Holden HK-HG Premier

The HK ranks among the most important models in Holden history. Prior to 1967, Holden looked unassailable but the arrival of Ford's big and V8-optional XR Falcon created a new set of buyer expectations.

January 1968 brought a GM-H response that was angular and handsome with flared wheel arches, 'hipped' rear quarters and plenty of glass. In Premier form, the HK model featured quad headlamps set into a slim 'egg-crate' grille that emphasised the car's new-found breadth. It was a styling cue echoed inside by the impressive but impractical rectangular speedometer.

Six-cylinder engines still powered the vast majority of Holdens but the HK's introduction of a V8 saw around 15 percent of buyers opting for the larger engine.

The HK model offered just one V8 - a Chevrolet-supplied 5.0-litre and was most usually offered with two-speed Powerglide transmission. Find a genuine, factory four-speed Premier and you have indeed uncovered a rarity.

Cost containment and the need to maximise Australian content saw that engine replaced during the HT model run by 4.2 and 5.0-litre versions of an all-Australian V8.

The HK-HG cabin demonstrated Holden's willingness to satisfy market demands for improved passenger safety. Its dash sloped dramatically away from occupants' knees and along the top ran a broad swathe of crash padding. Three-point front seat belts were fitted and Holden was also the first local brand to include a collapsible steering column.

Since all of those items were useful only after the accident, dual-circuit brakes were standard with front discs optional (and very affordable) on Kingswoods and Premiers. Shortly after the HT model's introduction, radial-ply tyres became optional as well.

Helping entice Premier buyers was an options list that would put many North American brands to shame. Accompanying the HT range into 1969 were four engine options - the basic '186' with 94kW, the 108kW 186S plus 4.2 and, a little later, 5.0-litre V8s. Among the more popular Premier options were power steering, a limited slip differential (mandatory with V8 engines) and under-dash air-conditioning.

Visually, HT models differed marginally from the HK but did debut the first plastic grille fitted to a Holden. Not the end of the world but, according to some Holden traditionalists, you could see it from there.

In keeping with requirements that indicators be visible from the side-on, two-tier tail-lamp clusters were introduced. Gone too was the strip speedometer - replaced by round dials in a revised instrument cluster.

Big news for buyers of the HG models was the introduction of Trimatic automatic transmission. Australian made and with three ratios, the new transmission helped GM-H contain costs and maximise local content. When coupled to the Aussie-built '308' V8 engine, the new transmission helped slice two seconds off a Premier sedan's 0-60mph (0-96km/h) acceleration time.

ON THE ROAD
HK-HG Holdens in general and Premiers in particular have aged gracefully and remain perfectly capable of delivering practical and reliable transport.

Brad Wood has owned his six-cylinder Premier for two years and has no problem with using it regularly. The Inca Gold HK had previously spent eight years sitting unused in a rural shed and has covered less than 40,000km from new. It even had the original cross-ply spare tyre in the boot.

"I really didn't have to do much to get it roadworthy," Brad said. "It still has a rear main bearing leak but you could fix that and it might do it again two days later so it just got a new clutch, some suspension rubbers and a generic wiper/washer motor as the originals are very expensive. It's got a little bit of rust so that's getting fixed but it's great for a car that's nearly 40 years old."

The availability of V8 power demanded a significant engineering upgrade throughout the HK Holden range. Equipping the car to cope with additional weight and power required widening of the track too, an upgrade to 14-inch wheels and general strengthening of the structure.

The change that elicited most response from commentators was to the driving position - lower than the HR's and with an atmosphere of abundant space behind the new, three-spoke steering wheel. The bench seats fitted as standard equipment provide far less lateral support than individual 'buckets' and drivers grimly gripping the wheel during aggressive cornering feel less secure.

Understeer is the HK-HG's dominant handling trait, but not significantly exacerbated by the V8's extra weight. Manual-transmission cars and even those with Trimatic transmission can be hustled along quite effectively. Twisty terrain will emphasise the shortcomings of the two-speed Powerglide 'box.

Virtually every HK-HG in the market today will be running on radial tyres but avoid cars with ultra low-profile rubber or be prepared for a rock-hard ride.

Opinions are divided regarding the most effective automatic transmission. Six-cylinder cars are with little doubt more responsive when teamed with the Trimatic but some V8 owners prefer the more robust feel and low-speed response of the Powerglide.

Five-litre cars with the two-speed transmission reach 100km/h in around 12.5secs and have a top speed of 175km/h. Six-cylinder versions aren't disgraced though - a Powerglide '186' tested in 1968 was a second faster to 70km/h than the V8 but 2.5secs slower to 96km/h.

