NEWS
Corralling Mustangs and MGs for Shannons auction
Abingdon and Dearborn bookend sporty collectible spectrum at Melbourne auctionShannons' Autumn Auction in Melbourne next week is certain to attract MG fanciers and those with a hankering for a pony car.
Three cars wearing the octagon badge will be joined at the auction by four examples of classic Ford Mustang from the 1960s. Back then there was some overlap between admirers of the nippy little sports cars from Britain and the compact coupes and convertibles based on the original Falcon.
But shared interest soon faded as the Mustang embraced more of a hot-rod ethos: big engines in light cars – and cornering be damned. MG soldiered on with four-cylinder roadsters, although even the iconic British sports car brand became caught up in the power race of the late 60s, eventually introducing the six-cylinder MGC in 1967.
Which makes a replica MGC up for grabs at Monday's auction one of the more interesting lots available – albeit less authentic than some of the other lots. The car's owner built it as a replica of the MGC prototype originally developed by fitting an Australian engine, the six-cylinder from the locally designed Austin Freeway. Finding the prototype underpowered, BMC opted instead for a larger, 2.9-litre six in the production version. Despite the larger engine, the MGC didn't enjoy the sales success of the Austin-Healey 3000 the MG was meant to supplant.
The MGC remained on sale for just two years, attracting criticism from motoring writers at the time for being nose-heavy and not as pretty as the MGB on which it was based. A much more successful attempt at cramming a bigger engine into the MGB came with the alloy V8 of the GT model a few years later.
Nevertheless, it's the MGC's relative obscurity that has made it more collectible in recent times, according to Shannons. And it was the Aussie connection that prompted the owner to refashion this (unloved) rubber-bumper MGB from the USA as the prototypical MGC with a 2.4-litre Freeway six. Authenticity has been sacrificed as a concession to practicality and comfort by choosing a five-speed transmission from a Nissan Skyline for the car.
Shannons places its value between $12,000 and $18,000 with no reserve price.
The other two MGs are a 1968 Mk I MGB in Primrose with a black interior, and a 1948 TC Roadster. While the US-sourced MGB (converted to RHD) is expected to fetch between $12,000 and $16,000, it's anticipated the TC will go for substantially more – somewhere in the range of $25,000 to $30,000.
Of the four Mustangs going to auction, three are right-hook units and three come with desirable manual gear selection. The oldest, one of the right-hand drive cars, dates back to 1965 and is a Shelby GT350 replica, with 289 CID V8 and three-speed automatic. The guiding price range for this car is between $40,000 and $44,000.
Also converted to right-hand drive is a 1967 Mustang convertible in black, with red interior and white folding roof. Like the Shelby replica, the convertible is powered by the 289 V8, but driving through a four-speed manual transmission. The vendor has owned the car since 1995 and modified the engine in 2006 to run on unleaded fuel. Since then the car has been upgraded with a heavy-duty clutch, a new carburettor and electronic ignition. Steering is power-assisted and the front brakes are discs. The auctioneers expect this car to sell between $40,000 and $45,000.
The 1967 'A-Code' coupe also lotted for the auction has travelled just 6000 miles since its private importation in 2002. According to the car's odometer the total distance travelled since it left the factory is 84,500 miles. The vendor has always garaged the car and holds the engineering documentation for the right-hand drive conversion. As a bonus the car is being sold with its original (Colorado) registration plates. Shannons believes the car will sell between $24,000 and $28,000.
Mustang number four is a 1969 fastback model imported in 2008 and retaining left-hand drive. The 351 CID engine is original, but not so the alloy Edelbrock heads... nor the five-speed Tremec manual transmission. In the recent past the car has scored electronic ignition and upgraded clutch and suspension. According to Shannons, this model should sell for a price somewhere between $24,000 and $30,000.
And for those who want the low-slung driving position of an MG blended with the V8 performance of the Mustang, consider the 1963 Chevy Corvette Stingray convertible that will also go to auction on Monday. Finished in silver, the 'Vette was fully restored in 1998 and remains left-hand drive, with a four-speed manual bolted up to the 360hp L84 V8, which was reconditioned in 2005, including its mechanical fuel injection system. Guiding price for this vehicle is between $85,000 and $100,000,
Lastly, for a price between $24,000 and $28,000, the winning bidder on Monday night can pick up a 1994 TD 2000 Roadster. This particular vehicle recaptures the spirit of the MG TD, but does so reliably from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder Nissan engine. It has always been garaged, says the vendor, who has owned the car since two months after it was delivered new. Just 5700km have ticked over on the odometer.
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
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