AUSSIE CLASSICS ON OFFER AT BURNS & CO DECEMBER AUCTION

Burns & Co’s last Classic Car & Motorbike Auction for 2022 is going to be a big one, with 80 lots on offer, covering collectables and memorabilia, as well as some highly sought-after cars.

If you’re looking for an Aussie-made classic to add to your garage, there’s plenty to choose from at this auction, including Valiant sedans and Charger coupes, three HR Holdens, a Sandman replica panel van, an XY GT replica Falcon, a genuine XA Falcon GT coupe and a fully-restored HJ Monaro GTS coupe.

In total, there are 80 lots on offer, with pre-bidding open now, ahead of the auction that starts at 12 Noon on Sunday, 11 December.

Pre-auction inspections are available in the week leading up to the auction, from 9AM to 3PM each day, as well as Saturday 10 December (12 Noon to 4PM) and auction day, Sunday 11 December, (from 9AM) at Burns & Co’s Melbourne auction rooms at 4 Market Drive, Bayswater.

For more details on this auction, including bidding instructions and all terms and conditions, click HERE.

With more than 50 cars up for auction, there’s plenty to choose from, but here are a few highlights amongst the locally-made offerings.

1978 Ford XC Falcon 500 GS hardtop

A genuine C1970s Falcon with genuine competition history from the same period, this XC GS hardtop remains mostly untouched from its racing days, which included competing in the 1978 and 1979 Australian Touring Car Championships, as well as the 1978 and 1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst.

Owned by Garry Willmington for a long period and bearing Willmington Performance, Austral Hardware and De Angelo’s Tyres livery, this car was driven by Wilmington and Jeff Barnes at Bathurst in 1978. The pair qualified 23rd and finished the race in the same position, several laps down on the leaders. In 1979, Willmington shared the driving duties at Bathurst with John Wright, qualifying the car in 24th, but retiring after 95 laps.

One for classic Aussie hardtop enthusiasts as well as race fans, this XC hardtop has been returned to its 1978 Bathurst livery (which was only slightly different from 1979) and comes with a file of period and contemporary photos, as well as magazine articles and both CAMS and Motorsport Australia logbooks, so it’s ready to return to the track for historic competition.

For more details, click HERE.

2013 Holden VF Commodore SS Walkinshaw W310

If the 270kW and 530Nm from a factory VF Commodore SS wasn’t enough and your budget didn’t stretch to an HSV, Walkinshaw Performance had the answer with their W310 pack.

For a $6,495 fee in 2013, the W310 pack boosted outputs to 310kW and 580Nm (an improvement of approximately 20 per cent) through a remapped ECU, cold-air intake and the application of ceramic-coated headers and high-flow catalytic convertors as part of Walkinshaw’s own performance exhaust system.

The W310 upgrade, backed by a Walkinshaw Performance warranty covering parts and installation, was available for any V8-powered VF Holden, not just SS sedans, boosting outputs by a similar 20 per cent.

How many such cars received the W310 pack Is unknown, but as an aftermarket conversion from the waning days of Holden’s local manufacturing operations, it would have to be rare.

In addition to the W310 pack, this Commodore SS is notable for its ‘Fantale’ paint, which was one of three new colours introduced in 2013; Regal Peacock (green) and Prussian Steel (grey) being the others. Also available on the MY14 Cruze, Fantale was limited to certain grades of Commodore, being unavailable on Evoke, Calais, Calais V, Sportswagon or utes, making this car additionally rare. Fantale could not be had on the WN Caprice from the same era, either.

One of the feature listings in the Burns & Co. December auction, this car, with its rare Fantale paint and W310 upgrade, is described as being in excellent condition inside and out, with the desirable SS drivetrain of a 6.0-litre V8 and six-speed manual transmission. The car comes to auction with 19,633km on the odometer, with all books included.

For more details, click HERE.

1974 Chrysler Valiant VJ Regal

In the oh-so-70s shade of Walnut metallic and with its rear window venetian, this Valiant Regal looks like an untouched survivor, with the only clues otherwise being the polished Cragar alloys.

The factory option codes show this Regal was equipped with the single-barrel carb 245ci six (E28), column-shift auto transmission (D32), the ‘Protection Package’ of bodyside rub strips and bumper overriders (A74) and front door vent windows (G25) at the factory.

What restorative work – if any - has been done on this car outside is unknown, but the Walnut paint shows a few stone chips, so it could be original.

The interior appears to be original, too, with signs of wear on the doorcards, but the headlining and seats look exceptional, suggesting the latter may have been retrimmed.

Variations from stock spec inside include a SAAS steering wheel, Pioneer stereo head unit and auxiliary Speco gauges.

Under the bonnet, the 245 six has gained an aftermarket intake manifold, 2-barrel carby and compact Ram-Flo air cleaner as the obvious changes. Any further changes are unknown, but the overall appearance and abundance of new hoses suggests the engine has been reconditioned or possibly even replaced. Same goes for the radiator.

