It’s the first Sunday in May and that means Classics By The Beach. For me, it was a significant Classics, too, because it’ll most likely be my last Classics I’ll visit for some time. Circumstances are changing and it’ll involve a move away from Hobart. More on that in another post, later on.
For now, though, I’ve got some cars for you to look at.
It’s not often a Ferrari Dino gets outshone at Classics, but I think we can say it happened today. The car of the month for May 2015 is one of the red ones across the way. It’s very, very rare and makes for a great story.
The car off to the left is an AC Ace. Don’t feel bad if you’re not familiar with them. I wasn’t either.
You’re probably familiar with the AC Cobra, however.
The big V8 engined Cobra was conceived by Carroll Shelby and an original AC Cobra is still the stuff of automotive dreams for many. Replicas are everywhere. Actually, I’d love to know how many replicas exist for each of the 998 original Cobras built in the 1960’s.
The AC Ace is the basis upon which the Cobra was built. Early Aces are particularly valuable as they may be eligible for entry into the Mille Miglia. This one was built a few years too late for Mille eligibility, but is still a very valuable item. It has a 2 litre, 6 cylinder Bristol engine that produces 120hp to push around its alloy body and tubular chassis.
The new owner has apparently been searching for one of these for nearly 15 years. And as sometimes happens in these vehicular missions, he ended up finding the car quite close to home. The long-term owner was the original AC importer for South Africa. He bought the car to Tasmania when he moved here 30 years ago.
This owner passed away some time ago and the car has been sitting under a cover in the family home ever since. The new owner only secured his prize recently and had it at Classics today for the first time.
Original AC Cobras routinely sell at auction for more than $1.5 million. One recently sold for $5.5 million!
The AC Ace doesn’t fetch as much as it’s more famous descendant, but it’s no slouch, either. A 1958 model sold by RM Auctions last year fetched $341,000.
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Lotus Esprit in silver – I love the angles on these early Esprits. There’s almost no change in angle from where the bonnet of the car meets the windscreen.
I’m also a big fan of two-spoke steering wheels.
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I hadn’t seen this Porsche 356 before but (to my untrained eye) it appeared to be finished to a very high standard indeed. A beautiful car.
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There was a good selection of Jaguar E-Types present today. This little group made for a nice little Italian tri-color effect.
Given the bonnets were open, it would have been rude to not take a closer look 🙂
Turns out we had both a six cylinder and a twelve cylinder on display. Excellent!
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The E30 BMW 318i below belongs to a friend of mine. He bought it at a bargain price as a project for he and his son to work on. It’ll be his son’s first car when he passes his licence.
They’ve done a stellar job of recommissioning the car, sourcing all the parts either locally or online and doing all the work at home. It’s got a new camshaft, new wheels, suspension and stereo system (and probably much more that I don’t know about).
I had the pleasure of driving the little Bimmer a week ago and it was fantastic fun. It was much more perky than I expected. The lads should be proud.
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This ‘stepnose’ Alfa Romeo Giulia GT is a Targa competitor. It was good to see it again, this time in daylight. It was a shame there weren’t more Targa cars present, actually. This Alfa and a Ferrari 360 (I think) were the only ones present.
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The rest of the photographed fleet from today includes a certain Porsche 928S that was sold later in the day. It’ll stay in my drive for just two more nights before heading about 15kms down the road.
Rain was the forecast but this morning saw beautiful conditions at Sandy Bay and the cars were shining at Classics By The Beach for April 2015.
Today was also Easter Sunday, so this ornament on an Alvis seemed quite appropriate.
We have a couple of ‘new’ cars this month and plenty of favourites that we’ve seen before.
Let’s take a look…..
Mini 2+2, engineered by Broadspeed
This was the car of the day, for me. I’d never even heard of a Broadspeed Mini before, let alone seen one. I’m glad I’ve seen one now. Magnificent!
The Broadspeed 2+2 was a Mini modified in the mid 1960’s by Broadspeed Engineering, a company started by a guy named Ralph Broad, in Birmingham. The body was modified using fibreglass panels in place of the original steel. The engine was also modified with Broadspeed’s own parts and 4 different levels of specification were offered. Only 28 original Broadspeeds were made. Another 4 were made in Australia using Australian-made Minis as a base. Two are believed to survive.
This example is a steel-bodied replica that the current owner has had for around 5 years. It has a 1300cc engine and it looked and sounded absolutely superb.
Mark this down as one that I’d like to take more photos of one day, when I’m less pressed for time and with better light.
This 1971 model’s fresh from an engine rebuild and is in remarkable original condition, in Olive Green Metallic.
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Studebaker Lark
Charm is the key and this Lark had it in spades. Big wide chromies, a sanded roof and plenty of patina made a lot of people smile when they saw this old Stude today.
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Porsche 550 Spyder
This Spyder’s a regular at Classics but I haven’t photographed it for a while. New velocity stacks were the reason for the engine cover being open so I figured it was time to shoot some photos again.
