History
This was my father’s 1968 Holden HR ute. He owned it between 1980 and 1982 when we lived in Cania Gorge, just north of Monto in Central Queensland. We called this car ‘The Bomb’.
On my 13th birthday in 1981 my father took me out for my first driving lesson, in this car, on Kariboe Road at Cania. And I kept driving her right up until we left the area and he sold her to a local bloke and we never saw The Bomb again…
…until 37-years later - on Tuesday 8th January 2019 at 11:30am - when my youngest son and I found her sitting in the bottom paddock of a mechanic’s property in Monto. He got it about 25-years earlier and his own children had used it as a paddock-basher and 'goat hunter' for a while, until they parked her up right where I found her. The Bomb remained lying there, untouched and rotting into the ground, for over two decades.
A couple of days after we found her we went back with a battery and some fuel, and the then owner, and managed to start her up for the first time in 20+ years.
All of my family & friends expected me to just buy it back on the spot, but it was going to be a proper huge job and I took my time mulling it over.
On 27th August 2019, I called Drew in Monto and bought her back. We brought her back home with us on 1st October, 2019 and she has been my sole focus ever since (to the detriment of all the other cars).
Since bringing her home, the son of another past owner (between my family and Drew's) has contacted us with a couple of photos from when his family were her custodians.
If you're keen to know more, I've created a resto-blog you can follow at https://thebomb.site or on Instagram @thebombproject
Modifications
Restomod plans:
- 4-wheel disc brake conversion (Willwood, boosterless)
- X2 manifold & twin Strombergs to start, then...
- Holley Sniper EFI 2GC later on
- still thinking about full EV conversion too :)
