The one bad thing about being an American fan of Australian cars is that if you really want to enjoy one, you usually have to bring it over yourself. That means paperwork, the hassle of dealing with two different countries’ take on Customs, shipping, the risk of damage from shipping, and more money than most people have the stomach for. But for some, the work is worth the reward, and the final product is a unique car that very, very few other Yanks have experienced. Apparently a man in Georgia has excellent taste in Holdens, because a few years ago this 1968 Holden Monaro GTS Bathurst Series 1 made it’s way from New South Wales to the Deep South. It’s not difficult to see why this Monaro was picked…it’s absolutely gorgeous, and it’s packing a 327ci V8 that Holden imported from Chevrolet. The mishmash of Holden cues, Chevy II size and Corvair styling cues (look at that dash!) works beautifully here.
The Aussie readership will have to fill me in on what makes an HK Monaro GTS a “Bathurst” car, since as I understand it, there isn’t anything different from the normal GTS. But quite frankly, I wouldn’t care if it was a six-cylinder model with the way it looks. The first-generation Monaro’s shape is one of those designs that can overrule just about any and every other possible fault. It’s handsome, it’s restrained, and it’s got just enough racer to it to be attractive.
…and oh, yeah, did we mention the 327? Chevrolet’s screamer small-block in a car this small will certainly make for one hell of a ride. No wonder the Monaro won Wheels magazine’s Car Of The Year award for 1968, or why the car did so well in touring car races.
We could see this being the nice “Sunday driver” car, since it appears to have been restored at some point. Like a clean early Mustang or a restored muscle car, this should be driven, but not abused. But then again, that’s just me…what say you?
eBay Link: 1968 Holden Monaro HK GTS 327
There’s a You Tube video of a Holden Commodore crash test of about the same vintage. It folds up quicker than a cheap hooker in Las Vegas. Snatch out the 327 and take the rest of it to the crusher.
Sorry Ted, but not only is the V-series Commodore in that Youtube video about 15 years newer and a completely different Opel-based design, it folded up like the proverbial hooker because it had a boot full of cement and hit the wall dead on at 140kph. It was used to test the capabilities of a new crash test centre.
HK “Bathurst” GTS Monaros were 327, 4 speed cars as they were considered “ready to race”. And were raced pretty much as they were on the showroom floor, as “Production Cars”. The HK also gave Holden its first win in the Bathurst 500 in 1968. The lesser packages (two 6cyl choices, or a 307), although all GTS were not the Bathurst model.
A base Monaro was a real poverty pack with a split bench seat, but the GTS Monaro had full instrumentation, bucket seats with a console and a Tach mounted where you couldnt see it, etc…
Then came the GTS 327. Or “Bathurst” Monaro.
Although considered one of the strongest Holden’s ever built, at around 130 MPH the rear half of the roof pops in, and pops back out as you slow back down.
Scares the crap out of you the first time it happens.
Back in the early 80’s Dad had a Silver Mink HK GTS, when they went for $1000 all day. He remembers the roof blowing in at ~130mph. He also remembers losing all his TAFE work when he drove home with the windows down. Apparently it was a total rust bucket, and sold it for an XB GS ute.
The early 80’s was a very interesting period. All these things we now wish we kept, had made their way down the food chain to the lowest rung of the used car ladder. And a couple of grand bought just about anything.
I hated the 80’s because I never had any money, and always seemed to have too many projects to justify bringing home another car, had I bought that $3k silver E49 Charger I probably would have only sold it on again anyway. Even though I could see their numbers fading fast and have a long list of the ones that got away, I couldnt afford to keep them all.
I loved the 80’s because it was the last time I remember seeing cars like XY GT’s being driven sideways in anger. I remember watching GTS 20 engulfed in fire after being pursued at high speed and crashing on the freeway. There was a strange almost grace about these moments, the respect had gone and their days were numbered. Cue the classical music as I remember in slow motion.