Unique Cars For Sale with keywords: 1955

Details: Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1973 De Tomaso Pantera. This particular example was sold new into the USA and is understood to have spent its early years in Pennsylvania. There is still a Pennsylvania registration sticker that states it is void after Jan 31, 1977, on the front windscreen. This car is incredibly original and it retains its original American compliance plate (which is dated 1/73) in the drivers door jamb, its original ID plate (which has the engine number stamped on it) and body service number tag (both under the front bonnet), the chassis number plate on the top of the dash and even the engine number tag (used for ordering parts) in the engine bay. The engine number stamped on the ID plate matches that stamped on the engine number tag and what is stamped on the block, confirming this to be a matching numbers car. The car found its way to Europe in 1977 and there is a copy of its Dutch registration on file. This shows that it was first registered in the Netherlands on 24th November 1977 with the registration 52-TR-44. Its Dutch history is not known, other than there is a document on file with a change of particulars dated 2nd November 1989 on file. The name on that document is Mr A.H.P Oostveen, who lived in Brasschaat, Belgium at the time. The current owner acquired the car in 1999 from a dealer who was selling the car on behalf of Mr Oostveen and subsequently imported it into Australia. There is an import approval on file for the car dated 15th December 1999. The current owner recalls picking up the car from a private garage in central Amsterdam and driving it along the canals and then south to Rotterdam to have it shipped to Australia. He was told that Mr Oostveen was the second owner of the car, making this De Tomaso Pantera a three owner car. The car arrived into Australia in early 2000, joining an extensive and eclectic collection. It was essentially kept as part of a static collection and never registered or driven in anger on the roads in Australia. This car is a somewhat of a time capsule. The odometer currently reads 31,888 miles and it is understood to be genuine. Today this De Tomaso Pantera presents very well, for an essentially original car. The paint on the car is in good condition, though there is evidence that it has had a blow over at some stage. It is not known when exactly that was done but it was done prior to the current owner acquiring the car. The underside of the car has been painted with Tectyl, which is a rust preventer. This has been sprayed literally everywhere! There is a Dutch Tectyl sticker on the left rear quarter glass, which confirms this was done during the time the car spent in the Netherlands. The panel gaps are generally very good, though as you will see from the photos the right hand side headlight pod needs to be adjusted. The glass appears to be all original. Every window has the correct Sicursiv Climaglass etching. The presentation of the external trim is consistent with paint work. It is generally in good condition for a car of this age. The chrome is presentable, the lights and lenses are clear with no cracks and the rubber bumpers are presentable. There are two small holes in the front bumper, most likely from where a number plate was fitted at some stage. The trademark De Tomaso Campagnolo wheels are the correct type and present pretty well. They are shod with Goodyear NCT VR60 tyres, size 235/60 VR15 at the rear and 205/60 VR15 at the front. The tyres are old and will need to be replaced. The interior is most likely original and it still presents really well. The seats are firm and still provide ample support. The bottom section of the drivers seat is showing some wear on the right side, most likely from the seat belt. There is also a small mark on the bottom section of the passenger seat and a small tear in the underside of the arm rest on the passenger door. The door cards are similarly well presented. The same can be said for the carpets, which are are clean and in good condition. The dashboard and centre console are in excellent condition and present with no cracks. All