It always looks great.
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Ford F100
I’m not one given to loving old utes. For me, they’re more about being useful than being show vehicles. But it’s impossible to deny this F100 being worthy of some photos. It looked fantastic. Original LHD.
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Porsche 911 Flachbau
I don’t know if the slantnose 911 is a divisive design, but given the iconic status afforded the traditional 911, it probably should be.
I like it. I like it a lot, in fact.
The wing’s off one of Porsche’s later GT models.
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Ford Cortina GT
There was a nice trio of Cortinas attending today. Whilst both white cars were beautiful, this GT was the one that attracted my camera. They were accompanied by a red Cortina, which I didn’t take a close look at. I should have.
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The Rest
I always feel awkward posting these as “The Rest” but I simply don’t have time to photograph or write about every car in detail.
Note the racing Fiat, which made a late appearance and is owned by a mate of mine here in Hobart. He’s completed many a Targa Tasmania, including several in this car. He was also in my Viggen with me when I wrote it off 🙁
A very un-Tasmanian summer Saturday full of wind and wetness had people feeling cautious about bringing their precious metal out on Sunday. The weather cleared, however, with overcast skies but only the tiniest bit of drizzle for a few minutes. Classics was ON!
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Red vs Blue Maserati Ghibli SS
The car that stole the show this month was a beautiful Maserati Ghibli SS. I’ve shown this car before but this weekend saw a very special reason to photograph it anew.
This is how you’ve seen the car in previous instalments…..
Maserati Ghibli SS at Classics By The Beach, Hobart
The red looks very tidy, without a doubt.
But have a look at it now…..
The car’s undergone a recent and quite stunning restoration. The colour is called Ischia Blue and it’s the original colour the car had when it left the factory. A previous owner painted it red (hey, it’s Italian!) but I think you’ll agree that Ischia Blue lends the Maser an air of sophistication that suits it right down to the ground.
(if only we had the same sunny conditions for these photos as I had for the red one….)
The interior saw some re-trimming work, too.
I absolutely love 1960-70’s switchgear in classic black. Awesome stuff.
A few more details from this breathtaking car….
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BRG Jaguar 3.8 x2
Things were so busy around this Jaguar that I couldn’t get a full frontal shot all morning. Take a close look and you can see why. It’s absolutely superb. I hadn’t seen it at Classics before (that I know of) so I don’t know if it’s a newly finished car or just new to the area. I’m sure glad it was there, though.
Check out those exhaust headers, for starters…..
Inside was just as nice, with biscuit leather and polished timber everywhere.
Parked just across the way was another Mark 2 3.8 in British Racing Green. I would have loved to get some photos inside this one, too, but it was closed up and I wasn’t sure who the owner was. It had a black interior, though, so would have been a nice contrast to see.
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‘Viking’ Cortina
Same old story….. another interesting car that I didn’t get to talk to an owner about. I’d love to know the backstory on the “Los Vikingos” signage on the door.
Stripped out on the inside……
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Dodge Brothers
I’m guessing mid to late 1920’s……????
I love the horns:
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Ford Falcon XK
Ford wanted to build a family car for Australian conditions so they brought in an American car – the Falcon. This is an XK Falcon, which was launched here in 1960 and eventually became the stuff of legend here in Australia.
They still build Falcons today, but not for long. Production is due to end next year and may well finish sooner than that given the Falcon’s poor sales.
This restoration was finished around 6 months ago and it looks sublime. Kudos to the owner.
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Jaguar E Type
A work in progress……
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The rest
Hey, it may not be a bona-fide classic, but I took my Sprint down for the first time and had to get at least one photo (and having my mate Norman’s Alfa 145 there made the photo all the more worthwhile)
Future Classic?
Future Classic II?
If the number plate’s any indication, then this MGB’s as old as me. I’ve always wanted a car from the year of my birth. I’d prefer a Saab Sonett III but maybe one of these will have to do.
A magnificent Austin-Healey 100
Porsche 356 and Mazda MX-5
A beastly Jensen Interceptor
Mike’s winter car (in summer) – Volvo P1800
It’s always a pleasure to see a 308….
Triumph TR4….
A Pierce, which I know nothing about….
VW Kombi in tip-top shape, looking great with Porsche Fuchs wheels….
Will the BRZ be a future classic? Hmmmm….
MG in track trim….
Morris Minor, which looked cuter than a sack full of puppies as it was driving in 🙂
After a stinking hot Saturday, Hobart turned on its best conditions on Sunday – 21 degrees and sunny – for the first Classics By The Beach for 2015. And the people and cars turned up accordingly. It was a bumper field today, with many of the best regulars plus a fantastic gathering of ‘occasionals’ too.
As is the case every month, I have to apologise to a few for talking too much and not taking enough photos! I missed a few great cars today.
