000.
Anyone puzzled by huge variations in VW Kombi values won’t be any less confused following recent sales on Collecting Cars and at Lloyds. The top Kombi price was $145,000, achieved by Collecting Cars for an excellent 23 Window Samba, but at Lloyds a fortnight later a similar Type 2 in LHD but not a whole lot worse condition was sold for just $48,000.
Trading Garage has been relying on sales of Heritage Plates and did well during June with some high value items including VIC ‘88-222’ which made $129,000. It did sell some cars too, including a good-looking Valiant Charger R/T replica which offered value at $58,000.
This and the ‘Walkinshaw’ Commodore at Lloyds were standouts in a market that has been starved for some time of local performance cars, but that is about to change.
Following its June sale and with little fanfare, Burns & Co announced that on September 23 it would be holding a Single Vendor sale comprised of some immensely significant local and US-made performance cars.
This mouth-watering listing of 18 lots is headed by a Ford Falcon XW GT-HO Phase II, but the cars likely to attract most interest will include a 20,000-kilometre HDT Commodore and an HSV VL Group A which reportedly has been driven just 7000 kilometres since 1987.
Those hunting 1960s muscle will also likely be interested in the four North American Fords being offered, including a genuine Shelby GT350 Mustang.
Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices in Australian Dollars and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.
