Cliff Chambers

1 month ago | tradeuniquecars.com.au | Cliff Chambers

If Australians would broaden their view of automotive desirability and start buying iconic cars again, our display days and club runs would again be populated by some truly fabulous motor vehicles. Look back 60 to 70 years to a time when D-Type Jaguars, Maseratis and Ferraris raced competitively and Ron Thorp’s fearsome Cobra was setting hill climb records instead of sitting in a shed surrounded by other rarely seen gems.

Dec 1, 2024 | tradeuniquecars.com.au | Cliff Chambers

Carroll Shelby created the business model, followed in the early 1980s by Peter Brock, for selling modified versions of popular road cars with the blessing of, but no direct involvement from the manufacturer. Shelby set up his Mustang modification line at an airfield in California and received 2+2 Mustangs directly from Ford. Under the bonnets went more powerful versions of Ford’s V8s and the bonnets themselves were replaced by lighter, fibreglass panels.

Nov 6, 2024 | tradeuniquecars.com.au | Cliff Chambers

The USA Muscle Car market was well established when, in 1965, the Chrysler Corporation decided to produce a mid-sized performance model to directly challenge Pontiac’s immensely successful GTO. Without the time or money to develop a completely separate model, the Dodge division cleverly modified a Coronet Hardtop, adding hidden headlights and a fastback roofline for enhanced individuality.

Sep 11, 2024 | tradeuniquecars.com.au | Cliff Chambers

The closure of the National Holden Museum saw many lots go under the hammer achieving some astonishing prices. They said it would be memorable and it was. They said records would be set and they were. But alongside the celebration was a sense of sadness that something so intrinsic to the nation’s motoring heritage could not have been kept intact.

Aug 18, 2024 | tradeuniquecars.com.au | Cliff Chambers

When is an ex-taxi not an ex-taxi? When it's a former wedding-car. This rare ebony black VG Valiant was found by sheer luck. At first-glance the VG’s arrival was an anticlimax judging by the very similar overall appearance to its VF predecessor. However, once you popped the bonnet it was obvious that there was way more to the VG than just new rectangular headlights. Gone was the venerable ‘Slant-6’ engine – in its place, the new highly efficient ‘Hemi-6’.