First factory Holden HT Monaro racer expected to fetch $1 million

[DJR-351]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/06/23...tch-1-million/

Lloyds Auctions is anticipating the first factory-built Holden HT Monaro GTS 350 race car prepared by Harry Firth will sell for $1 million.

The car was Firth’s first major project for General Motors Holden under the Holden Dealer Team umbrella after he left the Ford Motor Company.

While the team was officially known as the Holden Dealer Team, the name was a means of circumventing a General Motors ban on factory-backed motor racing and carried full financial support from Holden.

The car debuted in 1969 at Sandown International Motor Raceway in a three-hour production race with Kevin Bartlett and Spencer Martin at the wheel.

A crash ended their race just 45 minutes in after the car suffered a brake failure. However, as a result of the crash, changes were made to other HT Monaro race cars.

Later that year Colin Bond and Tony Roberts won the Bathurst 500 in an HT Monaro, a race that also saw Des West and then-rookie Peter Brock finish third in their HT Monaro.

In a recent interview with Speedcafe.com, Frank Lowndes described the incident.

“Harry wanted to run slotted wheels and he wanted to run race scoops for the brakes, because the brakes are only just a solid disc on them, they weren’t anything flash at all,” Lowndes explained.

“Styling at the Holden said, ‘No, we don’t like the slotted wheels and you definitely can’t have brake scoops because GM doesn’t go motor racing’.

“The brakes just cooked themselves, but fortunately all the hierarchy of Holden were sitting in the grandstand when it crashed and burnt because we’d just had a fuel stop and the aft case was the fuel tank and the whole car just engulfed in flames, so I guess 25 gallons of fuel went up.”

Speaking of the changes that followed which allowed Bond and Roberts to win the Bathurst 500, Lowndes said, “So then we got our slotted wheels and although we didn’t get brake scoops, we were allowed to cut away the body behind the front bumper to let air into the brakes and managed to make the brakes then live.”

Lloyds Auctions CEO Lee Hames said the historically significant car will fetch at least $1 million.

“We expect that this incredible piece of history will break seven figures – making it the most expensive Holden ever,” said Hames.

“This particular HT Monaro is an extremely special car with a very rich history and a story that will never be forgotten especially by Holden enthusiasts and this is the reason why it could actually fetch a seven-figure amount breaking Australian records.

“This car is a significant piece of Australian motorsport history, not only shaping the success of Holden as a company, but also setting the stage for the domination by Holden and Peter Brock for the following two decades.

“While we’re seeing rare classic cars like Holden Torana’s and GT Falcon’s selling for hundreds of thousands, none have the colourful backstory or cultural significance of this Monaro, which is what makes it so rare and special.”

The auction will take place on June 27 at 12:00 AEST.

[ozrunner]

It's already in the Classic Car Auction I posted earlier.

It's got to get another $882,000 to get to $1m so I can't see this happening in 3 days.

[gutza]

Hi.

Not sure it will reach a million ..... but the Govt have 'asked' Lloyds for it not to leave Australia.

https://au.yahoo.com/finance/news/go...003250158.html

[kcodezd]

Sitting at 305k with 25 minutes to go. 1m bucks not likely.

[DJR-351]

$715,000.......

[hackney]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

$715,000.......

Damn! I missed out, “by that much”!

[hackney]

Attachment 103109[attach] [/attach] The 1969 winning Monaro #44D.(these beauties are worth a tidy sum these days)

[Tonz]

there is an 'interesting piece on Google news, if you believe them as getting their facts right, that the gov dept of industry and infrastructure ordered a ban on this being sold to overseas intrests.

the suggestion was that GM donate it to a museum...as if that would ever happen, but I am looking out for flying pigs.
Mind you google also described it at one point as a Tourana, that started GM motor history.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Tonz

there is an 'interesting piece on Google news, if you believe them as getting their facts right, that the gov dept of industry and infrastructure ordered a ban on this being sold to overseas intrests.

the suggestion was that GM donate it to a museum...as if that would ever happen, but I am looking out for flying pigs.
Mind you google also described it at one point as a Tourana, that started GM motor history.

Yes,read that,cannot see how they can “force” them to hand it over to a museum.Watch this space!

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Tonz

there is an 'interesting piece on Google news, if you believe them as getting their facts right, that the gov dept of industry and infrastructure ordered a ban on this being sold to overseas intrests.

the suggestion was that GM donate it to a museum...as if that would ever happen, but I am looking out for flying pigs.
Mind you google also described it at one point as a Tourana, that started GM motor history.

The story's true even though Google and Yahoo's (post 3 above) typically ****poor reporting got it all assabout, the first build Torana SLR5000 A9X was also auctioned around the same time.....last i looked it was at $400,000 and climbing, don't know the final figure....

https://www.speedcafe.com/2020/06/27...al-export-ban/

The classic Holden Monaro expected to reach $1 million at auction may not be allowed to leave Australia.

