Being able to remove the defect sticker from the HQ LS Monaro after 35 years, proved to be the start of an exciting, demanding journey for Jamie Freeman his late father John.
Part of the HQ’s earlier life saw the Monaro used as the family runabout by Jamie’s mother in-law, Betty Anne Michelmore, who would ferry her kids to tennis, church, and various other family outings. On a more memorable trip to church, Betty Anne found herself running the car into a paddock to stop it due to brake failure. This mishap left a few prominent dents on the underside of the beloved Monaro. During the restoration process, Jamie and his brother in-law John Michelmore decided to leave these dents on the car, as a tribute to the day Betty Anne saved the family from crashing.
After 25 years of Jamie nagging his brother-in-law John Michelmore, the restoration would finally get underway. In January 2020, Jamie began working on the car with his father John Freeman on weekends throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jamie admits that early on in the restoration, days were tough, challenging, and expensive but ultimately very rewarding. “Most weekends were spent working on the car, punting on the horses, as well has having plenty of medicinal beers” Jamie recalls.
Throughout the restoration, Jamie and his father purchased countless products from Rare Spares. From floor pans and rubber kits, all the way to fuel tanks and senders, “Rares Spares had it all. Rare Spares in Adelaide were great to deal with along the 23-month journey”.
After completing the full nut and bolt resto on Christmas Eve, December 2021, Jamie, and his father decided to do a surprise reveal of the car to the family on Boxing Day. “It was an awesome day full of lots of tears and joy”.
With the Monaro finally complete, it now holds so many significant memories for Jamie of his late father. “The Monaro has ‘pride of place’ in comparison to my other cars”, says Jamie. “I don’t even keep it in the garage, I keep it in the mancave”.
Jamie is a member of the Monaro Club of South Australia, and often enters car shows to showcase his pride and joy.
For those wanting to get a closer glimpse at Jamie’s 1972 HQ Holden LS Monaro, Jamie has entered the Monaro in the ‘Variety Aussie Muscle Car Run’ as Car 47. Alongside his co-driver Matt Wilson, the event will kick off in Stuart Reserve, Murray Bridge on the 21st of October with the run finishing with a few laps of the iconic Bathurst track on the 28th of October, just weeks after the Bathurst 1000. All proceeds from the event will go to Variety; a charity that supports disadvantaged children.
To donate, or get more information on the event, visit https://varietysaamcr23.com.au/