Muscle machine not so cheap

Car enthusiast Scott Sommer could not believe his luck when he picked up this classic 1969 Monaro for what he considers a song.

The 37-year-old sheetmetal worker paid $30,000 for the Holden Monaro HT GTS 350 Coupe.

It might seem a lot, but not when you ponder the price tag he has slapped on the steel beast with a thumping V8 engine; $200,000.

“I don't really want to sell it,” Mr Sommer said yesterday. “But I've just bought a new house and I was hoping it could be a mortgage-buster.”

Why the hefty mark-up?

“One recently sold at auction for $200,000, and so I thought I'd put mine on the market to see what I could get for it,” he said.

“But I'm in two minds about selling it."

“I've got a gravel road up to my house, and I don't want to ruin the car. It's a beautiful car, the best I've ever owned.”

Mr Sommer's love affair with the classic Aussie muscle car started by chance five years ago.

“I contacted the Monaro club in Victoria hoping to get a 308 Monaro, and they put me onto a bloke who had a 350,” he said.

“I couldn't believe it, and I had the money at the time so I bought it."

“I was just awfully lucky, that's the only way I can put it.”

The Monaro, which has an original 350 engine, which was used in General Motors' marketing campaign to launch the modern version of the Monaro in 2001.

It was even driven by the late Peter Brock in demonstration laps at Bathurst that year.

The GTS 350 Coupe is catnip to lovers of classic vehicles and Sommer is used to the lasting glances he gets while driving the car.

“People come up and ask me lots of questions about the car, which gets a little exhausting . . . but it's nice,” he said.

 Would you spend $200,000 on a classic car or spend just a little bit extra on a brand new car like an Aston Martin?