An immaculate Walkinshaw VL Commodore Group A has sold for $87,000 – nearly twice its original new price. But other classic Australian muscle cars were passed in.
With just 16,637km on the clock, the ‘Walky’ was number 594 out of the 750 original Azure Blue cars built by Tom Walkinshaw’s Holden Special Vehicles operation in 1988.
The car sold at Shannons Sydney auction last night had been stored from new until it was bought last year and again stored unregistered until last night’s auction.
Shannons National Auction Manager Christophe Boribon said while the Commodore was an outstanding example, its price reflected the strong interest in the Group A HDT and Walkinshaw Commodores of the 1980s, due to their Bathurst credibility and current affordability.
Top seller on the night was a fully-restored left-hand drive 1966 Shelby GT350 Fastback, which sold on estimate for $200,000.
Finished in white with trademark Shelby blue GT stripes, the Shelby was one of just 1368 examples built that year and had a number of special features later phased out to keep costs down, including lowered front control arms, traction over ride bars, axle limiting cable and bonnet latch deleted.
The car had one long-term owner in the US from 1971 until 2001, after which it underwent a full rotisserie restoration and has been authenticated by the Shelby American Automobile Club.
A rare 1989 Wide Body Porsche 911 Speedster – one of only 10 or so in Australia out of a total production of 2103 – sold for $96,000 after solid bidding from seven telephone and numerous floor bidders. The car had covered just 12,000km since new in the hands of one Sydney owner and was in showroom condition.
A factory right-hand drive white 1969 Jaguar Series 2 Roadster believed to have covered a genuine 46,000 miles since new sold for $75,000; a 1968 silver Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe/Convertible brought $60,000; a clean red, right-hand drive 1966 Mustang Convertible made $43,000 and a fully-restored, red 1954 MG TF 1250 roadster sold for $35,500 after spirited bidding.
Among the cheaper classics, a one-owner 1979 Ford Escort RS2000 with 65,630km on its odometer sold for $15,000, an original 1974 Jensen Interceptor Mark III coupe and a mildly modified 1956 Holden FJ Special Sedan both sold for $11,000 and – the real bargain of the night – a well presented 1983 BMW 635 CSi Coupe with 114,000 miles on its odometer sold with no reserve for $5250.
Perhaps surprisingly, a Holden HG Monaro GTS 308 Coupe in Indy Orange and with just 12,000 miles onboard was passed in. Its estimate was $55,000 - $65,000. Also passed in were a Candy Apple Red XW Falcon GT-HO (estimate $130,000-$160,000), a Bronze Wine XY GT Falcon Sedan (estimate $120,000-$150,000) and a restored, Baroda Silver LJ Torana GTR XU-1 (estimate $80,000-$100,000).
And, just to prove that there’s money in motoring collectables, a set of 12 Michelin ashtrays sold for $1250, a restored 1950s Texaco petrol bowser went for $5100 and a four-metre-high enamelled Shell sign in unrestored condition sold for $3300. Even a reproduction Golden Fleece oil rack with original bottles sold for $675.
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