The Positives and Negatives of Buying at a Classic Car Auction 14 June 2018 06:00 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareIt’s an automotive enthusiast’s dream. Head to an auction that features a list of classic cars, the type that had you gazing at the poster on the wall for hours. Up for grabs is a Lamborghini Countach, perhaps a Tucker Torpedo, maybe even a classic Ford Model T. Niggling away is a question or two. How good will the car be? Why is it being sold? Let’s have a look at some of the ups and downs of buying such a machine at an auction. One immediate positive is that the prospective buyer MAY be the only person looking for a certain car listed. Sure, this easily can be a negative if everyone’s after a Ford Falcon GTHO with three hundred miles on the odometer but if it’s something like a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air in reasonable condition, there’s a better chance of not so many eyes being on it. Many classic cars come with paperwork. This describes the history of the car from the day it was sold at a dealership, its service history in detail, any restoration work, and the canny owner will have had this done by specialists. As a result, the car should be in as close to showroom condition as possible and with as little to spend on top of the final purchase price. Reputable auction houses help behind the scenes by doing their best in ensuring a seller is not selling a dud. As an accepted rule, sellers via reputable auction houses are either known to the auction company through previous transactions, have been thoroughly vetted by investigation, or are a known vehicle investor. The classic car family is a solid and tightly knit network. One particular American gent has made a living from buying and restoring classic cars then selling them at auction. This, as a result, has had him build a great network of people to call for advice and for assistance when required. If car XYZ is missing part LMN then a phone call or email generally has someone somewhere saying “yes, I can help”. This results in being able to source a genuine part, just like Rare Spares offers as a service. However not all diamonds are polished. Although a good auction house will inspect the cars being offered for sale, sometimes human error creeps in and a car listed as 100% genuine may have parts that were hastily cobbled together from less than reputable sources to have it ready in time for sale. Thankfully these happenings are as rare as they can be. Cost at an auction is always the big question. Again, most reputable auction houses will be able to price the car to the market value. There will be a reserve, a minimum asking price, but sometimes that can work against buyers that feel the market is asking too much, or, conversely, can see the expected asking price soar way beyond expectations, leaving buyers frustrated with what could be seen as artificially inflating the value and therefore affecting similar vehicles negatively. Having a good knowledge of cars and the industry certainly won’t be seen as a bad thing. Not all rare cars are desirable and not all classic cars are expensive, so being able to research, shop around for the relative sales price of a car being eyed off will assist when you’re ready to buy. That way, at an auction and knowing what you’re prepared to spend will assist especially if there’s a choice of the car you’re aiming to purchase. Finally, an easily overlooked item: what are you, as a new buyer, going to do with the car itself? Some people are in an envious position to be able to store cars in a properly maintained environment and keep them as an investment. However if you’re looking to be a driver of the car, let’s say a Porsche 356 Speedster, what about: parts, fuel, insurance, the actual drivability of the car? Some classic car owners bring them out for car shows, perhaps a drive day at their local race track, and unfortunately too many are driven there and are trucked away with mechanical issues that weren’t obvious when bought. To use that well worn phrase, however, “at the end of the day” it shouldn’t be forgotten that a buyer of a classic car does so because they’ll ultimately wish to be happy, proud, satisfied, with their purchase. After all, that’s what Rare Spares aims for with our range of parts for Australian classic cars. Let us know your thoughts on what you look for in a classic car and perhaps the good & the bad you’ve experienced at an auction. Keep up to date with our expanding product list at our website and stay in touch via our social media outlets.
