355 replies to this topic

[Indy Orange]

I had a discussion with a work mate today about the 4 door Monaro and how he believed they actually weren't Monaro,s   at all ,I believe the HXGTS and the HJGTS were badged Monaro and are even identified as Monaros on the ID plate HZGTS are just that a GTS.Funny he believes the LE's  were Monaro's but no where on the LE it has Monaro ID,interested in any thoughts .Paul. 

[Dave6179]

4 door was GTS, 2 door was Monaro. Everyone knows that... at least everyone worth talking to.

[purrlx]

I thought the 4 doors were still monaro's and badged so

But i'm no expert

[myss427]

Wanta-be Monaro's, real Monaros were 2 door the others were GTS's im my book.

[Talking Toranas]

I have a GTS/4 we rebuilt it to as close as showroom as we could. It came out of the factory with a Monaro badge on it.

 

That's good enough for me.

[Swarbs]

Funny he believes the LE's  were Monaro's but no where on the LE it has Monaro ID,interested in any thoughts .Paul. 

 

HX LE's were never badged a Monaro - why? who knows

580 made from left over shells from the HQ HJ runs

They were sold as a HX Limited Edition  - basically a two door statesman 

[xu2308]

The HQ SS Kingswood was not a Monaro, but people still call it the SS Monaro, any part on ebay that's from a Kingswood that will fit a Monaro model is a Monaro part on the add on ebay lol.

 

HJ 4-Door Monaro's are Monaro's for sure

Edited by xu2308, 20 February 2014 - 02:24 PM.

[Talking Toranas]

Now the HQ SS was based on a Belmont body, with arm rests basically. No Kingswood at all. If I knew how to put up pictures I would for you. HQ SS my favourite car.

[Dr Terry]

Now the HQ SS was based on a Belmont body, with arm rests basically. No Kingswood at all. If I knew how to put up pictures I would for you. HQ SS my favourite car.

HQ SSs didn't get armrests as standard kit, they were an optional extra.

 

Dr Terry

[Dr Terry]

HQ-HX are Monaro GTS, HZ are GTS only. From memory HX LE's were all left over 2 door shells from the HJ series that GMH dressed up in limited edition numbers as GM H put it in order to flog them off ASAP.

A common misquote. Could you imagine how much storage space 600 odd fully built coupe body shells would use up ?

 

What they had was an excess of the panels which are unique to the coupe body style, e.g. turrets, rear quarters, doors etc. etc.

 

They built the bodies as required during LE production, which actually used HX firewalls, not HJ.

 

I'm probably being a tad pedantic, but you now how myths are born.

 

Dr Terry 

[yel327]

It isn't a myth Terry, the shells were built as HJ bodies in white (bare steel with protectective coating). The firewalls were cut out and changed to HX firewalls when the LE design dragged out for so long and HX rolled around. A close look at an LE in its undies will reveal the firewall change, plus the Pagewood firewall numbers are so erratic and out of whack with chassis numbers on LE's that you start to see the complications and delays with them. There are also big holes in HJ firewall numbers (I think it is late 1975) possibly explained by the missing HJ coupe shell firewalls. Where they were stored we have yet to work out. I know the maintenace foreman from the Pagewood plant and he doesn't remember where they all were. He does remember large volumes being built and a cold snap one night smashed lots of rear screens on the completed cars out n the weather.

 

Edit - Beat you by one minute Col!

Edited by yel327, 20 February 2014 - 08:17 PM.

[RallyRed]

just when you need him....yel327?....where you hiding?

[yel327]

HQ-HX are Monaro GTS, HZ are GTS only. From memory HX LE's were all left over 2 door shells from the HJ series that GMH dressed up in limited edition numbers as GM H put it in order to flog them off ASAP.

 

Agree, HJ-HX GTS sedans are Monaro GTS's, HZ are GTS although I think there are owner's manuals around with Monaro on them. HQ GTS sedan and HQ GTS350 sedan are not a separate model like a HJ-HZ Monaro GTS sedan, they are a special vehicle option package (XV4 and XW8) on a HQ V8 Kingswood just like a HQ Sandman is a special vehicle package option (XX7) on a Belmont or Kingswood. Difference is the Sandman wore Belmont or Kingswood badges, whereas the HQ GTS sedan was meant to be seen as a separate model like a HX-HZ Sandman and wors no badges from the vehicle it was based upon.

[Dr Terry]

It isn't a myth Terry, the shells were built as HJ bodies in white (bare steel with protectective coating). The firewalls were cut out and changed to HX firewalls when the LE design dragged out for so long and HX rolled around. A close look at an LE in its undies will reveal the firewall change, plus the Pagewood firewall numbers are so erratic and out of whack with chassis numbers on LE's that you start to see the complications and delays with them. There are also big holes in HJ firewall numbers (I think it is late 1975) possibly explained by the missing HJ coupe shell firewalls. Where they were stored we have yet to work out. I know the maintenace foreman from the Pagewood plant and he doesn't remember where they all were. He does remember large volumes being built and a cold snap one night smashed lots of rear screens on the completed cars out n the weather.

 

Edit - Beat you by one minute Col!

 

Leo Pruneau told me that a quantity of early LE were as you describe (converted HJs), but most were just panels in storage. Why in heaven's name would GM-H built 600 un-ordered coupe body shells & where do you put that many shells ?

 

Dr Terry

[Talking Toranas]

You are dead right my good Dr.

 

Funny thing is all 3 of the ones I have, have the arm rests. I went and checked. Could be later they stuck them on or ordered at the time.

[yel327]

Leo Pruneau told me that a quantity of early LE were as you describe (converted HJs), but most were just panels in storage. Why in heaven's name would GM-H built 600 un-ordered coupe body shells & where do you put that many shells ?

 

Dr Terry

 

It is Leo who maintains that the bodies were built, and other evidence has come to light on it. Where they put them is a bit of a mystery that is not yet solved. I'll talk to you more aboutit next time I see you.

[A9X]

nooooo. lets talk about it now , i love  a good mystery.

 

[xu2308]

Where were all the LE Monaro's built, that would be a clue where they were, one would think

[yel327]

All HJ onwards coupes and Statesmans were Pagewood. We think we know where they were stored, but only have one witness account so far.

 

Remember coupe body production ceased before the end of Feb 1976, so any HJ coupes still in the schedule would get built using already completed bodies but the 2 x models were discontinued on 1/3/76. The LE was supposed to be HJ special vehicle package option code A8Q added to the HJ Production Option Availability documents on 22/12/75. The LE prototype is an 11/75 HJ GTS. We think the LE bodies were produced about this time, and firewalls changed maybe when HX sheetmetal was available in April 1976. There was also at least 1 x HJ GTS coupe shell in spare parts in late 1980, possibly more so at least one got kept plus possibly one converted to HX got kept too as there is a part number for a HX coupe shell with a part number earlier than the rest of the HX range spare part shells.

 

Unfortunately John Bagshaw is gone now, RIP, but he would have known exactly what/where and why the HJ LE was delayed into HX. Maybe they simply didn't want 580+ of these hanging around into a new HX model release? If that was the case they were wise as there were V2III GTS-R's hanging around into VZ release which were hard to shift. 

[RallyRed]

interesting how some ,now desireable cars, were almost impossible to shift back in the day.
Unless my memory fails me, I can still recall the local Holden Dealer in Newcastle city, had a few Walkinshaws that were there on the showroom floor for that long they were up for long service leave!!.
I have a funny recollection that they were 42k when released, but were HEAPS discounted after many months....make that many many many months.