Falcon XB GT + Maserati Merak + Renault Dauphine - Ones That Got Away 430
Looking back through the Unique Cars classifieds...
Ford Falcon XB GT hardtop - Advertised June 2000
Do it now and the Political Correctness Police will be booting down your door, but things were different in 1975. Back then, Sydney Ford dealer Ferdie Dominelli could spend a few bucks on stripes and black-out panels and refer collectively to the performance Fords he sold as ‘Horn Cars’. Ferdie’s very obvious Falcons were popular with younger and older buyers alike and this GT made it all the way to South Oz while managing to keep its annual kilometre average below 5000. Today, even with 12-slot wheels and that ugly after-market bull-bar, it should make six figures.
Was: $15,000. Now: $115,000-120,000
Renault Dauphine Gordini - Advertised December 1996
Small, fast 1950s cars with rear engines didn’t always come with ‘Porsche’ on the build plate. Engine tuner and racing driver Amedee Gordini initially worked for Simca then switched his attention to Renault in a relationship that lasted more than 25 years. The Dauphine was Renault’s big-selling family model and with Gordini’s upgrade it produced 27kW and would reach 130km/h. Gordini-enhanced Dauphines once were common in Australia but lack of affection for the model and parts shortages make them a rarity here and becoming valuable in Europe.
Was: $5750. Now: $16,000-20,000
Maserati Merak SS - Advertised January 1987
Just months after this car was advertised the financial world was in turmoil and people whose fortunes hadn’t been flushed turned to any investment that didn’t involve shares. Exotic vehicles were among the beneficiaries and Maseratis like this Merak would enjoy surging price before crashing as the 1990s recession took hold. Today they are back in the limelight and sell in Europe for A$110-135,000. They are less popular here and a car similar to this one with 32,000 kilometres showing and trophies in the boot was advertised at a little over $90,000.
Was: $50,000. Now: $90,000-100,000
Reader's One That Got Away:
Ford Escort MK2
I remember it well, a red MK2 with black trim and some fancy Weld wheels parked at the top of my street, for $5500. I loved it but got distracted by the black manual XD Falcon up the road which was offered for $4000 with an amazing sound system!
I wish I had either car parked in my garage today as you just don’t stumble upon them.
Benjamin Smith - Sarina, Qld
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