A 1977 Holden LX Torana driven by racing legend John Harvey during the 1977-79 Australian Touring Car Championship was sold over the weekend via Lloyd’s Auctions.
“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.”
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While it was tipped to fetch over a million when it crossed the auction block on Saturday, it ended up falling just short at $910,000.
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.
The auction winner didn't just get a car, the sale included 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.
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 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.
- News.com.au