Buyer Beware - Asbestos in Imported Classic Cars 23 January 2018 06:36 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareThinking of importing a much loved car (or motorcycle) from overseas? It might be worth taking a bit of time to weigh up the risks associated with such an investment before pulling the trigger. In 2017 Australian Border Force intercepted roughly 50 cars and motorcycles that contained traces of the potentially toxic substance, asbestos. Among those a host of classics, including a Jaguar E-Type, a Shelby GT350 Mustang, a Rolls Royce and a Bentley S3. While the cost of importing these classic cars in the first place is hardly a cheap affair, the real costs begin to add up once asbestos has been found. In Australia, since 2003 a total ban has been placed on the toxic substance and individual importers face fines of up to $3000 per offence. Removal of the asbestos effected parts is then the sole responsibility of the individual with costs for some reportedly blowing out to north of $20,000! The most common affected areas are brake pads, clutch linings and gaskets on specifically older makes and models of cars and motorcycles, so your new Right Hand Drive converted F150 Raptor is unlikely to face any issues. Imports are chosen at random for in depth asbestos testing, with microscopic analysis performed by an occupational hygienist. Australian Authorities are suggesting a thorough inspection of the vehicle before it leaves its country of origin to ensure nothing makes it through to Australian shores where it is almost certain to catch the attention of customs. So do your research on asbestos and save yourself a heap of time, effort and money before you import a classic car from overseas. Do you have your eye on an international classic? Or do you have your own import horror story to report? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
Australia’s Best Classic Show cars 10 October 2017 09:07 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareAustralia is home to some of the most impressive show cars in the world, as evidenced by the huge turnout each year at iconic motoring events such as Summernats and Motorex. Whether it’s the pure visual spectacle or the respect we have for the time and effort that goes into building them, you can’t help but be impressed by show cars. In this article we will take a quick look at a few of Australia’s most impressive show stoppers. XBOSS Undoubtedly the most celebrated show car in the country, XBOSS has won just about every award worth winning. The stunning 1976 XB Falcon Coupe is one of the neatest you will ever see, and features one of the coolest bonnets we’ve ever seen! 8 years in the making, XBOSS was built almost exclusively out of the owners shed and has since taken on the world’s best at a number of prestigious car shows throughout Australia and the USA. If you haven’t had the chance to take a look at this car up close, do yourself a favour and track XBOSS down, you won’t regret it. LSA Powered 85’ VK Commodore Australia has always had a thing for high-powered Commodores, particularly those built in the 80’s and this particular VK is one of the most impressive in the land! The 6.2 litre supercharged LSA is arguably the most incredible GM engine to grace Aussie shores and with a custom engine cover, this LSA fits the looks of this VK to a tee. And while the custom registration plate ‘CU H8N’ is a touch cringeworthy, the rest of this magnificent beast truly is a work of art. 11 Litre Hemi Powered Falcon GT A wild piece of machinery, this XY GT replica pumps out a whopping 1400hp courtesy of a huge 11 litre, 673 cubic inch Hemi V8. At Rare Spares, we love our classic Australian cars and love to see how individual owners go about making their pride and joy’s unique, and this Falcon is a perfect example of someone wanting to stand out from the pack. Coated in a beautiful gloss black and gold paint job, this car is most definitely a fan favourite. Word is the owner doesn’t mind taking this masterpiece out for a spin on the weekends, so keep an eye out for this wonderful beast. BUILTQ HQ GTS Monaro The Monaro… an incredible car which will go down in history as possibly the best looking Australian produced car. And “BUILTQ” is considered one of the best Monaro’s out there, with a 5-litre supercharged V8, completely re-upholstered interior and incredible maroon paint work headlining the modifications made to the beautiful coupe. But as with many show cars, the further you look in to the Monaro the more impressive it gets, for example the awe inspiring welds throughout the exhaust system. The owner of BUILT HQ regularly hits the road with his pride and joy, because at the end of the day, what’s the point of having the coolest toy if you can’t play with it? What’s your favourite Aussie Show car? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
