Rare Aussie muscle car to sell for huge price at auction

Buyers can secure a piece of Australian motoring history this weekend, but they better be prepared to pay up as price expectations surge.

1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Bathurst Coupe.

A legendary Aussie muscle car is tipped to sell for $500,000 at auction this weekend.

The car in question is an unrestored 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Bathurst Coupe.

It has most of its original paint, the interior is completely untouched and it still has the car’s owner’s manual. On top of this the Monaro still wears the number plates from when it was first registered and comes with all the paperwork and receipts from over its life.

The Monaro is expected to sell for about $500,000.

Painted in “Silver Mink” the Monaro has 57,593 miles (92,687km) on the clock and is powered by a 5.4-litre V8 petrol engine making 186kW.

The HK Monaro 327 GTS has deep motorsport routes. It was responsible for Holden’s first victory in the 1968 Bathurst 500 – the precursor to the modern day Bathurst 1000.

It will be sold via Lloyds Auctions. Bidding is already at $152,000.

The Monaro is finished in “Silver Mink” pain.

Lloyds Auctions head of operations, Lee Hames, says there has been a massive amount of interest in this car and he expects a big final price.

“This is an iconic vehicle that all Aussies love and it will only continue to increase in value as they become harder to find,” says Mr Hames.

The Monaro’s interior is original.

“We have had an extreme amount of inquiry for this spectacular classic, it is the most anticipated car of the auction, and we expect that it will reach record prices of around $500k.”

Lloyds Auctions say a similar Holden Bathurst Monaro sold for $320,000 at auction in October 2020 and a Bathurst Raced HT Monaro 57D sold for $750,000 back in June 2020.

This is the most expensive Australian built road car.

Australian muscle cars have been selling for massive prices in the past few years since Holden and Ford stopped producing cars in Australia. Holden no longer has a presence in Australia.

At the start of 2021 a secret Aussie ute set a record for an Australian-built car at auction, selling for $1.05m.

2017 HSV Maloo GTSR W1 sold in 2021 for more than $1m.

This record was eclipsed in September 2021 when Lloyds Auctions reported a $1.3 million result for a Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III finished in “Yellow Glo” with a white vinyl roof.

This price passed the previous $1m-plus record for a GT-HO Phase III set in 2018. That car was once owned by legendary Australian fast Bowler Geoff Thompson.

Originally published as Rare Aussie muscle car to sell for huge price at auction