Uncle Phil's top picks from the Trade Unique Cars classifieds...
1985 HOLDEN CALAIS HDT VK $34,900
Bang for your buck HDT ownership
An HDT pedigree and a model that’s ripe for the collector. The Calais Director appealed greatly to those wanting more in the way of go but not a lot of show, with most of the HDT trickery lurking underneath the six-window VK body. And this one looks to be very neat and tidy, but with room for improvements. Called the 333 pack it sports a 4.9-litre V8 (reduced from 5 litres for GpA racing regs) and a Trimatic 3-speed slush box. The subtle exterior enhancements are confined to the Aero wheels, colour-coded door handles, HDT wing and grille and inside the genuine Peter Brock audio unit. Being a Calais means the dash display is digital. At this price it’s more affordable than other VK HDT cars.
| See more of the HDT VK Calais here
1988 LOTUS ESPRIT 5 $55,000
The Lotus Espirit was made famous for its many roles on the silver screen. We remember it emerging from the water in The Spy Who Loved Me and many years later in Pretty Woman. A supercar of the 70s and 80s, the reality was you didn’t get nose bleed from the acceleration from its 2.2-litre four pot. But its feather weight and wide stance made it corner like something made by Scalextric, and an entertaining thing to steer. This one has copped a refresh in many areas and if you want to drive something instantly recognisable for not a huge outlay this could be the ticket.
| See more of the Lotus Esprit here
1971 FORD FALCON XY 4×4 $49,500
Long before Ranger Raptors wheeled out of Ford’s plants some clever blokes at Ford worked on a 4X4 prototype for the Army which was looking for a light-duty off-road runabout. Although the army never proceeded with the project the same clever blokes applied what they had learned to the XY ute. A batch off 432 was built at Ford’s Brisbane plant. This one has been smartened up with a comprehensive resto and includes disc brake front, power steering, air con and leather pews.
| See more the the XY Falcon 4×4 here
1970 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302 $125,000
I have a soft spot for these and have been known for having my name on the rego papers of a left hooker in Grabber Orange. However the Grabber Blue has a lot of appeal. It has had one owner for the past 20 years and appears to have had a lot of time and money thrown at it, given the level of detail of the work. The 302 is bolted to a top loader gearbox and Locker diff. Both the undercarriage and engine bay have full production line markings. Being a right-hand drive it has wide appeal for those who want to hand over the bucks, turn the key and go.
| See more of the Mustang Boss 302 here
1980 CHRYSLER REGAL CM $19,000
The Chrysler Regal didn’t quite gel with me in a big way. But it’s obvious it did for countless other Chrysler fans out there and this one looks to be an outstanding restoration. The instrument panel looks like a new one and the blue leather upholstery is certainly period correct. And how good is it to come across a NOS engine for one of these after so many years? This SE is a fine example of Mopar Magic, all the better for having had the options catalogue thrown at it and for the money you wouldn’t get anywhere near restoring one.
| See more of the Chrysler Regal CM here