With June upon us and miserable weather abundant, local auction-goers found ways to shrug off the grey and bid on some terrific – and mostly affordable – offerings among May’s auction listings.
Top price among May’s best sales was recorded by an eclectic and potentially collectible Rolls-Royce. At a sale price of $633,000 with Buyer Premium to come, the 2022 Cullinan SUV had travelled 9450km in three years but had barely dropped anything on its $721,000 new-car cost.
The Rolls was one of several unusual lots sold online via the Collecting Cars site, which has been chalking up some good results in a reluctant market.
The site during late May was brimming with Porsches; some bringing strong money while others failed to excite. First amongst the bargains was a 2000 GT3 Clubsport which had recorded just 7300km in 25 years and brought $152,000, followed by a left-hand drive 1990 Carrera 2 Cabriolet that made just $65,000.
Balancing the ledger was a British-delivery air-cooled 993 Turbo selling for a hefty $297,000, followed at $188,500 by a tidy but unremarkable 356C.
Rarities attracted interest as well, with unusual Collecting Cars lots sold including a genuine Meyers Manx beach buggy that reached $45,250 and a very rare O.S.C.A Fiat 1600 at $77,000.
In common with other segments of the auction arena. Collector Cars and online rival Trading Garage were able to field just one example each of high-end, locally made muscle machinery.
With a top bid of $155,000, the VN HSV Group A promoted by Collecting Cars did find an owner, but even with a final price of $161,000, the VL ‘Walkinshaw’ Group A offered by Trading Garage was a non-seller.
Indeed, Trading Garage didn’t sell many cars at all during May and quite possibly didn’t care due to the commissions flowing from sales of historic number plates.
Top price amongst the plates came from VIC ‘96’ which brought a remarkable hammer price of $1,472,000. It would be followed by VIC ‘472’ at $314,000 and several other three-digit Victorian plates which each made more than $100,000.
In Sydney during June, Lawson’s Auctioneers will be promoting a sale of several early number plates, headed by NSW ‘317’ which is expected to top $300,000.
Melbourne-based auction-goers had to rearrange their schedules to attend Burns & Co’s new weeknight sales and while the 6pm start might have deterred some, the shortfall in floor bidders wasn’t reflected in clearance rates which remained at around 90 percent.
The car headlining Burns’ new format was disappointing in appearance and saleroom performance as well. This ‘spare parts bin special’ Bugatti Type 37 was a well-known car cobbled together many years ago from genuine and replica parts and didn’t ignite the ‘Pur Sang’ purists. It was passed in at $161,000 to conclude the Monday night sale.
Best buys amongst that sale’s offerings were two North American Fords; a seriously rare 1962 Thunderbird Roadster with its factory-supplied rear seat tonneau cover and an equally stunning 1969 Mustang Mach One with the big-block 390 cubic inch engine. After a spirited duel, the Mustang reached $74,250 while the T-Bird went at an unreserved $57,600.
Moving to Tuesday, we found heading the All-Australian listing an EK Holden unlike any other. Painted black and in show condition, the Holden had been tubbed at the rear to accommodate massive Convo Pro wheels and 295 section tyres. They were definitely needed too, because packing out the engine bay was a 350 cubic inch V8 hooked to a Powerglide transmission with everything rated for 600kW.
Australia’s most expensive EK eventually sold for $105,000, topping the next best – an HDT VK SS also in stunning condition – that sold to a disappointing top bid of $81,500.
Bargain buys among the Aussie offerings were plentiful, including a 1982-build Ford LTD which looked like a new car and made $38,200. It was followed by an HX Statesman Caprice, which almost matched the Ford’s presentation and went for $31,000.
Still in Melbourne, and over at Donington’s salerooms, a massive collection of Aston-Martin automobilia and assorted parts were being sold. Some scarce parts didn’t reach reserve and remain available but amongst the interesting objects that did find homes was a perfectly presented 1950s era picnic set carrying the Aston-Martin crest. It made $305 and was shortly followed by a first-edition Corgi James Bond Aston Martin DB5 with all its accessories and in the correct box at $325.
Ending the month with another weather-affected sale was Lloyds Auctions on the usually sunny Gold Coast. Lloyds’ catalogue was around half the size of its equivalent last May but still sparked spirited bidding and some early sales, including a spectacular Buick Roadmaster Riviera in bright red which made $45,000.
A 428-engined Mustang Mach One didn’t sell on the day despite a top offer of $106,890, but a Leyland Moke Californian found a new home at $20,000. It was followed a few lots later by a spectacular 1950s ‘Adenauer’ Mercedes-Benz 300D which made a deserved $59,000.
A feature of Lloyds’ sales during recent months has been a beautifully restored but heavily modified Mazda R100 coupe. It had previously been bid to less than $90,000 before this time (and by negotiation) reaching an acceptable $110,000. Not so lucky was the UK-spec Lamborghini Gallardo which went back to its shed after a top offer of $114,000.
Lumped in with the Australian models at Lloyds was a Camaro ZL1 in virtually new condition that sold for $119,000. That put the Chev well ahead of an arguably more desirable HSV Coupe 4 which was a no-sale at $67,000.
Virtually ignored as the sale rushed towards an early finish was the DJR-modified Falcon BA said to be running a competition-spec engine and with various other speciality parts included. It was bid to just $46,000.
Also offered without any apparent pre-sale promotion was a rare HX Monaro LE, one of just 600 made by Holden to clear left-over two-door body shells, which was bid to $92,000.
Late in the day came well-presented Holden LJ Torana XU-1 which had made several previous appearances including at a previous sale where it was passed in at $132,000. This time it stopped at $119,000.
Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices in Australian Dollars and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.
