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.