the instruments are clean and present well. The switches appear to be original and the symbols on them are clear. The car is fitted with a period correct Blaupunkt radio. Under the front bonnet everything looks to be original and correct, though the compartment could do with a tidy up. The space saver spare wheel, which has never been used, is present as well as what looks to be the original Ford tyre inflator canister, a jack kit and tool roll. Under the rear lid the engine bay cover is present with the carpet showing some wear. Once removed you see the stonking 351 cubic inch Ford Cleveland V8 engine. The engine itself could do with a clean. This car has not been driven on the road since it was imported into Australia and it will require recommissioning. The engine turns over easily and should be relatively straight forward to recommission. Accompanying the car is an owners manual, an Australian import approval, a copy of the Dutch registration, an original spare wheel, a jack, an original Ford tyre inflator canister and a tool role, though most of the tools are missing. We envisage that this car can be reasonably easily recommissioned, then used and enjoyed as a very original car. Price $169,950 Background: Born on 10th July 1928 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alejandro De Tomaso grew up among a family known to be quite politically influential and very wealthy. From an early age racing and race cars had been a real passion for De Tomaso. In 1945 he drove his first race in a modified Bugatti Type 35. In 1954 he was offered the opportunity to race for Maserati in the 1,000 km race of Buenos Aires and returned to win that race in 1955 a Maserati A6GCS. That same year De Tomaso moved to Italy and started working for OSCA in Bologna as a test driver. In the meantime, he kept racing. In 1957 he won the 1,500cc class at the Buenos Aires 1,000 km race driving a new OSCA. In 1958 he drove an OSCA with a 750cc engine at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished a very credible 11th overall, averaging over 140km/h. In 1958 De Tomaso built his first car. It featured the 750cc OSCA engine mounted in front of the rear axle, quite an unusual design for that time. Unfortunately, the car never raced as the Maserati bothers, who owned OSCA, forbid him to use the engine. In 1959 De Tomaso moved to Modena and built his second car, an F2 race car, again which an OSCA engine which this time he was allowed to use. The car made its debut at Sebring in 1959. The car was called Isis after his wife. Unfortunately, mechanical issues forced the car to retire from the race. After many more adventures and attempts to produce various race cars, De Tomaso introduced their first production car in 1965, a two seater coupe named Vallelunga. The car remained in production until 1967 and 59 examples were built including the prototype. In 1966 De Tomaso opened a new factory which allowed him to follow his dreams and expand production of his cars. In 1967 the De Tomaso Mangusta was introduced. The stunning Mangusta, which was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro whilst working for Ghia, remained in production through until 1971 and 401 examples were produced. In 1967 De Tomaso acquired Carrozzeria Ghia and 1969 he acquired Carrozzeria Vignale. These acquisitions were not financially successful, however, they did provide an introduction to Henry Ford II, which ultimately had a big impact on his future. The Ford Motor Company subsequently took a controlling stake in De Tomaso as well as Ghia and Vignale. This relationship led to one of the worlds most iconic sports cars being developed the legendary De Tomaso Pantera. Designed by Carrozzeria Ghias American born Tom Tjaarda, the Pantera was built with the American market in mind. De Tomaso had the rights to sell the Pantera, except in North America, where Ford sold the car through their Lincoln-Mercury dealers. The Pantera was a huge success, with more than 7,000 cars built before production ceased in 1992. Models included the standard Pantera, Pantera L (for the US market), Pantera GTS, Pantera GT5, Pantera GT5S and Pantera 90 Si.