1992 Bathurst Re-cap 05 September 2017 05:45 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareAs the Supercar enduro cup is about to begin and the iconic Bathurst 1000 creeps up on us at a rapid rate, we’ve decided to produce a series of articles on some of the more memorable Bathurst’s over the years. We chose to begin with 1992 for a number of reasons, firstly it’s one of the more controversial Bathurst in the race’s history, and with the re-introduction of turbochargers in 2018 (in the form of wildcard entries) creating a bit of talk currently, we thought it would be worth checking out the last time turbo’s hit the mountain. For a bit of background in the 1992 event, Jim Richards and a young Mark Skaife had been campaigning the all-conquering Nissan GT-R throughout the 1991 and 1992 seasons with a championship a piece and Bathurst victory in 91 to boot. To say that the ‘Godzilla’ wasn’t universally loved would be an understatement. Ford and Holden fans were displeased with the GT-R’s perceive benefits, namely four-wheel drive and a power advantage. Bathurst weekend arrived and to the joy of Ford fans, Dick Johnson was able to upstage the GT-R in the top 10 shootout, putting down an incredible time in his Ford Sierra RS500 with Skaife following almost 2 seconds behind. On race day, the track was hit with severe weather (eventually resulting in 16 DNF’s), with Richards’ and Skaife’s four wheel drive GT-R benefitting from the inclement conditions. In the early stages of the race, tragedy struck. New Zealander Denny Hulme lost his life after suffering a heart attack mid-race. Hulme’s car came to a rest on Conrod straight under seemingly innocuous circumstances, before he was then transferred to Bathurst Hospital where he passed away. Racing resumed after a prolonged safety car period and as conditions worsened the majority of the field pit for wet tyres, however, the Nissan stayed out on slicks ensuring they were able to stretch their lead to a seemingly insurmountable one-lap lead. More and more cars found themselves in the wall as conditions continued to deteriorate, and eventually the stewards were left no option other than to red-flag the race. In the meantime, as Richards continued making his way around the circuit he damaged the front left wheel of the GTR, before losing traction out of forest elbow and winding up off the circuit with a score of other mangled cars. The stewards were left with the unenviable task of declaring a race winner, eventually deciding to score the race as finished on the previously completed 143rd lap, resulting in race victory to Richards and Skaife. The result didn’t sit well with Holden and Ford fans, who booed and jeered the two as they stood on the podium. Richards’ response will go down in racing folklore; “I thought Australian race fans had a lot more to go than this, this is bloody disgraceful. I’ll keep racing, but I’ll tell you what, this will remain with me for a long time. You’re a pack of arseholes.” While certainly creating a stir at the time, in hindsight it’s just one of many incredible moments that shape the history of the incredible racing spectacle that takes place at Mt Panorama each year. Stay tuned as we continue to talk Bathurst in the lead up to this year’s great race. What do you remember about the 1992 Bathurst 1000? Do you agree with the steward’s decision? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
Summer Cruising – 5 Classic Convertibles 05 September 2017 05:35 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareWhether it’s cruising through the countryside or through beachside tourist hotspots, there’s hardly a motoring experience that compares to driving a convertible on a beautiful summers day. In this week’s article we will take a look at five of our favourite drop top classics. 1958 Chevrolet Corvette With most Corvette’s along the journey displaying a certain level of ‘cool’, it’s difficult to pick just one as our favourite. However, there’s just something about the ’58 Chevy Corvette that screams American Classic. With white wall tires, quad headlights, an abundance of chrome and the iconic ‘creases’ in the doors, the ’58 ‘Vette is remembered as one of Chevrolet’s most popular cars. 283 cubic inches of engine were bolted to a 4 speed manual transmission, resulted in an (at the time) impressive 290hp from the top of the line fuel injected model. Shelby Cobra The Shelby Cobra was the brainchild of Carol Shelby, who deemed it a great idea to place a Ford V8 engine in the tiny AC Ace roadster body. The original V8’s of choice were 260 and 289 cubic inch variants before making way for monster 427 and 428 cubic inch engines. Worldwide, the Cobra continues to prove popular among collectors although an original will set you back a pretty penny! More likely to be within reach of us mere mortals are the ‘continuation’ models that Shelby America still sells to this day or a replica kit car that is produced by several companies around the globe. Ferrari 250GT SWB California The Ferrari 250GT SWB California is not only one of the most beautiful cars ever built; unsurprisingly it’s also one of the most expensive to ever be sold at auction. Sold for an eye wateringly high sum of US$15.2 million 12 months ago, this 250GT is one of only 56 ever built. While 56 is an already low number, at the present time only