Shannons Sydney Classic Auction - October 2009
A very original 1960 model Porsche 356B Super 90 coupe requiring some refurbishment was the top priced vehicle of Shannons Spring Classic Auction in Sydney on October 12, selling for $67,000 - well above its pre-auction high estimate of $48,000.
The unmolested Porsche, which had been in the hands of the same owner since 1964, was pursued by a number of floor and telephone bidders from around Australia, many attracted by its prized factory fitted Rudge knock-off wheels and fitted leather suitcase.
Similar to the United States, where no reserve vehicles play a major role in many auctions, the concept demonstrated its effectiveness at Shannons October sale, where the value of interesting classics was accelerated by demand from cashed-up buyers.
Stand-out examples were a 1966 Plymouth Sport Fury 'project' coupe with a damaged engine that attracted numerous bidders before finally selling for $25,000 - $10,000 above its pre-auction high estimate - while a 1986 BMW M6 Coupe with 5-speed Getrag manual gearbox also punched above its weight when it sold for $25,500.
Other excellent unreserved results were $14,000 for a 1968 Daimler 250 V8 Saloon, $10,000 for a left hand drive 1962 Pontiac Tempest Convertible, $13,500 for a 1959 Jaguar Mk 2 3.8 Automatic Saloon with chrome wire wheels, while a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette body turned into a theatre prop went for $4,500.
Muscle cars also performed well, with $60,000 paid after the hammer for a Brittany Blue 1967 right hand drive Ford Mustang Fastback converted into a tarmac rally car, while an immaculate matching-numbers
Papaya Orange 1976 Holden LX Torana SS 5.0 Hatchback that had covered just 200km since a comprehensive restoration, sold for $57,500. Amongst the other lots, a 1997 Jaguar XJ8 3.2 saloon sold for $18,000, a very original 1958 MGA 1600 Mk I Roadster made an excellent $18,500 and a left hand drive 1971 GMC 1500 Custom Pick-Up brought $20,000.
Amongst the motorcycles in the sale, the best result was a 1991 Harley Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail with just 8,881km on its odometer that went for $14,000.
