Rare Fixer-Uppers at Shannons Online Auction

Its primer-tone paintwork has long since lost its lustre; one headlight has no lens; its tyres are flat; its front end has sagged badly and its interior needs retrimming.

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But at Shannons upcoming Spring Timed Online Auction from 11-18 November, Lot No 18, this 1.6 metre long Austin J40 pedal car, could easily bring $3,000 or more, as restored examples have sold to young-at-heart Australian enthusiasts for nearly $10,000.

Austin pedal cars were made in the specially constructed Austin Junior Car Factory at Bargoed in South Wales, from July 1949 using scrap off-cuts of metal from the Longbridge Austin Motor Car Factory. The factory was paid for by Government funds and was intended to provide employment for disabled coal miners suffering from the lung disease, pneumoconiosis.

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ABOVE: rare Classics at Shannons

The J40 was primarily intended for the American market but it also established its own export markets in Canada and Denmark and today can be found in homes around the world, with 32,098 made built until production ceased in September 1971.

However, enthusiasts have kept the J40’s memory alive, with an Austin J40 Pedal Car Club formed in 1983, while a J40 race is a highlight of the annual Goodwood Revival historic race meeting in England. Restored pedal cars today trendy London Mews garage space with million dollar Aston Martins and Bentleys.

The J40 being auctioned by Shannons was unearthed recently during the clean-out of a Sydney home and is amongst a number of ‘barn find’ and ‘project’ cars in the auction that will temp COVID-grounded enthusiasts with time and money to spare.

• Collectible Austin J40 Pedal Car needing total restoration
• Rare Holden HQ LS 253 V8 Monaro Coupe with great collector potential
• Desirable locally-delivered 1972 BMW 3.0 CS coupe in complete, running condition

Other great ‘project’ classics offered with ‘no reserve’ and with great appeal to different schools of enthusiasts, include a very desirable 1971 Holden HQ LS 253 V8 Monaro Coupe and a rare, Australian-delivered 1972 BMW 3.0 CS Automatic coupe.

The LS Monaro is in need of a total restoration and could be the basis of a great project and could be an affordable way into HQ Monaro Coupe ownership, or the perfect candidate for a full restoration back to original specifications.  Showing 73,376 miles on the ‘clock’, but currently not in running condition, it is expected to sell in the $28,000-$38,000 range.

The rare, Australian-delivered and complete 1972 BMW 3.0 CS Automatic coupe is an exciting ‘barn find’ discovery. Fitted with its original 3.0-litre six cylinder engine, it is one of just 3,667 automatics built in this period, followed by an even smaller run of 215 fuel injected cars completed to right-hand drive specification.

Unlike the LS Monaro, it starts and runs, but will require some serious cosmetic TLC.

Last registered back in 1999 and currently showing just 59,900km on its odometer, the BMW represents a fantastic project with great potential – either to be restored to its factory-original specification, or to build the ultimate E9 ‘dream car’ at its projected selling price of $25,000-$35,000.

Other ‘projects’ with great potential in the auction include a 1954 Ford Customline V8 sedan (‘no reserve’ $18,000-$28,000) and a 1951 Bentley Mk VI 4.5 litre saloon (‘no reserve’ $18,000-$28.000).

More affordable ‘projects’ that need the help of an enthusiast with time and patience, include a ‘no reserve’ 1971 MGB MkII roadster ($10,000-$12,000) that could be further improved to bring it back to good road use and a ‘no reserve’ 1983 Holden WB Statesman de Ville sedan in need of cosmetic attention, that could be yours for just $4,000-$8,000.

Note: The Sydney Auction showroom has re-opened under reduced hours of 10am-4pm, Monday – Friday; the Melbourne Auction showroom is closed due to Stage 4 restrictions.

For more details of all Shannons Spring Timed Online Auction lots, visit http://www.shannons.com.au  For further information, contact the Melbourne or Sydney auction teams on 13 4646 (Option 6), or by email on auctions@shannons.com.au

Or, for virtual tours of individual lots, contact individual Shannons Team members at:

Melbourne: (03) 8588 0809 (main auction number) (Christophe 03 70 254974; David 03 70 254983; Kim 03 70 254979; ‘Tiny’ Rodney 03 70 254977; Ryan 03 70 254984, or Lisa 03 70 254971).

Sydney: (02) 8019 4119 (main auction number) (Damien 02 79 116012; Stuart 02 79 116009, or John 02 79 116005).