around half of those are accounted for. So, if you have a spare US$15 million up your sleeve, now might be the time to make a play for the 250GT convertible you’ve always had your eye on. First Generation Mazda MX-5 Comfortably the most modern car on this list, the MX-5 is also the cheapest, and most likely the most fun to get behind the wheel of. The pint-sized Mazda doesn’t fit the typical sports car bill, opting in favour of a small sized 1.6 litre engine producing 85kw, Mazda instead turned its focus towards handling, utilising a further back than usual engine placement coupled with a shockingly low total weight of 980kg’s to bring the fun. The fourth generation MX-5 is now on showroom floors and after straying from the original brief for the second and third generations, all reports suggest the latest model is just as much a hoot to drive as the original! Jaguar E-Type Battling the above Ferrari for ‘most beautiful car ever built’ the E-Type roadster to this day is still immensely popular among collectors. With four wheel disc brakes coming standard and independent coil spring suspension, this Jag handled incredibly well for its day. Power was supplied by a 3.8 litre engine in series I models while later models were graced with the larger and more powerful 4.8 litre engine. While not in the same price range as the 250GT California; you’ll be hard pressed to find an E-Type convertible with much change to spare from a couple of hundred grand. What is your all-time favourite convertible? Do you agree with the list we’ve compiled? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
Demolition Derby – Taking a look at the Winton TCM Crash 02 August 2017 10:31 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareBack in May at the Winton SuperSprint, motorsport fans witnessed one of the bigger crashes in the history of the Touring Car Masters series. At Rare Spares, we love watching our favourite cars of yesteryear wind back the clock and hit the track in earnest. However, we can’t help but cringe a little when we see these beauties on the back of a truck being towed back to the pits in a crumpled mess! But, it is motorsport and we all know the risks when hitting the track, so in this article we’ll take a quick look at the incident, who was involved and what has gone into getting these masterpieces back on the track. Qualifying at Winton couldn’t have gone much better for Jason Gomersall who was able to place his Big Mate A9X Torana on pole for race 2, declaring it his greatest achievement in motorsport. The team was understandably stoked with the achievement, beating out racing legend John Bowe by mere two-one hundredths of a second. Unfortunately for Gomersall, the weekend became unforgettable for all the wrong reasons less than 24 hours later. Gomersall was off to a cracking start to the race, clearing his competition and heading into turn 2 with the track to himself. From here it all went pear shaped though, losing the rear end of the beautiful Torana he span in front of the oncoming field. What came next can be best described as complete and utter chaos. Gomersall span into the path of Eddie Abelnica and his XB Falcon before being collected by Mark King’s Camaro leaving both cars with very heavy front end damage. The ensuing pack had nowhere to go, with a number of cars finding each other or the surrounding walls. John Bowe was also caught up in the incident, resulting in a few broken ribs and a short stint in hospital. When all was said and done, seven cars were involved in the incident and the race was suspended. With a short turnaround to the Darwin round, many teams faced an uphill battle to get their cars back in racing condition. Gomersall’s Torana sustained extensive damage to the front cross member, steering rack and radiator, however the engine was largely undamaged and the rest of the car from the firewall back was almost unscathed. Incredibly the A9X was back racing in Darwin finishing in P4 for the weekend. Mark King’s Camaro wasn’t quite as lucky, however it’s well on its way to hitting the track again. In the meantime King has been behind the wheel of an incredible looking 1972 GTS Monaro. The TCM series continues in 2017 with rounds remaining at the marquee Supercar events held at Sandown, Bathurst and Newcastle, make sure you don’t miss any of the action! Do you own a TCM worthy classic car? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
