1977 Holden Torana A9X GMP&A with 475kms up for grabs

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 25.08.2018

Available via Pickles Auction house in WA – the car is expected to fetch up to $500,000

The Perth branch of Pickles Auction House is offering an incredibly rare 1977 Holden Torana A9X GMP&A via online auction.

The car was originally prepared for racing use by Peter Malloy of Pat Burke Racing in Syndey, though the car never saw the starting grid, eventually becoming part of the Modena Collection with the odo left at just 475kms.

Online bidding opened last Thursday – August 23 – with the auction set to end on Sunday, September 2.

In just one day, at the time of writing, the bidding currently stands at $160,050, with the ultimate selling price expected to reach up to $500,000.

The Torana A9X is one of the most celebrated Australian motoring icons made famous by back-to-back wins at Bathurst in 1978 and 1979.

Just 33 shells were produced for race teams in 1977; with the chassis double seam welded, all painted white – and sold exclusively to race teams through GM’s parts division, General Motors Parts & Accessories. Like all other 32 cars, this GMP&A bears lighter gauge steel within the chassis shell – as well as lighter hinges and bumpers and rear hatch glass that is 1mm thinner.

Other homologation features such as bumper over-riders, radio and spray-on sound deadening were absent on these cars, causing CAMS to investigate them in 1977, with Holden responding by threatening to withdraw from racing.

The owner describes this car "as new" and "as tight as a drum", with Pickles stating that "a more original example than this is hardly likely to exist".

The car has covered just 475kms and has never been road registered. The current owner reportedly starts the car regularly, and has been fastidious in its maintenance.

Normal A9Xs are highly desirable and incredibly collectible, with one A9X hatch fetching $260,000 at Lloyds on January 28 in 2017. The first A9X off the production line similarly sold at Lloyds in March for a record-setting $365,000.

A Torana  A9X GMP&A sold at Lloyds in June this year, for a whopping $500,000 though had just 14kms after being found in a bricked up garage.

With these cars getting rarer and rarer, and demand seemingly unending, we will be watching with keen eyes as to how far the bids go on this rare car. We’ll report back after the auction closes with the final results. Stay tuned.

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