1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 ‘Bathurst’ sells for $200k

The family of a Bundaberg cane farmer who bought a 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 ‘Bathurst’ for his wife in the ’60s has sold the car at auction for what could be the highest price in Australia.

Former classmates of Noeleen Schulte reached out to her when they saw her family selling their beloved 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 ‘Bathurst’ recently.

They contacted Ms Schulte, recalling the memories of how spectacular it was to see the two-door car rocking up to the school gates all those years ago.

“I’ve had different school friends contact me and say ‘oh mate that was such a cool car when it rocked up and everyone wanted a drive in it’,” she said.

Noeleen is one of four girls born to Darryl and Vivianne Scherer, formerly of Walker Street in Bundaberg.

Darryl was a hardworking farmer, born and bred in Bundaberg, who worked day and night to support his family.

This 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Bathurst belonged to the Scherer family.

“He was a cane farmer all his life and it’s all he ever wanted to be,” Noeleen said.

Noeleen and her sisters had just finished school for the day when they saw their father pull up in the ‘picardy red’ Monaro that had a painted black strip on the roof.

The car was the first Holden Monaro model to win at Bathurst and was manufactured in Acacia Ridge in Brisbane’s South.

She said she would never forget the day her cane farmer dad let them into the car for the first time after he bought it off a man who owned a menswear store called The Hut.

“We were the coolest kids in school,” she said.

The car was predominantly driven by her late mother, Vivianne, who was popular among Noeleen’s classmates when it came to offering rides.

Darryl Scherer was a hardworking Bundaberg born and bred cane farmer who bought the car for his wife to drive.

“All of my classmates wanted to be chosen to go with Mrs Scherer for excursions if transport was required and requested by the school,” she said.

Noeleen said the car wasn’t only used to get the family from A to B, it was also used by Mr Scherer as a way to challenge the boys who wanted to date his daughters.

“He was a former go-karter in his days and would race them, so he loved speed,” she said.

“He used to check out the courage of prospective sons-in law with a quick drive up the road with the boys as passengers. If they got out of the car after the drive and could stand, they passed.”

Noeleen said when years went by and her mother passed away, her dad still saw the car as a prized possession.

“Dad was a very clever man and always made us very aware of what the car was and what he had,” she said.

“Over the years people would rock up and say “I want to buy your car” but dad would say, “no, go away!”

“It was his first ever car. He would normally end up buying his parent’s car, but this was the very first car he went out and paid the money to buy.”

Darryl had plans to restore the car to its former glory, but never had the opportunity to do so.

Darryl Scherer died before he could restore his beloved 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro Bathurst Monaro.

While he knew his old age would prevent him from restoring the car, he told his family what he wanted them to do with it.

Sadly, Darryl Sherer passed away on December 8, 2021, at the age of 82.

“Dad wanted it to be kept local, in a hope that a local would get it and the local community would take care of it I suppose,” his daughter said.

“We were close, it was someone on the Sunshine Coast who got it.”

The car was sold by Bill Young of the Bundaberg Auction Centre at a live auction for a whopping $200,000 last month.

“I’d say it’s probably the highest amount a Monaro in that condition was been sold for in Australia,” Mr Young said.

Perhaps the most notable aspect for car enthusiasts is that the ‘old lady’ is original to the bones.

The numbers on the car parts are all matching, which means it never needed any of its parts replaced, proving just how strong and durable the Holden cars were that were being manufactured in Australia at that time.

The new owner has since contacted the family saying it only took a few minutes of work on the car to realise it still ran like a dream.

“He told us that amazingly, after 15 minutes of work it still turns over and runs,” Noeleen said.

“None of my sisters or myself were at all surprised, dad had told us that it would needed oil and fuel drained and need stuff put into it and it would turn over and run with no problems at all.”

Noeleen said that while the car couldn’t be kept in the Bundaberg region, her dad would be content with the outcome.

“Our parents always taught us not to expect an inheritance so we were all pretty gobsmacked [with the sale],” she said.

The inside of a 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Bathurst coupe that sold for $200,000 at a live auction in Bundaberg.

“We were also told not to wait for somebody to die, to go out there and make our own way, which we all did.

“The auction was a good and unexpected outcome for the family, and we’re appreciative of Bill, the auctioneer, for all the hard work in taking the car to market on the family’s behalf,” she said.

“Dad was very proud of being community born and bred, that’s why he would have been proud that we chose a local auctioneer to take the old lady to auction.”

The sale of the family heirloom was split between Noeleen and her three sisters.

When asked what she planned to do with her portion of the sale, Noeleen said she would use it to remember her beloved, hardworking dad.

“I’m just going to put it away and forget about it,” she said.

“It’s a legacy that Dad’s put there.

“I don’t want a new car, I don’t want a new house, I don’t want to go on an overseas holiday. I'm just going to put it away and forget that it’s there.

“It was something we never expected.”