Cobra
I didn’t get to catch the owner of this car, but it was the first car to draw my eye this morning, for obvious reasons. If it’s the real deal (which I assume it is) then what you’re looking at is a 1978 XC Ford Falcon Cobra hardtop coupe. The Cobra was a special edition created to clear out the remaining 400 hardtop bodies that Ford had in stock prior to an all-new Falcon model being launched in 1979.
The concept was created by Henry Ford’s grandson, Edsel Ford II, who was working in Australia at the time. The cars also celebrated Ford’s dominant Bathurst win in 1977. The 400 cars were mixed in terms of mechanical specification – some had 302 engines and some had Ford’s famous 351. Some were autos and some were manuals. 30 of them were special homologation spec cars and these are now the holy grail of Cobras.
I know the Americans don’t rate their Ford Falcon that high, but the Falcon badge is part of the backbone of Australian motoring. The first Aussie Falcons were based on their American counterparts and all-Australian designs followed after that.
This Falcon’s a US model. I’m guessing it’s from the mid 1960’s, which makes this one dedicated owner given that there are Australian Falcons from this era available.
The matte-black won’t be to everyone’s tastes but I really liked it. The red interior was sensational.
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Rollin’
I’m not sure I’m recalling the correct year here, but I think someone told me this Rolls Royce is from 1924. Think on that while you consider how good you’re likely to look at 91 years of age 🙂
I’ve taken a few shots of this car before, but I thought I’d get some more detailed shots this month. Take a close look. My favourite has to be the leather covers protecting the leaf springs! But all the details on this car are beautifully finished. It’s a real credit to the owner.
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De Tomaso Panty Twister
Adrian had his De Tomaso Pantera at Classics again this month. It’s a breathtaking car. Pure Italian/American grunty goodness.
A few facts….
It’s a 1974 vintage in LHD with a mildly worked Ford 351 engine that sounds amazing. Not all Panteras look this aggressive. This one has a Group 5 body kit, which was added to the car in the mid-1980’s. Adrian imported the car from Washington state back in 2013 and had it repainted in ‘Colorado Red’ in 2013.
The wheels are 17’s with 335/35’s fitted at the rear and 245/35’s fitted at the front.
Pantera interiors are usually all black. The same owner who did the Group 5 body also did the timber and leather upgrade to the dash, doing all the work himself. The car has electrically controlled seats from a Corvette.
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Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV Coupe
This car sold for a very modest price around 18 months ago (and it was only a few miles from my place – why-o-why did I not know about this??). With prices rising for 105 series Alfas in the last year or so, I reckon the owner could probably book a value increase of around 100% in that time.
Why? Well, not only is it a 1750 – said to be the sweetest drive of all the 105 series cars – it’s also a Series 1 model with what looks to be mostly original paint and the beautiful ‘batwing’ seats.
A truly lovely classic Alfa.
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A Pair of Loti
The guy who owns this Series 2 Esprit has the sweetest car collection – and they’re all in beautiful condition. This is another car that I’m going to have to feature properly next time it appears at Classics.
As a side note: I just love that steering wheel. There’s something about two-spoke wheels that really works.
The engine’s a show-piece sitting proudly in the back for all the world to see……
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The engine’s a little less conspicuous in this Esprit V8…..
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The Rest Of The Field
With no disrespect intended – I wish I could do features on all of these – here are the rest of the cars I photographed today. Note the Alfetta with log interior 🙂 , the blue Berlina, the BMW 323i with Zender kit and Bruce’s superb, clean 911 Carrera.
Holy cow, we’re getting some beautiful weather! And that means beautiful cars by the bucketload, even on an event like Father’s Day.
Today’s Classics was jam packed and the cars kept rolling in consistently for a good hour or more after I arrived (and there were plenty already there when I turned up). There was a good helping of regular favourites but it’s always exciting to get some new attendees and September 2014 didn’t let anyone down in that respect.
Let’s take a look at some of the attendees with a few favourites at the end.
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This BMW 325 had some nice M enhancement and looked the business…..
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I’d love some time with this clean, gold 911 in a nice setting. Beautiful presentation.
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Parked next door was my mate Ken’s Lotus Esprit turbo. Your first thought might be James Bond (as mine was for a moment) but it’s more Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Bond had the earlier generation Esprit. In fact, this car has exactly the same colour and trim as Gere’s car in Pretty Woman. That’s not why Ken bought it, though. He’s an out-and-out Lotus guy – this is one of three he currently owns. I don’t know his thoughts on Pretty Woman 🙂
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We had bumpered and bumperless Porsche 356’s there today. I love them both. With-bumpers is the classic factory look where bumperless gives it that sporty feel. When I get my Fulvia, it’ll be going bumperless, for sure.
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Inside and outside an Alvis – a car I know nothing about at all.
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And another car I know nothing about. I didn’t find out who owns this so I have no idea of its build or its mechanicals. It looks like fun, though.
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Porsche never made a 928 Convertible but this intake could be referred to as a 928 ‘spider’.
