An American built Excalibur sports car modelled on a classic 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK, sold for an unprecedented $89,000 at Shannons Melbourne Spring Auction on September 4 following a fierce battle amongst telephone and floor bidders.
One of 148 Phaeton Series V models hand-built in Milwaukee, USA between 1985 and 1990, the vehicle sold is believed to be one of the best of the five Excalibur cars currently believed to be in Australia. It is now relocating to Western Australia in the hands of its new Perth owner, who flew over for the auction, determined not to return without it.
Another outstanding sale at the auction was the $50,000 paid for a genuine 1946 Plymouth ‘Woody’ wagon once owned by Sydney surfing identity Dick Ash and driven by famous surfers Midget Farrelly, Nat Young and Bob McTavish.
Post-war Plymouth Special DeLuxe station wagons with their distinctive white ash framing and dark maple exterior wood paneling, became cult objects in the late 1950s and 1960s as a new generation of young surfers began using them as transport to the beach.
The vehicle auctioned by Shannons featured updated running gear to make it suitable for daily driving, but remained original in its unique period bodywork. In Dick Ash’s hands, the Woody was used as a promotional vehicle for his Okanui brand in the 1980s, while in the 1990s it served as a promotional vehicle.
