Unique Cars For Sale from $100,000 to $250,000

1979 Pontiac Firebird 10th Anniversary Silver 4 Speed Manual Targa

Details: Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1928 Auburn 8-115 Boat Tail Speedster. The early history of this car is not known; however, it is understood to have been in Australia for a very long time. The car offered for sale was the dream of late Auburn enthusiast Neil Burns. Burns had always wanted to own an Auburn Boat Tail Speedster. In the early 2000s he acquired a mostly complete Auburn 8-115. He subsequently located a factory built Auburn Boat Tail Speedster in Western Australia from which he could copy the body. Measurements were taken, drawings were made and Burns started to build the car of his dreams. It is understood the original body has been preserved from the scuttle forward. By 2010 all major mechanical components had been reconditioned, including the engine, the gearbox, the carburettor and the radiator. All trim, lights and brackets had been rechromed, all the dash instruments had been fitted and a hood assembly had been manufactured. Unfortunately, Burns never got to see the finished product. He passed away in May 2010 and the car was sold from his estate to Ian Waller from Gordon, Victoria. Waller completed the restoration and the car was subsequently displayed at Motorclassica in Melbourne in 2019. In February 2022 the car was displayed at the Torquay Rotary Motor Show where it won the pre 1959 class and was also the outright Best of Show winner. During its restoration, the car was given a few sympathetic upgrades to make it a more reliable and usable classic. According to the documentation on file, the original Warner gearbox which has known reliability issues, has been replaced. The gearbox fitted to the car is a period correct three speed plus reverse crash box, though it is not branded and its make and model is unknown. A Mitchell overdrive has been installed, which gives the car more cruising flexibility. The electrics have all been upgraded to 12 volt, a modern fuel pump has been installed and an alternator has been discreetly installed underneath the car. The current owner acquired this fabulous Auburn 8-115 Boat Tail Speedster in 2022 and he has spent a considerable amount of time and money fettling the car. He has thoroughly enjoyed his brief love affair, however, due to a change in direction he has decided it is time for a new custodian to take ownership of this amazing car. This car looks STUNNING in the photographs, however, in the flesh it has an even more incredible presence. Make no mistake, this is a big car. The sleek art deco styling is a work of art and the more you look at this car the more details you will you notice. The massive bonnet and flowing guards meet at the trademark Auburn grill mounted with the most elegant hood ornament. The most unique feature of the Auburn Speedster is the relatively small vee shaped rakish front windscreen which evokes a sense of speed but at the same time emphasises the size of the car even more. The boat tail rear end just finishes the car off in terms of the uniqueness of its design. The colour combination of black over maroon is just perfect for the car and all the bright work just sparkles. The paint is in very good condition with a strong depth of colour and a high gloss finish. We struggled to find any obvious imperfections. We did find a very small blemish on the lower edge of the right rear guard. You cannot miss the bright work on this car. The massive and very imposing grill, the almost oversize Monogram headlights, the smaller driving lights, the spotlight as well as the wiper motor covers and the mirrors are all beautifully chromed and present in very good to excellent condition. The only exception we noticed is the small mirror mounted on the back of the spotlight that is showing some light wear. Interestingly, rotating this mirror operates the on and off switch for the light for the light. The painted wire wheels are in very good condition with no evidence of any curb rash. They are currently shod with Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tyres, size 5.50R18 which are date stamped 0917 (week 9, 2017). The tyres are still in excellent condition. There is a small door on either side of the boat tail section of the body which provide access to the storage compartment. This is where the soft top is kept and there is also adequate room for some overnight bags. Open the door and you are welcomed by a very simplistic, yet quite elegant interior. The bench seat is in excellent condition with no rips or tears in the leather. It is comfortable and provides ample support. You can also tilt the seat forward to access the storage compartment. The dashboard contains a very simple instrument cluster, that is both functional and in keeping with the style of the car. You literally climb up and into this car. The driving position is relatively comfortable and once settled behind the wheel it is time to hit the road! The starting procedure is as simple as turning on the ignition and waiting a few seconds for the fuel pump to do its work. Then turn the key further and the big V8 bursts to life at pretty much first crank. The engine sounds just fabulous and it very quickly settles into a smooth idle. First impressions are good, in fact, they are really good! After selecting first gear and getting acclimatised to the relatively long travel of the clutch you are soon moving. On our first test drive, instinct says to dab the brake pedal to get a feel for the stopping power of this car. Surprisingly, the brakes are pretty good for a car of this vintage. On pulling out of our showroom and into traffic one cant help but notice that the turning circle isnt the best weve come across. The steering is also quite heavy, but once you are moving it becomes a lot easier. The three speed gearbox is easy to use despite not having synchros. The gear leaver travel is direct which makes the gear changes relatively easy. So many prewar cars have the show, but lack the go . . . but not this car! The engine in an Auburn 8-115 is quoted as producing 115 hp and not surprising this car pulls strongly through the rev range. It accelerates surprisingly quickly and easily keeps