Just when you thought there can’t possibly be any more original muscle cars locked away in Aussie garages comes this: a one owner, unrestored, low mileage 1972 Holden HQ SS with just 66,000 miles on the clock!
The HQ is slated to sell with no reserve at the Shannons Winter Timed Online Auction that runs from June 8-15 with a guiding range of $50,000 - $60,000. The model is a sought-after precursor to the four-door Monaro GTS which arrived seven months later.
Finished in Ultra Violet (purple) – one of just 23 Melbourne-built cars to be made in the colour – the numbers matching sedan features a 4.2-litre (253ci) V8, M20 four-speed gearbox and 3.36 Salisbury differential is one of the era’s most appreciating Muscle Cars.
Shannons says the car is already generating considerable interest.
This particular car was stored under a car port at a family home in Melbourne and was recently started for the first time in over four years. It has been in the same family since it was delivered by Dustings of Burwood back in 1972.
The cabin features the original houndstooth checked cloth inserts on black vinyl seats and despite its ‘patina’ is all original and complete. The body does have some rust, but could be “enjoyed as is”, according to Shannons, and is a rare example of an original, unrestored car.
Based on the humble Belmont – which meant no interior light, arm rests or cigarette lighter – the HQ SS was intended to be an affordable performance car.
Holden initially built a batch of 1,600 SS models which were priced at $3,295. The deal proved so good that it produced a further 1,300 cars. The V8-powered SS was said to accelerate to 100km/h in 10 seconds and cover the 0-400m dash in 17.5 seconds.
Shannons Winter Timed Online Auction includes several Aussie muscle cars from the era including an unrestored 1969 Ford XW Falcon GT-HO Phase I ($210,000 - $250,000), a 1973 Ford XA Falcon GT sedan ($130,000 - $140,000), a 1970 Holden LC Torana GTR XU-1 sedan ($120,000 - $140,000), a 1970 Holden HT Monaro GTS ($TBA), a 1978 Holden HZ Monaro GTS ($60,000 - $75,000), and a 1978 Ford XC Falcon Rally Pack sedan ($30,000 - $35,000).