How much for a V8?

[Nascar12]

If this story turns out to be true, you can say you heard it first here.

Last week at work one of my mates come to me and made mention that one of our apprentices had this engine worth a sh1tload of $$$$ genuine from a John Goss Special (note: I'm getting this info a good bloke, but a younger type Holden fan and we're talking old Fords here and didn't know of John Goss until I educated him on the guy and the cars a few months ago.) The $$$$ he was talking was absolute B.S. and I pretty much wrote the story off along with the rest of the nonsense that gets sprouted about cars an stuff from time to time.

Today, the story is still doing the rounds at work but the $$$$ are like 5 times higher than the first BS amount last week, so I'm thinking the yarn has snowballed and shaking my head at how many gullable people are about. I said to others in the smoko room you could by a V8 supercar engine from the Stone Bros for less than this thing and its only a Goss engine.

But this story wasn't going away, different people heard different things etc.... so I confront this guy, a young adult apprentice, he always seemed like an alright bloke and asked him straight.

Now, I don't wish to reveal everything right now incase I may jepordise something, but I will say that the engine in question isnt a Goss but a rather unique piece of Australian Motorsport history.

The story goes, he goes to buy a '77 XC ute with V8 sitting under a tree in a paddock around Brisbane I think. The bloke asks for $1200.00 if it. It hasent fired a shot for 6-8 years and been under the tree for as long.

Young lad takes it away, later goes to buy some engine parts to get it going, and the Ford parts guy as usual needs the engine number to find stuff. He types in the number and thats when significant history of this engine started to unfold.

Stay tuned here and I'll tell more soon, or keep watching Ch9 as he was being interviewed about this thisafternoon after work.

 

[Rob 18]

C,mon Nascar, after reading all that you can't just keep leading us on....lol. What's it out of???? Gossy's Bathurst winning XA maybe??

 

[Nascar12]

Hi Rob.

I didn't see the young fella at work today, I rekon he's making a few hard decisions at the moment.

No it isn't a Goss, Rob. Its someone elses???

 

[Nascar12]

OK in case I get some of the facts a little wrong or mis-represent anybody, the word "alledgedlly" is being applied to the post below.

Alright, picture this, tired old ute in a paddock under a tree, the seller wants to be rid of it. Young lad wants to make something half reasonable from it, so its bought.

The talk at work of this engine, sought after and originally thought to be a Goss (wrong info) and worth $100,000.00.(hence my first BS reaction). Over the next few days the figure being thrown around is $500,000.00. (and I'm going BS big time). Now its revealed that its identified by Ford by the serial number to belong to an alledged bathurst winning Ford.

Now I talk to the guy straight to get the full picture.

The original car was stolen after the Bathurst race in South Aust apparently and was stripped. Its 1971 by the way.

Its from Moffat's Phase 2 . The engine has turned up in an old XC ute, under a tree in a paddock 36 yrs later.

So a very well known family of Aussie motorsport collectors have somehow located the lad and have rolled out the $$$$, for this engine. The big dollars were offered and accepted, and they now have the correct engine to go with the car that they already have.

Furthermore, with the purchase of this engine, they have now completed the Allan Moffat Phase collection, Phase 1, 3 and the XA Phase 4 and now they have the Phase 2 engine and body to commence the resto.

The collecters are happy, and the lad is in a very good position finacially for this stage in life.

So, is this the most money ever paid for an engine in Australia? For one that needs work?

PS after the deal was done and the cheque signed etc....... they said they would have gone as high as 3 mill for it. Maybe they would have or maybe they were just showing off a little too.

Good luck to all concerned!!!


Remember, its all "alledged".

 

[Rob 18]

So the Bowdens have forked out 1/2 a mil for the original engine out of the Bathurst winning 1970 XW GT Ph 2.

Also, is this anything to do with the Ph 3 that was stolen at AIR years ago, (Thinking of 1972 though) when Moff borrowed Carters XY to run that weekend & MOffs cars was found in the Adelaide Hills after the race meeting??? Pretty sure that was intact though with only the Holley missing.

Not thinking real clear this morning!!!!!

 

[Nascar12]

ALLEDGEDLY.
Well, things aren't as rosey as first thought.
Matters will probably be going "legal" now.
That is whose property is it? Money has not changed hands but the lad and the collecter are happy to do business with each other. No interviews yet but a few journo's are wanting the story. Its all got to be settled first.
Several parties will be meeting such as the lad, the collector, the racing hero, the motor company, and insurer.

I think it might end in tears.

 

[Rob 18]

I think it will too nascar!!

Maybe he should have just kept it to himself & he might have had a huge part of Aussie motorsport history in his keep. Somehow, & obviously don't know the young lad, but I almost feel sorry for him as he's going to be left with 'Jack sh*t' after he was the one who has basically found the missing engine.

But who would really own the engine???? The Ford Motor Company. The insurer if indeed, it was insured. Wouldn't be Moff as he was just the driver back in that era, so who would own the thing????

Good story though nascar!