Details: Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale a 1955 factory right hand drive Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) split screen 23 window De Luxe Microbus, otherwise known as a Samba or Kombi. The Zertifikat on file from Stiftung Automuseum Volkswagen dated 1st September 2011 confirms this is a factory right hand drive model 244 VW De Luxe Microbus. It was built on 11th March 1955 and left the factory on 18th March 1955. It was delivered to Volkswagen dealer Kemsley in London, UK. The certificate also tells us it was delivered with the following options: sealed-beam headlamps (M011), towing hooks front and rear (M029), Westfalia camping equipment (M108) and Safari windscreens (M113). At some stage this Kombi found its way to Australia. It is not known exactly when it was imported, but the Department of Transport has confirmed this must have been prior to 1989. There are receipts on file from the early 1990s indicating its then owner initially lived in Seymour, Victoria before moving to Brisbane mid 1990s. The car was sold in 2001 to its next Brisbane based owner. The current owner, who is also Brisbane based, acquired the car in October 2004. At that time it was painted in green and white. The odometer read 13, 354 miles. The car was used and enjoyed through until 2010, at which time its owner decided to return his Kombi back to its former glory. He enlisted the services of Das Resto Haus on the Gold Coast for the restoration. The owner wanted to return the car to its original colour scheme of Chestnut Brown (Code: L73) over Sealing Wax Red (Code: L53). The owner opted to make some upgrades to the Kombi to make it a more usable classic. The engine was replaced with a new 1, 654 cc engine of the correct type. The rear suspension was upgraded to an independent rear suspension setup and the original drum brakes were replaced with disc brakes. All the body work was completed around June 2012 after which the Kombi was repainted. The interior was retrimmed in correct light brown vinyl. The owner also managed to find the very rare foldable left seat to complete the interior. There is a thick file of invoices on file documenting most of the work done. It has now been just over 10 years since this Kombi was restored, however, it has been well cared for and today it still presents very well. From a meter away the paint work looks magnificent, however, when you get closer to the car you will notice some orange peel in the paint. This is mainly below the swage line and most noticeable on the drivers side of the car. There are no significant stone chips or other imperfections. All the panel gaps are very good. The external trim is minimalistic, but presents well. The glass (of which there is plenty!) is in good condition and, with the exception of the two front windows, appears to be all original. The steel wheels are shod with Coker Classic tyres, size 165R15, date stamped 2313 (week 23, 2013). They appear to have hardly been used but probably should be replaced based on age if one would consider doing some serious driving. A cool detail on these early Kombis are the semaphores. They are operational, however, for safety the current owner has installed additional indicators which are discretely positioned underneath the bumpers front and rear. Open the door and it immediately becomes obvious that this Kombi has been sparingly used since it was restored. Everything still presents like it would have done 10 years ago and there is hardly any sign of usage. The front seats present well and provide ample support. The back seats present equally well and it appears as if they have never been used. The carpets are in excellent condition. All the instruments in the dashboard present well and appear to be in good working order. There is an aftermarket RetroSound radio fitted. After getting comfortable behind the steering wheel, we make ourselves familiar with the very basic controls in preparation for our test drive. The car starts easily even from cold and quickly settles into a smooth idle with that familiar Volkswagen sound from its air-cooled engine. There is something about this car, it is just cool and we are genuinely excited to see how it performs on the open road. After allowing the engine to warm up, we move the gear lever to select first gear and off we go. For someone not familiar with a Kombi, the driving position takes a little bit of getting used to as you are basically sitting on top of the front wheels! As a result, driving around a corner feels a little bit weird initially. You get the feeling you are turning too late to make the corner, yet you do so easily. This Kombi just wants to go! The engine revs freely and there is enough power on tap to easily keep up with modern day traffic. The gearbox is smooth both up and down the box. The upgraded brakes stop the car quickly and in a straight line when required. With the 23 windows it is needless to say the visibility is good all around. It also makes the Kombi feel spacious and bigger than it actually is. Today the odometer