Jensen Interceptor + HDT Magnum + Ford Customline - Gotaways 410

By: Cliff Chambers

Date: 10.02.2018

We look back through the Unique Cars archives

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1952 JENSEN INTERCEPTOR - Advertised August 1991

Could two of the world’s rarest cars really have found their way to Australia? Or did this car after being sold more than 25 years ago undergo a complete colour change and turn up in a nondescript vintage vehicle display in Darwin. The only 1952 Jensen convertible we could find in Australia was the gold-painted car (described as one of 8 surviving from 32 built) but no trace here or overseas of the Gunmetal Grey car. No hint either as to how much a good looking rarity from the 1950s might be worth with but we’ve had a stab.

Then $29,500. Now: $60-$100,000

1984 HDT MAGNUM - Advertised December 1994

HDT Magnum’s are very rare and if you can find a good one, very hard to resist. These were the ‘forgotten’ HDT in every sense; not distinguished by wings and stickers, nor painted in special colours. In fact if you didn’t order the special 16-inch rims fitted to this car, the Magnum looked pretty much like any other WB Statesman. It just went a whole heap better. Holden stopped producing WBs without even warning Peter Brock they were going to do it so only 100 or so were made. They remain ridiculously cheap.

Then $18,500. Now: $32-35,000

1958 FORD CUSTOMLINE ‘STAR’ - Advertised April 1990

Triple-tone paint was all the rage in 1950s Australia, as this stunning Ford Cussie illustrates. At first glance it might seem incongruous for this Star model (see the grille decoration) to have bright purple added to its colour mix, but trophy-winning credentials suggest it didn’t suffer any deductions for incorrect paint. Customlines sold in huge numbers to private, government and fleet buyers but by the 1980s most were scrapped. High-quality survivors continue to attract buyers and big money.

Then: $14,500. Now: $35-40,000

1957 CHRYSLER SARATOGA - Advertised June 1995

Look at those fins, the wide-spaced dual headlamps, low slung roofline. What a car. Read further and you see this beast has a Hemi V8 under the huge bonnet, yet who in the 1990s ever sat down with their latest edition of Unique Cars and went searching for a Chrysler Saratoga? Suspecting that this might be only 1957 Saratoga to come here, we checked for price comparisons with some leading United States auction sites and discovered plenty of people over there want one. Whoever invested in this Saratoga would for sure have been stacking the cash away.

Then: $20,000. Now: $65-80,000

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