Collectible classics open for summer at Shannons Sydney Late Spring Auction
• Rare wide-body Porsche 911 Speedster
• Exceptional restored Austin-Healey and MGB roadsters
• 16 rare British, American and Italian Classic motorcycles – many with ‘no reserve’
Collectible Classic roadsters and convertibles from Britain and Europe are dropping their tops for summer at Shannons Sydney Late Spring Auction on Monday November 17.
Top billing for the most desirable vehicle is shared by a 1989 Porsche 911 'Wide Body' Speedster, a 1958 Jaguar XK150 Roadster and a 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 Roadster.
The spectacular ‘black on black’ Speedster with its cut down, frameless windscreen, minimalist roof and twin aerodynamic body blisters behind the seats, is one of just 2,103 wide-body examples built by Porsche for the world market.
This rarity, combined with the raw driving experience afforded by its ‘less is more’ configuration, has kept Speedster values high and they remain one of the most collectible Porsche models of the 1980s.
The example being auctioned ticks all the boxes. It is Hamilton’s of Melbourne-delivered, rare as one of 139 right-hand drive examples and six wide-bodied cars sold in Australia and is believed to have had just four owners from new – the most recent in Sydney for the past eight years – and comes with a documented history.
It has been serviced regularly, but could do with a little cosmetic TLC making its expected selling price of $90,000-$105,000 conservative by current rising market values.
Similarly appealing from Britain is a 1958 Jaguar XK150 Roadster that has covered limited miles since its ground-up restoration in the 1980s. This very desirable Classic Jaguar is expected to be pursued by local and overseas buyers alike at its anticipated selling range of $105,000-$120,000.
Also very attractive to British sports car enthusiasts is a stunning, Australian-delivered 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 roadster that was fully restored by marque specialists in the early 1990s, who also updated it mechanically with a four-speed BN2 gearbox, while its engine was uprated with a ‘Le Mans kit’ during its exhaustive rebuild.
The car’s last two owners – both enthusiasts well known in the Healey Club – continued to maintain and improve the car and it presents beautifully, with strong paint, while the trim and upholstery show just the right amount of patina, making it exceptionally good buying at its expected selling range of $52,000-$58,000.
Other appealing open sporting cars to go under the hammer include a 1999 TVR Chimera 4L V8 Convertible ($32,000-$38,000), a 1949 MGTC Roadster ($32,000-$38,000), a 1972 Jensen Healey Roadster ($14,000-$18,000) and a 1972 MGB MkII Roadster.
The MGB is an exceptional vehicle that was comprehensively restored in Sydney during 2003-2004 at a documented cost of around $50,000 and presents accordingly, with little use since.
Shannons believe it to be one of the finest MGBs on the market today and are quoting a conservative guiding range of $16,000-$20,000.
The Sydney November 17 Auction also features a great selection of motorcycles from private collections including MV Agusta, Benelli-Motobi, Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Matchless, Harley-Davidson, Bianchi, Ariel, AJS, Moto Morini, Velocette, Indian and Lambretta – eight with ‘no reserve’.
All up, 74 lots are on offer, including 26 cars, 16 motorcycles, 32 memorabilia lots, plus a selection of New South Wales numerical number plates highlighted by '165', '220', '229', '241' and '255'.
Thirty-three of the lots are being offered with ‘no reserve’, making the auction a potential treasure trove for classic bargain hunters.
