Among the 60 vehicles and 60 items of memorabilia going on sale at Shannons Melbourne International Motor Show auction on Monday 12 March, look out for a rare, pristine Bolwell Nagari V8 coupe. The sleek fiberglass Nagari Mk VIII was built in the 1970s, when it was considered a high performance Australian sports car. The fact that few of the 127 coupes they made survive in original condition and news that Bolwell is back at work developing a new Nagari, has rekindled interest in the marque and added collectable value to the first factory-assembled Mk VIII models.
The factory-built Nagari initially had Ford’s 302-cid V8 engine, but a few had the more powerful 351-cid V8 from the Falcon GT, making it a ‘supercar’ candidate. The Nagari on auction at the show is one of these rare ‘big-engined’ Bolwells and is fitted with a Ford 351-cid Cleveland unit with a four-speed Toploader gearbox and Ford 9-inch diff and axle assembly. The car, in good mechanical condition and registered in NSW, retains its original factory alloy wheels and leather steering wheel. Guiding price range is $58,000-$60,000.
Another interesting entry is a 1927 Rolls-Royce called ‘The Princess’ after an owner who spied for Adolf Hitler. This Phantom I Saloon with a 7.6 litre 6-cylinder engine and 3-speed manual gearbox was originally delivered with Cabriolet de Ville coachwork by Barker. In 1929, Austrian ‘Princess’ Stephanie Hohenlohe de Waldenbern, ‘royal’ by marriage, bought the car. Although Jewish, British intelligence files report she later became a spy for Germany. The Phantom had meanwhile been sold to Australia in the 1930s and was rebodied locally in saloon configuration by Martin & King. It eventually settled in Queensland, and now retains its Martin & King coachwork with burgundy leather and beige cloth interior and both the Flying Lady mascot and town cap. Price estimates fall between $75,000 and $90,000.

Bonhams & Goodman will kick off their gala week of auctions on 26 March at 11am with an auction of Collectors Cars, Motor Cycles and Boats including part of the collection of the late Harold Clisby of Adelaide. The auction will be conducted at Byron Kennedy Hall, Entertainment Quarter at the Old Fox Studios in Moore Park, where Bonhams & Goodman plan to hold their other major 2006 auctions.
Heading the unusual catalogue of cars is the well-known Clisby c1969 Toyota 2000GT. It is expected to fetch between $100,000-$140,000. Also from the Clisby collection is a rare 1933 Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle with a 1937 Steib side-car estimated at $140,000-$180,000 and an extremely rare c1900 Locomobile Runabout steam car designed by the Stanley brothers valued at $40,000-60,000. Born in 1912 in Adelaide, Harold W Clisby was a prolific and versatile inventor and engineer, responsible for the original design, engineering and production of a lathe now made by the US Company, Sherline.
Other important entries include a c1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Saloon by Windover with an expected price of $85,000-125,000, by order of a major Australian trading bank. A beautifully restored c1965 Buick Riviera 455 Grand Sport Coupe should bring $28,000-38,000, a c1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible with hardtop previously from the Rene Rivkin collection and estimated at $35,000-50,000 and a c1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2, estimate to be determined.
David Bird, Head of the Car Department at Bonhams & Goodman is pleased with how this first auction of 2006 is shaping up. They are in the final stages of negotiation for several other important collections with some noteworthy collectors cars. Bonhams & Goodman is now inviting entries for the June auction.