In the June Corvette Fever there was an article about a Barrett-Jackson auction in January. Two Sharks were among the top bid getters for Corvettes, must have been showroom condition. Both were 69 L-88’s, one went for $334,800, the other for $237,600. This auction was for charity, so people tend to be more generous. But still, who would have thought they would go for that much.

 

If it was for charity, they get a nice tax write off and a nice vette.

 

$334,800

 

Only for any amount over the fair market value of the vehicle.

 

Those auction prices are getting incredible. I was talking to a representative of Russo and Steele the other day and he said he felt my 69 427/390 could go in the $60K's with a proper paint job. That has me scratching my head and wondering if I shouldn't paint it and send it off to auction. I'm also a Mustang enthusiast and B-J sold two 68 1/2 428 Cobra Jet drag cars for $490K and $513K respectively. A friend of mine who owns one with 34K original miles almost passed out when he saw those prices. He's almost afraid to drive his car now.

 

That is about the going rate for a L-88 these days give or take.

 

I definitely would not drive the Pony from this point on. Sell it, buy something you can drive and enjoy, and pocket the rest.

 

Neighbor here has a 1964 not a 1964½ Mustang. It was built on the 4th day, and was used for FoMoCo promotion.

It is for sale to a private party... Probably take 25 for it... it's in top shape, red, white top, with air...

 

Shannons has a gym-load of serious muscle cars lined up for its big Sydney auction this coming Monday, May 15.

Members of their brawny bunch include a brace of highly-collectable Mustangs, a beautifully 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, a fully-restored 1971 Falcon XY GT sedan, a 1959 Chevrolet Impala 348ci Tri-power Convertible fitted with a rare 4-speed factory manual gearbox, a 1959 Chevrolet Impala Sports Sedan and a 1969 Ford Fairlane 500 right hand drive Convertible.

The meanest Mustang in the auction is a spectacular left hand drive 1967 Shelby GT500E ‘Eleanor’ Fastback. Based on the silver and black custom Mustang driven by actor Nicholas Cage in the closing scenes of the film ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’, this meticulously -detailed US-built re-creation with its nitrous oxide ready 7-litre V8 and five speed manual gearbox is expected to draw bids in the $190,000-$210,000 bracket.

Those who want the Shelby look on a Mustang budget will be attracted to the Shelby GT350H fastback clone, replicating one of the 1001 cars originally built by Carroll Shelby for the Hertz car rental group in 1966.

While a real GT350H in the same condition would today nudge $200,000, Shannons expect ‘their’ 350H to sell for around $60,000.

The right hand drive1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible in the auction with its 283 cubic inch V8 is another relative bargain, with Shannons expecting this excellent example to sell for around $100,000 – about half its equivalent value in the United States.

For those on a tighter budget, there’s an immaculate right hand drive 1980 Corvette ‘T-top’ Coupe fitted with a thumping 454 cubic inch big-block V8 that is expected to sell in the range from $34,000-$40,000.

If you like big American convertibles, it’s hard to go past the spectacular bright red 1959 Chevrolet Impala 348 ‘Tri-Power’ convertible or the 1969 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible that Shannons are auctioning.

The left hand drive Impala with its trademark ‘spread wings’ rear mudguards has a rare four-speed gearbox and floor mounted gear change and comes with a new power-operated roof. Expect to pay $75,000-$80,000 plus.

If the wind in your hair is less important than muscle, then the left hand drive pillarless four-door 1959 Chevrolet Impala Sports Sedan, which comes with a 283 cubic inch V8 Turbo-fire engine and three speed automatic transmission is an Impala alternative. Expect to pay in the $28,000-$36,000 bracket.

A cheaper option than both should be the less in-you-face right hand drive Galaxie 500 with its rebuilt 390 cubic inch V8 engine, that Shannons believe will be snapped up in the $12,000-$18,000 range.

Or there’s the 1970 Chevrolet Camaro left hand drive RS Coupe being auctioned with no price reserve, with Shannons quoting a likely sale price in the $12,000-$16,000 range.

Finally, for Aussie muscle car fanciers, there’s an immaculately-restored Falcon XY GT fitted with an original factory sunroof that has covered only around 500 miles since its three-year resurrection.

Shannons say ‘dig deep’ if you want quality, as the condition of this very original car will ensure bids in the $85,000-$110,000 range.

All 25 vehicle lots and 14 memorabilia lots in the Shannons auction will be on display this weekend from 9.00am to 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday at Unit B, 12 Frederick Street, St.Leonards (enter via 65 Reserve Road).

The auction itself starts at 7.00pm on Monday (May 15).