Cars that have disappeared from our roads

[Dayvo]

Ah, more memories. I've only ever seen pictures of that Hatch Hutch (I had forgotten the name) in an old Holden brochure. It reminds me of a few more cars you don't see any more; the Sandman variants of the HZ (I think) panel van and ute and the Sundowner variants of Escort and XB (once again, I think) panel vans. I suspect many people alive today have never seen one of them either, even fewer an Escort panel van Sundowner or not.

Interestingly, the current Street Machine magazine has a short review of "Alley Cat" - Jag V12 and suspension in an HJ or HZ, air brushed murals, crushed velour interior (in the "cargo" area) - another relic of the van craze of the late '70s.


There were some pretty bright colours available on Holdens of that vintage too; Tangerine (that's the proper name I think), a bright yellow, a lime green, a sort of turquoise blue, (similar to Sports Blue on VP for reference) among them.

You used to be able to get transparencies with the silhouettes of the cars - all Holden models - printed onto them that you overlaid over a page with blocks of the available colours printed onto them to aid in choosing a colour.

I have a magazine somewhere with the first build of Alleycat. It had gullwing doors and a one piece tailgate .The owner sold it to start up his own business called The Chrome Exchange .

 

[Calaber]

Ah, more memories. I've only ever seen pictures of that Hatch Hutch (I had forgotten the name) in an old Holden brochure. It reminds me of a few more cars you don't see any more; the Sandman variants of the HZ (I think) panel van and ute and the Sundowner variants of Escort and XB (once again, I think) panel vans. I suspect many people alive today have never seen one of them either, even fewer an Escort panel van Sundowner or not.

Interestingly, the current Street Machine magazine has a short review of "Alley Cat" - Jag V12 and suspension in an HJ or HZ, air brushed murals, crushed velour interior (in the "cargo" area) - another relic of the van craze of the late '70s.

There were some pretty bright colours available on Holdens of that vintage too; Tangerine (that's the proper name I think), a bright yellow, a lime green, a sort of turquoise blue, (similar to Sports Blue on VP for reference) among them.

You used to be able to get transparencies with the silhouettes of the cars - all Holden models - printed onto them that you overlaid over a page with blocks of the available colours printed onto them to aid in choosing a colour.

The names given to some of those colours were classics, too. Holden had Linamint, Yellow Dolly, Plumdinger (all LJ Torana colours), Royal Purple, Rose (HQ), Lettuce Alone (pale green on the HQ SS sedan released as a tester just before the Monaro became available as a four door), Chrysler had Lone-0ranger (Charger). They were the days when anything goes with colours - the louder the better. In many ways, Holden has gone full circle and many of the colours offered today are just as vivid and the names given to them are just as looney.

 

[Calaber]

About the same as they should be worth now.

The HK GTS 327 was $3,795 plus on roads. This went up to $3,995 plus for the HG GTS 350 and the HO upped the ante a bit to $4,995 plus. Seems cheap as chips today, but it was fairly big dollars in 1968 to 71.

 

[Cheap6]

It's funny read some of the posts where younger members have never even seen cars which were absolutely everywhere back in the 70's or 80's. One member couldn't recall the Camira but I only use this as an example, not to have a shot at anyone. It might have been a dud initially, but they sold them in very substantial numbers between 1982 and 1989. That's really not that long ago.

It's not that long ago until you realise that the oldest of them are nearly 30 years old! I think back now to when I was 18 (I'd like to think that was not very long ago ) and ask how many 30 year old cars I could've named then. Not very many.

Alleycat was interesting. I have some old "Custom Vans and Trucks" in my collection of automotive memorabilia and there was some discussion over a claim by the owner/builder that it had been cut down the middle and widened by a couple of inches. Someone else had apparently measured it at a car show and discovered that it had not been widened.

Which, while slightly off topic again, brings me to another observation; you don't see custom bodywork much any more. Sure, it exists in the world of hot rods, where it originated from, and a few high dollar show car builds and indeed pick up trucks (the new hot rods) but I can't recall it being applied to more mainstream contemporary vehicle builds so much.

There are advertisements in those old magazines for fibreglass "Monza" replacement nosecones for HQ/J/Z holdens and it wasn't uncommon to see rectangular XC Falcon headlights fitted either side of a H series grille, or a Statesman front or H series ute/wagon/van tail lights grafted onto a Bedford van body or even a flip front.

Murals were apparently big too. Plenty of airbrushing often of naked women, perhaps with a supernatural, devil or vampire theme. Probably work now actually, just like in-car TV's vs contemporary LCD screens and the wild colours.

 

[Cheap6]

Particularly for younger readers, might I recommend a search under "panel van" or similar. You have no idea what you (we) missed .

 

[Calaber]

It's not that long ago until you realise that the oldest of them are nearly 30 years old! I think back now to when I was 18 (I'd like to think that was not very long ago ) and ask how many 30 year old cars I could've named then. Not very many.

Alleycat was interesting. I have some old "Custom Vans and Trucks" in my collection of automotive memorabilia and there was some discussion over a claim by the owner/builder that it had been cut down the middle and widened by a couple of inches. Someone else had apparently measured it at a car show and discovered that it had not been widened.

Which, while slightly off topic again, brings me to another observation; you don't see custom bodywork much any more. Sure, it exists in the world of hot rods, where it originated from, and a few high dollar show car builds and indeed pick up trucks (the new hot rods) but I can't recall it being applied to more mainstream contemporary vehicle builds so much.

There are advertisements in those old magazines for fibreglass "Monza" replacement nosecones for HQ/J/Z holdens and it wasn't uncommon to see rectangular XC Falcon headlights fitted either side of a H series grille, or a Statesman front or H series ute/wagon/van tail lights grafted onto a Bedford van body or even a flip front.

Murals were apparently big too. Plenty of airbrushing often of naked women, perhaps with a supernatural, devil or vampire theme. Probably work now actually, just like in-car TV's vs contemporary LCD screens and the wild colours.

I used to customise some of my earlier cars. I had an EH fitted with a severely modified and cut down XB Falcon grille and vents let into the front guards. The end result actually looked very effective and I have never seen any other EH modified like that. I've got photos somewhere. It appeared in a couple of Hot Rod mags in the mid 70's.

 

[Kieran263]

Our family has had 3 panel vans(old man was a sheet metal worker) and now dad is looking for a 1978 CL Drifter to match his CL Charger.
Probably been said before but I never see any valiant/chrysler chargers on the road. Which is a shame because they are beautiful.

 

[Burnout124]

mini , hq holdens , datson 1200

 

[383 hatch]

mini , hq holdens , datson 1200

Not where I live.....HQ-WB Holdens are everywhere here.

 

[oohitsLUCAS]

Even XD-XF Falcons are rarely seen now.
Datsun 200B
Old model Toyota Cressidas and Crowns used to be everywhere.

Ive seen heaps of Cressidas, infact ive owned 2 and my brother currently owns one with a 2jz in it, pulling somewhere in the range of 500kw ( not sure, since recent work thats what were hoping for ). But yeah around sydney there pritty common ( about as common as a punch buggie )