Looking back through the Unique Cars classifieds...
Holden HX Kingswood Anniversary – Advertised July 2005
Just 500 HX Holdens like this one were built in 1976 to help commemorate 50 years since General Motors (Australia) was founded. Anniversary HXs were based on the 202 Kingswood, embellished with two-tone paint, Premier colour-keyed hubcaps, venetians and special badges. Brand new the Anniversary HX cost $6273, or around $200 more than a stock 3.3-litre KIngy. Assuming a Unique Cars advertiser wasn’t being too ambitious earlier this year when pricing a similar car at $29,800, the buyer and subsequent owners of this one would have pocketed a very decent return on their $9500.
Was: $9500. Now: $25,000-30,000
Holden EK Custom – Advertised August 2003
This EK in 2003 was past its 40th birthday and proving you didn’t need a lot of money to have an old Holden that looked a bit different. Built most likely during the 1970s when the custom car craze swept Australia, someone had grabbed bits from a wrecking yard, cut the springs, widened the wheels, bought some rear spats from a catalogue and spent a bit on embellishing the paint. Back in 1970 the car might have been worth $1000, but then inflation and growing interest in EKs sent it on an 800 per cent climb. Growth since then has slowed but old Holdens continue to appreciate.
Was: $8000. Now: $25,000-28,000
Honda T-500 Pickup – Advertised September 1992
Ever stepped off a kerb in Asia and almost been sent to the Afterlife as something like this carved its own path between the traffic and you? Honda (and Suzuki and Daihatsu) thought at various points during their Australian existence that tiny, vulnerable vans and pickups might have a market here. Fortunately for occupant and pedestrian safety they didn’t and not many were sold. This would be one of few surviving T-500s and a good talking point if you are a Honda enthusiast. Still not expensive to buy or run and possibly saleable to Japanese collectors.
Was: $2900. Now: $5500-$7500
Reader’s One That Got Away:
Paul Asta – Northcote, Vic
Holden Torana SS Hatch
I still remember going to look at a genuine SS Torana powered by a 253. It was parked in the sellers backyard in metro Melbourne. It was original down to the factory stripes. It had faded orange paint and some hatch rust but I simply could not justify the $7500 in 2001 for a Torrie needing that much paint work! Why did I let it go?…