A beautifully restored 1935 Ford V8 Coupe in largely original condition will be one of the most sought-after lots of Shannons 13th annual Melbourne International Motor Show Auction on Monday March 10.
Ford promoted the 1935 range as having 'Greater Beauty, Greater Comfort and Greater Safety, but it was the brisk performance of the flathead V8 engine developing 85 hp that made them the getaway car of choice for criminals like Bonnie and Clyde, the latter writing a testimonial singing the praises of the V8.
For all these reasons, the 1935 range represented a big advance over earlier models, making Ford the number one selling car in America that year, with production totaling 942,439 units.
Finished in stunning Royal Blue with grey leather trim, the Ford being auctioned by Shannons has been in the hands of its current owner for the past four years and has been on a number of outings with the Early Ford Club. As well as a recent gearbox and steering box overhaul, some minor improvements, including 12-volt electrics and hydraulic brakes, have been carried out to make the car easier to live with day to day.
Shannons are predicting a selling price in the range of $25,000-$35,000.
The '35 Ford V8 is one of nine interesting classic cars, scooters and a motorcycle being sold with no reserve in the Shannons Melbourne Motor Show Auction.
Equally desirable to many enthusiasts are a shiny black and largely original left hand drive 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe, a very original left hand drive Springtime Yellow 1962 Ford Thunderbird Coupe, a well-presented 1972 Monaro HQ Monaro LS Coupe with a full set of original documents and an Australian-delivered 1981 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit Saloon- all predicted to sell in the $18,000-$24,000 range.
Other vehicle lots with no reserve price are a 1973 ex-London Taxi, donated by First Auto Wholesalers ($8,000-$12,000), with all proceeds from the sale going to the 'Kids Under Cover' charity, two very nicely-restored 1968 Vespa 150cc VLB scooters ($3,000-$5,000) and a fascinating totally rebuilt 1950 Royal Enfield single cylinder RE125 solo motorcycle ($3,000-$6,000).
All 53 vehicle and 50 memorabilia lots in the Shannons Motor Show auction will be on free display to the public in the C oncourse area of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre throughout the Motor Show, from February 29 until the auction on March 10.
For media information and publication quality photos, please contact: Michael Browning (03) 9879 9111 / 0418 324 328For further auction information, contact:Christophe or Greg on (03) 8543 2288 or 0413 567 308.To view all auction lots visit www.shannons.com.au