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One day I’ll learn to restore/rebuild a car. The Fulvia will be my first. After that I’d like to take on a Mini. Who does’t love a Mini?
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The RenaultSport Megane is a genuine future classic in my mind and it was great to see this Blood Orange example there today. Want.
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I call this ‘Good Karma’.
Really good karma…..
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For the two-wheeled enthusiasts….. those who appreciate the goodness of a Cagiva (which I’m told is really quite good)
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Herding Cats
There was a nice spattering of Jaguars at today’s event.
E-Types are always a favourite and this E-Type got plenty of eyeballs, which wasn’t surprising given its amazingly shiny condition.
Click to enlarge…..
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This XJS was off to the side so it didn’t quite get the attention it deserved, but it sure was nice.
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My personal favourite cat for today was this XK150. I only wish the window was down so that I could photograph the interior. It was magnificent. I love these curvy old Jags.
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Fiat 2300
I have to organise a bunch of photo sessions with Tristan. This adorable Fiat 2300 would be just one of them. It had some kiddie seats in the back today so it wasn’t an ideal time, but hopefully this selection will give you a quick idea of just how graceful this mid-size Italian is. Beautiful.
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Austin’s Powers
The power to mesmerise with beautiful lines, stunning detail and wonderful finish…. It’s no wonder these Healeys attract good money these days.
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MGA Patina
There are a lot of highly polished and/or restored cars at Classics. That’s wonderful. The standard is always amazing.
But this car stood out today because a) it had been driven there, and b) it was obviously so authentic. An unrestored Mercedes Gullwing sold for buckets more at auction than a restored version in the same colour scheme earlier this year. There’s something to be said for authentic patina.
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Morgan
Posted with a “Like”
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BMW 2800
I really, really like this early BMW pillarless design. Safety regulations have a lot to answer for with the way they’ve diluted modern vehicle design.
Absolutely beautiful.
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Favourite #1 – Alfa Romeo GTV 2000
My first favourite for this month is a debutante at Classics, having been picked up by its new owners just a few weeks ago. It’s a 1972 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 Coupe fitted with period-correct optional Momo Vega wheels.
There’s plenty that’s wonderful about this car. It’s exhaust note sparkled on start up and all 105 series Alfas look like movie stars.
The real beauty of this car, though? It is 42 years old and 100% original.
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Favourite #2 – VW Beetle
This was such a joy.
I’m pretty sure this Beetle was at Classics for the first time, too. My apologies to the owner if that’s not the case. The car drove in this morning amidst sparkling sunshine and the paint looked so deep and lustrous that I just wanted to strip down, dive in and go for a swim.
The owner has had the car for 16 years and first bought it as a beat-up runabout to use around Melbourne. When it started getting a little too beat-up, he figured it was time to put the car away for a while and it sat fir years before being treated to the restoration you see in the photos below.
And what a wonderful job! The 1200 engine has been bored out to 1300, fitted with a 1500 head and then supercharged. The paint was re-done in the original colour, though I doubt a Beetle ever came out of a VW factory looking this good. All-in-all, it’s a sensational custom Beetle that doesn’t go too far visually, but more than delivers on the road.
And best of all, it’s used regularly. As they should be.
Last weekend saw the April 2014 instalment of Classics By The Beach. I have to apologise for the scant coverage as I was busy talking for most of the morning and didn’t get to take too many photos.
I did get to catch some interesting vehicles, however, with a bonus rarity from another car show on Saturday!!
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The white Elise below belongs to Gavin, who’s written on this site a few times before. I’ve had the good fortune to ride shotgun in this one and it’s a memorable experience (and not just for the ingress/egress rituals).
We must do a feature soon.
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Hobart’s slowly turning into the land of the Lotus.
OK, very slowly, but it’s happening. Gavin’s white Elise wasn’t the only one at Classics on Sunday. This black Elise from the same era was also present. It’s owned by a guy named Ken who’s
a) new to Tasmania and still discovering the fun roads 🙂 , and
b) a complete petrol head.
The two Loti ended up leaving early for a bit of a run down the Channel. Fun was had by all, apparently. It’s a great road.
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I’ve shown this Volvo P1800 once already but it was worth snapping a few more photos and taking a closer look. This is an early car and the classical dashboard is something to behold.
If there’s one area where you can see how generic vehicle design has become in the last 10 years, it’s interiors. Craft has given way to plastic injection and while technology has it’s undoubted benefits, they tend to drift towards the practical and the economic rather than the beautiful.
Sometimes it doesn’t hurt if function follows form.
P1800 prices are starting to rise. They used to be anchored at around $18,000 here in Australia but they’re well and truly into the $20’s now. In fact, there are six coupes for sale on carsales right now and the cheapest of them all is $23K.
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The Lancia Fulvia Sport by Zagato was back this month and I couldn’t resist a photo of it with the P1800. This is like the automotive version of a Miss Universe competition.
Magnificent!
