A 50 year old Ford looks set to put Holden’s record price of more than $1m in the rear view mirror

A pristine 50 year old Ford GT-HO Phase III is poised to overtake the national auction record for an Aussie-built road car, set by a Holden just weeks ago.

This Ford XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III could set a New Australian record sale price on Monday.

The record auction price for an Australian-made road car looks set to fall just weeks after someone paid over $1 million for a Holden, and in keeping with the ages-old rivalry, it looks like a Ford will take pole position.

A 1971 Ford XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III, previously owned by Perth businessman Chris Marco, whose investment scheme failed allegedly owing at least $240 million to investors, is sitting at the $800,000 mark three days from the end of an online auction.

With serious bidding traditionally heating up in the final hours before the hammer drops, Slattery Auctions asset manager Steve Waterman said the $1.05 million record which was set in late January is looking shaky.

Mr Waterman said there were at least four serious bidders keeping an eye on the GT-HO, with the auction set to finish at 6pm Perth time on Monday.

That time can blow out however, with bids made at the last minute extending the time frame, meaning a bidding war between two or more hopefuls can play out well beyond the 6pm deadline.

The current record price for an Australian-built road car was set in late January, with an orange Holden HSV GTSR W1 Maloo Ute – one of only four ever made - changing hands for $1.03m. Coincidentally, it knocked another Falcon GT-HO from the top spot, with that vehicle selling for $1.03m. The limited edition Maloo was offered to and built exclusively for only four hardcore HSV fans in the lead up to Holden ceasing Australian manufacturing.

This 2017 Holden HSV GTSR W1 Maloo Ute recently sold for $1.05m.

“We have four serious buyers, they are four serious collectors. it’s got a real chance of knocking that record off,’’ Mr Waterman said.

The $800,000 bid at this early stage was perhaps surprising, Mr Waterman said.

“It’s clearly the last day where all the action happens.’’

In all, eight of Marco’s cars are going under the hammer in the current auction, including a 1977 Holden LX Torana A9X – one of only two to be painted “Super Mint Green”. The current bid for that vehicle is $376,000.

A 2017 HSV GTSR W1 is currently going for $355,000 and a 2017 HSV Maloo GTSR which still has the factory plastic on the seats and has been driven just 20km is sitting at $153,000.

A 2017 HSV GTSR W1 is one of just 247 built and has 50km on the clock.

The GTSR W1 – which Mr Waterman said was number 206 of a run of just 247, was an example of “the most powerful Holden Commodore ever produced’’.

“The W1, buyers are looking at that and saying it’s the next Ford Phase III, and is in reality rarer than the Phase III.

“What they’re saying is that it’s probably the last petrol-powered crazy car in Australia, as we start to go to electric and hybrid.

“There will be fast cars, but nothing with the noise and the smell.’’

If you’re on a budget, the cheapest car in the collection at the moment is a 1975 Datsun 260Z which has just 12,632km on the clock. That car is currently listed at $60,000.

Mr Waterman said there was interest in the vehicle from as far afield as Dubai.

The full collection of Chris Marco’s cars on display in Perth.

He said the GT-HO, which has been driven just 17,340 km in its five decades on the planet, had been totally rebuilt and was in better condition than when it rolled off the production line.

Mr Waterman said the last few hours of the auction for his team involved taking phone calls, making sure there were no IT issues for buyers, and verifying the identity of bidders who were not already know to them.

Originally published as A 50 year old Ford looks set to put Holden’s record price of more than $1m in the rear view mirror