1976 Holden HX GTS Monaro 5.0 V8 'Manual' Sedan

Description

A development of the HQ Monaro, itself something of a landmark car in the history of General Motors-Holden (with all new styling, unitary construction, new suspension, brakes and interiors), the revised HJ range was announced in October 1974. Holden improved equipment levels and options with the HJ but otherwise the Monaro's continued on largely as before. Offered in both two-door coupe and four-door sedan guise, the HJ Monaro was available in base model LS trim (with four headlamps to identify it) or GTS (with single headlamps on either side). The GTS package included full instrumentation, high-backed bucket seats and blacked-out grille, plus the option of front and rear spoilers for the first time. Mechanically, the HJ Monaro was available with a choice of 202-cid six-cylinder or the 253/308 V8 engines - Holden dropped the US-sourced 350 engine (anti-pollution gear had diluted most of its performance) and instead upped the compression ratio on the locally-made 308 to fill the void. The Monaro GTS buyer could opt for the Turbo Hydramatic transmission or the four-speed manual, and a total of only 4,754 HJ Monaros were built by 1976.