NOVEMBER 1987 – WILLYS TOURER 1940
This Willys with its canvas top looked great on the cover page of Unique Cars’ November 1987 issue, as well it might. If not actually ‘unique’ it was very likely the only car of its kind in such exemplary condition. Coachbuilders including Holden and T J Richards had built bodies for Willys cars being sold locally, however, this Tourer with its cutaway doors is different in style and possibly the work of Melbourne-based Flood Coachbuilders. If so, then it will be the same car included on the Willys Registry and reportedly now in Switzerland.
Then: $12,500
Now: $40,000-$50,000
AUGUST 1996 – CHEVROLET SEDAN 1957
The 1990s were tough times for enthusiast cars such as this 1957 Chevrolet. Chevs like this in the USA had been low-end fleet fodder, but new in Australia were seen as status symbols for people who weren’t wealthy as yet but wanted the world to know they were having a go. This car likely spent its life in Tasmania and although the owner doesn’t quote a distance travelled, it probably hadn’t gone very far. The asking price was attractive too; around $4000 below the figure quoted for excellent ’57s by the 1996 Unique Cars Value Guide.
Then: $15,500
Now: $45,000-$50,000
JUNE 2004 – PORSCHE 996 GT2
If the car you wanted in 2004 was rare and with investment potential, this twin-turbo Porsche surely ticked lots of boxes. Or did it? The ad says 31 were imported and that is likely correct given that just 963 of the 996 model were reportedly built from 2001-03. UK deliveries accounted for another 113 cars but the majority of survivors are left-hand drive. A European-spec car sold overseas in August 2024 for €137,500 (about A$230,000) against a local one auctioned some months earlier at $331,000 and showing the benefits of RHD scarcity.
Then: $369,000
Now: $320,000-$350,000
MAY 1994 – ALFA ROMEO MONTREAL
Hardly anyone remembers Expo 67, but most car enthusiasts instantly identify the car that took its name from the event’s host city. Alfa Romeo’s V8-engined Montreal spent three years moving from concept to production, appearing as a road car in 1970 and listed until 1977. Styling company Bertone was responsible for body assembly and delivered almost 4000 cars. Only 250 were right-hand drive, but a figure of 104 Australian-spec cars is possibly correct. One sold here in 2023 for $120,000, but recent UK values have dipped.
Then: $40,000
Now: $90,000-$115,000
FEBRUARY 1997 – FORD MUSTANG 1979
What might possess someone during the 1990s to import this ‘Fox Body’ Mustang is a mystery. Not even Dick Johnson, when bravely pedalling one mid-field in Group A Touring Car contests, could encourage 1980s imports of cars which would then have needed double their landed cost spent on right-hand drive conversion. This example with lots of option boxes ticked, remained LHD, meaning it would need to be shedded until registrable without need for conversion or driven to club events on a Day Permit. Either way, a scarce Ford for minimal money.
Then: $6950
Now: $25,000-$30,000
SEPTEMBER 2000 – LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CONVERTIBLE
Had USA president John F. Kennedy not met his end in the back seat of a Lincoln convertible, would so many still exist in their home nation? Notoriety has its benefits and Americans since the 1960s have embraced these strange convertibles with their ‘suicide’ doors and no centre pillar, saving them from rust and disinterest. Due to the cars’ cost and a complex RHD conversion, few soft-top Lincolns came here as new cars and hardly any survive. Restored USA cars are still plentiful and not expensive, with typical examples at US$60-70,000.
Then: $32,000
Now: $65,000-$70,000
DECEMBER 1985 – JAGUAR MARK 2 3.8
As people began awakening during the 1980s to the potential value of older cars, Mark 2 Jaguars often appeared on lists being brandished by enthusiasts seeking cars to fill slots in their collections. Examples with the 3.8-litre motor and wire wheels were most desirable, especially if they had manual/overdrive transmission. The ad doesn’t mention this feature so we will assume the car is an automatic and apply an appropriate value, which will be down a bit on the $70,000 a car like this might have generated a couple of years ago.
Then: $21,500
Now: $60,000-$65,000