The Leyland P76 might have been one of the less-illustrious chapters in Australian motoring history, but that didn’t stop a limited-edition example making mega money at yesterday’s Shannons’ sale.
In fact, the car’s notoriety – coupled with its superb condition, low-mileage and desirable specification – propelled bidding to a lofty AUS$20,500, well ahead of the 71,450km-from-new saloon’s AUS$8-12,000 guide price at the Sydney auction.
The Targa Florio model is one of 900 built to commemorate the stage win by a nearly standard P76 in the 1974 World Cup Rally. The result, which followed fierce bidding over the phone and from the saleroom floor, is believed to be an auction record for the model.
Shannons’ top seller at the annual spring fixture was an original right-hand-drive 1929 Auburn Model 8-90 (below). Fresh out of long-term storage, the straight-eight-engined Phaeton fell short of its AUS$85-95,000 estimate when it sold for AUS$80,000.
The sale house had better luck with one of the Auburn’s period rivals: a 1925 Rolls-Royce, believed to be first Australian-delivered Phantom I, that sold to an American buyer for $62,500, just clipping its $62-70,000 guide price.
Home-grown models did well, too, with a multiple trophy-winning, two-owners-from-new 1958 Holden FE Special Sedan – which had covered just 10,000 miles since a AUS$50,000 ground-up professional restoration – and a restored EH Panel Van making AUS$26,000 and AUS$29,000 respectively.
