A one of a kind Holden race car heads for auction

This one-of-a-kind Holden is up for auction with some believing it could go for a seven-figure sum. But what makes it so special?

Aussie motorsport fans are revved up for the latest classic race car to hit the auction block.

A 1977 Holden LX Torana driven by racing legend John Harvey during the 1977-79 Australian Touring Car Championship is going under the hammer via Lloyd’s Auctions.

Bidding on the auction is about to hit $700,000 with three days still to go before the auction closes on Saturday the 28th of November.

1977-79 Holden Dealer Team number 76 Holden LX Torana driven by John Harvey.

There is hope the car could eclipse the $1m mark, but it could go for even more according to Lloyd’s Auctions head of operations, Lee Hames.

“Who knows what this car could end up selling for, I wouldn’t be surprised if it sells for $2 million,” said Mr Hames.

1977-79 Holden Dealer Team number 76 Holden LX Torana driven by John Harvey.

“The significance and provenance of this car is paramount to Australian history and is something that is very special and extremely rare, there is no other like this car, it is one of one driven by legendary race car driver John Harvey.”

John Harvey raced for the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) and the number 76 Torana up for auction comes with the original HDT Marlboro livery.

Harvey also won the opening round of the 1979 Touring Championship at Symmons Plains in the number 76 Torana.

1977-79 Holden Dealer Team number 76 Holden LX Torana driven by John Harvey.

The auction winner won’t just get a car, the sale will include a multitude of racing equipment, spares necessary for racing, three sets of wheels and tyres, John Harvey worn jacket, boots, helmet, trophies, racing records and an enormous array of memorabilia items.

There have only been a handful of owners and the car has been restored and has been on display at the National Motorsport Hall of Fame at Bathurst and the museum at Philip Island.

There have been several high-profile sales of muscle cars in Australia recently. The most notable was the “Chicken Coupe” Falcon that sold for more than $300,000 in July.

This 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT Hard Top RPO 83 Manual Coupe sold for more than $300,000.

The 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT sold at auction for $300,909, more than three times original estimates. And a far cry from its 1973 purchase price of $7000.

The car is known in enthusiast circles as the “Chicken Coupe” because it’s owner parked it in a barn and surrounded it in chicken wire because he couldn’t afford to insure it.

But the most expensive Aussie car sold at auction was a 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III, which was once owned by Aussie fast bowler Jeff Thomson.

The 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III is the most expensive Aussie built car.

The Phase III was the world’s fastest four-door car when it was launched in 1971. Just 300 were built and they cost about $5000 new.