reads 65, 631 miles. In recent years these Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) split screen 23 window De Luxe Microbus (otherwise known as Sambas or Kombis) have become highly collectable. These early cars are extremely rare and the ones to have, particularly in right hand drive. This particular example ticks a lot of boxes and can be used and enjoyed as is or taken to the next level by rectifying the paint issues. This Kombi would be a perfect beach house car and would turn plenty of heads at any cars and coffee! The Volkswagen club scene is very active in Australia and this Kombi would definitely be a welcome sight at any of their events Highlights: - Factory right hand drive early 23 window Microbus - Original colour combination - Sympathetically upgraded - Ready to use and enjoy or take it up to the next level. Price $229,950 Background: In the early 1930s cars were a luxury. Most Germans could afford nothing more elaborate than a motorcycle. Only one German out of 50 owned a car. Seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent peoples car projects, such as the Mercedes 170H, Adler Autobahn, Steyr 55, and Hanomag 1. 3L. The trend was not new. Béla Barényi, an Austro-Hungarian engineer is credited with having conceived the first basic design in the mid-1920s. In Germany, Hanomag produced the 2/ 10PS Kommisbrot a small, cheap, rear-engined car from 1925 1928 and Czechoslovakia produced the popular Tatra 7. Ferdinand Porsche had been trying for years to get a manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family. He built a car named the Volksauto from the ground up in 1933, using many popular ideas and several of his own. Key features of the car were an air-cooled rear engine, torsion bar suspension, and a beetle shape with the front hood rounded for better aerodynamics (necessary as it had a small engine). In 1934 Adolf Hitler became involved. He ordered the production of a basic vehicle that needed to be able to transport 2 adults and 3 children at 100km/ h. He wanted all Germans to have access to a car. The peoples car would be available at 990 Reichsmark. A special savings plan was introduced. A person could save 5 Reichsmark a week to realise their dream of owning their own car. Over 300, 000 people participated in this savings plan, however, the whole project was financially unsound. No private industry was able to meet the requirements and produce a car that could be sold for 990 Reichsmark. On the 28th May 1937 the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens GmbH (Company for the Preparation of the German Volkswagen Ltd) was formally established by the German Labour Front and in 1938 the first prototypes of the KdF-Wagen (Kraft durch Freude) started to appear. On 16th September 1938 the company was renamed Volkswagenwerk GmbH and the company built its main plant in KdF-Stadt which later became Wolfsburg. The outbreak of the Second World War and integration into the arms industry prevented mass production of the Volkswagen peoples car. Instead, military vehicles and other armaments were produced using forced labour. In April 1945, KdF-Stadt and its heavily bombed factory were captured by the Americans, and subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell. The factories were placed under the control of Saddleworth born British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst, by then a civilian Military Governor with the occupying forces. One of the factorys wartime KdF-Wagen cars had been taken to the factory for repairs and abandoned there. Hirst had it repainted green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, in September 1945, the British Army was persuaded to place a vital order for 20, 000 cars. The rest as they say is history. The Volkswagen or VW Beetle was born. In 1946 Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon visited the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg with the intention to purchase Beetles for import into the Netherlands. During this visit he saw an improvised vehicle based on the Beetle chassis being used to transport materials around the factory, a Plattenwagen. That made him think and he came up with a sketch of what became the Type 2 Volkswagen. That sketch, dated 23 April 1947, can today be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Volkswagen liked the idea, however; the Volkswagen factory was at capacity producing Beetles. Eventually, the Type 2 was approved for production on 19th May 1949 and the first example rolled off the production line on 12th November 1949. The rest as they say is history. The Volkswagen Bus, otherwise known as Microbus, Transporter, Samba or Kombi depending on the body style and market, became very popular all around the world and is still produced today.

Details: Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this lovely factory right hand drive 1968 Triumph TR5 PI. The Heritage Certificate on file confirms this car was built on the 14th March 1968 with a date of despatch of the 29th March 1968. The car was sold through Lambs Limited, Woodford Green, UK. The car was delivered to its first owner with the following options fitted: heater, wire wheels, Jasmine hard top and 165x15 SP41 tyres. The Heritage Certificate confirms that this car was originally delivered in jasmine (primrose yellow) with black upholstery. It also confirms the car retains its original engine. The early history of this car is not known but it must have come to Australia fairly early in its life. The documentation on file confirms this TR5 to be a long term Perth car. The history file starts in 1986 when on the 1st April 1986 Edward Podolski acquired the car from Lynda Kostera. At that time the car was registered as 6LW967. Podolski only kept the car for a few months before selling it on the 13th October 1986 to Richard Lindsay, The car was then sold through Alf Barbagallo Motoring Excellence in Osborne Park to Ian Barrett on the 29th December 1990. Barrett was to be a long term custodian of this TR5 and he kept it for the next 25 years. At the end of 2001 he engaged Motormend - The Triumph Centre in Perth to repaint the car. In 2004 Motormend replaced the original gearbox with a 5-speed Toyota Supra gearbox. At the same time the starter motor was overhauled. When all this work was done the odometer read 02,867 miles. Barrett sold his beloved TR5 in January 2016 to Barry Ogston from Rockingham. In June 2016 he had Motormend install a surrey top. In February 2017 he had a custom stainless steel exhaust system installed and in March 2018 he had the seats rebuilt and retrimmed in leather. The current owner, who lives in northern NSW near Newcastle, acquired the car from Barrett in July 2020. In his ownership the engine has been completely rebuilt in December 2023 by British car specialists Moxham Garage in Wyong, NSW. At that time the engine bay was also repainted. Incredibly, it has been 23 years since this car was repainted and in that time the car has travelled some 25,000 miles. Today the paint on this TR5 presents exceptionally well, which is credit to the quality of the repaint carried out all those years ago. It has retained a strong depth of colour and a smooth, deep gloss finish. On closer inspection there are a few minor defects here and there, but the overall condition belies the fact this car was repainted many years ago. The bright work is generally in a good condition. The bumpers, grill and the headlight surrounds present well. The indicator surrounds, the badges and the door handles show some very minor pitting. The chrome wire wheels are in excellent condition with no curb rash. They are shod with Maxxis 185/65/15 tyres all around, which are date stamped 4508 (week 45, 2008). Whilst the tyres are still in good condition, they should probably be replaced based on age. From the photos it looks like the car is running white wall tyres, but it is not. The wheels actually have a white ring fitted, which gives the appearance of white wall tyres. Open the door and you are welcomed by a fresh, really smart interior. The seats, which have been retrimmed some 6 years ago, present well and there are no rips or tears in the leather. The dashboard presents well and the instruments are all clear and appear to be in good working order, with the exception of the speedo which is not accurate. It most likely has not been recalibrated when the 5-speed gearbox was installed. There is, however, a digital speedo with a heads up display installed on top of the dashboard which looks to read correctly. The car is fitted with aftermarket steering wheel, which is slightly smaller in diameter than the original. This is in excellent condition, looks great and feels just right when driving the car. Behind the seats youll find a carpeted storage area with two after market speakers. Throughout the cabin all the carpets are in good condition. The same can be said for the door cards. Under the bonnet everything looks neat, clean and tidy which is no surprise given the recent engine rebuild and engine bay repaint. In the boot everything is also similarly presented. There is a spare chrome wire wheel which is also shod with a Maxxis 185/65/15 tyre. Theres no doubt this TR5 is a goodn! It presents beautifully and after a recent test drive we can confirm that it also drives really well. The car starts easily, even from cold and only requires a little bit of choke to start. The engine quickly settles into a smooth idle. That raspy exhaust note is just right, which just teases the driver to get moving! We were curious to see how well the five-speed gearbox would suit the car and we were not disappointed. In short, it is fabulous and improves the drivability of the car. The gear changes are easy and really smooth. The engine has plenty of power on tap and just the car just wants to go. It accelerates quickly throughout the gears and all too easily you are well and truly exceeding the speed limit! At the same time the car feels very solid and predictable on the road. The suspension is firm, yet it easily absorbs minor bumps in the road. When needed the brakes pull the car up easily