Bolwell Mark 7 + Holden Torana HB + Enfield Electric - Ones that got away

By: Cliff Chambers

Date: 02.05.2024

The cars we should have bought or are delighted we didn’t...

BOLWELL MARK 7

April 1991

Australia during the 1960s built some of the world’s most competent ‘kit’ cars and this is one of them. The shape was undeniably E-Type but produced by the Bolwell brothers in Melbourne. Their Mark 7 was designed around Holden mechanical parts, with a Triumph gearbox and other bits easily found at the local spares outlet or wrecking yard. Bolwell built about 400 Mark 7s for home construction and some are thought to still be sitting at the back of sheds awaiting completion. Those that did get finished are rarely seen in the open market, but should you find one they aren’t particularly expensive.

Then: $14,500 Now: $40-45,000

FORD FALCON SPRINT CONVERTIBLE 

April 1992

Ford Australia in declining the chance to adopt North America’s 1964 Falcon restyle denied this country the chance to own some very entertaining vehicles. The bigger-bodied US Falcon could be specified with V8 engines and bodied as a sedan, station wagon, coupe or convertible. Sprint V8s contested the British Touring Car Championship, then decades later Jim Richards showed the model’s continued competitive value in local historic events. Convertibles were for cruising only but attract more attention than Mustangs and have climbed significantly in price since the 1990s.

Then: $14,500 Now: $48-54,000

HOLDEN TORANA HB

August 2000

When Holden took a British design and gave it an Indigenous sounding name, the world changed for Australia’s biggest carmaker. Holden’s clone of the Vauxhall Viva went from being Brit-boring to an offshoot of Australia’s Own and immediately saleable. SL Toranas like this had optional automatic transmission, plasti-wood dash trim, a heater/demister and extra interior lighting. Despite not being available at all on the two-tonne Chevrolet Impala, disc front brakes were options on any of the HBs. Early Toranas are scarce and pricing has followed the trends being set by six-cylinder versions.

Then: $4,500 Now: $24-28,000

BMW 2800   

March 2008

These BMW sedans, with 2.8 and then 3.3-litre engines, challenged the XJ6 for the title of World’s Best Sedan and went close to bumping the Jag off its plinth. The years weren’t kind, though, and even specialty car shows rarely include any pre-1980s BMW four-doors. Very good examples traditionally haven’t brought much money either, discouraging all but a few diehards from spending big on a full restoration. Subtract a couple of doors though and the story changes dramatically, with good examples of the gorgeous 2800CS coupe selling for ten times the value of a sedan.

Then: $4,500 Now: $9,500 - $12,500

PORSCHE 914 

September 1996

Sometimes called the VoPo, Porsche’s mid-engined two-seater wasn’t officially imported to Australia but some did arrive as personal imports. This is the four-cylinder version with an engine developed for Volkswagen’s Type 4. More exclusive and expensive was the 914/6 with the same engine as used in the 2.0-litre Porsche 911T. Times were tough in 1996 and $12,500 was about as much as a LHD car that required Special Interest registration could justify. The 914s remain hard to find in Australia, but not expensive as yet. One sold in 2022 at $30,750 while good USA cars can today reach USD$38,000. 

Then: $12,500 Now: $35-40,000

ENFIELD ELECTRIC

August 1999

Back in 1966, the UK Electricity Council pre-empted what we all know now and issued a tender to supply battery electric cars for use in urban areas. The contract went to a tiny company called Enfield Electric, based on the Isle of Wight, which produced 108 of its Enfield 8000s between 1973 and 1976 (not 1971). Five reportedly were exported to Australia for trials, however the colour of this car doesn’t match the reported range of white, blue and red. A local article written in 2014 doesn’t mention one existing in NSW either, so it may by then have been scrapped.

Then: $9,000 Now: $65-80,000

DODGE PHOENIX

April 1997

Yes, it’s a very basic North American Plymouth masquerading in Australia as a prestige car and maintaining local links to USA car culture. The Phoenix sold against Holden’s Chevrolet/Pontiac duo and the Ford Galaxie and sat in third spot on sales charts. Price wasn’t the problem because the Dodge when new and with 5.2 litres against the basic Galaxie’s 4.7 was $330 cheaper. The Phoenix also came as a pillarless Hardtop with 6.3 litres that would easily outgun the pillarless Chev and Pontiac with their 5.3-litre V8s. Late 1960s cars like this aren’t common but remain under $50,000. 

Then: $5,990 Now: $40-45,000

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