Classic car auction a motoring enthusiast's delight

Motoring enthusiasts will be over the moon at the prospect of picking up a rare 1988 Ferrari 328GTB “Gran Turismo Berlinetta” factory right hand drive at Mossgreen’s forthcoming Collectors’ Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia auction from noon Sunday August 14 at 935 High Street, Armadale.

The Ferrari 328, with a catalogue estimate of $225,000-$250,000, has a 3.2-litre V8, four valve per cylinder layout and a top speed of 267 km/h – reaching 160km/h in 13 seconds.

Launched in 1985 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and styled by Leonardo Fioravanti of Pininfarina, it succeeded the Ferrari 308GTB and GTS.

This rare and desirable factory right hand drive (one of only a few in the world) was delivered new to Mak Wai Kuen in Hong Kong on August 30, 1988, has only done 29,037 kilometres – and barely been driven since arriving in Australia.

The auction contains two E-Type Jaguars – one a 1970 Series 2 4.2 OTS Roadster (estimate $95,000-$115,000) and the other a 1972 Series 3 V12 manual fixed coupe 2+2 “The Stanton Coupe” ($135,000-$150,000).

The first Jaguar has been in the current owner’s possession since 1999 and belonged to a fellow family member for 20 years before that.

One of only 14 open two-seater Series 2 models delivered to Australia in 1970, the car holds the auspicious Jaguar Trust Heritage Certificate authenticating its details.

The car, which has travelled about 4000 miles (64,000 kilometres) since 1999, has a very low 51,500 miles (82,400 kilometres) odometer reading.

The second Jaguar was purchased in the United Kingdom by Australian motorcycle racer Mal Stanton who brought the car back to Australia in 1974, modified it and raced it at venues such as Winton Motor Raceway before it was taken off the road in the early 1980s after a minor front end collision.

In 2007, Stanton, who was winding down his specialist Jaguar workshop, sold the car to its current owner who restored the vehicle to standard specifications and then displayed it at several Jaguar Car Club Concours including Motorclassica.

One of the more interesting cars in the sale is a 1949 MGTC “Laddie Gordon” Special, which has played an integral role in the annals of Australian motor sport history in the “race hard and have fun spirit” that MG founder Cyril Kimber intended.

In 1949, the car was brought to Australia by Ray “Laddie” Gordon and the body built for him in Cessnock, New South Wales.

He ran the car with some success before selling it to Arthur Griffiths in 1950.

Griffiths competed in Queensland and NSW events before entering the 1952 Australian Grand Prix where he finished in 11^th place.

The car then had several owners, including Neville Huch who in 1955 had an accident in which both he and the car were badly burned.

During this time, the body and chassis were sold to separate buyers before Peter Gastelow was able to purchase both.

About 1988, Gastelow undertook a two-year restoration of the original chassis and body.

The car has participated sparingly in racing over the past 15 years and still displays entrance/scrutineering stickers for such historic racing events as Winton, Rob Roy, HSRCA Oran Park, the 2009 Phillip Island Classic and the 2010 Historic Sandown meeting.

Another interesting vehicle is the 1933 Riley 9 Special Tourer 1.5-litre supercharged.

This car, modified for competition by the legendary Harry Firth, underwent a total rebuild about eight years ago and has been driven sparingly since.

Few original Riley 9s were built and examples are now keenly sought.

The auction also features model cars, historic number plates, radiators and other memorabilia.