A solid $1.4 million result at the 2006 Melbourne International Motor Show auction opened Shannons’ 25th auction anniversary year in style on 19 February in the Concourse at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. A crowd of over 1,000 watched nearly 70 per cent of vehicle lots sell on the day. The leading sale was $92,500 paid for a fully restored 4-speed manual Nugget Gold 1970 Ford Falcon XY GT, a surprising result for a non-HO Falcon. In contrast, a Starlight Blue 1969 Falcon XW GT sedan sold for $49,000.
An ex-works Sunbeam Alpine rally car achieved another outstanding result, bringing $75,000. It was one of six identical cars the Rootes competition department had originally prepared for the 1955 Alpine Rally, but the event was cancelled following the tragic accident at Le Mans earlier that year.
Preceding the auction, there had been interest nationwide in the outcome for 11 automotive lots from a deceased estate. A beautifully restored 1951 Silver Dawn Saloon in metallic Spearmint Green with beige leather interior sold for an excellent $50,000 and a yellow 1923 Rolls-Royce 20HP with a replica ‘Waring Bros’ touring body sold for $33,000. Offered unreserved, a 1969 Silver Shadow went for $14,000 and a 1978 Silver Shadow II saloon made $19,000.
But what stirred the sale’s hottest bidding was a pair of Ceremonial Series I Land-Rovers from the estate. Finished in Royal Claret, it is believed that the two mid-1950s vehicles were built to transport the Queen, Prince Charles and the Pope on visits to Australia. Appropriately, they went for royal prices, disappointing buyers looking for interesting farm vehicles. Following intense competition between 20 floor and phone bidders, they sold for $17,500 and $21,000, well beyond the pre-auction estimate of $4,000-$7,000, but about the same prices paid for them over 10 years ago.
Other sports car specialities apart from the Sunbeam included a top condition 1964 Porsche 356SC Cabriolet took $75,500 and $67,000 was paid for a flash red British-built Ford GT40 replica. A 1975 Datsun Ferrari 250 GTO replica based on a Datsun 260Z brought $25,000 and a 1974 Lotus Super 7 Clubman went for $25,500, unreserved.
Mustangs were popular, too. A right hand drive 1967 coupe sold unreserved for $14,000, a right hand drive 1973 Mach I brought $30,000, a 1995 Ford Mustang convertible earned $38,500 and a 1965 rhd convertible reached $42,000. But local celebrity Sam Newman’s 1965 left hand drive Mustang convertible was passed in after bidding stalled at $49,000. A beautiful 1928 Chevrolet AB National Tourer did well to bring $25,000, a 1939 Chevrolet Standard sedan sell for $15,500, while a 1963 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible earned $25,000.

A very original 1968 left hand drive Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback with just 46,000 miles behind it, sold for $168,000 at Shannons Sydney auction on 6 March, highest price ever paid for a Shelby at auction in Australia. It follows the $320,000 paid for the ex-Ian Geoghegan 1967 racing Mustang GTA coupe at last year’s Sydney Motor Show auction.
Adding to the value of the Cherry Red coupe, with a massive 428 7-litre V8 engine and 4-speed Top Loader gearbox, was the signature of its creator, Caroll Shelby on the passenger’s sun visor. Keeping onlookers on edge, the Mustang was among the final lots and as expected, drew some fierce bidding between 6 floor and 9 telephone bidders. Its price rose first by $5,000, then $2,000 per bid from $120,000 to $168,000. The prize finally went to an off-site bidder.
Another ‘muscle car’ overachiever was an Australian 1989 Robnell SC roadster powered by a massive 383CID V8 engine that sold for $75,000. The car featured classic Hallibrand-style wheels, bold centre stripe and side exhaust – and a ground-up restoration in 2000.
Other top results included the $44,000 paid for a 1997 Lotus Elise and $24,500 bid for an excellent 1949 MG TC roadster. A beautifully-presented 1963 Jaguar Mk II 3.4 manual saloon achieved $28,000 and an LHD1967 Mustang Convertible and a 2002 TD 2000 Roadster both sold unreserved for $24,000 and $22,000 respectively. Classic Australians also fared well, among them an original 1956 Holden FJ Utility realising $15,200 and a 1962 Chrysler Valiant S Series sedan bringing $17,000.