IT SEEMS NOTHING will stop the interest in classic cars, as proved yet again at the Shannons Late Autumn Classic Auction in Sydney on 20 May.
There were some amazingly strong results and a clearance rate of a remarkable 90 percent. Black and white numerical number plates continue to defy gravity (and, to our mind, common sense) and motorcycles attracted strong bids.
Overall, the 55 lots in the auction brought in $1.5 million in vehicle sales and $905,000 for the ten Heritage number plates. Five vehicles and five plates sold for more than $100,000 each.
Biggest winner on the night was the owner of a 190SL Mercedes-Benz convertible which just managed to exceed its pre-auction estimate, bringing $172,000, an incredible result for a car that, not so long ago, was derided as a “hairdresser’s car” (admittedly, this one had been subject to a thorough ground-up bare-metal restoration in 2014-15).
Another surprise was the 1923 Rolls-Royce 20HP Open Tourer that belied the recent trend away from vintage and veteran vehicles by being bid to and sold at $110,000, easily outstripping its pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$80,000, a range that we would have thought prudent.
Local cars are still selling strongly, too. The rise and rise of Brock cars was confirmed by the 1985 HDT Commodore Group A SS sedan (number 26 of 500) selling for $105,000. An early Holden ute (wrongly described as an FX, a model name that never officially existed) sold above estimate for $48,000.
Early Porsches are also popular with a true barnfind 1960 356B 1600 Coupe, literally cut from the jungle and northern NSW farm shed where it had been laid up for more than 40 years, sold for $65,000. Non-911s are also on the rise, with a 1994 968 Club Sport just exceeding estimate to sell for $41,000.
Motorcycles, too, are coming into their own with $44,000 paid for a rare and professionally-restored 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120 650cc solo. Oddly (such is the way of auctions), a 1961 Bonneville (estimated at $35,000-$38,000), a 1963 Bonneville ($18,000-$22,000) and a 1969 Bonneville were all passed in, showing once again that it pays to know your market. Other Bonnevilles sold at or just below estimate.
The biggest disappointment for the night (or bargain, if you were the buyer) was the rare and sought-after Triumph 1968 TR5 roadster, sold apparently with a reserve but going under the hammer for just $36,000 against a not-unreasonable estimate of between $60,000 and $80,000.
Finally, black and white numerical number plates still sell strongly to speculators, most smashing their pre-sale estimates, including the visually appealing 33133, that set a new benchmark for five-digit plates at $97,000. The only two-digit plate, 42, was estimated pre-sale at $700,000 to $900,000 and failed to sell.