Records set to be broken as Johnson, Moffat, Jane race cars up for grabs

Records are tipped to be set for several examples of irreplaceable motor racing history that will go under the hammer this Sunday, January 29, at Lloyd’s Auction House in Sydney.

The Lloyd’s ‘Unreil’ collection includes more the 50 rare, classic and unique vehicles including some iconic machinery that has graced racetracks across Australia and New Zealand.

“This collection is worth tens of millions of dollars and has been hidden away, cherished and preserved but now it is the time for the next custodians to prepare to take ownership of one or more of these important cars in our annual Australia Day classic car Auction weekend and we certainly expect to see some records broken come January,” said Mr Lee Hames, Chief Operations Officer for Lloyds Auctions.

Notable cars include the famous Pete Geoghegan 1974 HJ Holden Monaro GTS. Built by the legendary John Sheppard for Laurie O’Neil and driven by lan ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, the Monaro was a ground-breaking ‘new’ Sports Sedan upon its competition debut in 1975, winning its first race.

An instant crowd favourite with the roar of its open-piped fuel-injected 350ci Chevrolet V8 and the distinctive, high-pitched whine from the straight-cut gears in the Hewland Trans axle. The Monaro’s independent rear suspension displayed a distinctive rear-end squat under full power.

Over the subsequent years the Monaro had many great names attached to it, the likes of Garry Rogers (1978), Phil Lucas (1979), Bob Stevens, Mike Bignell, Allan McCarthy and Graham McMinn. The current owner purchased the car in 2005 before a full restoration starting in 2012 to restore it to its previous glory, including its CAMS vehicle logbook.

Also up for grabs is Geoghegan’s 1967 Ford Mustang GTA, which won the Australian Touring Car Championship three years in a row between ’67 and ’69. One of the most significant competition cars in Australian motor RACING history, the immaculate ex-Geoghegan Mustang GTA is presented in its original white and green Castrol livery, having been painstakingly maintained with no expense spared.

The car has over $250,000 worth of spare parts, including two engines and multiple engine spares, two gearboxes, diff centre, suspension and steering parts, moulds for the front guards and three sets of Minilite wheels with Goodyear tyres. Its CAMS logbook is included.

For Holden fans, the Bob Jane and John Harvey 1972 HQ Monaro GTS Coupe is one to watch. Harvey made his name in sports sedans before joining the Holden Dealer Team, while Bob Jane needs little introduction

This HQ was built in 1972 to CAMS Improved Production specs by John Sheppard and Pat Purcell to replace Jane’s legendary Chevy ZL1 Camaro and to take on Allan Moffat’s Kar-Kraft Ford Mustang. The Monaro was raced extensively by Jane and Harvey through to 1979, winning the Marlboro Sports Sedan Series in 1975. Also raced in period by Phil Ward and Tino Leo and in the modern era by John Bowe, even the great Peter Brock raced this car with Marlboro livery in 1979.

The #1 Group C XD Ford Falcon of Sport Australia Hall of Famer and OBE Allan Moffat is also expected to fetch a record price. The last Falcon ever built and raced by the four-time Bathurst winner, it was raced by Moffat and co-driver John Fitzpatrick at Mount Panorama in 1980 where it caused a stir wearing the #1, given arch-rival Peter Brock had that right as the 1980 Australian Touring Car Champion.

An emerging threat to Brock was a young Dick Johnson, whose 1978 XC Ford Falcon is also part of the Lloyd’s Australia Day weekend event.

Presented in the iconic ‘reverse Cobra’ Bryan Byrt 1978 Hardie Ferodo 1000 livery as raced by John French and Warwick Brown. Prior to the team buying the Falcon, one Jim Richards had owned and race the hardtop to third at the final Australian Touring Car Championship round that year at Phillip Island in 1977.

A young Dick Johnson drove the in 1978 ATCC rounds, with French/Brown driving it at Bathurst that year, with electrical issues forcing them out of the race after 57 laps.  The Falcon comes complete with CAMS historic vehicle logbook and certificate of description, racing suit and helmet.

The Unreil Collection will go under the hammer via a live auction event in Sydney on Sunday 29^th January 2023 from 12pm as part of a massive Australia Day Classic Car Weekend at Lloyds Auctions.

You can view the entire collection of vehicles on offer here.