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robs ss

robs ss

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Well, I admit I am a curmudgeon so it's only fitting that I rebel against the modern cars with all their computer chips, cameras and unmaintainability.
So... I have bought a car similar to my first car - and we'll see if bonding works. If it does I will spend money on it (new upholstery, air-con, decent sound system, etc)
For Aussies it's a 1968 HK Holden Premier wagon - 186 & three on the tree (6 cyl about 3 litres and manual trans on the steering column)
It's obviously not perfect but a good starting point.
Something I can maintain myself and not have snooping cameras and problems that only computer diagnosis can solve.
I travelled all over Australia in a similar spec ute between 1979 and 1990.
This is an experiment to see if I can make it a daily driver while I still have a year's warranty on the "new car" beside it - 50 years between them.
Cheers

BTW - that's grandson #1 in the back - he loves it!
HK at home.JPG
Eli in Back.JPG
 
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Gee Rob you haven't aged much sitting in the back there lol, I know it's your grandson, my mum had the same model but it wasn't the premier and it was white, I was about that age as your grandson, it towed a caravan for many years and a 10' tinnie on top and clocked up lots of family miles, it towed that caravan in places most people take 4x4s anywhere mud crabs and fish were caught is where we set up camp, by the way we lost the tinnie once off the roof, between Caloundra and Mooloolaba when they were first digging the Kawana Waters cannels estates back in the days.
Kids today wouldn't know how to drive 3 on the tree and the old 186 were indestructible, not sure what my dad did with it when mum passed on when I was 14 as he had his HD station wagon.
They are a great old Holden and the only thing they were prone too was the dreaded rust, why you don't see too many around these days, but looks like you sored a gem and looks pretty much stock, by the way I killed my dads HD station wagon (I was 17 years old lol), rolled it but it was full of rust and past its use by date lol.
Anyway have fun with that beauty as that model Holden brings back memories for me as well.

Ashley
 
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In Australia, these days if a car does not have chromed bumper bars, we cannot work on it. In the past I had Fords, which were a bit more difficult to work on. GMH cars were always easier to work on than Fords. Ford always did things in the most dificult way. With a Holden, parts were cheaper, but they needed more of them. With a Holden, driving long distances was easier - if you a problem, you could almost buy parts in a milk bar in country towns. Holdens would still be in the wreckers in most places
Tony Abbott removed the subsidy from our car industry. So now most of us pay through the nose for services on Japanese cars. I had a Volkswagen which only had one oil change in about 12 years. It was when the engine breather got blocked. I unblocked the breather and added oil.
 
concours said:
Road Warrior family wagon?
Click to expand...
Not quite sure of your question.
If it's "the car" for me, it will replace the white car and become my daily driver - 20,000km per year..
Time will tell, but it's looking good!
Cheers
 
This '68 has disks on the front - part of the rationale for buying the Premier. Currently unboosted - that will change!
Oil changes a little bit more regular than Australia's Weird Al.

Still getting used to no power steering - especially when still!!!
 
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Looks Great!!
You're sending me down memory lane.
My first was 61 Ranchero, 170 C.I., 3 on the Tree.
I'll be looking for updates.
Enjoy....


Unboosted??????
 
Reminds me very much of a 60s Chevy Impala station wagon, only it's a bit smaller...

Back to the future
 
robs ss said:
Well, I admit I am a curmudgeon so it's only fitting that I rebel against the modern cars with all their computer chips, cameras and unmaintainability.
So... I have bought a car similar to my first car - and we'll see if bonding works. If it does I will spend money on it (new upholstery, air-con, decent sound system, etc)
For Aussies it's a 1968 HK Holden Premier wagon - 186 & three on the tree (6 cyl about 3 litres and manual trans on the steering column)
It's obviously not perfect but a good starting point.
Something I can maintain myself and not have snooping cameras and problems that only computer diagnosis can solve.
I travelled all over Australia in a similar spec ute between 1979 and 1990.
This is an experiment to see if I can make it a daily driver while I still have a year's warranty on the "new car" beside it - 50 years between them.
Cheers

BTW - that's grandson #1 in the back - he loves it!
View attachment 115471View attachment 115472
Click to expand...
It looks in great condition. Has it been restored, stored inside, or what?
 
Nice looking car! Reminds me of a mid 60s Pontiac crossed with mid 60s Chevelle
 
We didn't make wide cars in Aus our roads weren't that wide back in the early days and our major interstate roads were goat tracks with bitumen on it lol, our first Aussie Holden car was built in 1948 the FX Holden and fitting 3 people cross the bench seats was a tight fit in our Aussie cars, but the Holden station wagons were great and could lay the seats down for comfortable double bed (shagging wagons we use to call them) great for camping or carrying a lot of gear in the back, I remember when we were kids we sit on the back tail gate driving around our suburb, safety factor was non insistent them days lol.
Yes the old Holdens were a simple car to maintain and anyone could work on them, but now none are made here no more the prices have gone through the roof for older aussie made cars, if only I kept all my old Holdens I be a rich man today, had a few in my time, pic of my old Holden EH ute, had a hot motor and 4 speed box, was my dream car then the kids came along, bloody kids.
Back to the future
 
ashman said:
We didn't make wide cars in Aus our roads weren't that wide back in the early days and our major interstate roads were goat tracks with bitumen on it lol, our first Aussie Holden car was built in 1948 the FX Holden and fitting 3 people cross the bench seats was a tight fit in our Aussie cars, but the Holden station wagons were great and could lay the seats down for comfortable double bed (shagging wagons we use to call them) great for camping or carrying a lot of gear in the back, I remember when we were kids we sit on the back tail gate driving around our suburb, safety factor was non insistent them days lol.
Yes the old Holdens were a simple car to maintain and anyone could work on them, but now none are made here no more the prices have gone through the roof for older aussie made cars, if only I kept all my old Holdens I be a rich man today, had a few in my time, pic of my old Holden EH ute, had a hot motor and 4 speed box, was my dream car then the kids came along, bloody kids.
View attachment 115482
Click to expand...
Ash do you remember the Leyland p76 ?
My brother-in-law had one in 1980 when I was in OZ
I don't know if they were all bad but his one was a pile of junk !
 
baz said:
Ash do you remember the Leyland p76 ?
My brother-in-law had one in 1980 when I was in OZ
I don't know if they were all bad but his one was a pile of junk !
Click to expand...
Yes they were a big failure, but they had a full alloy V8 motor and looked ugly as hell lol, but there are some that loved them, suckers lol.
 
Craig said:
Or a Rambler wagon from the 60’s 😉
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I grew up with, Mom would drive all over town (Houston, Tx.) in a 1964 AMC Rambler "Cross Country" Station Wagon, sporting an automatic transmission and straight 6. Us kids loved to ride in the back. It was white with the blue/green or turquoise interior that was so popular back then. Lots miles and lots of fond memories of that car. Cj
 
My Dad had 2 first a very box like ‘63/‘64 not sure , then a classic wagon maybe ‘66 smoother lines , my parents hit a deer going over Nuttby Mtn and I think $500 repair bill that a week at least , kinda sketchy that far back … my Mom drove a series of small dirt cheap euro-cars , an Austin she had caught fire on main st while she shopped 😁
 
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