Classic car auction puts flooded town back on the map

Sitting in a warehouse car park among a row of baby blue vintage Holdens, "God's own car" was up for auction.

The auctioneer's homily about the HR Holden special sedan wasn't far from the truth for devoted classic car fans at a sale of rare models and parts in Molong, central west NSW, on Sunday.

About 100 potential buyers, some who travelled from as far as the Kimberley in Western Australia, endured blazing heat to watch local truck driver Craig Barham's beloved collection go under the hammer.

Prized pieces included a forest green 1947 Chevrolet Stylemaster Ute, which sold for $43,750, and a gleaming olive 1967 Chevrolet Impala, snapped up for $46,000.

A Melbourne bidder bought a pastel Holden EJ station wagon featured in the 2000 Australian movie The Dish for $29,000, while retro Harley Davidson motorbikes sold for between $3400 and $28,000.

As bidding stalled on a particularly rare early Holden, auctioneer Ashley Burns turned up the heat.

"Search the country and I bet you won't find another one of these," Mr Burns told the crowd.

"Imagine the big smile on your face when you rock up to work tomorrow."

The highest bidder bought the HD X2 special station wagon - in need of loving restoration - for $5100. 

The sale was the first in-person event for the auction house since COVID-19 restrictions, as buyers in Molong competed with online bidders across the country.

"The best way is to have people here because they get caught up in the emotion of it," Mr Burns told AAP.

"Once you're here, you're buying."

Buyers and spectators, mostly men in car brand T-shirts, singlets and worn-out caps and Akubras, took cover in small patches of shade as the temperature crept up towards 35C.

Larry Follington, a collector from the NSW Hawkesbury region, said the sale was significant as parts were becoming harder to find.

"I've been working on some of these cars since I was 13 and I have a few of them - about 50," Mr Follington said with a chuckle.

The action was one of the first major events in Molong since an enormous flash flood in November which didn't affect the warehouse sitting on high ground. 

The event was catered by locals whose businesses were lost or damaged.

Tania Lampe, who has not been able to re-open her cafe and homewares shop on the main street due to severe flood damage, served up tall iced coffees to cool the crowd.

She said many locals were doing it tough, as people started to bypass Molong while businesses were boarded up and repaired.

"I'm still trying to get my head around where to go because that shop was my dream," Ms Lampe said.

"Something like this is so great for the town. We need people to come back."