Ones that got away

By: Cliff Chambers

Date: 15.07.2024

The cars we should have bought or are delighted we didn’t ...

Ferrari 308 QV

August 1999 - $97,500
Now - $180,000-$200,000

There went the Millennium and a temporary peak in the price of Ferrari 308s. By 2004, low-kilometre 308 QVs were back at around $80,000 and wouldn’t routinely exceed $100K again until after the GFC. Eager buyers apparently weren’t asking about the cost of ongoing maintenance either; reselling in shock after discovering the cost of cylinder head overhauls or that the engine must come out for quite innocuous tasks. This looks to be a GTS with removeable roof and one of 3042 made from 1982-85. While not common here, good QVs are easy to find elsewhere and import.

1953 Ford Victoria

November 1988 - $15,000
Now - $35,000-$45,000

The price being asked for this Ford represented horrific money, even for the heady days of 1988. Property prices were surging and people scared of another stock-market plunge had cash to splash, but $15,000 for a side-valve Crestline Victoria when XW Falcon GTs cost the same? Had someone paid that money and clung on for 35 years, the old Vic would have delivered some kind of dividend, but only a fraction of the gains had they bought the Falcon. The 1952-54 Victorias aren’t common in Australia and hard to price, but North American sales at US$13-22,000 offer reliable guidance.

Humber Imperial Pullman

March 2005 - $18,000
Now - $24,000-$28,000

This column takes pleasure in finding rare cars and this we believe is the first Pullman version of the post-WW2 Humber Imperial to feature here. These cars were about 200kg heavier than the pre-War version but had no more power and took 25 seconds to reach 100km/h. Still, that’s almost as fast as a Ventura bus, with almost as much space for passengers and costing less money. That’s an educated assumption though, because while the $18K being sought in 2005 looked excessive, our ‘Now’ figure is based on a current British market which itself rarely sees a Pullman being sold.

Holden VL Calais 3.0

November 2004 - $6500
Now - $35,000-$45,000

No, not the Turbo. Everyone wants the Turbo but this is still a very tidy 3.0-litre Calais at utterly ridiculous money. Had you paid the asking price in 2004 and not let the car deteriorate, your gain would have been in the region of 800 per cent. With a total 151,000 VLs (excluding HSVs) built from 1986-88, perhaps 10 per cent were Calais and half had six-cylinder engines. That leaves the thick end of 8000 cars and it’s hard to explain why so many Turbos survive and aspirated cars seemingly don’t. Never mind, if you’ve got a 3.0-litre VL and the Turbo remains popular, yours
will as well.

Hillman Hunter GT

April 1992 - $3400
Now - $8500-$10,000

Dull as it might have been, the Hillman Hunter still scrambled a win in the world’s most challenging motoring event and its feat was worthy of commemoration. This was what it got. Chrysler Rootes Australia (imagine being the phone receptionist) went all out in its celebration of the Hunter’s London-Sydney Marathon feat, by adding twin carbs, a vinyl roof and additional instruments then adding $227 or more than 10 per cent of the basic Hunter’s price. Media and market response was underwhelming and perhaps a few hundred were sold. Almost impossible to find now.

Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupe

January 1997 - $110,000
Now - $160,000-$180,000

Just like buses, you wait ages to see one, then two extremely rare Jaguars show up at once. As noted in our XK120 Fixed Head feature, there were similar cars sold new into Australia, and this one with its optional wire wheels was perhaps an original delivery. Finding genuine RHD cars on the world market is difficult, however one with huge competition history and some authenticity issues did appear at a UK auction last year and achieved a hammer price of £111,000. Unrestored LHD cars keep popping up as well; almost always in the United States and needing work, but priced from US$20,000.

Austin Healey Sprite

April 1991 - $8500
Now - $18,000-$24,000

Always was, always will be an affable and affordable starter sports car. The past 30-plus years have brought some growth in Healey Sprite prices, but barely enough to keep pace with inflation. Also, nowhere near the return available to someone who had spent that $8500 on a GTR Torana. Sprites like this were built in Australia until 1967, after which the car was rebadged as an MG. They remain enjoyable, fun cars that can be maintained by the amateur mechanic and won’t create huge headaches when a mechanical part has to be found. Just don’t plan on getting rich by owning one. 

Lost or Lucky?

Nissan 180SX

I purchased a mint red 180SX II through a Unique Cars advertiser back in 2004 who was a big JDM importer. It was an amazing car and I went down the modified pathway and eventually sold it back in 2009. You just don't see them on the road nowadays! Brett Johnson

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