Top picks from Shannons’ upcoming online auction

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 07.05.2020

Some real opportunity for some great value buys in Shannons' upcoming auction

These unprecedented times have forced many auction houses to take up unprecedented measures.

Shannons’, for the first time, are holding an online auction with bidding open for two weeks, commencing May 20.

They are combining their Melbourne and Sydney events, with a massive online offering of over 100 lots up for grabs. There are cars, motorcycles, numberplates and memorabilia, with surely something to appeal to everyone and every budget.

READ NEXT: SHANNONS AUTUMN CLASSICS 2020 ONLINE AUCTION - EDITOR'S PICKS

Editor Allen spoke about a few of the machines that caught his eye last week, but there’s a few more that I reckon are deserving of a mention.

You can view all available lots at Shannons.com.au, or read on for a few cars that I’ll be keeping my eye on.

Lot 82 – 1983 Mercedes-Benz 280CE  W123 Coupe

Guiding Range: $14,000-$18,000
Location: Melbourne

This extremely handsome W123 280CE would make for a near-perfect entry-level classic, coming to auction just two owners from new and having travelled 199,852kms since it was delivered to Three Point Motors in North Fitzroy Melbourne back in 1983.

A sweet-looking pillarless coupe with the fuel-injected twin-cam 2.8lt inline-six; the car is believed to be the only Obisidan Black example delivered to Victoria in 1983.

Its unusual colour combo, overall condition and extensive ownership history make for a compelling package within this price point; and may prove to be an astute purchase well into the future as classic Benz coupes continue to gain interest.

Lot 67 – 1960 Holden FB Utility

Guiding Range: $20,000-$25,000
Location: Sydney

Up for grabs with a similar pre-auction estimate, Guido spoke about a solid-looking HG Belmont panel van in his auction overview; cheap for a panel van project but this FB utility is truly a turn-key proposition.

READ NEXT: Holden FB-EK Buyer's Guide

Discovered in a rural shed after many years off the road, the current vendor of the FB ute purchased the car in 2017, and promptly embarked on a full restoration.

The car was rubbed back to bare metal, with complete rust removal and replacing parts where necessary. A new stainless steel fuel tank was made and fitted while the tray bed was lined with chequer plate. The old ute starts and runs well and is ready for the next owner to simply hop in and enjoy.

Lot 90 – 1972 Plymouth Barracuda 340 V8 Coupe

Guiding Range: $25,000-$30,000
Location: Melbourne

The E-body Barracuda is one of the most iconic 70s American muscle cars, and a rather rare sight on Australian roads.

US muscle cars have long been undervalued on the local market, especially in comparison to the Aussie stuff, but this looks to be plain good value.

This Barracude presents in its native left-hand drive configuration and is in great condition throughout. It’s specified in an unusual burnished gold metallic with period vinyl roof, factory sports wheels and black vinyl interior. It also sports factory options including front disc brakes, sports suspension and an 8.75-inch differential. A few aftermarket gauges represent the only deviation from factory.

The 340ci V8 and torqueflite auto should make for effortless cruising even in modern day traffic, and an extensive history folder accompanies the car.

In terms of road-presence per dollar, this one is hard to go past.

Lot 87 – 1984 Ferrari 400i Coupe

Guiding Range: $60,000-$70,000
Location: Sydney

This front-engined Ferrari was also made mention of in Guido’s Shannons preview, but I reckon it’s truly deserving of speaking about here. Given unlimited funds, this is what I’d be buying at Shannons’ online sale.

Originally a UK-delivery car, this factory right-hand drive Ferrari has all the right stuff, namely the fuel-injected quad-cam 5.0lt V12 under the bonnet.

With Pininfarina-penned lines and that Prancing Horse heart, it’s a bit of a wonder why this era of Ferrari’s front-engined GT car hasn’t quite hit the collector radar yet.

The Azzuro paintwork shows minor blemishes and the supple leather interior shows a wrinkle here and there; but overall your money should be safe with this one – especially as angular 80s designs increasingly find favour with the younger demographic entering the collecting hobby.

Of course, these are just a small selection of the many cars to speak of. You can view all available lots at Shannons.com.au

Bidding commences online on May 20, and closes on June 3.

Happy hunting!

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