Iconic Holden Monaro headed for auction

The very first Holden to be prepared for touring car racing by Harry Firth is going to auction this weekend, with the auctioneer anticipating it will fetch a seven-figure sum.

According to Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers, the vehicle in question – a 1969 HT Monaro GTS 350 – was claimed by Firth to be the very genesis of the Holden Dealer Team's highly successful touring car campaign over a 20-year period. Firth, poached from Ford by Holden, set about preparing the Monaro for racing as his first project with the GM brand. That makes it potentially a highly prized car to own.

Numbered #57D, this Monaro was set up by Firth for drivers Kevin Bartlett and Spencer Martin to run in the Sandown 300 for 1969. It was an inauspicious debut for the car, which crashed in spectacular fashion and burst into flame due to brake failure. Subsequently it was discovered that the Monaro was running standard brake pads rather than competition pads, due to a mix-up. The crash ruptured the fuel tank, and the repair is still visible today.

Firth tore the car apart after the crash and applied lessons learned from the Monaro's first outing to prepare two more cars. Holden won Bathurst a month later, with Colin Bond and Tony Roberts sharing wheel time in their own Monaro GTS 350, with Peter Brock and Des West placing third in another car.

Ahead of the Bartlett/Martin car's auction on Saturday, August 19, the auctioneer will send the Monaro on a 'lap of honour' tomorrow. From Preston Motors in North Essendon, where the car was originally delivered to Firth, the Monaro will drive to Springvale for viewing by the press at Sandown. Then the Monaro will travel to Queens Avenue, Hawthorn, once the site of Firth's workshop.

The following day the car will be present at Hangar 85, Bristol Street, Essendon Airport, for the auction at noon.

“We expect that this magnificent piece of history will break seven figures – making it the most expensive Holden ever,” says Auctioneer Bill Freeman.

Further information concerning the Monaro is available at the website.

Viewing itinerary, 'Lap of Honour'
Friday, August 18:
09:00 to 09:30 Preston Motors, 205-211 Keilor Road, Essendon North,
11:00 to 12:00 Sandown Raceway, 591-659 Princes Highway, Springvale (press only),
12:30 to 12:35 Former Firth workshop, 35 Queens Avenue, Hawthorn
13:20 onwards Lloyd's Auction Premises, Hangar 85, Bristol Street Essendon