Keen bidding amongst the large crowd of nearly 400 floor and numerous phone bidders resulted in a clearance rate of nearly 80 per cent for the 37 lots on offer, with 18 of the 26 vintage and classic vehicles sold at their St.Leonards showroom on the night.

There was strong interest in the four Morrises in the auction, with prices topped by the $19,500 paid for a faithful re-creation of a lightweight ‘works’ Cooper S built for the 1970 Southern Cross Rally. An original Australian-built Mk I Cooper S in good condition brought $14,500, indicating the invigorated value in early Coopers following the arrival of the BMW-built new generation MINI.

More surprising was the $16,000 paid for an unreserved fully-restored and now-rare Morris Minor Traveller Wagon, complete with new exterior wood trimming.

Finally, a superb 1929 Morris Minor Roadster club car fitted with a cheeky red ‘Boat Tail’ body, sold unregistered for $9,500.

Collectable BMWs on two, three and four wheels sent the auction crowd ‘bananas’.

A fully-restored 1964 South African-built BMW R69 motorcycle converted to R69S specification sold for $12,500, while a now-rare three-wheel, single cylinder 1962 Isetta 300 micro car in show condition went for $16,000.

However it was the spectacular Australian-delivered original right hand drive 1972 model BMW 3.0CSL Coupe that really got BMW enthusiasts excited, with the hammer finally dropping at $39,000 after fierce bidding for this three-owner lightweight model.

Other excellent results from the Shannons auction included the $70,000 paid for a magnificent white 1929 Rolls-Royce New Phantom I Tourer and the $42,500 bid for a 1927 Lancia Lambda Series 3 Torpedo-bodied tourer that has been used regularly in club events.

An immaculate Holden FC Special Sedan with just 55,066 miles on the odometer since being delivered new in Sydney in 1958, sold unreserved for $6,000; a very tidy Alfa Romeo GTV2000 Coupe went for $11,750; a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280S sedan brought $9,000 and a brace of 1960s Buick coupes a right hand drive 1965 Riviera and an Australian-delivered 1965 Wildcat sold for $13,600 and $17,000 respectively.