Rare/Weird holdens

[STEALTHY™]

I can relate, my VP Berlina 5L 5Sp wagon is fun

 

[spunoff]

hz on 4x4 steroids, THE OVERLANDER, mainly done in tasmania, if i recall correctly.

 

[Pete_perth]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but there was the Holden Shuttle (Isuzu Fargo).

Apart from HDT there was also the CDT (Country Dealer Team) of cars that were produced.

 

[skruba]

my bro had a HDT Camira it was a cool lil car in its day

 

[love the general]

the 4x4 hz's were called an overlander. could get them in ute, panelvan and wagon i think

 

[Mr Irony]

and don't forget brock had a fallout with holden over the energy polarizer (pic below) which saw the end of the brock HDT and the start of HSV and he left to race for ford and to build some of their cars in the 90's, so there are brock fords.

Not quite...

He was cut off from factory supply and raced as an independent in Holdens for a bit more than a year.

Then he ran BMWs for a year, or maybe two, then he got the Sierras for another year or two.

How about the earliest of the FE Holdens for rare cars today? The first several hundred, I believe, had a weakness in the rear structure that was stiffened up in production. So I guess these first ones flexed and had extra rusting potential than the rest... so not many would be left?

Another 'limited production' run was the HQ SS. Only a few hundred were made, maybe a thousand, they had many of the Monaro-like things... black outs on the bonnet, striping etc... but were only 253s under the bonnet.

Though I seem to recall a bloke I knew had one that had escaped the factory with a 308, so that would be a rare one.

S4s... about 125 made. The really rare ones are the ones that had disc brakes and 4-speed gearboxes, yet many people seem to think they all did.

 

[STEALTHY™]

Another 'limited production' run was the HQ SS. Only a few hundred were made, maybe a thousand, they had many of the Monaro-like things... black outs on the bonnet, striping etc... but were only 253s under the bonnet.

Also only came in 3 colours, Red, Green, and Mauve (Silver/grey), plus were 253s with the 4 speed manual (the 308 one you heard of would have been a company car, or not factory 308)

 

[Mr Irony]

That's true...

I was actually at the Commodore Heights release of these cars to journos in Sydney, having been taken out there with my employer of the time... he was invited, I was along for the free breakfast (bacon etc...).

The one with the 308 was, I believe, ordered as such especially through a close relationship between the buyer and his dealer. I first met the owner when he had an XU-1 when I was hitch hiking to Lakeside once.

 

[Calaber]

Also only came in 3 colours, Red, Green, and Mauve (Silver/grey), plus were 253s with the 4 speed manual (the 308 one you heard of would have been a company car, or not factory 308)

I can recall when they were released. One of the blokes at work bought a red one. The red was called Infra-red, the purple (mauve) was Ultra-Violet and thegreen was called "Lettuce Alone" and they were only $3250 - the same price as a 253 4 speed Kingy.

They were a bit odd because they were based on the Belmont. So you got the 253, four speed, sports wheels, GTS dash and steering wheel, reclining buckets with black and white cloth inserts, with black vinyl the only interior colour trim, carpet, special colours with black stripes along the tops of the front guards, vented front guards and I think, single exhaust.

You also got no door armrests, no radio, no cigarette lighter and basic Belmont door trims.

They were a limited production model released in late 1972 and the four door GTS followed as a regular production model a few months later as a result of the success of the SS, which sold out very quickly. I think the total number made was around 1500 but can't be sure.

 

[Calaber]

Not quite...

How about the earliest of the FE Holdens for rare cars today? The first several hundred, I believe, had a weakness in the rear structure that was stiffened up in production. So I guess these first ones flexed and had extra rusting potential than the rest... so not many would be left?

Another 'limited production' run was the HQ SS. Only a few hundred were made, maybe a thousand, they had many of the Monaro-like things... black outs on the bonnet, striping etc... but were only 253s under the bonnet.

Though I seem to recall a bloke I knew had one that had escaped the factory with a 308, so that would be a rare one.

S4s... about 125 made. The really rare ones are the ones that had disc brakes and 4-speed gearboxes, yet many people seem to think they all did.

I recall reading that the reinforcement needed on the FE's was around the rear window. Early test models had problems with body flexing and the windows would pop out, so additional reinforcing was added prior to release. I don't think other rear end reinforcement was involved so I'm not sure that any FE's were available to the public with a "weak" rear end.

Re the S4's. I believe they only had sintered brake linings and wider drums, not discs and that the transmission was the standard 3 speed with heavier cluster gear and other bits. If I have my facts correct, until the S4 was released, the EH 179 could only be purchased as an automatic because the old three speeder from the EJ lacked the strength to live behind the 179.

The first four speed wasn't released until early 1967 in the upgraded HR, at the same time as the 186X2 was replaced by the 186S and it was an Opel box, which showed itself to be very weak in normal use. It certainly wouldn't have held up to racing conditions. In fact, if you are talking about rare Holdens with the combination of options, then an HR 186S Premier with factory four speed would be a very rare animal indeed.