Caveat emptor - buyer beware - should be the first principle of anyone buying a second hand car.

But a classic car mix up in regional Victoria that's left a man $110,000 out of pocket and facing legal bills for failed court appeals seems to have shot that timeless warning full of holes.

The 'Ford 1970 XW GTHO Falcon' that turned out to be just a regular old Ford. Credit:Border Mail

Glen Sell from Wodonga in regional Victoria had no reason to doubt the vehicle he had owned for 30 years was an original Ford 1970 XW GTHO Falcon - one of the rarest and most valuable vintage Fords on the market.

The car had a letter from Ford confirming its identity, which had been based on its Vehicle Identification Number.