1973 Holden HQ Monaro GTS 4-Door 253 Auto.

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Originally Posted by CraigE

Is a GTR Torana a Muscle Car? YES
Is an XY GS a Muscle Car? YES
Is a 6 pack Charger a Muscle Car? YES

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A Hyundai Excel is not.


The Monaro LS was the more luxuriously appointed two door for the more discerning buyer. Sort of like what a Premier was to a Kingswood.

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Originally Posted by mick88

Back in the HK, HT, HG days there was a Monaro (non GTS) available that just had the standard 186 motor too!

Cheers, Mick.

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They had the 186S motor. A little more performance than a 186. A mate had one, the car, which was his daily drive. He sold it for bugger all. I would love to have that car today, a real collectable.

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Originally Posted by pop058

I would have thought the LS Monaro was just a 2 door Premier with no go fast bits. The 6 cylinder option in the LS was very common. So definitely NOT a Muscle Car,.

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You could actually option the LS with a 350, & I'm pretty sure, but not dead certain that you could in the HK series get the Monaro with a 161 in it? But I'm not sure. I'm a member of the Monaro Club, & at the Nationals I've seen this beige coloured HK Monaro, I thought it was a 161, but it could've been a 186, but anyway it had just about every period GM accessory on it,....always winning trophies,....but not my sort of car.
Pickles.

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Originally Posted by pop058

So what is your definition of an Australian Muscle Car or don't we have them because we don't run big blocks ??

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Thats a very good question,I think Australia has had many Muscle cars over the years and still does.Whats your recipe for a muscle car Mr pop?

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

They had the 186S motor. A little more performance than a 186. A mate had one, the car, which was his daily drive. He sold it for bugger all. I would love to have that car today, a real collectable.

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Mick the 186 was also available in the Monaro, the GTS Monaro had the 186S and no doubt it was an optional extra in the non GTS Monaro.
A friends father had a Kingswood with the 186S in it! He purchased it new and opted for the 186S motor.
Some 186 Monaro's listed here.

http://www.discountusedcars.com.au/t...naro&year=1969

Cheers, Mick

Just checked my Monaro records, yes you could have a 161 in an HK Monaro if you so desired,...can't understand why you would though.
We're actually going on a run with the Monaro Club today, so I will definitely see some nice ones.
Pickles.

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Originally Posted by disco man

Thats a very good question,I think Australia has had many Muscle cars over the years and still does.Whats your recipe for a muscle car Mr pop?

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Maybe "Muscle Cars" made muscle or needed muscle to drive them!
Heavy clutches, ordinary brakes, armstrong steering etc!
As Bob Jane once said of the Camaro's and similar cars of the era,
"these cars had balls"


Cheers, Mick.

My old HK Monaro.


Cheers, Mick.

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Originally Posted by mick88

Back in the HK, HT, HG days there was a Monaro (non GTS) available that just had the standard 186 motor too!

Cheers, Mick.

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The HK GTS also came with the 186S motor. IMHO it was a mistake to have a 6-cyl GTS as it devalued the whole GTS range. Ford did not make that mistake with the GT.

Below is my 327.

I would still class the 253 as a Muscle car, much in the same way a Ford Mustang 289 is still included.
The 253 was a high reving engine that would last, Basically same block as the 308 with more reliability. The 308 red motor was regarded by most of us to be a time bomb, drive it hard and it was a matter of time until it went bang.
The ability to rev higher in the 253 and flat shifting meant the little Torana could beat many higher HP cars on the quarter. I wont go into quarter mile time achieved in this thing in stock form as most would not believe them and are substantially less than the factory figures. Only mod at the time was a 3.55 LSD instead of the 3.08.
A lot of people bought the 253 for this very reason.