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Our friendly neighbourhood Spiderman was in da house 🙂
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What you see below is a Leyland P76 and it’s an interesting model with a roller-coaster history.
The P76 was launched in the early 1970s and promptly won the Wheels Magazine Car of the Year award. Notable for its size – you can fit a 44 gallon drum in the boot with room to spare – it was a classic case of building the right car at exactly the wrong time.
The car was well received by the motoring press but a combination of industrial disputes and the 1970s oil crisis conspired to bring the P76 – and Leyland Australia – to a grinding halt.
The P76 actually won the Targa Florio stage of the World Cup rally in 1974 and Leyland Australia released a Targa Florio version of the car soon after. I’m pretty sure an uncle of mine has a Targa Florio P76 buried somewhere in his shed.
The P76 continues to enjoy a solid following here in Australia and it was nice to see this one parked here on Sunday.
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I got very excited when I saw this Porsche 928 parked at Classics.
Every night I drive home from work down a big hill called the Southern Outlet. Quite a few times on my drive home I’ve seen this blue 928 climbing the hill going in the other direction and because it’s climbing, the driver’s on the gas. Let me tell you, the note from this V8 – obviously equipped with something other than a stock exhaust – is amazing!
You can imagine my pleasure, then, when a saw a friend from the Porsche Club Tasmania get out of the car. Paul explained to me that the car just “followed him home” recently so he had to keep it. I commend him for his generosity of spirit 🙂 .
I didn’t get any interior shots but this is a 1981 model and it’s still got the original Pasha fabric on the door trim. The seats are all black, however.
The car sounded magnificent as Paul fired it up to go home and I can’t wait to see it again and maybe pinch a ride in it.
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I know absolutely nothing about this Bentley, but with a window structure around the cabin like this one it was simply too interesting to leave without a few photos…..
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And now to our special bonus car from a show on the Parliament House lawns on Saturday. The lawns are right next to Salamanca Market, which is where I spend most Saturdays, so it was just a two minute stroll for me to catch this genuine Rover Mini Cooper S Works – one of the last 500 or so made by John Cooper’s company in 2000.
The red-winged badge, I believe, denotes that this car has the 90hp 1275cc motor, the most powerful engine ever put into a production Mini.
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That’s all for this month. Unfortunately I’m going to miss “Classics” in May due to another commitment so you’ll have to wait until June to see who gathers down at Sandy Bay for another pleasant Sunday morning by the beach.
This is a follow-up from last week’s Monday Reading, where I mentioned a story from Hemmings about two Mercedes Gullwings that were coming up for auction in Arizona.
Both are 1956 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwings. Both are black with red leather interiors. Both highly desirable. One was completely original right down to its faded paint, frumpy old seats and scars from years of use and storage. The other had been lovingly restored ‘to concours condition’ and looked as fresh as a spring daisy.
The old:
The new:
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The Goodings auction was held in Arizona over the weekend and the results are in:
The restored Gullwing (Lot 122) sold for $1,402,500
The original Gullwing (Lot 42) sold for $1,897,500
I’m sure the owner of the restored car is pretty happy getting nearly a million-and-a-half in the family bank account. But I wonder if he/she is smarting just a little at being out-done by $495,000 – more than 33% – by a car sharing the same specs and vintage?
I’ve not experienced it for myself, but I’m willing to bet the classic car auction world is a competitive one (sort of like dog shows but without the big hair).
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Other interesting results from the Gooding & Company auction….
This 1937 Cord 812 Beverly sold for $79,500. It’s old enough, rare enough and fancy enough to look like it should go for more.
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This 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO sold for more than $1.4million, proving that Ferrari prices continue to go up and up.
Lest you think (like me) that it’s just a Magnum PI car with a slightly different badge….. The 288 was a limited edition built for homologation purposes. It was based on the 308 and ended up as a stillborn racing model when the FIA dumped the racing class it was built for. It has two turbochargers and produces around 400hp. As it was an homologation car, only 200 models had to be built (there were 272 by the time Ferrari finished), hence the exclusivity and high price.
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This Lotus (Ford) Cortina from 1966 sold for $107,250
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This 1977 Aston Martin V8 sold (without reserve) for more than $20K under the estimate, fetching $118,250
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This Renault Alpine A110 sold for $302,500 and is probably the most desirable car at the auction for me.
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Symmetry sale: this Jaguar XJ220 sold for $220,000
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This 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal sold for $176,000 – a price that makes the $50,000 Montreal you can buy in Australia right now look very attractive.
Either that or someone got really carried away at the auction.
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This Lancia B24S Aurelia sold for $1,815,000. That’s a figure remarkably close to the un-restored Gullwing and yet I bet there’d be ten people who’ve heard of a Gullwing for every one who’d heard of the Aurelia.
Hemmings note that a similar Aurelia sold for $825,000 last January, so someone made some serious money on the weekend.
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And finally….