Lloyds Auctions has been told by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications that the rare Monaro could be an Australian protected object.

The first factory-built race car to bear a Holden badge, the Monaro was Harry Firth’s first major project for General Motors Holden under the Holden Dealer Team umbrella.

“We have been recommending General Motors buys this car and donates it to an Australian museum as a parting gift for them leaving the country,” said Lloyd Auctions CEO Lee Hames.

“While we’re seeing rare classic cars like Holden Toranas and GT Falcons selling for hundreds of thousands, none have the colourful back story or cultural significance of this Monaro, which is what makes it so rare and special.

“The enquiry on this car is massive from all over the country and we expect that this incredible piece of history will break seven figures – making it the most expensive Holden ever.”

This particular HT Monaro debuted at the 1969 Sandown 300 but a fiery crash at the 45-minute mark ended its race prematurely.

Torana, beautiful car......

https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotD...&pgn=1&pgs=100

[Citroënbender]

So it’s totally OK to sell our real estate, our arable land and raw extracts (timber and minerals) to overseas interests, but a composite piece of metal worth less than a driveway in Bondi cannot leave the country?

[xxx000]

It's nothing more than the auctioneer talking the car up and getting publicity.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

$715,000.......

Buyers premium & GST will be added to that, Though..

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Buyers premium & GST will be added to that, Though..

Buyers fee could be anywhere between 12-15% so another >$100k.Dunno about GST, depending on who was selling

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Buyers premium & GST will be added to that, Though..

Buyer's Premium: 7.5% GST Inclusive
Bid: GST Inclusive

The final cost including Buyers Premium was just under $770k.....

[Bossxr8]

So it's worth even less than a GTHO with no race history?

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

So it's worth even less than a GTHO with no race history?

Of course it has a “race history”! All 45 minutes of it!

[zoesgift]

given the history of the company involved in the auction process might be worth waiting to see if it re appears as "the sale fell through" much like the prototype red pepper ph4 sedan of Paul Carthew

[zilo]

Someone thinks they are buying something special..

seriously a HT Holden?

Biggest piece of dung I ever owned....

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by zilo

Someone thinks they are buying something special..

seriously a HT Holden?

Biggest piece of dung I ever owned....

Without wanting to upset too many on this forum, you could say the same thing about an XY Ph3. Seriously an XY taxi ?

The people that pay this sort of coin aren't buying a car, they perceive that they are buying "history with providence".

Dr Terry

[Citroënbender]

Err... Did autocorrect get you? Provenance, surely, not divine intervention.

(Although perhaps that’s what the vendors were seeking!)

[bigwil]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Without wanting to upset too many on this forum, you could say the same thing about an XY Ph3. Seriously an XY taxi ?

The people that pay this sort of coin aren't buying a car, they perceive that they are buying "history with providence".

Dr Terry

You would never mistaken an XY phase 3 for a standard XY Falcon not sure the same can be said about the HT Holden

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Err... Did autocorrect get you? Provenance, surely, not divine intervention.

(Although perhaps that’s what the vendors were seeking!)

Auto correct is a pain in the @rse.

Dr Terry

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by bigwil

You would never mistaken an XY phase 3 for a standard XY Falcon not sure the same can be said about the HT Holden

Seriously? You could confuse a GTS 350 coupe with an HT Kingwood, but think the Ph3 & the Falcon sedan are radically different.

Dr Terry

[bigwil]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Seriously? You could confuse a GTS 350 coupe with an HT Kingwood, but think the Ph3 & the Falcon sedan are radically different.

Dr Terry

Yes seriously, i always thought the early monaros to be very plain looking cars inside and out

[zoesgift]

big call bigwill! imho in 2 door form the HK Monaro and XA coupe are two of the most attractive cars ever to grace our roads

[bigwil]

Originally Posted by zoesgift

big call bigwill! imho in 2 door form the HK Monaro and XA coupe are two of the most attractive cars ever to grace our roads

Out of all the old holdens i prefer the HQ 2door

[Fairlane 500]

Originally Posted by zoesgift

imho in 2 door form the HK Monaro and XA coupe are two of the most attractive cars ever to grace our roads

Hey Charger!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZdp9Eavi5g


Let's not forget the Charger.


They used to build some great looking cars back in the 1970's

[zoesgift]

Originally Posted by Fairlane 500

Hey Charger!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZdp9Eavi5g


Let's not forget the Charger.


They used to build some great looking cars back in the 1970's

apologies i did forget the charger also!

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by bigwil

Yes seriously, i always thought the early monaros to be very plain looking cars inside and out

Damn sight easier to make a stocky XY look like a GT compared to making a HT Kingswood look ,like a GTS monaro.