MONARO MARKET REVIEW

IT WAS THE win that hardly anyone expected but when Holden’s HT GTS350 delivered two podium places at Bathurst in 1969 the feat ignited a legend that has kept the Chev-engined two-doors bubbling in the collector market for half a century. Pretty much any GTS350 sold during the 1980s would reward its vendor with a decent profit. However it was during the 2005-08 Muscle Car ‘boom’ that ridiculous money began being sought and was sometimes paid. The market since 2008 then contracted into a more conservative place where outstanding cars were hard-pressed to better $180,000. Then came 2016 with a couple of spectacular auction results and all of a sudden $300,000 was back in the sights of hopeful vendors. Once again as seems to be the case in this boom-or-bust market, demand is matching supply and the money being paid has slipped again below $250,000. That’s still a great result if you bought your car during the GFC for $150K but not as much as it might realise if the bells start ringing again. Manual cars cost $1530,000 more than automatics, however the two-speed Powerglide is an excellent choice for owners who just want to cruise rather than rush about in their GTS. Scarce colours can add value as well but condition is the factor that will ensure a 350-engined GTS generates maximum money. Documents that track a car’s history right back to its original selling dealer can make a significant difference too.