This 1983 Toyota FJ40 LandCruiser sold for $41,800. It’s notable mainly because it was the last model year for the original FJ40 and has a new coat of paint. If that doesn’t convince you there’s only vague logic in the world of car auctions, nothing will.
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The full list of results from the Gooding & Company auction is available here. There are some outstanding cars there to see and many of them fetched amazing prices.
You must be able to show an example of the car for sale somewhere in the world under that price (at a current rate of exchange).
The car has to be interesting.
The writer should be able to provide some short theory as to why it’s a possible long-term proposition for making a little money (or, at the very least, not losing you (much) money if you look after it properly).
Gavin’s already published his list. Now it’s my turn.
Here we go. Investment cars, a-la Swado.
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Porsche 911
Predictable, I know. But there’s a reason for that.
Want evidence that a classic 1980’s 911 is holding it’s price? I can’t find one under $30K to show you that’s a) Australian delivered, and b) unmodified. Those are the two basic criteria for buying a 911 here in Oz and a year ago, I would have had a bunch to show you. Now, not so much.
The 911 is always in demand but as with all older cars, the good ones are getting harder to find as time passes and climbing in price as a result. Get a good one and you’ll do well. Get a dud and the bills will be like an anchor around your neck.
This UK-spec 911SC Coupe was imported into Australia and looks neat for $28K, but you’d want to check underneath for rust. Imports will always be worth a little less than Australian delivered models, but you shouldn’t lose anything if the car’s in good shape.
For the best chance at appreciation, buy one delivered in your local market, especially if you live in a relatively dry climate. There’ll be less hassle with specifications meeting local standards, no poor steering conversions to worry about and if you’re in a country like Australia, very little concern about rust.
For you US types, a 1971 911T recently showed up on Craigslist for $25K. I didn’t see what price it ended up selling for, but after it was featured on Bring A Trailer the owner received more than 400 enquiries. I have a feeling the price went up after that. But it just goes to show that they DO become available at good prices sometimes.
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Lancia Fulvia
How could I not have a Fulvia on this list? It’s not just here because I like it, though. This is a real value-holder and in the right spec (and at the right price), a genuine investment.
The Fulvia is an acquired taste but in the 12 months or so that I’ve been interested in them, I’ve noted that there’s a definite audience interested in this beautifully engineered Italian. They generally sell for less than $30K. You’re more likely to pay in the region of $15K for a good basic car and $20K-upwards for one in really good condition.
I can’t find a current ad to show from Australia, but the 1600HF Lusso I shared here last month proves that if you’re patient enough, even a 1600 HF Lusso (series 2) can become available for under $30K.
The early 1600 HF’s are the real collector cars but the value pick is probably the 1300 Rallye S from the first series, which have the alloy hood, doors and boot lid. They’re good buying, great driving, they look absolutely beautiful and definitely hold their value.
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Mercedes Benz 380SL
Mercedes SL’s can be hot property, but most of the real investment-grade cars are already well over our $30K ceiling. A good R107 should provide some wonderful motoring without hurting your hip pocket, however, and they can be found in outstanding condition at this money.
I’ve picked a 380SL for my sample because if I was to buy a car like this, I’d want the V8. One of the real money spinners is the 280SL from around 10 years earlier. The gullwing’s in another class all together, of course.
Consider this beauty, for sale in Canberra for $25,000 right now. It looks magnificent in red with a cream leather interior and woodgrain. It’s old enough to look absolutely classic but young enough to have electric everything and ABS, too. Soft-top and hard-top, naturally.
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Maserati Ghibli GT
Here’s one for sale for $32K (the lowest priced Ghibli GT available in Oz), which is a little over budget but a skilled negotiator could pick it up in the high-20’s, I’m sure. You’d want to change the wheels to something a little more age-appropriate, but other than the wheels it’s a pretty nice looking piece of machinery.
This is a risky pick because Maseratis of this era tend to make your average punter run a mile in the other direction. Prices can go low for the BiTurbo but they’re pretty stable for the Ghibli, and the 100th birthday of Maserati, along with current desirability associated with the brand, means they could be poised for some reassessment by the motoring fraternity.
The second iteration of the Ghibli, built from the early 90’s to the late 90’s suffered from being related to the un-revered BiTurbo of the previous decade. Like many cars of similar tainted origin, however, the Ghibli is the type of car that addressed the problems of its forebear and can actually represent really good performance value thanks to it’s poor lineage acting like a boat anchor on its price. They’re reputed to be very reliable, but scheduled maintenance has to be done and the costs can be high.
Now, that’s not necessarily a recipe for value appreciation, but given the exotic nature of the Maserati name, the brand’s recent success and the generous performance and luxury levels of the Ghibli, it might just be one to be recognised. One of the problems, however, is that you’re looking at a very niche vehicle. In order to sell you have to have a buyer and there aren’t a lot of those for 90’s Maseratis.
Call it a very speculative pick.
The Ghibli GT had a 2.8 V6 with a twin-turbo setup that produced around 284hp. It moves. And I could live with a sound like this, too 🙂
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BMW M635CSi
The Shark’s already a popular BMW classic and can be had for around $20K in pretty good condition. The smart money’s on the M model, however, with its extra grunt and M badge appeal that helps to hold the car’s value.
The M635CSi has the hi-po version of BMW’s creamy straight-six making just over 280hp. That’s nice rather than nefarious by today’s standards, but it was extremely competitive in the early-mid 1980’s and a big step up from the 215hp offered in the non-M version.
The styling is superb and the interior is well equipped and comfortable.
The 6-series is already a favourite amongst classic BMW fans. To have a genuine M version of the car only makes it more popular and that means demand = price retention or even appreciation over time.
The car shown here is for sale in Australia but is of UK origin so you’d want to make sure it’s cancer-free. At $29,900 the price is right if the car checks out. Other M6’s are selling for up to $10K more.
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Alfa 105 Coupe 1750
As with the 911 and Fulvia, I’ve been watching Alfa 105 Coupe sales for some times now. And as with the 911 (less so with the Fulvia as they’re not so readily available) the prices for a decent one seem to be going up. Especially for the sweet-spot 1750 engine models.
It wasn’t so long ago that I could show you a number of 105’s around the $10-$15K mark and they would have all been decent, turn-key classics that you could happily take to your Alfa club meeting or on a nice Sunday drive. 1750’s are in shorter supply, however, and the good ones are all starting around $20K now and go up from there.
This one’s for sale right now for $21,000 and the only 1750 selling for less is a $6500 project that you wouldn’t touch unless you had a bunch of time and money to pour into it.
The market says they’re going up right now, but I’d be a little nervous as those $15K cars might hit the sales pages again once their new owners have had their fun. But a properly sorted 1750 (if that’s what this is – buyer beware) is at that point where the good ones are rare enough to be very desirable and unlike the Ghibli, above, you’re selling into a much bigger potential ownership base.
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Volvo P1800 S
I’m not sure that a Volvo will ever be considered as a real investment, but if there was ever a Volvo that might, it’d be the P1800.
It’s the most beautiful Volvo ever made, with timeless exterior styling and a beautiful interior to match, especially the early interiors like the one on this 1966 car, for sale right now in Queensland for $26,000.
Some people like the shooting-brake ES model but I much prefer the coupe styling of the S. The P1800 is no race car with it’s 4-cyl 1780cc engine but it’ll get down the road nicely and if you want to know about reliability, just ask Irv Gordon, who’s passed the 3-million mile mark in his P1800 S since that video was made.
As I said, it’s not likely to go up, but if it’s looked after properly, a good P1800 S is very unlikely to go down.
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So there they are: my 7 classic investment cars for under $30,000 – cars that I reckon have some potential to make you a little bit of money (or at least prevent you losing much money). Do your homework, though, as this isn’t investment advice. It’s just my opinion.
If you source them wisely and look after them properly then I think you’ll pay very little in rent over your ownership period and have a very enjoyable time driving them, too.
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[dropcap]C[/dropcap]lassic Driver’s a website I enjoy reading from time to time. The site has a classified advertising section and some of the cars that come up are absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, many of the best ones don’t have prices attached so it’s hard to know just how much money’s missing from your piggy bank.
I’ve written on this site about classic car investment a few times in the past. It’s becoming a very real investment alternative for those with plenty of cash already squirrelled away. You need big $$$ to get a foot in the door and a keen eye, but there’s money to be made and enjoyment to be had for those who can. Premium classic cars seem to go up and up, with record auction prices being reached seemingly every 6-12 months.
Classic Driver just published a list of classics that it believes are going to be good automotive investments in the near term. Here’s the list:
Lamborghini Miura
I think the Lamborghini Miura represents great value for money at current prices. It’s from that era of cars that everyone understands and loves, it’s from a great brand, it’s got a 12-cylinder engine, and it looks great – I think it’s got a long way to go.
The problem is you’re looking at half a million just to get in the door.
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Aston Martin DB6
Quite simply, DB6s are too inexpensive at the moment. They’re selling for around half the price of a DB5, but they’re not half the car.
Prices start around US$220,000 so you’d even for something like this, you’d better have your finances sorted.
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Ferrari 512 BB
Oh come on, now you’re just being ridiculous.
….in the Ferrari world they look like tremendous value for money in comparison to what Daytonas, 330 GTCs, Lussos and 275 GTBs are making today.
It’s all relative, I guess.
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Porsche 911 (996) GT3
OK, this is more like it (almost). These are actually available in some markets for five-figure sums, though discerning buyers will be suspicious of those. Expect something in the mid US0K range for a good one.
If you find a good example, you’ll be rewarded with not only driving pleasure, but also a solid investment.