Where the counterbalance comes is at the petrol pump. All cars come with 75-litre fuel tanks and the six-cylinder with average consumption of around 14L/100km uses 30 percent less fuel than a 5.0-litre. All engines need Premium Unleaded with regular doses of valve-seat protector. Brad Wood had his six-cylinder motor modified to safely run on ULP alone.

Cars with V8 engines usually come with disc front brakes and safety-conscious original owners would often specify discs for their six-cylinder cars. Whichever brake system the car has, caution during the initial days of ownership is recommended. Holden's power-brake setup is super-sensitive and stomping on the brake pedal will lead to embarrassing wheel lockup.

While they might seem sparsely-furnished when compared to the most basic of today's Holdens, these Premiers were prestigious transport when new. Standard equipment included a boot light, two-speed wipers, dress rims and white-wall tyres but you had to pay extra for a radio.

BUYING
The demand that has sent Monaro values soaring during the past few years has begun to manifest in asking prices for V8 Premiers. Excellent 5.0-litre cars now cost more than $10,000 and look destined to head higher. Fuel costs aren't an issue since top-class cars are rarely used as regular transport.

Six-cylinder versions remain in a more affordable price range - excellent HT-HGs typically costing $5000-7000 with HKs slightly more expensive. Cars with three-speed manual transmission cost up to $1000 more than comparable automatics.

Such is the regard that many owners hold for these Premiers that some have remained in the one family since new. A 'one careful owner' car will often come with value-enhancing purchase documents and service receipts.

Modified Premiers are commonly found in the $10,000-20,000 range but shoppers entering this sector of the market need to be cautious. Comparing similarly priced and equipped cars can reveal vast disparities in quality and finish. Legality can also be an issue, so ensure all modifications have been approved and insist on seeing engineering reports and current registration documents.

BUYER CHECK POINTS

BODY & CHASSIS
HK-HG models do rust but far less dramatically than the more structurally complex 1970s cars. Look first at the floors - including the boot - and sills, lower mudguard edges, wheel arches, rear spring mounting points, window surrounds, doors and the tailgate on wagons. Some new panels are available but the only source of most parts is the second-hand market where good items are usually cheap. Bumpers are not and you can pay $600 each for reconditioned bars. Original metallic paintwork wasn't durable and fades more quickly than solid colours.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Here comes the good news. The engines fitted to these cars, be they six or eight-cylinders, are immensely durable and easy to repair or replace. Rear main bearing seal leaks are common and rarely serious, while light rattles from a '186' engine usually signify a worn timing chain. Exhaust smoke, sometimes accompanied by deeper rumblings, denotes an engine in need of a rebuild. Worn water pumps are a common cause of overheating but replacements cost less than $50 and take very little time to install. Transmissions typically last more than 200,000kms and can be cheaply reconditioned. Differential whine is usually due to a superannuated pinion bearing.

SUSPENSION & BRAKES
More simplicity here and everything needed to restore worn suspensions is available from specialist suppliers. Items like ball joints cost less than $30 and rebushing kits around $60. 'Bounce' test the front and rear shock absorbers to see if replacement is due. Those used to all-disc braking systems may find the feel of four drums strange but a very hard pedal or one that heads almost to the floor before responding suggests something amiss in the brake department.

INTERIOR & ELECTRICAL
If you're keen to maintain the car's authenticity then seat trim condition is important - correct replacement material being difficult to source. Virtually everything else to maintain the Premier interior is available second-hand or from specialist parts suppliers. Electrical items present few problems, with most underbonnet components available new or reconditioned. A pair of good, secondhand HT taillights was offered on an auction site for $30.

FAST FACTS

NUMBER BUILT: 100,000 (est). Total HK-HG production 539,000

BODY: unitary construction, all-steel four-door sedan and station wagon

ENGINE: 3.0-litre six-cylinder, 4.2 or 5.0-litre V8 with overhead valves and single downdraft carburettor

TRANSMISSION: three or four-speed manual, two or three-speed automatic

POWER & TORQUE: 94kW @ 4200rpm, 244Nm @ 2000rpm ('186' six cylinder); 179kW @ 4800rpm, 425Nm @ 3000rpm ('308' V8),

PERFORMANCE: 0-96km/h - 12.2secs, 0-400m - 18.7secs ('307' V8). Fuel consumption 14.8L/100km ('186' automatic)

SUSPENSION: Front: wishbones with coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar. Rear: live axle, semi-elliptic springs, telescopic shock absorbers

BRAKES: disc/drum or drum/drum, power assisted

WHEELS & TYRES: 5.0J x 14 steel, 6.95 x 14 crossply

PRICE RANGE: $800-8000 (six-cylinder), $1500-12,000 (5.0-litre V8)

CLUB CONTACT: Holden Clubs in all states, '60s-'80s Holden Enthusiasts Club (VIC).