and in a straight line. The current owner has ticked a bucket list and thoroughly enjoyed his time with this quintessential British sports car. Over the years we have sold quite a few TR5s and none drive any better than this car. It is one of those cars that you can just jump in to use and enjoy. You wont win the concours, but this TR5 is beautifully presented and drives every bit as good as it looks. Accompanying the car is spare wheel, a Heritage Certificate and a very good history file. Today the odometer reads 27,087 miles. Highlights: - A well presented example of a quintessential British sports car. - A fabulous driving car. - Upgraded with Toyota Supra 5-speed gearbox. - Matching numbers engine and chassis - Recent engine rebuild. - Ready to be used and enjoyed. Price $109,950. Background: In 1885 Siegfried Bettmann, a German living in London, founded S. Bettmann & Co and started importing bicycles from Europe. Initially, he was selling them under his own trade name, however, in 1886 the name changed to Triumph. In 1897 the company was renamed as the Triumph Cycle Co Ltd and in 1902 the company started producing motor cycles at their factory in Coventry. Business was booming, thanks to big orders from the British Army which needed motor cycles during the First World War and by 1918 Triumph had become Britains largest manufacturer of motor cycles. In 1921 Bettmann acquired the assets of the defunct Dawson Car Company and started producing cars. The first car to wear the Triumph name was the Triumph 10/20. This car and its immediate successors were only produced in small numbers, however, that all changed with the introduction of the Triumph Super 7 in 1927. This car was a success and it was sold in large numbers through until 1934. In 1930 the name of the company was officially changed to the Triumph Motor Company. Times were tough and Triumph was struggling to compete with larger car companies. The company started having financial problems and in 1936 the bicycle and motorcycle business were sold to Jack Sangster of Arial. In 1939 the Triumph Motor Company went into receivership and the factory, equipment and goodwill were offered for sale. They were sold, but the Second World War stopped production and the Triumph factory was completely destroyed by bombing in 1940. After the Second World War, what was left of the Triumph Motor Company and the trade name were purchased by the Standard Motor Company. In 1946 the first new Triumph, the 1800 Roadster, was released to directly compete with Jaguar. In 1950 the company decided to use the Triumph name for all sports models and the Standard name for saloon cars. History now says that this was a strategically brilliant move as it signalled the birth of the Triumph TR series cars. The TR series Triumphs stand as iconic British sports cars that are well known and loved by enthusiasts all over the world. It started back in 1952 when the Triumph 20TS, a prototype sports car which later became known as the TR1, was shown at the London Motor Show. Reactions were mixed, however, Triumph thought they were on to a good thing and the prototype evolved into the TR2 that was subsequently shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953. Triumph built over 8,500 of these 1991cc 4 cylinder sports cars from 1953 - 1955 and as they say the rest was history. The model evolved into the TR3 (produced from 1955 - 1962), the TR4 (built from 1961 - 1965), the TR4A (built from 1965 - 1967), the TR5 (built from 1967 - 1968) and ultimately the TR6 (1969 - 1976). Subsequent TR models were interesting cars, but its fair to say the evolution of the TR2 finished at the TR6. Perhaps the most interesting and certainly the rarest of all of the TR production cars is the TR5 with only 2,947 cars built. The most significant change from the TR4 was the introduction of a 6-cylinder 2.5 litre fuel injected engine that boasted an impressive 150 bhp that could propel the car from 0 50 mph (80 km/hr) in just over six seconds and a top speed of just under 120 mph (200 km/hr). Today the TR5 remains the most sought after and collectible of the TR series cars.

IMPROVED 100/4, MELBOURNE DELIVERED This 1954 BN1 was Delivered New in Melbourne by Monaro Motors to David Dunn of Brighton, on 6th of May 1955. Presenting well in the Classic Duo-Tone of Blue/White with 72 Spoke Chrome Wire Wheels, the Interior has been finished in Dark Blue Leather, with modified, Deeper Seats featuring 100S Vented backs, providing Greater Support, while a Moto-Lita Wood-Rimmed Steering Wheel sits handsomely In Front of You. The Weather Equipment includes a Tonneau Cover, Soft Top Hood and Side Screens in Quality Dark Blue Fabric, with the Hood Frame having been Modified to make the Entire Hood Assembly Easily Removable, allowing Far Superior Comfort in the Cockpit.

A BRITISH RACING GREEN 100 MPH CLASSIC This Former Multiple Concours Winning Dark British Racing Green BN2, Presents Exceptionally Well, having Previously been the Subject of a Full and Comprehensive Healey Factory Restoration, Finished in the Mid 90's.