For Valiant purists, the original intake manifold, air cleaner, radiator fan and some other engine parts are included, along with an operator’s manual and the original two-spoke steering wheel.

As a subtler (and more affordable) option to a Charger, this mildly modified Regal sedan comes to auction having been on Victorian club registration (not transferable, sold unregistered), with an odometer reading of 96,60km. Burns & Co. say these classic Chryslers are growing in popularity by the day and this example would make an ideal club car or cruiser.

For more details, click HERE.

1971 Holden HQ One Tonner

Holden One Tonners were once popular subjects for modification and this example has been given the custom touch from nose to tail.

The VIN tag suggests this 12/71 built One Tonner left the factory in Glacier White with an Antique Saddle (light brown) vinyl interior – a combination the majority of these working vehicles would have been equipped with, although most other paint and trim options from the HQ Series were available.

When this ute received all its modifications is unknown, although the CenterLine Champ 500 wheels and some of the other styling touches suggest a ’90s transformation.

Externally, the changes include a full respray in bright red, a HQ Statesman front clip, GTS guards, pop-up sunroof and a custom-built tray with underslung toolboxes, tube sports-style bars, checkerplate accents and a deck trimmed in redwood timber.

Referring to the VIN tag again, it shows this One Tonner left the factory with either a 173 or 202 six, but it’s now running a 308 V8, which was a factory option when new but rarely fitted.

The V8 runs a modified camshaft, high-rise intake manifold and Holley carburettor, while the transmission has been upgraded to a modern Turbo 400 3-speed automatic, operated by a B&M shifter.

New springs and shocks have also been fitted and the front end reconditioned.

Inside, the factory bench seat has been replaced with Monaro-style buckets with cloth inserts, the doorcards have been retrimmed in grey and black velour (although period armrests are used), there’s a fully carpeted floor and aftermarket woodrim steering wheel. The dash is mostly stock, but some aftermarket gauges have been added.

One to put to work during the week as a business vehicle with a difference and to also enjoy on the weekend, this custom One Tonner shows 55,604km on the odometer at time of listing.

For more details, click HERE.

1973 Ford XA Fairmont

With so many Fairmonts cannibalised to make GT clones, it’s rare to find an example in stock condition inside, outside and mechanically, but this car is such an example.

Continuing a Ford Australia lineage with the Fairmont model name that dates back to 1965, the version on the all-new XA platform for 1972 continued to define the model as a step above the Falcon, offering more luxurious trim and more features as standard.

This 1973-built example runs a matching numbers 302 V8, matched to a three-speed Cruisomatic auto transmission, although the vendor believes the engine has been stroked to 351ci. The external appearance of the V8 backs this up, as it appears in better condition than the rest of the engine bay.

No other information on the drivetrain is available, nor the rest of the mechanical componentry, but the car is running Bathurst Globe alloys and appears to be sitting a little lower than standard.

A partial restoration saw new Copper Bronze paint applied and the Parchment vinyl roof replaced. The Parchment interior has been restored.

Although the original Super Fringe radio (one of the few options this car was ordered with when new) remains in place, a modern Pioneer sound system has been added.

It’s worth noting that the options – or lack of – that this Fairmont was ordered with make it unique in XA Fairmont sedan production.

A Ford verification letter and the original books are included in this Fairmont that Burns & Co. describe as an investment opportunity.

Fr more details, click HERE.

1977 Chrysler CL Charger 770

The Charger started with a blaze of glory in 1971 and would soon account for half of Chrysler’s new car sales, but by 1977, the “hot” 2-door hardtop market was cooling rapidly, with Ford, Holden and Chrysler looking to bring their respective models to an end.

For Chrysler, the last of the line was the CL Charger, introduced in October, 1976 and available until November, 1978. When the CL range as replaced with the CM series, the Charger did not carry over.

The four-headlight front end that defined the CL Chryslers against the previous VK Series was applied to the Chargers as well, but arguably didn’t suit the sporty 2-door as well as it did a sedan.

After being offered in multiple variants intially, the Charger was available only in ‘770’ trim for its final appearance on the market, although a limited-edition ‘Drifter’ model was also available, cashing on the similar panel van and ute.

Engine options were mostly carry over from the VK, although the base 215 six was dropped. The Hemi 245 was the new entry-level engine, with a Hemi 265 and 318 V8 (as fitted to this car) optional, matched to a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, with the former in three- or four-speed and the latter differing depending on the engine.

Finished in Crystal Turquoise, this 4/77 built Charger 770 was ordered with the 318 and three-speed automatic, as well as air conditioning and alloy road wheels amongst its options.

The car is said to have had a closed door respray in the past, with the paint remaining very presentable. Inside, it’s completely original, including the cream vinyl seats with distinctive patterned cloth inserts.

Described as running and driving, and on non-transferable Victorian club registration until recently, this hard-to-find late model Charger also comes with Victorian IWU-337 (display only) plates.

For more details, click HERE.