There was a buzz in the air at Shannons 14th Melbourne Motor Show Auction on March 9, with the crowd of around 800 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre drawn by a combination of good quality vehicles and the excellent investment opportunities they represented.
And with 65 per cent of all vehicles sold on the hammer and world prices achieved by the Veteran and Vintage lots on offer, there was proof that the market for quality classics remains buoyant for the right vehicles.
Two special Veterans to command strong international prices were a spectacular 1909 Wolseley Siddeley ‘Roi de Belge’ Tourer and a stately circa-1917 Rauch & Lang Electric Brougham.
The fully-restored, award-winning Wolseley, which was one of a number of vehicles from the former Marysville Museum Collection being auctioned, sold for $75,000 – a figure regarded as ‘on the money’ in International collector circles.
The Rauch & Lang Electric Brougham, which was in excellent operable order after a comprehensive mechanical restoration, also sold above its pre-auction high estimate, with its $76,000 sale price underlining both its condition and its increasing collectible value as one of America’s most successful early electric cars.
There was also considerable local interest in the stylish 1927 Packard 426 Roadster from the Marysville Museum Collection that was originally housed in one of the township’s few buildings left standing after the recent bushfires.
It sold for $36,000 unreserved after strong bidding, with the Collection’s owner – a Melbourne motoring enthusiast – immediately pledging $20,000 of the proceeds to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
Other vehicles from the former Museum Collection to sell strongly at the auction included a 1934 British Chevrolet Tray Truck that exceded pre-auction estimates when it sold for $26,500, a 1949 MG TC Special Roadster that went for $18,500, a 1949 Holden 48-215 sedan that sold unreserved for $7,000 and a 1915 Ford Model T ‘Board Runner that brought $4,500.
The top-selling vehicle in the auction was a documented and pristine 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback that sold to applause after a long and enthusiastic duel amongst four floor bidders for $142,000.
Also fiercely fought for was a 1969 Ford XW Fairmont sedan that was rebuilt into a stunning ‘GT Replica’ that attracted bids from around 15 floor and telephone bidders before finally selling for $36,000.
Other significant sales included the $87,000 paid for a 1997 Aston Martin DB7 coupe, $71,000 for a superbly-presented 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air Sports Sedan, $55,000 for a left hand drive 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback, $40,000 for both a 1947 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Park Ward Sedan and a 1965 Bentley S3 Saloon, $28,000 for an immaculate 1966 Jaguar Mk II 3.8 manual sedan and $22,000 for both a very original 1956 Mercedes-Benz 220S sedan that was offered for sale unreserved and a left hand drive 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood sedan.
Number plates and automotive memorabilia also sold well, with the Victorian black and white plate ‘276’ bring the top seller at $77,000, followed ‘312’ and 369′ that each brought $63,000.
The auction resulted in total sales of nearly $1.6 million.
Auction info www.shannons.com.au
