Auction preview: Shannons 2019 Summer Classic Auction

The up-coming Shannons Melbourne Summer Classic Auction will showcase some quintessential classic cars so we’re highlighting the best of the lot.

The auction will begin on Monday February 18 at 7pm with viewings to take place on the Saturday and Sunday beforehand.

1996 Holden VSII Commodore 'BT1' 'HSV Enhanced'

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This is quite a unique vehicle to be featured at auction. The BT1 was an Aussie sleeper, originally built for exclusive use by the Queensland Police Service, but this one was never put to work.

To create the undercover cop car guise, Holden kept the original bodywork from a base model Commodore and dropped an HSV enhanced 185kW, 5.0-litre V8 into the engine bay. This example rocks a SLR5000 package which includes sporty yet subtle side skirts and a body spoiler kit.

Shannons has estimated its value between $12,000 and $18,000, but all it takes is to Holden collectors to show up to raise the price dramatically.

1981 Porsche 911SC

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A classic of the ‘80s sports car era, the 911SC (Super C) is an essential for any Porsche collector. The 1981 model featured a 3.0-litre, 152kW/238Nm naturally-aspirated flat-six. While this version is not as spotless as others in the Shannon’s collection, it does feature a neat sunroof and brown leather seats.

It is a relative bargain (to other 911 values) with an estimate sale price of $45,000 to $55,000.

1988 Holden VL Commodore Berlina 'Turbo'

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Holden made a significant number of VLs back in the day: 151,801 to be exact. The engine of choice for non-V8s of this generation was the famous Nissan RB30 straight-six with a turbo bolted on the side, like this example. The motor made 150kW/296Nm.

Although having had four owners since new, this VL has been cared for surprisingly well, unlike some other examples. It is coated in an Asteroid Silver paint job and sports 15-inch police pursuit wheels. For the very low estimated price of $18,000 to $24,000, this car could be a steal.

2009 HSV W427

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One of the all-time great HSVs and at one point the most powerful production HSV ever, the E Series W427 produced a tyre-shredding 375kW/640Nm from a 7.0–litre V8.

It guzzled fuel like a young kid goes through cordial and weighed over 1800kg but the W427 turned heads wherever it went. Only the most recent generation GTS-R W1 has bested this beast to the top of the podium. This one is estimated to sell at around $80,000 to $90,000 but could definitely go for much higher.

1980 Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0

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The Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0 was regarded as a stylish car for Italian automotive connoisseurs when it was first released and remains respected today. This example is not the super-cool GTV6 but instead a 2.0-litre four cylinder which, when new, made 96kW and 178Nm.

A current-gen 2019 Corolla Ascent Sport may very well be faster to 100km/h but doesn’t quite contain the same levels of suave and Italian finesse. Despite having done around 70,000km, this one will set you back between $5000 and $8000 according to Shannons, which is a complete bargain even when considering its condition.

2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK32 AMG

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Although most Merc fans know more about the SLK55 AMG, the earlier SLK32 was a ripper of a car in its own right, featuring a 3.2-litre supercharged V6 with 260kW/450Nm. The engine housed twin air intakes which only bettered the already glorious six-cylinder engine note.

Shannons says only 28 examples of this car were sold in Australia so this particular example at auction is one rare car. It is in great condition and currently has just over 100,000kms on the odometer. It is listed with Shannons at the $20,000 to $25,000 mark.

1969 Holden HT Monaro GTS 350

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One of the great Australian coupes, the HT Monaro GTS 350 would have been a perfect Mad Max car to give those strange biker baddies something to run from. The GTS 350 had a 5.7-litre Chevy V8 which made 224kW (a lot for the time).

This example has had just two owners in the past 48 years and been meticulously looked after. It features a two-speed automatic transmission and non-standard quad exhaust tips. For this reason it has been listed with an estimated value of $160,000 to $180,000.

1985 Mazda RX-7 Series 3

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There are few exhaust sounds in history as iconic as the Wankel rotary engine found in the Mazda RX cars. The RX7’s original FB shape (like this example) is definitely not the most favoured shape in the model’s history but, nonetheless, it’s a little Japanese pocket rocket.

This model contains the 12A 1.2-litre rotary engine with a modest 120kW/226Nm. Not super fast by today’s standards but still a great car to own either as a weekender or a track toy - a very affordable performance coupe priced between $15,000 and $20,000 by Shannons.

1990 Toyota MR2 'Targa'

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The MR2 is Toyota’s only production car to date which has featured a mid-engine layout. This second-generation W20 model featured a 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated twin cam four pot producing a reasonable 123kW/191Nm. A turbocharged version was also offered but unfortunately this Shannons example is N/A.

This black MR2 to be sold by Shannons has the classic Targa-style removable roof and has travelled just 55,000km. It has had one owner from new. Estimated between $12,000 and $16,000, it’s certainly an affordable sports car!

1985 BMW M635CSi

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If elegance is your thing, the M635CSi is the car for you. The M635CSi featured a 210kW/340Nm, DOHC straight-six engine. Only 4088 of these were made, making the CSi a definitive collector’s piece.

The car has Bosch fuel injection, a ZF limited-slip differential and a five-speed manual. The estimated price of this example ($70,000 to $80,000) is reasonable considering its rare stature.