Aussie muscle at Shannons Melbourne Spring auction

While the names were iconic, the lots on offer were arguably not amongst the blue riband versions of collectable Aussie muscle cars, hence the apparent low prices. Top seller amongst the group was a 1969 Holden HK Monaro, which made $30,000.

In largely original condition, what prevented this dark blue HK from achieving a higher price was its 186/auto engine and trans combination. In GTS spec with a V8 and manual, there's little doubt this Monaro would have attracted a higher price. The Monaro's interior was original, right down to the splits in the Light Teal vinyl seats, while the engine bay was complete, but rough and age worn.

While in significantly better condition overall than the HK, a '74 HQ GTS Monaro could only muster $25,500. This was due in part to the non-original Barbados Green colour and the fact it was a sedan, not a coupe. Despite this, the overall finish of the 253 V8, 4-speed manual HQ was hard to fault, with a very clean engine bay, boot and interior.

Close behind this was a 1978 HZ Sandman ute, which sold for $24,000. Again, the fact this example was a ute, not the more desirable panel van, goes some way to explaining its price, despite the rare 5.0-litre V8 and 4-speed manual transmission.

Finally, a 1978 Chrysler CL Charger 770 in Crystal Turquoise with Parchment vinyl and Boca Raton fabric-trimmed seats made $17,000. The Charger had the cleanest interior of the lot, but again, as this one wasn't one of the more desirable R/T models, it sold for a more modest price.

Of the other Aussie performance vehicles consigned for this auction, an HDT VL SS sedan failed to meet its reserve, while an HJ Monaro GTS sedan and HDT VC Commodore were withdrawn prior to the auction.

For more details on these and other lots from Shannons Melbourne Spring Classic Auction, go to www.shannons.com.au.