History
After having two EJ Holden Hydramatics, I was looking for a bit more oomph and I had been saving. I visited the Holden dealer one Saturday morning to look at the HQ V8s. Yes, I could afford a Kings wood V8 or a Premier 6 but there on the lot was a Chev with a 327. 327 must be better than a 173 or a 202, 253 or even a 308. It was immaculate as you would expect of a car owned by the brother in law of the dealer principal. One drive and the deal was done. What a car, power and luxury. My mates drove 120Ys and 180Bs and a HQ 308 panel van. After a couple of months I needed more power. Yes, I found a wrecked Corvette and bought the heads and manifolds. Did a swap, put on an Edelbrock intake manifold, a Holley 750 cfm, a Mallory dual point distributor and a Trans Go shift kit. Put on a Flex Fan and put new bushes in the suspension front and back. I even modified a sway bar to put on the rear and played with the standard one on the front. I bought, at great expense, a set of Uniroyal radials that were made to suit the new Statesman Caprice that had been released. "Grandads car" gave many a hot Holden or Ford a bit of a scare at the lights. It even did 20 mpg if you were very light on the accelerator though in town with a bit of exuberance it was more like 10 to 12. We did almost 100,000 miles whilst I worked in Gympie, Maryborough, Dalby and Longreach. We even went to the Birdsville races. Alas I holed the sump and she did not like being without oil. I was soon to be married so I could not see the benefit of an engine rebuild. She was a bit rough by now so I said goodbye for a Chrysler 360. More cubes, right.
Many years later, I saw her at a car show in Brisbane. I told the owner that it was oncemy car. He replied that it could not be as he had purchased it from the original owner with only 30,000 miles on it. Just look at the condition of it. I looked under and saw the long weld I did in Roma after splitting the chassis after an off bitumen excursion following hitting a rather large and black pig. I had the car re upholstered just before the sump incident and I'd always kept black plastic over the carpets. I did not argue. He loved that car too.
Modifications
Corvette 300HP heads with larger valves, Edelbrock intake manifold, Holley 750 cfm, Mallory dual point distributor, Trans Go shift kit, Flex Fan and low restriction mufflers.
Also a ratehr large W shaped bull bar for when I was in Dalby and Longreach.
