Early Christmas gifts at Shannons Melbourne Auction

Market stalwarts Shannons hosted its last classic auction for the year in its Melbourne facility on Monday night, recording an impressive 91 per cent clearance rate on the 42 vehicle lots it had on offer.

This included 21 listings at no reserve, a sale method that is finding traction in this country. Shannons national auction manager Christophe Boribon accredits the rise in no reserve auctions to the success it has enjoyed internationally. "It's been used successfully in the 'States for a while now, with many million dollar-plus vehicles selling with no reserve. I think our clients are seeing the interest it can generate and they increasingly understand its effectiveness," he said.

Nine of the first 10 vehicle lots were sold without reserve, and included a well-maintained (and rare in this country) 1988 BMW 325i E30 Touring (wagon) with an indicated 143,111km for $10,500. Other accessible Eighties Europeans included a 1988 Jaguar XJS V12 coupe for $9250 (just short of its $10,000 upper estimate) and an Australian-delivered 1986 Porsche 928S automatic for $12,500.

Another area that Shannons has seen growth is in bidding method, with a focus in the last year on building an online bidding system to augment the traditional 'floor' and phone interactions. "We were pleased to see that online bids accounted for 15 per cent of lot sales," said Boribon. "What is particularly interesting is that we are seeing some lots bid up online, with little-to-no interest out on the floor."

Despite the embracing of new technology, there's nothing like a bidding floor frenzy. Two consecutive lots – the 1964 VW Kombi 'Split-Window' project car and a well-presented 1951 DKW eight-seat bus – were "have to have" machines for the bidders in question, according to Boribon.

"We listed the Kombi as a paddock find project, which will need restoration." It sold with no reserve for some $29,250, against a pre-sale estimate of $8-12,000. The DKW – owned by the same family since 1960 – also surprised with a sale price of $39,000.

A couple of pre-WWII vintage machines also impressed, $47,000 buying a lovely short-chassis 1927 Lancia Lambda, while a circa-1939 Brough Superior 1150 SV Sidecar motorcycle realised some $111,000.

Fans of traditional V8 metal were well catered-for, a right-hand drive converted 1968 Shelby GT 350 selling for an "on the money" $132,000. Right-hand drive? "It's down to personal preference," explained Boribon. "Some want originality, others simply feel more comfortable driving on the right-hand side."

Around half that ($67,000) would have bought you a UK-delivered 1964 Jensen C-V8 Mk II (one of only 250), powered by a big-block Chrysler V8 and the precursor to the Jensen Interceptor.

Aussie stock was also on-hand, the impressive 1970 Ford Falcon XW GT-HO 'Phase II' selling for $110,000, while a 1975 Holden LH SLR/5000 that lacked the matching-numbers driveline so coveted by collectors went to a new home for $35,000. For those seeking an Aussie bargain a clean 1962 Holden EJ Special wagon sold for $10,000.

After a summer break, Shannons' next classic vehicle auction will take place in Melbourne on 23 February 2015.