Another Car in the Wall – The Nick Mason Car Collection 20 June 2017 05:10 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareBetter known as the drummer from the iconic band Pink Floyd, Nick Mason is also the proud owner of a car collection that would rival that of most around the world. With approximately 300 cars passing through his ownership over the last half a century, Nick Mason is fortunate to have driven every single one of them, and in many cases has hit the track in some of the most iconic vehicles in automotive history. Mason’s collection currently sits at over 40 and features classics such as the Bugatti T35, Porsche 962, Ferrari 213 T3 and Aston Martin LM18. As impressive as these are, there are still a handful of cars in Mason’s possession that surpass these classics. Ferrari 250 GTO Worth potentially north of $40 Million AUD, Mason was able to purchase this masterpiece for 35,000 pounds back in 1977, and admits to feeling a little bit stupid at the time to be spending so much on a car. Little did he know it would go on to become one of the most valuable cars in automotive history! One of only 39 built, this GTO lives a cosy life, however has been used in the past to drop the kids off at school and has even been spotted parked on London Streets! Maserati ‘Birdcage’ Tipo 61 Owning the lucrative title as possibly Mason’s favourite car, the Tipo 61 earned the nickname of ‘Birdcage’ as a result of its roughly 200 chro-moly steel tubes welded together to form it’s chassis. The ‘Birdcage’ still hits the track, and has cut laps at the famous Goodwood Revival on more than one occasion. McLaren F1 GTR Unfortunately this car hit the headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this year, as Mason lost control of the car during a demonstration at Goodwood resulting in some relatively high speed contact with a tyre wall. Fortunately the damage was not terminal, and the GTR will live to see another day. To give you an idea of how rare this car is; there were only 106 F1’s built, and of those only 28 wore the GTR badge. The GTR was essentially the race going version of the iconic McLaren Supercar and dominated various GT racing series in the mid-late 90’s. Ferrari 512 S A spectacular car, the Ferrari 512 S did a lot of things right, it had oodles of power and looked absolutely fantastic. However, according to Mason, they didn’t quite get the aerodynamics right, which has led to some interesting moments behind the wheel of the prancing horse. Powered by a 5 litre V12 (hence the name 512), this Ferrari led a somewhat disappointing racing life as it had to contend with the all-conquering Porsche 917. Rules were eventually changed to close the loophole which allowed heavy 5 litre cars to race against the lighter 3 litre cars in the early 70’s sports car racing world, thus rendering the 512 S somewhat obsolete on the track. This spectacular collection is up with the best we’ve ever seen! Do you know of any other celebrities with impressive car collections? Or maybe you have a burgeoning collection of your own? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below.
Ireland’s John Goss Special 14 June 2017 04:45 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareWhen Falcon Coupe enthusiast Brock Mahoney started his search for a John Goss Special XB Falcon, we doubt a trip across to Ireland was on the agenda. With only a few vehicles matching Brock’s online searching, he tried to track down a winner with the local Aussie examples, leaving another potential match in Ireland as a last resort. However, with no luck, Brock found himself on a flight to Ireland for what felt like a treasure hunt of sorts, hoping he would hit the goldmine to share a space with his custom XC Falcon show car “INENVY”, a car we are sure that many of you will be familiar with. The John Goss Special XB Falcon was manufactured in 1975 to honour Goss’ privateer victory in the 1974 Hardie-Ferodo 1000. There is believed to have been up to 800 of the unique Falcon’s produced, although Ford has never announced an exact number. Features unique to the model included a special polar white and either blue or green accent paint scheme, increased dash instrumentation, a three spoke steering wheel, vented bonnet and twelve slot steel wheels. The John Goss Special in question had been sent over to Ireland a decade ago and restored by the previous owner Tom. This particular Falcon was one of four that have spent time in Ireland, with three being sent directly from Australia and one making its way via England. Tom’s example had been restored so well, it would put many Australian experts to shame, and whilst the exterior remained almost completely to Goss standard, some changes had been made. The original 302 had been replaced by a 351, the four-speed transmission had been replaced with a T5 transmission and the original wheels were replaced with Weld wheels. The original white, single headlight grill had also been replaced with a black, duel headlight grill. Since returning to Australia, the grill has been returned to its original single headlight state, and the steering wheel has been replaced with a correct GS wheel. New tyres have been fitted and plans are also in place to return the engine and transmission to the original 302 and four speed specification. And whilst the Falcon lived a cosy life inside a humidity bubble, safely nestled away from the harsh Irish conditions, the car will certainly appreciate a life back on home soil, bathing in the warmth of the Queensland’s Gold Coast. Do you have any John Goss Special stories the Rare Spares Community will find interesting? Or maybe you’re the proud owner of a beautiful old Falcon? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook Page and let us know in the comments section below.
