All posts tagged 'Rare Owners'

Four Incredible Australian Barn Finds

27 September 2017 11:56 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0)

Barn finds are the stuff of any rev-heads dreams, but for most they are just that; a dream. For some however, dreams of uncovering a timeless classic hidden away in a barn or shed have come to fruition, with many not quite understanding the goldmine they possess until the car has long outlived its ‘best-before’ date. In this week’s blog, we’ll take a quick look at four incredible barn finds that have been uncovered across Australia over the last decade. 1956 FJ Special Found in Essendon back in 2010 this beautiful example with original paint bears a proud 43,067 miles on the odometer. A Southern Motors sold car it has it’s original leads, original owner’s manual and receipts still with the car. It was a one owner car and obviously was used very sparingly. It has some light battle scars such as some panel scrapes from a brush with a steel gate and some speckling in the paint but this all only adds to the character of this very original car. It’s current custodian purchased the car from the original owner’s son and continues to maintain it so as to keep it’s history intact. 1968 HK Monaro The original owner of this Monaro had stored it in his shed for the first 24 years of its life, and upon purchase by its current owner it spent a further 25 odd years under wraps. For the first 49 years of this car’s life it had seen very little action, and it wasn’t until the current owner’s brother got in his ear about fixing it up to make a trip to Summernats 2016 that there was any real plans to get this car back on the road. With only a dash of oil and tank of fuel added, the Monaro fired into life and with only a couple more updates this classic Monaro was on its way to Summernats! From then on, despite its exterior appearance, the iconic Monaro has been a picture of perfect reliability, regularly hitting the road for a leisurely cruise. 1977 LX A9X Hatchback Purchased when the collector/owner recognised the investment potential of the A9X in the mid-90’s, the Torana was then stored on blocks under his house and used very sparingly throughout the next 17 years. Back in 2011, the Flamenco Red Torana was found still dormant under the late collector’s house and listed for auction with no reserve. While it was expected the Torana would fetch in the vicinity of $80,000-$120,000, the room was shocked to see bidding rise to an astounding $149,000! With only 99,000 original kilometres, this barn find was described as being in immaculate condition, and likely to be one of the best kept, unrestored A9X’s in the country! The question is what’s she worth now? 1971 XY GTHO Phase 3 This blue oval barn find currently resides in the Gosford Classic Car Museum, it was purchased recently by the museum in the back blocks of WA. It was a one owner vehicle and all travel was notated by the owner in a log book and all receipts also kept. Sold new by Lynas Motors the local Ford dealer, it has not been driven since 1982. It is 1 of only 18 XY GTHO’s produced in the factory Nugget Gold metallic paint. It currently sports a set of Bathurst Globes on it’s feet and has not even been started yet by the museum. A guess at value would lead you to think it would push seven figures but in the current market it is very difficult to say with such a rare well documented example… Do you have a classic car living in your shed? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know all about your classic car!

The Modern Classic – Taking a look at the last of the mighty Monaro’s

22 November 2016 06:52 Rare Spares General, Rare Spares (0)

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Australia has had its fair share of automotive icons over the years, vehicles that encouraged, shaped and defined our automotive culture as we know it. The Holden Monaro has been one particular model that arguably takes out the crown as one of Australia’s most important four wheeled creations and, with a linage that spans a number of decades, the car has won its place in the hearts of enthusiasts across the country. Here we will take a look at the last of the popular two door coupes which farewelled one of Australia’s most loved performance breeds, the Holden Monaro CV8. The first CV8 Monaro graced the automotive scene 20 years after the HX LE was released. The car had created its own culture and was the prized fighter in the Holden vs Ford debate, so the third coming of the vehicle had big shoes to fill. The first modern Monaro concept was revealed in 1998 at the now debunked Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The VT-Based coupe received so much fanfare that Holden had no choice but to give the people what they wanted. The first release occurred 3 years later in 2001 with the VX Commodore based Monaro CV8 (V2) coming onto the scene in spectacular fashion. The Aussie powerhouse featured a 5.7 L Gen III V8 mated to either a 6 Speed manual or 4 speed automatic transmission. The Series 2 model soon debuted at the start of 2003 with a revised dashboard from the VY Commodore, a new wheel design and various colour changes. The CV8-R was a limited edition variant that was available in either a grey or red colour scheme. It wasn’t until the VZ Monaro hit the market in 2004 that the vehicle received revised front and rear bumper assemblies and the infamous double ducted bonnet. Holden knew that the coupes time was nearing closer to an end so the final incarnation of the Monaro was produced, the CV8-Z, and was limited to 1100 units. The CV8-Z featured a sunroof, unique wheels and bold colour choices and was revered by many as a fitting farewell to the Monaro legacy. As soon as Holden announced it was the end of the line of the Monaro, many had hoped, or even wished that it was going to make a comeback with a next model release, however as we now know, with Holden ceasing Aussie manufacturing, this last hurrah of the true Aussie performance coupe will forever hold its place in the history books. What did you think the CV8 did the Monaro name justice? Have you owned one of these fierce rides? Head over to the Rare Spares Facebook page and let us know in the comments!