Holden Monaro GTS Coupe
Published: 8th Jun 2011 - 0 Comments - Be the first, contribute now!
Neat GTS 350 rear end styling 
Purposeful nose down pose, perfect! 
No frills interior, typical of Aussie cars 
GTS 350 came with a 350ci V8 engine 
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A powerful sporting two-door coupe based upon the HK Series Kingswood saloon, built in Australia by Holden, General Motors manufacturing division in the Antipodes.
What is a Holden Monaro ?
A powerful sporting two-door coupe based upon the HK Series Kingswood saloon, built in Australia by Holden, General Motors manufacturing division in the Antipodes. A number of Holden cars have found their way to our shores as have the Monaros muscle car rivals such as the Ford Falcon GT and Chrysler Valiant Charger. The Monaro was eventually offered with five engine and four gearbox options, the base model being powered by a robust 3-litre 253ci straight-six engine, but the limited edition GTS 350 uses a US built Chevrolet 350ci 5.7 V8 with a TH350 automatic transmission, or four-speed manual ‘box. Nowadays the Monaro Coupe is still highly regarded and very sought after ‘down under’ and certainly cuts an alternative dash to the eras better known US built muscle cars.
History
The Monaro was launched on 22nd July 1968. There’s nothing like winning on the race track on a Sunday in order to boost showroom sales on Monday and the Monaro scored a victory first time out at Sandown in 1968. This was followed by securing the top three places in the prestigious Bathurst 500 endurance race the same year, and a Monaro won again the following year in 1969. It certainly placed Holden in the limelight on the motorsport scene. Wheels Magazine also voted the Monaro range as its car of the year. The second generation Monaro arrived in 1971 with the HQ Series featuring an all new body design and still top of the range was the GTS now powered by a 350ci 5.7 V8 which replaced the original 308ci and 325ci units. In 1974 a facelift followed with the HJ Series and the last of the Coupes the HX Series were produced in 1976, though a saloon with GTS specification soldiered on until 1979. Monaro genealogy comprises of the following H Series, HK 1968, HT 1969, HG 1970, HQ 1971, HJ 1974, HX 1976, HZ 1977.
Prices
Base model Monaros will be cheaper than the top of the range GTS, these will start off at around £2000 - £3000. A GTS in excellent condition will be £8000 - £10,000 with concours cars fetching an even higher premium.
What To Look For
- Generally speaking the Monaro is a robust, well built car and there aren’t too many problem areas associated with the dreaded tin worm. However the bottoms of the front wings behind the wheel arches and around the base of the A posts is a known place for rot and as parts aren’t so readily available expect some bodges.
- Also have a good look at the condition of the sills, which can let go badly. The rear pillar between the side and rear window, and the boot floor can also be prone to rust.
- The area under the front windscreen either side of the air intake grille can also be liable to rust, and there are drain tubes that run from the intake that can perish which leads to water dripping into the footwells that eventually rot out. This is not easily noticeable and can occur over a long period of time. The good news is that there are replacement and patch repair panels available from specialists.
- A damaged windscreen is a potential problem as there is nothing of a similar shape available in the UK, so would have to be imported from Australia.
- Both the straight-six and V8 engines are sturdy and long lived, and spares availability is plentiful for both. Engine bays are large, there’s lots of room to work on them, and they are very user friendly for the home DIY car enthusiast. The rest of the hardware is thorough orthodox although obtaining some parts will prove hard so join an owners club asap.
Verdict
The Monaro GTS is regarded as one of Australia’s premier sporting muscle cars, hugely successful on the race track, that offers good handling and distinctive pillarless coupe styling. There’s still a large aftermarket parts back up in Australia, though as with many older classics, interior and exterior trim will be slightly more difficult to obtain and parts are going to have to travel 12,000 miles to reach you! You won’t be alone, there’s a small but enthusiastic following in the UK with the Holden Register.
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