Identity Crisis – Rebadged Cars 07 June 2017 05:22 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareRebadged or badge engineered cars have been common place on public roads for decades, with manufacturers and in some cases governments searching for ways to efficiently manage automotive production. In this article we take a look at four examples of rebadging that have been relevant to the Australian automotive landscape over recent years. VF Holden Commodore SS – Chevrolet SS Back in 2013 at Daytona Speedweek , a VF Commodore sporting Chevy badges was unveiled to the US public to a mostly positive reception. It’s wasn’t the first Commodore to be exported and rebadged oversees, however it will be the last. Since the late 90s, Commodores have been exported overseas in various guises. From the Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East and South Africa, to the Omega in Brazil as well as Vauxhall and Pontiac variants in the UK and US respectively, the Commodore has been rebadged significantly over the years. The Chevrolet SS in question struggled sales-wise in the US, with the lack of a manual option drawing much criticism amongst the very automotive enthusiasts the car was intended to target. A shame really, that the Americans never truly had the chance to appreciate one of Australia’s most loved cars. Nissan The Ute – Ford Falcon XF The Ute was one of the simplest rebadge’s you are ever likely to see, with everything from the indicator stalk mounted horn to the grill and steering unmistakably Ford. Even under the Nissan logo on the front grill was a Ford oval shaped space. The Nissan Ute was sold as a result of the model sharing scheme known as the Button plan in the mid-late 80’s. The idea of the plan was to rationalise the Australian automotive industry by inducing car manufacturers into sharing the platforms of key cars. Toyota Lexcen – VN Holden Commodore Another rebadged model as a result of the Button plan was the Toyota Lexcen, which was named after Ben Lexcen, the designer of the American Cup winning ‘Australia II’ and its innovative keel design. Kind of ironic that a rebadged car, with little innovative design features, was named after a man who designed one of the most iconic innovations in Australian sporting history, isn’t it? Anyhow, the Lexcen was better received by the Australian public when compared to the Nissan/Ford of above and the Holden/Toyota model sharing scheme would last until 1997. Differences were mostly limited to the grill, badges and some minor interior changes. Toyota 86 – Subaru BR-Z – Scion FR-S Sold in Australia as the Toyota 86 and the Subaru BR-Z, and in the US at one point as the Scion FR-S, this rear-wheel drive bundle of fun is one of the more popular modern day badge swaps. Featuring design work and product planning from Toyota and engineering and production from Subaru, the 86 was Toyotas attempt at re-entering the ‘drivers car’ market, whilst the BR-Z was Subaru’s attempt at creating a rear-wheel drive to complement its felt of all wheel drive options. With a four-cylinder engine that whilst zippy won’t set the world on fire, the ‘Toyobaru’ has become a favourite amongst sports car enthusiasts looking for a solid ‘bang for your buck’ option. Do you own one of these rebadged cars? Or maybe you own another rebadged ‘classic’. Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments section below
Jason White Wins Sixth Targa Tasmania 16 May 2017 05:24 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0) ShareJason White and his co-driver and uncle John White have taken out the 2017 Targa Tasmania for the sixth time, negotiating the notoriously challenging course in their Dodge Viper ACR Extreme. The pair was some 34 seconds faster than second place finisher Michael Prichard and co-driver Gary Mourant (Dodge Viper ACR). The Viper proved to be an impressive machine on the tight Targa course, with the 8.4litre V10 blasting its way around the luscious Tasmanian countryside to become the first American car to take out the prestigious event. However, as impressive as the top two teams were, naturally our attention moves to the classic cars that once again set the tarmac alight. When you run your eyes down the Top 10 outright finishes, the usual suspects appear; Vipers, Porsche GT3’s, a Nissan GTR and a BMW M3. However, slotted into 9th outright, something a little more surprising; a 1970 Datsun 240Z driven by John Siddins and co-driven by Gina Siddins. Not only was Siddins’ time good enough for an impressive outright finish, it was enough to win the Shannons GT class by over 9 minutes over a score of incredible classics including Craig Haysman’s 1979 Triumph TR7 V8. Taking out the Shannons Classics class was Peter Ullrich and co-driver Sari Ullrich in their 1963 Jensen CV8 by an impressive 6 minute and 18 second margin over a tight 2nd place battle between an Italian masterpiece and an Australian icon. Eventually, it was David Gilliver and his 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS that were able to take home the chocolates over Richard Woodward and his 1969 Holden Monaro GTS by only 15 seconds. A category of some interest to us is the TSD Trophy class, in which competitors aim to achieve a set average speed without breaking 130km/h, thus opening up the class to a wide array of vehicles. Taking out the class for the second year in a row were brothers Darryl and Peter Marshall in their Ford Falcon Ute ahead of Christopher Waldock and Christine Kirby in their 2016 Jaguar F-Type as well as Peter Lucas and Angela Coradine and their stunning 1984 Porsche Carrera. After another successful running, the Targa Tasmania continues to go from strength to strength, and at Rare Spares we look forward to an even bigger year next year! If you could race in the Targa, what would be your weapon of choice? Head over to the comments section on the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know!