JUNE 1990 – NASH AMBASSADOR
Mid-1990, as recession gripped the world and lots of Australians became dole recipients for the first time, was not a great time to be chasing big money for quirky cars like this Nash Ambassador. A 1950s Cadillac, with more style and performance, would have cost around the same, or you could have gone for something more modern like a 1970s Pontiac Firebird. The ‘bathtub’ Nash was by then a rare car but USA guides priced an Ambassador in ‘Fine’ condition at US$5000-6000. Today, North American cars of that quality still only make US$18,000-22,000.
THEN: $22,000
NOW: $30,000-$35,000
SEPTEMBER 2000 – FORD XY FAIRMONT GS 351
We say it frequently, but any car that can generate a tenfold value gain in the space of 25 years is an absolute legend. Here we find another one that would easily have achieved that level of growth. Without wishing to offend anyone who in the 1990s, decided to turn their genuine XY351 Fairmont into a fake XY GT, it was a dumb move. Today’s market is packed with ‘replicas’ that see their prices pegged in the low-$100,000s, while outstanding, untouched GS351 Fairmonts blast towards $200K. Lose the superfluous shaker and this one becomes a very appealing car, with more gains to come.
THEN: $12,500
NOW: $155,000-$175,000
AUGUST 1996 – LANCIA FLAMINIA 3C GTL COUPE
Italy’s smallest mainstream carmaker was responsible for some of that nation’s best and most interesting vehicles; however, the Flaminia wasn’t one of them. It began life as a drab sedan before local styling houses were offered the job of clothing a shortened Flaminia chassis with sporty two-door bodywork. Responses came from Zagato and this version by Touring of Milan. Their GTL was a 2+2 version, several of which over the years have called Australia home. Flaminias weren’t built in right-hand drive but a locally converted GTL with terrific history, was auctioned recently by Donington.
THEN: $35,000
NOW: $130,000-$145,000
JUNE 1989 – ALFA ROMEO GTV6
Somebody was seriously dreaming when offering a GTV6 of unspecified age, with no mention of distance travelled at not a lot less than the price of a new one. All Alfas, even those with the pedigree of a GTV6, suffered disastrously from depreciation and this one would more reasonably have been priced below $20,000. By 1995, when listed in the Unique Cars Value Guide, Condition One GTV6s were listing at $17,500 and a decade later they had drifted to $14,500. The model wouldn’t see any significant interest until 2020 when the value of good cars did finally top $35,000.
THEN: $25,000
NOW: $45,000-$50,000
JUNE 2004 – HOLDEN HQ GTS SEDAN
Holden’s HQ Monaro two-door was a stunning car but couldn’t match the four-door practicality of an XA Falcon GT. In 1972 Holden tested the waters with a limited run of HQ SS sedans, then for 1973 plunged in all the way with a proper four-door Monaro. These offered every size of Holden V8 – 4.2, 5.0 or 5.7-litre – plus sports wheels and contrasting paint. Around 8950 four-door HQ Monaros were built, but just 214 of them had the very scarce 350 cubic inch engine. This car most likely used an Australian 4.2-litre V8 and today in excellent condition might be worth $70,000.
THEN: $14,500
NOW: $65,000-$70,000
NOVEMBER 2007 – VOLKSWAGEN KARMANN GHIA TYPE 1
Those who back in the 1950s couldn’t afford a Porsche might instead choose a Karmann Ghia coupe. The G sat on a widened Beetle floor pan and weighed more than a Volkswagen sedan but still used the same 1192cc, 27kW flat-four engine. Later examples of the Type 1 Karmann Ghia were built until 1973, with 364,000 coupes and almost 81,000 cabriolets made. Some cars currently available in Australia are fugitives from the USA and have been converted to right-hand drive. This one is a local delivery though, complete with its original Queensland plate and good buying at under $20,000.
THEN: $16,500
NOW: $40,000-$45,000
JULY 1985 – HUDSON WASP
If you know your NASCAR history then the Hudson brand will be familiar. These were low-slung, six-cylinder cars that matched the V8s for performance and handled superbly on early unsealed tracks, winning the Championship from 1952-54. In Australia, the six-cylinder Wasp was popular as a police vehicle before that role was taken over by the overhead-valve Ford Customline. Hudsons aren’t an easy car to find in Australia and tough now to track down even in the USA. During COVID-19 times, cars like this could reach US$20,000 but recent auctions are seeing no-sales for half that amount.
THEN: $10,000
NOW: $16,000-$22,000