THERE ARE INTERESTING things happening in the classic car market, if Shannons Melbourne Winter Classic auction is anything to go by.
There were some excellent results achieved, but by the same token, a lot of cars sold below, at or at the low end of their pre-sale estimates.
Some of the highlights included $153,000 paid for a 1972 Ford Falcon XA GT Coupe (above), beating its top estimate by $3000. Another winner was the owner of a 1969 Dodge Charger 440 R/T coupe that steamed past its $90,000 top estimate to sell for $105,000 while a local not-quite-muscle car, a 1976 Torana LX SL/R 3300 selling at no reserve, went $1000 over top estimate to sell for a healthy $46,000. And the Ford Model T Roadster that managed $22,000 (estimate $10-15,000) must have brought a smile to its owner’s face.
But it wasn’t all champagne corks and celebrations. Despite much recent hype about the increasing values of youngtimer classics (and Clubsport Commodores in particular), a 1992 Holden HSV VP Clubsport fell short of estimate at $17,500, as did a 1998 HSV VT Clubsport that looked good buying at $15,000 (estimate $18-22,000). T-Series MGs are still struggling, with a nice-looking 1954 TF 1250 falling short of estimate to sell at $27,000 (estimate $30-35,000). Another surprise underachiever was the 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300D Adenauer saloon, estimated at between $60,000 and $75,000 but selling for just $48,000. It was a similar story with a very evocative 1956 Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible in a fetching two tone white and lilac that sold for $47,000, against its estimate of $65-75,000. Another disappointment (for the seller, at least) was a tidy-looking 1972 Torana LJ GTR XU-1, falling short of its $80-90,000 estimate to sell at $66,000.
A 1965 Ford Cortina Mk1 440 sedan, despite being offered at no reserve (estimate $14-18,000) was passed in. Willys Jeep Overland wagons continue to be an acquired taste – a 1948 model failed to sell (estimate $30-35,000). Perhaps more surprising was the 1949 Allard Mk 1 drophead coupe, estimated at $35-45,000 but also failing to sell on the night.
Meanwhile, the speculators were out in force, continuing to pay inexplicable prices for black-and-white number plates. Naturally, the three-digit plates brought the highest bids, with the top price for the night rising to $170,000 to buy “877”.