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Bugatti EB110 Super Sport
Just think – a quad-turbo, quad-cam V12, 600bhp, four-wheel drive and one of the most illustrious badges in the business, all for one-eighth of the price of a McLaren F1. Does it come any better?
I can’t find a price for an EB110 at the moment. The three that I can find for sale are POA. I hope they come with sunglasses….
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Lamborghini Countach
The Countach is one of the most dramatic cars ever produced, and it’s just now starting to be considered as a collector’s item rather than a second-hand supercar.
I don’t think I’ve ever considered the Countach to be just a second-hand supercar, but I can see what he means.
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Aston Martin V8
OK, now this is one that I can relate to, both as an investment and as an (almost) affordable one.
These high-quality vehicles are completely undervalued and now that DB6s are barely affordable, the later cars look like they might enjoy an enormous increase in demand in the near future.
You can find one of these here in Australia from as ‘low’ as $70K but they quickly move into the low six-figures.
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Obviously the target audience for Classic Driver is a little more affluent than the average Swadeology reader, who I imagine to be in a similar position to myself (or someone who was in (or will be in) a similar position at a similar age – i.e. regular folk).
So……..
Given that car-hunting is like a second hobby anyway, I’ve asked Gavin to join me in coming up with 7 Classic Car Investments for more regular car people.
The terms and conditions:
The budget is for a maximum of A$30,000
You must be able to show an example of the car for sale somewhere in the world under that price (at a current rate of exchange).
The car has to be interesting.
The writer should be able to provide some short theory as to why it’s a possible long-term proposition for making a little money (or, at the very least, not losing you (much) money if you look after it properly).
The cars posed by Classic Driver are ones that I’m sure will provide a good return after 10 years of being locked away. To me, though, that’s not classic driving. That’s collecting art. It’s nice to look at, but cars are meant to be driven as well as collected.
Our mission is to find them. If I had K to spare and I wanted to have the best chance of turning it into K in around 3-5 years from now, what would I buy?
I’m convinced there’s a couple of semi-affordable classics-in-the-making that can be driven AND provide a caring owner with a slight gain over a period of time.
That’s our challenge, at least.
We’ll report back in when the lists are ready. Feel free to assess Classic Driver’s nominations and come up with a few of your own, exotic or otherwise.
[hr][dropcap]A[/dropcap]nother first Sunday, another Classics By The Beach. This was an abbreviated visit to Classics thanks to the arrival of my outinlaws from Canada. There were a lot of repeat vehicles this time around. Maybe some of those that might have attended with new vehicles were on holidays elsewhere?
It was still worth attending, however, and I hope you enjoy the photos from this month’s Classics. I’ve got a very special feature car this month, so make sure you scroll down to see it.
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I’m growing quite partial to these little MR2’s. I know the earlier model is the one to get, but I still like the styling on this one and the interior is much nicer (though not quite as distinct).
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I’m not sure what Cowl Induction is but this Camaro’s got it.
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This trio of Cortinas was very nice, especially the GT closest to camera.
The red one looked great in photos but looked a little tired up close.
The interior looks great in red, though.
This white GT was the special one of the bunch. Paint was perfect and the car was obviously very well sorted and cared for. A real classic.
You’ll see SI plates on many of the cars at Classics, like on the Cortina, below. They’re cars registered under the Special Interest scheme, whereby you get discounted registration but you are only supposed to drive them 52 times per year. The cars under this scheme have to be a minimum of 30 years old.
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It’s quite unusual to see one of these BMW 2800 CS’s nowadays. Much more unusual (as far as I know) to see them in LHD here in Australia.
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This is one of Holden’s most iconic cars, the ‘FJ’ from the mid 1950’s. This is, in many ways, the car that put Holden on the map.
Simplicity…..
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OK, time for the feature car…..
I don’t know the year, the model, or anything about it. All I know is that it’s a Riley and it’s jaw-droppingly beautiful.
If you’ve got any details on it, please feel free to enlighten us all in comments.
I’ve never been a fan of Riley cars, but I’m a fan of this.
Check out the fire extinguisher. How could you not love that?
The boat-tail rear end is classic elegance, something no company would do today (except maybe Morgan).
Adjustable suspension, old school. And it looks to be perfectly maintained.
It’s not just the first-sight presentation of this car that makes you look. It’s the details. Like the Riley saddlebags above (unsure of their authenticity) and the springs at the bottom of the leather engine cover straps, below. Look in another photo and you’ll see similar leather under the tiny windscreens on each side of the car. Amazing.
This was my favourite car this month, for sure. Simply beautiful. I hope to see it again some time and have a chat with the owner.
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I hadn’t seen a red oval Ford badge before. Or an Anglia soft top, for that matter.
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Gavin’s Alfa Sprint has gone bumperless since making its debut last month. New wheels and flared arches also feature. There’s more in store, too.
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The full gallery is below, with 50 photos in all. It was a good gathering this month, but not the best. A little birdie tells me there might be something quite special turning up next month. Let’s hope the car’s ready in time 🙂