up with modern traffic. The brakes are also adequate and they pull the car up in a straight line when needed. The car feels solid on the road and is a real pleasure to drive. Accompanying the car is a soft top, tonneau cover, parts manuals, an instruction manual, some historical documentation and various parts including a spare, correct carburettor. Highlights: - Unique and iconic car from the golden age of American motoring. - The pinnacle of art deco design for an American car. - Fitted with some modern upgrades to make it a more usable classic. - Beautifully restored. - Ready to use and enjoy. Price $209,950. Background: In 1874 Charles Eckhart founded the Eckhart Carriage Company in Auburn, Indiana, USA. When his sons Frank and Morris joined the business they started experimenting making automobiles. In 1903 the two brothers established the Auburn Automobile Company (AAC). That year, at the Chicago Automobile Show, they launched their first car, a chain-drive, single-cylinder, 6hp two seater, with two speed planetary transmission. In 1905 they launched two-cylinder version. By 1909 they had outgrown their dads workshop and they moved to a larger premises in Auburn, Indiana. In 1911 they produced their first four cylinder, 25hp model. A year later they produced a six cylinder car powered by a Rutenberger engine. The car was quite advanced for its day having electric headlights and tail lights. Unfortunately, World War I put a hold to the business and material shortages forced the factory to close. In 1919 the brothers sold the business to a group of investors from Chicago headed by Ralph Austin Bard. The new owners managed to revive the business but were not able to make it profitable. In 1924 they approached Errett Lobban Cord, who at that time was a very successful automobile salesman, with an offer to run the company for them. Cord countered with a leveraged buyout proposal that was accepted. Cord managed to sell off all the old stock quickly and then focused on what would become the glory days for Auburn. 1925 was like a new beginning for Auburn. The new cars introduced that year expressed distinct styling. The new 8 cylinder engines provided both the prestige and performance Cord had desired ever since he became involved in Auburn. In 1927 Auburn even made a name for itself in stock car racing by winning at Salem, finishing third at Pikes Peak and they managed to exceed 108 mph at Daytona Beach. In 1928 the first of the now famous Auburn boat tailed speedsters was introduced, styled by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky. The car was powered by a straight 8, 4.8 litre, Lycoming engine which produced an impressive 115hp. The speedster was a fast car, especially in its day which is supported by the fact that Auburns test driver Wade Morton set a AAA stock car record on the sands at Daytona Beach, Florida on the 20th February 1928 driving a stock bodied 1928 Auburn 115 Speedster at 104.347 miles per hour. All was good for Auburn and despite the looming recession they managed to sell 22,000 cars in 1929. Somehow Auburn attracted sufficient buyers during the Depression years to keep afloat and its 1930s designs were magnificent. Designers, including Alan Leamy and Gordon Beuhrig styled Auburns, Cords and Duesenbergs of that period. 1930 saw only a slight dip in sales and in 1931 sales increased again. In fact, 1931 was the greatest sales year in the history of the company. They managed to sell 33,000 cars and made a profit of $4.1 million. Unfortunately, sales dropped significantly in 1932 and by 1933 Auburn realised they had to make some drastic changes to survive. In 1934 the company made a huge investment in a new car and whilst sales did increase after that, it was not enough to make the company profitable again. In 1937 Auburn declared bankruptcy.

HSV literally rocked the Australian performance car scene in 1996 with the release of the XU-3 yellow VS GTS-R. Marketed as the closest HSV road car you could get to its race winning HRT Australian Touring Car championship cars, only 85 GTS-Rs were built. 75 for the Australian market and 10 for New Zealand. For sale is Build No. 81, a New Zealand delivered HSV and now for sale from Tauranga, No...

Details: Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1973 De Tomaso Pantera. This particular example was sold new into the USA and is understood to have spent its early years in Pennsylvania. There is still a Pennsylvania registration sticker that states it is void after Jan 31, 1977, on the front windscreen. This car is incredibly original and it retains its original American compliance plate (which is dated 1/73) in the drivers door jamb, its original ID plate (which has the engine number stamped on it) and body service number tag (both under the front bonnet), the chassis number plate on the top of the dash and even the engine number tag (used for ordering parts) in the engine bay. The engine number stamped on the ID plate matches that stamped on the engine number tag and what is stamped on the block, confirming this to be a matching numbers car. The car found its way to Europe in 1977 and there is a copy of its Dutch registration on file. This shows that it was first registered in the Netherlands on 24th November 1977 with the registration 52-TR-44. Its Dutch history is not known, other than there is a document on file with a change of particulars dated 2nd November 1989 on file. The name on that document is Mr A.H.P Oostveen, who lived in Brasschaat, Belgium at the time. The current owner acquired the car in 1999 from a dealer who was selling the car on behalf of Mr Oostveen and subsequently imported it into Australia. There is an import approval on file for the car dated 15th December 1999. The current owner recalls picking up the car from a private garage in central Amsterdam and driving it along the canals and then south to Rotterdam to have it shipped to Australia. He was told that Mr Oostveen was the second owner of the car, making this De Tomaso Pantera a three owner car. The car arrived into Australia in early 2000, joining an extensive and eclectic collection. It was essentially kept as part of a static collection and never registered or driven in anger on the roads in Australia. This