The Japanese and Mopars of Shannons' 2023 Winter Online Auction

Shannons 2023 Winter Online Classic Car Auction is almost done, so let’s check out how our Mopar and Japanese picks are faring.

We’ve already done stories on the best Holdens and the toughest Fords that’re in this auction, so if that’s more your flavour then make sure you check out those as well. Bidding opens on August 15, closing a week later on the 22.

Our first pick from the Mopar stable is one of the most iconic muscle car shapes of all time, the 1968 Dodge Charger. It’s an original 383 car, now wearing a slick shade of metallic green and rocking a 70s-style stink bug stance.

It’s still left hook, with a column-shifted auto and a black and green vinyl interior.

There’s three different Chrysler Valiants that we’ve chosen from this auction as hot picks, the first being this 1970 VG coupe.

It’s a 245 car, painted in a Mopar-appropriate bright purple with grey accents and bumpers, sitting on widened original wheels. We reckon it’d make for a really nice cruiser in one of the best body styles Chrysler Australia churned out. Current bid? $20K?

Next for the Vals is this factory V8 1966 VC, now using a 318 small-block in place of the original 273ci bent-eight.

The interior and exterior present in what looks to be top notch nick, with factory optional metallic green paint and a retro fitted Custom Autosound stereo system that blends nicely into the interior. The current bid is $51K.

For our third we’ve chosen another 1970 VG hardtop, but this one differs significantly from the purple example.

It started life as a Stirling Moss Special, but now uses running gear from a ’73 VJ Valiant including the 318ci small-block V8. Mopar professors will also note the nose has been swapped out for one from the VGs American cousin, a ’67 Dodge Dart.

Painted in a nice lick of Hemi Orange, it makes for a cool and unique cruiser. Current bid is $23K.

We’re kicking our Jap top picks off with one of the original hero cars from the land of the rising sun, the Datsun 1600.

Unlike every other 1600 out there, this one isn’t a rust bucket that’s spent most of its life being rallied around in your grandparents paddock. It’s been with the same family for 50 years, including a full restoration undertaken in 2005.

It’s not very often you see a 1600 in this condition and originality! The current bid is at $17,500.

At the other end of the Nissan family tree of desirable hero cars is the Skyline R34 GT-R, and Shannons has a 2002 M Spec Nur up for grabs in this auction.

The M Spec Nur is one of an abundance of specially badged R34 GT-Rs, with only 285 produced to this name. Differences to a regular GT-R included heated leather seats, steel wheeled turbos (rather than the fragile ceramic used in base models) and the spicier N1 version of the RB26. This one looks to have been left largely original, indicating 96,000km.

In their 2021 40^th Anniversary auction Shannons sold a white M Spec Nur R34 for $378,500, but the price rise of R34 GT-Rs has stabilised in the last six or so months, so we’ll be keen to see how close this one can get it its predicted $240,000-$280,000 value range.

A few oddballs to round out this auction preview include this 1984 Mitsubishi Starion, the more desirable turbo version in black with a sweet 80s burgundy interior.

Despite everyone making fun of the botched name of these things (a seemingly mispronounced Stallion), they made for a pretty stout drive back in the day. Turbo, manual, rear-wheel drive and this one makes a confirmed 150rwkW.

The final pick is the quirkiest of the lot, and believe it or not it’s actually one of two Subaru Brumbys up for bidding in this auction.

We picked this one because it presents well with its 80s-style dealer graphics down the sides, low mileage (111,000km) and the solid condition of the interior.

Eligible for historic club plates we reckon it’s perfect for someone wanting a simple ute for those weekend Bunnings runs, or mess the younger generations by popping the bonnet at a local cars and coffee and see their reaction when they cop a faceful of dry rotted spare tyre.