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1969 Holden Ht Monaro Gts 350 Coupé. Registration No.…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Sydney
Date:
3-May-2009
Lot No.
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Description:
1969 Holden Ht Monaro Gts 350 Coupé. Registration No. Nsw Bthrst exp. July, 2009. Chassis No. 1-H5. The Holden Hk Monaro arrived in the salerooms in 1968 and became an Australian motoring icon practically overnight. Its styling drew inspiration from the Oldsmobile Toronado Coupe that was released in the US in 1966 and provided not just the practicality of earlier Holdens but also style and performance - the ultimate example being the 327cuin Gts. In 1968 the Monaro won the coveted Wheels Magazine 'Car of the Year' award and with a debut win at Sandown and a 1,2,3 at Bathurst set the tone for many Holden endurance race victories to come. Just one year later Holden produced the HT Monaro with a number of upgrades and styling changes from the earlier HKs. Performance was improved with the fitting of the Australian V8s with the top of the line being the Chevrolet's 350cuin (5.7 Litre) V8 which provided blistering performance courtesy of around 300bhp on tap. The track was widened, a new Y-frame engine cradle and neoprene front suspension bushes isolated harshness from the cabin and larger rubber bushings in the rear leaf spring eyes complimented the changes at the front. Exterior styling changes included a new multi louvered plastic grill with a raised centre section and Monaro blackouts. Some vivid new colour options were offered including Sebring Orange and Daytona Bronze, the names of the colours hinting at the performance within. The Gts had bold bonnet stripes in black or gold flanked by bonnet scoops and two section tail lights separated by a blacked out tail panel, thicker side stripes and black sills gave the HT a much tougher and sleeker exterior appearance than its older sibling. The interior was tweaked too with a full complement of circular instruments, more contoured bucket seats, optional houndstooth check cloth inserts and a steering wheel with greater grip. The GTS350 had tuned sports suspension and offered low profile tyres and in manual transmission form, rally wheels as optional extras. While many of the features of this car my now seem basic and a 5.7 litre V8 with 300bhp may not seem so impressive imagine if you will what else was on the market at this stage for a similar price. The HT Monaro Gts 350 offered super car performance to the blue collar worker. With the old adage 'Race on Sunday sell on Monday' in mind the Holden Dealer Team, under the management of the legendary Harry Firth, secured a win at the all important Bathurst 1000 with Bond and Roberts behind the wheel. As if any more proof were needed this showed what a potent and desirable machine the HT Monaro Gts 350 was. Unlike today's V8 Supercars this was a time when production car racing cars weren't so far removed from the standard road going versions. What Holden offered with the HT Monaro Gts 350 was a stylish Bathurst winning car at an affordable price - little wonder then that these cars are so sought after today by Holden enthusiasts and Australian muscle car collectors alike. The example we offer here is a hugely significant part of Australian motoring heritage being that it is Body number one and therefore the first Monaro Gts 350 ever produced. It is almost exactly as it would have been when left the factory in 1969. However the provenance of this car is not the only factor that increases its undoubted desirability and collectability. The story of this car's life is absolutely fascinating and involves two genuine enthusiasts who, through much hard work and a lot of research have managed to restore a car in the true sense of the word by bringing back to an original state a car that had been separated for many years. The original owner of this particular car was a Mr Bruce Fewing from Orange, Nsw who had purchased the car from Wally McGarrity Motors. Mr Fewing was informed by the dealer at this stage that the car had been prepared for and attended the 1969 Bathurst meeting as a spare car but never raced, however this information ca
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified