Yet another curious sale of an Australian classic has been completed, as interest in locally produced Holdens and Fords continues to rise unabated.
Over the weekend, a 1979 Holden VH SL/E went under the hammer at Lloyds Auctions. On the surface, it appeared to be just another straight, well-preserved example of the humble sedan. Yet, when the dust settled the auction closed at $108,000; a record price for a Commodore VH SL/E.
What sets the model apart is that it’s not just a bog standard SLE. Instead it’s a prototype from Holden’s early days, used to help the then budding manufacturer develop a model that would one day become a poster child for Australian motoring.
Further adding to the car’s story is that it was a barn find of sorts. The car was reportedly recently discovered underneath a tarp in the back blocks of Victoria, some four decades after it was used in the development of the first Commodore.
As a prototype, this particular VH has a plethora of production quirks. The body panels were hand formed, and the cassette player inside is a dummy unit. It packs an engine and transmission, though the seller states that it’s never actually been driven before.
According to the seller, this is the sole remaining prototype out of the original trio used to develop the VH SL/E. The other two were destroyed, while this one was donated to the local Tafe as an educational tool for young mechanics and the like.
Inevitably, the Tafe tutor at the time hid the Commodore once the programme finished up. It was then in storage for 43 years. While the bodywork has some imperfections, most of the Commodore is in stunning condition.
The cabin in particular, complete with vinyl seats and carpet protection on the dashboard, appears brand new.
“This auction just proves that the value in classic cars is still going up,” says Lloyds Auctions chief operations officer Lee Hames.
“People are classifying them as an investment for the future and today the amount of sales would be one of our highest percentages selling under the hammer during the live auction,” Hames adds.
“As we have seen in recent years, results consistently show that Australian classic vehicles that are in original condition, of limited build number, has a steel bumper, celebrity affiliation or significant provenance just continue to grow in value, and we have seen that here in today’s auction.”
The fascinating SL/E protype was one of several classic Holdens to go to auction over the weekend.
Among the others was a 1968 Holden HK Monaro GTS 327, released in the same year as Holden won its first Bathurst 500. It sold for $330,000, which Lloyds Auctions also says is a record price for the model.
