Looking back through the Unique Cars classifieds...
1973 Jensen Interceptor MKIII – Advertised August 2010
There’s something about the big brutish Interceptor that gets the pulse going. For some it’s the ultimate Brit grand tourer, with the mix of unique body and that big glasshouse cabin, with a lump of American V8 up front. Not surprisngly, the mechanicals are as reliable as the proverbial hammer, so it’s the body and electrics that tend to keep restorers awake at night. There was a time when people were almost giving the things away because they simply would not repay the cost of doing one up. That seems to have changed over time.
Was: $24,750. Now: $100,000-110,000
1965 Chevrolet Corvette – Advertised June 2009
We’ve seen some amazing rise and falls in the local classic car market in recent years, particularly for prime Aussie metal.
The fortunes of good solid American models has been less dramatic, but the overall trend has been for a steady gain. Gone are the days when you could load up a container of these things in the USA and bring them into the country to make a bit of money, as the exchange rate and ever-increasing charges make it prohibitive. So, a good clean one bought for $40-50k a decade ago would have been a solid buy.
Was: $49,950. Now: $110,000-140,000
1980 HDT VC Brock Commodore – Advertised February 2013
“Will trade for a Harley-Davidson of the same value”. This is one of those situtations where the former owner would probably prefer not to be reminded of what they did. The Harley would most likely now be worth a fraction of that number, while VC Brocks went on to experience a price spike around five years after we published this ad. Prices for an exceptional manual in a rare colour hit as high as $100,000, while the average price was closer to $75,000. This was the start of a whole new era of special-build Aussie muscle cars.
Was: $36,500. Now: $70,000-100,000
1962 Ford XL Falcon wagon – Advertised December 2006
When was the last time you saw a nice clean sixties Aussie wagon rolling down the road? The life cycle of these things was pretty predictable: bought as the family pride and joy, went through a few sets of hands till it lived out the remainder of its life as a workhorse for a tradie. Then it got hauled off to the metal recyclers. Wagons are very much back in favour though the catch is that fixing one up could cost a lot more than its worth. So if you see a nice solid example at a reasonable price, grab it!
Was: $5000. Now: $18,000-25,000
From Unique Cars #44, July 2020