Crew Cab Aussie Muscle Car: 1975 Holden Monaro HJ GTS





























For the past few years now, Australian have piqued my curiousity; Forza Horizon 3 features a part of its game where players can find cars in barns around Australia, including a Holden HQ Monaro GTS 350, while one of my favorite car shows of all time, Roadkill, did an entire episode in the "Land Down Under", featuring one of my favorite hot rods of all time: a 2006 Holden HSV VE Clubsport R8 powered by a Sonny Leonard 727 cubic inch big block making 1,275 horsepower. Australia, much like the United States, has a mind built for speed, and the way they build their muscle cars almost puts the United States to shame. A prime example of this is this 1975 Holden Monaro HJ GTS, a ver rare sight in the United States. Find it here on GumtreeCars in Minchinbury, New South Wales, Australia with an asking price of $19,990 Australian (approximately $15,991 US).



























This thing is gold, Jerry, gold! Introduced in 1968 along with the rest of the Monaro line of models, the Monaro GTS, along with the Monaro it was based off of, was heavily facelifted in October 1974 for the 1975 model year. With a face similar to the 1970-1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the Monaro GTS was available as either a coupe or four-door sedan, with the sedan finally becoming a model of its own. Though the previously available body paint-outs were discontinued for the HJ Monaro GTS, front and rear spoilers were newly available as options, with the spoiler striking a similar resemblance to second-generation Pontiac Trans Ams. This HJ Monaro GTS sedan is a 1975 model, which would be built until July 1976 before being replaced by the HX Monaro. Looking over this car, the car appears to be fairly solid, with little to no rust on the body. There is a large dent in the passenger side front fender, and the front bumper is essentially shot, but otherwise the body is pretty solid and straight. I would repair the very little rust, replace the passenger fender and front bumper, source correct front and rear spoilers, front foglamps, Pontiac Rally II wheels with Holden caps, and a stripe kit stencil for a Holden HQ Monaro GTS to dress up this crew-cab muscle car.




























After gaining its facelift, the Monaro GTS lost its optional 350 as its top engine option, leaving the 253 and 308 cubic inch V8 to soldier on. Unfortunately, the seller does not mention what V8 this Monaro GTS is powered by, but the car is backed by an automatic transmission. Rated at 185 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque in 253 V8 form or 240 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque in 308 V8 form. Backed by a turbo-hydramatic three-speed automatic, I'm hoping the car has the 308, but I'm leaning towards the 253 reality-wise. I would swap in a built four-bolt main 350, a 700R4 four-speed automatic, upgrade the rear end to a more aggressive rear gears (possibly 3.73s), and do some nice smoky burnouts Australian-style.



























Taking a look underneath the hood, you can see the VIN tag and trim tag, which verifies the car as a real Monaro GTS and also details the options that the car has. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the inside of the interior, but judging from the views from the windshield on the outside, the car appears to have been optioned with a black gut (note: the picture provided in the link is the black interior from a HJ Sandman). Judging from the picture in the link, Holden knew how to make sporty interiors back in the day, and the steering wheel reminds me of the Formula wheel used by Pontiac back in the 1970s and the early 1980s. Though the picture provided is a manual transmission-equipped car, the automatic-equipped cars also came with a floor shift in the Monaro GTS, and reminds me of the shifter used in GM cars in the 1970s, such as this 1973 Chevrolet Nova. Overall, this Monaro GTS sedan is going to need some work, but considering its value and the fact it's a rare sight in the United States, I would take the risk. According to Aussie Car Imports, importing a car from Australia to the United States costs anywhere from $3,000 to $3,500, and factor in a restoration I'm sure you could get a nice, restored driver for about $30,000. What are your thoughts on this Monaro GTS sedan?
Location: Minchinbury NSW 2770, Australia

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