Shannons' next Melbourne auction, on May 2, promises one of the broadest mixes of cars you could hope for. Everything from top-line Aussie muscle through to the quirky is on offer.
A headline act is the 1971 Phase III GT-HO Falcon, estimated at $470-520,000. This is something of a bell-weather car and therefore will say much about the overall health of the classic market. Prices have headed towards $900k in the past and have since dropped below the current estimate. This one appears to have a good history.
More unusual is the GT replica Falcon wagon of a similar era. Though nothing like the standard of the Phase III, it could be an interesting project car.
In among that lot is a wealth of American classics, including Thunderbird and Mustang, though the Studebaker Dictator might be one you haven’t seen before. This art deco 1935 saloon runs a straight six and the sales blurb says it’s been in regular use. The estimate is a mere $20-25,000, much less than you might expect to pay for a restoration.
The 1967 Saab V4 also got our attention. It’s styling has a hint of Euro rallying to it and there’s no question the Swedish brand has a following. If the $8-12k estimate is right, someone is going to end up with a cheap and interesting classic.
Even more unusual is the Citroen 2CV Hoffman cabriolet. Said to be one of just three in Australia, this variant comes with a good history and is expected to fetch somewhere around $22-28k.
It’s funny the details that can catch your attention: one of our staff was found with their head buried under the bonnet of the little Morris 8 Tourer on offer. Why? When was the last time you saw an engine bay with toolbox and oil filler bottle already installed? This one is expected to go for a mere $8-12k.
There’s a lot more to see – hop online at shannons.com.au.
Photography: Guy Allen