UNCLE PHIL’S PICKS

PHIL’S LOVES TWO THINGS IN THIS WORLD: CARS… AND SEARCHING THE CLASSIFIEDS FOR MORE CARS. SO, IF HE DIDN’T ALREADY HAVE AN OVERFLOWING GARAGE, THESE ARE THE WHEELS THAT’D WELL AND TRULY BE ON HIS RADAR.

FIND ’EM ALL on tradeuniquecars.com.au, or go straight to the car by SCANNING THE QR CODES

BLACK BEAUTY 2000 FORD TICKFORD TL50 $17,000

WHEN WAS the last time you saw one of these? I’m guessing for most the answer is never. What you’re looking at here started life as a top-of-the-range Ford Fairlane that was then sent to Tickford Vehicle Engineering. The boys at Tickford then set about fettling and beefing up the luxo-cruiser, turning the knob up to eleven and, in doing so, transforming the Fairlane into a luxo-bruiser! They called it the TL50 and just 58 were built, making this a very rare car indeed. Slotted under the bonnet is the venerable 4.9lt Windsor donk, which pushes out a meaty 200kW and 420Nm of torque. I reckon this thing would be perfect for interstate cruiser duties; plenty of luxury, plenty of shove and a package rare enough to justify the price tag to the missus.

1979 LEYLAND MOKE $24,888

IF A PORSCHE 911 is the definitive sports car for the track, and a Rolls Royce is the absolute benchmark of luxury, what’s the perfect car for driving to and from the beach in? I reckon it has to be this ace looking Moke. According to the seller, its got a fresh 1375cc four-pot engine with a performance cam and sports exhaust. It’s also had new suspension fitted, so you’d probably be able to annoy some pretty fast cars on the back streets of the Gold Coast, the natural stomping ground of any topless Moke.

1976 MERCEDES-BENZ 450SL $55,000

BOY DO THESE old Benz still look great. To my eyes I reckon they’ve aged better than just about any other car on the planet, the older they get, the more I want one. This 450SL looks like an absolute pearler and it ticks all the boxes a discerning collector (car tragic) would be looking for: Australian delivered, full service history from new and full documentation and books. What’s more, judging from the photos this SL appears to be in great condition both inside and out, and they’ve surely got to be a sound investment for the future.

1982 CHEVROLET CORVETTE $32,990

LOOK, I KNOW, it’s not everyone’s favourite Corvette… Actually for some it’s the worst one Chevy ever built. But the C3 is a good car, and they’ve aged well, and they’re still floating around for prices that that seem vaguely reasonable. This one really looks the part and it should because, according to the seller, it’s just had a full respray. It’s also got the three-speed auto, power brakes, leather interior, air conditioning and power mirrors, which all equate to a car conducive for doing nothing but cruising, and I’m more than okay with that.

1965 CHEVROLET IMPALA $52,000

I REALLY DO love a good old Yank tank, preferably with lots of chrome, a big thumping V8 and the proportions of a one-bedroom apartment. These Impalas are also quite a rarity down under, and if you wanted to stand out from the crowd, I don’t think there are many better cars. This one has got a rebuilt 350 in its snout and the seller also adds that the body is super straight and the paint is exceptional. You know that expression ‘a lot of car for the money’? Well that adage is quite literally true of the Chev.

1964 VOLKSWAGEN TYPE 3 $29,900

NOW HERE’S something a bit different, and I’m not talking about the car, I’m talking about the running gear that lies beneath. Let me clarify. The VW 1600 Type 3 has always been a cool car in my book, but powerful it was not, actually I think I’ve been in faster horse-drawn carriages. The owner of this Type 3 obviously felt the same way, because gone is the factory 1.5-litre powerplant from the notchback flanks, and in its place lies a Subaru boxer engine and a Subaru gearbox. The owner reckons this new-found shove has revitalised the old girl, and I tell you what, I’d love to have a steer of it.

1983 BMW 520 $10,800

AS SOME OF you may know, I’ve got a bit of a penchant for large, Germanic saloon cars.

Actually I think I’ve owned more than half a dozen now, so it’s entirely possible I may have a bit of a problem. Anyway, this lovely E28 520i genuinely looks like it’s just rolled off the production line in Germany, and it’s only got 44,123 kilometres on the clock from new! That’s less than 1300km a year! It’s also a one-owner vehicle and I don’t think it’d take much to have this show ready. What a car.

1967 FORD MUSTANG $POA

WHAT DO YOU think; is the best car film of the last two decades? Is it The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift? Or maybe you think its Ronin? What about The Italian Job? Nah, I reckon hands down it has to be Gone in 60 Seconds, it had everything; Angelina Jolie, a plethora of uber desirable muscle and super cars…and Angelina Jolie. Seriously though, while there may have been a multitude of awesome metal in this film, the hero car for the entire movie undoubtedly had to be the Shelby GT500, or as it was known in the film, Eleanor. Well, you can now buy a replica Eleanor, and I want it, badly.