1973 Holden HQ Monaro GTS 308 Sedan

Description

“…It makes you enjoy motoring all over again” was the quote from Peter Brock in Holden’s advertising for the new Monaro GTS and the hottest model in the HQ range certainly looked capable of doing just that, with its rally-style blacked out bonnet, boot lid and grille, triple vents and unique wheel trims. Based on the all-new HQ series introduced in July 1971, the latest Monaro was offered in both two and four-door guises for the first time, the latter arriving in March 1973 following the positive reaction to Holden’s limited edition SS sedan. The HQ was a vastly improved car over its predecessors, employing monocoque construction for a stiffer shell, four wheel coil suspension, better brakes and modern exterior styling. The Monaro range was expanded to include three trim levels, the base model joined by the more luxury oriented LS (essentially a two-door Premier) and the sporty GTS packages. Boasting steel sports wheels, a well-equipped premium interior and revised exterior styling, the GTS had the 253-cid V8 as standard, with the home-grown 308-cid (with 240 horsepower on tap) or Chevrolet 350-cid V8s optional. Transmission choices included the new Australian-designed synchromesh manual (with a heavy-duty Muncie box fitted to 350 powered Monaros) or Trimatic automatic (with the stronger Turbo Hydramatic 400 reserved for the 350). Underneath, the HQ’s suspension was beefed up with heavy duty shock absorbers, up-rated springs and stiffer stabiliser bars, while power assisted ventilated disc brakes up front, quicker steering ratio and a limited-slip diff at the rear transformed the Holden into a real driver’s car. Inside the GTS’s cabin, there were bucket seats (with houndstooth check seat trim an option) and a gunmetal-finish dash with full instrumentation, including a tacho. Just 8,945 HQ GTS Sedans are thought to have been made in total, with survivors few and far between and it has long been recognised as one of the most collectible Holdens ever produced.