car is a somewhat of a time capsule. The odometer currently reads 31,888 miles and it is understood to be genuine. Today this De Tomaso Pantera presents very well, for an essentially original car. The paint on the car is in good condition, though there is evidence that it has had a blow over at some stage. It is not known when exactly that was done but it was done prior to the current owner acquiring the car. The underside of the car has been painted with Tectyl, which is a rust preventer. This has been sprayed literally everywhere! There is a Dutch Tectyl sticker on the left rear quarter glass, which confirms this was done during the time the car spent in the Netherlands. The panel gaps are generally very good, though as you will see from the photos the right hand side headlight pod needs to be adjusted. The glass appears to be all original. Every window has the correct Sicursiv Climaglass etching. The presentation of the external trim is consistent with paint work. It is generally in good condition for a car of this age. The chrome is presentable, the lights and lenses are clear with no cracks and the rubber bumpers are presentable. There are two small holes in the front bumper, most likely from where a number plate was fitted at some stage. The trademark De Tomaso Campagnolo wheels are the correct type and present pretty well. They are shod with Goodyear NCT VR60 tyres, size 235/60 VR15 at the rear and 205/60 VR15 at the front. The tyres are old and will need to be replaced. The interior is most likely original and it still presents really well. The seats are firm and still provide ample support. The bottom section of the drivers seat is showing some wear on the right side, most likely from the seat belt. There is also a small mark on the bottom section of the passenger seat and a small tear in the underside of the arm rest on the passenger door. The door cards are similarly well presented. The same can be said for the carpets, which are are clean and in good condition. The dashboard and centre console are in excellent condition and present with no cracks. All the instruments are clean and present well. The switches appear to be original and the symbols on them are clear. The car is fitted with a period correct Blaupunkt radio. Under the front bonnet everything looks to be original and correct, though the compartment could do with a tidy up. The space saver spare wheel, which has never been used, is present as well as what looks to be the original Ford tyre inflator canister, a jack kit and tool roll. Under the rear lid the engine bay cover is present with the carpet showing some wear. Once removed you see the stonking 351 cubic inch Ford Cleveland V8 engine. The engine itself could do with a clean. This car has not been driven on the road since it was imported into Australia and it will require recommissioning. The engine turns over easily and should be relatively straight forward to recommission. Accompanying the car is an owners manual, an Australian import approval, a copy of the Dutch registration, an original spare wheel, a jack, an original Ford tyre inflator canister and a tool role, though most of the tools are missing. We envisage that this car can be reasonably easily recommissioned, then used and enjoyed as a very original car. Price $169,950 Background: Born on 10th July 1928 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alejandro De Tomaso grew up among a family known to be quite politically influential and very wealthy. From an early age racing and race cars had been a real passion for De Tomaso. In 1945 he drove his first race in a modified Bugatti Type 35. In 1954 he was offered the opportunity to race for Maserati in the 1,000 km race of Buenos Aires and returned to win that race in 1955 a Maserati A6GCS. That same year De Tomaso moved to Italy and started working for OSCA in Bologna as a test driver. In the meantime, he kept racing. In 1957 he won the 1,500cc class at the Buenos Aires 1,000 km race driving a new OSCA. In 1958 he drove an OSCA with a 750cc engine at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished a very credible 11th overall, averaging over 140km/h. In 1958 De Tomaso built his first car. It featured the 750cc OSCA engine mounted in front of the rear axle, quite an unusual design for that time. Unfortunately, the car never raced as the Maserati bothers, who owned OSCA, forbid him to use the engine. In 1959 De Tomaso moved to Modena and built his second car, an F2 race car, again which an OSCA engine which this time he was allowed to use. The car made its debut at Sebring in 1959. The car was called Isis after his wife. Unfortunately, mechanical issues forced the car to retire from the race. After many more adventures and attempts to produce various race cars, De Tomaso introduced their first production car in 1965, a two seater coupe named Vallelunga. The car remained in production until 1967 and 59 examples were built including the prototype. In 1966 De Tomaso opened a new factory which allowed him to follow his dreams and expand production of his cars. In 1967 the De Tomaso Mangusta was introduced. The stunning Mangusta, which was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro whilst working for Ghia, remained in production through until 1971 and 401 examples were produced. In 1967 De Tomaso acquired Carrozzeria Ghia and 1969 he acquired Carrozzeria Vignale. These acquisitions were not financially successful, however, they did provide an introduction to Henry Ford II, which ultimately had a big impact on his future. The Ford Motor Company subsequently took a controlling stake in De Tomaso as well as Ghia and Vignale. This relationship led to one of the worlds most iconic sports cars being developed the legendary De Tomaso Pantera. Designed by Carrozzeria Ghias American born Tom Tjaarda, the Pantera was built with the American market in mind. De Tomaso had the rights to sell the Pantera, except in North America, where Ford sold the car through their Lincoln-Mercury dealers. The Pantera was a huge success, with more than 7,000 cars built before production ceased in 1992. Models included the standard Pantera, Pantera L (for the US market), Pantera GTS, Pantera GT5, Pantera GT5S and Pantera 90 Si.