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NEWS
From The Classifieds: 1969 Holden Monaro GTS Bathurst HT
Plenty of Holden Monaros are offered for sale, but not many remain in original condition. This genuine Bathurst version comes closeFinding a good early generation Holden Monaro coupe is always possible, but finding one that is not only in good condition but un-restored into the bargain is something else again.
The original Monaro series, when it was introduced alongside the HK Holden sedans in 1968, delivered a knockout blow for Holden. If Ford had beaten the company to the punch with the first serious performance derivative of a local car in the form of the original 1967 Falcon GT, Holden was the first to transform a hitherto four-door sedan body into a locally designed two-door coupe that, in its most powerful GTS 327 form, could issue a racetrack challenge to the Ford.
Stories of the Bathurst duels between Holden and Ford that followed during the golden years of the Australian muscle car have been told and re-told ad infinitum, sanctifying the cars and elevating prices on the used car market to almost unbelievable levels.
Unfortunately the popularity and profusion of early Australian muscle cars is such that finding an original, unmodified version is, to say the least, very difficult.
And this is why this Kashmir White 1969 GTS 350 Bathurst Monaro on sale through carsales.com.au caught our attention. The HT Monaro (HT followed HK in 1969) is claimed by the current owner to be the 35th example built at Holden’s Pagewood plant in NSW and is said to be in all-original condition apart from the bonnet, which “was repainted four years ago” the engine (it was replaced by its second owner who bought it in 1972 – the original block is offered with the car) and the Minilite wheels – although, again, the originals are also part of the package. It appears that bringing it back to original specifications would be a relatively straightforward exercise for an enthusiast with the appropriate funds, skills and knowledge.
The deviations from absolute standard are minimised by the fact that the numbers all match up on the compliance plate: Paint, trim codes, model description, body, chassis and VIN numbers are all in place. The car still has its original owner’s manual.
The owner says the GTS 350, which is listed on the Monaro register, is believed to have been a spare racecar that was never used. It was ultimately used at Bathurst though, to promote the new-generation CV8 Monaro coupe in 2001 and was driven around the circuit before the race by Peter Brock.
Today the GTS 350 resides in Lachlan in Tasmania and shows what is claimed to be a genuine 80,000 miles on the odometer. It is being offered for sale at $145,000, without a roadworthy certificate.
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Written byTim Britten
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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