Australian muscle car classics go to auction: Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III and Holden Torana A9X

Holden has packed up shop and is leaving Australia, but there is still a lot of interest in some old classics that are predicted to sell for an insane amount at auction.

Aussie revheads, start your engines.

A legendary Ford Falcon, a 1971 XY GTHO Phase III, is coming up for auction via Grays Online with a starting bid of just $9. But the car is expected to sell for between $600,000 and $750,000.

The online auction officially starts at 6pm on Thursday, March 26, and ends at 8pm on March 31.

The 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III is expected to sell for as much as $750,000.

The GTHO is the most expensive Aussie-built car ever sold at auction. Another example, which was previously owned by former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson, sold for more than $1 million in 2018.

The example up for auction this time doesn’t have the same big name attached. But it is build No. 22 of 300 and has undergone a full restoration. The car has not been driven since the restoration and retains its original engine.

The 5.8-litre V8 makes 224kW — 300 horsepower in the measure of its day — and is matched to a four-speed manual transmission.

Only 300 GTHOs were ever built.

The GTHO was once the world’s fastest four-door car and has immense Australian motorsport pedigree with race versions dominating at Bathurst during the early 1970s.

The GTHO Phase III isn’t the only classic Aussie muscle car up for auction. There is also a 1977 Holden Torana LX SS A9X which is expected to sell for between $450,000 and $500,000.

One of just 33 built, it campaigned in the 1978 Australian Touring Car Championship among numerous other motorsport events and even comes with its original CAMS logbook.

1977 Holden Torana A9X race car could sell for as much as $500,000.

The car underwent a full restoration about 15 years ago by renowned Australian car collector David Bowden.

Two years ago, another 1977 Holden Torana SS A9 — one of only 33 examples built — was sold for $500,000. This particular car has only 14 km on the clock and had been stored in a bricked up garage for more than 30 years.

Grays Online Auto boss Michael Bray regards it as a shame that, with the departure of Holden, the rivalry with has changed forever — but it is still exciting to see the legends going head-to-head on the auction podium.

The Torana LX SS A9X racing at Amaroo Park, Sydney.

Analysts predict the spike in classic Holden prices could be shortlived following the announcement of the brand’s departure in February.

Speaking to News Corp Australia at the time, Shannons national auction manager Christophe Boribon said there could be nostalgia value in some old cars but he could see only a few vehicles with the potential to surpass the $1 million record set by the GTHO Phase III.

“I think if there is one, it would be one of the racing cars, one of the Bathurst cars,” said Mr Boribon. “The following that Brock VK Commodores and Toranas have carries a lot of weight.”

Originally published as Australian muscle car classics go to auction: Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III and Holden Torana A9X