Cars of Bendix - August 2017

Some of us here at Bendix bleed red, so when there was a chance for us to check out All Holden Day, we all stuck our hands up!

Held at Hawkesbury Showground, All Holden Day has been around for many years, with sister events also held interstate. As its name implies, it’s a celebration of every car Holden has sold under its name, and nearly every single model attended. We spotted so many rare Holdens enjoying their time in the sun. One thing though, strictly no Fords were allowed!

Holden FX Convertible

Morrie’s one of one Holden FX convertible has been lovingly restored and driven as much as possible. “It’s on normal rego because I love driving it all the time!” he says, adding that club or historic rego means he couldn’t enjoy every sunny day in the year. Originally red, the top was taken off in the 1980s and the chassis strengthened to compensate for the lack of a roof. Repainted in white, Morrie says it’s a big hit at weddings. A big fan of the fabulous Fifties, Morrie kept the theme going with a period correct trailer, packing some period correct cutlery, camping utilities, and even a pin up calendar! One concession to technology is the installation of a modern head unit, so he can cruise to a soundtrack of Elvis, Patsy Kline and Dean Martin’s finest songs.

Holden Kingswood Premier Wagon

Station wagons are held in high esteem at the Bendix offices, so when we clapped our eyes on this immaculately restored HG Premier Wagon, we got really excited. The venetian blinds draw the eyes to the rear, where the split tailgate has been opened to reveal a set of proper 70s picnic gear. The beige paintwork is flawless, and brings back the wholesome 70s nostalgia, when Aussie families in bellbottoms picnic and frolic at the beach. Everything was restored as cleanly as we could see. The white walls was the only aftermarket nod to the 70s. It’s almost as if the Premier had time travelled to 2017 All Holden Day just as it left the showroom floor.

Holden Torana SS

One of the toughest street Toranas at the show, Enzo took about four years to build this SS hatch into a pocket demon you see here. Under the hood sits a 400cu small block Chev motor, topped with a chromed 8/71 supercharger and twin 900 Demon carburettors. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a manualized Turbo 400 gearbox from Al’s Race Glides, a common transmission choice for those packing big power numbers. A tough 9in differential with a 3.5 final drive holds the back end together, because 815hp and 680ft/ lbs at 4000RPM is nothing to sneeze at. Enzo went the extra step and repainted the shell in fresh green, so he can cruise with the boys in style.

Holden Commodore VY Ute

No other car is as beloved or as Aussie as the Commodore ute, where it’s party in the front and business in the back. Made for lugging tools, parts, livestock, or anything you care to chuck in the tray, it will still drive like…well, a Commodore, instead of a truck. Steve and Lisa owns this well-kept example here, with mods making a big emphasis on the party side of things. You’d immediately spot the individual throttle bodies poking through the bonnet, and they feed air into a HSV LS1 motor nesting in the engine bay. Steve tells us that it has a VCM 3 cam with a 3.5in high flow exhaust, making a mean 398rwhp. Inside the interior features high end Coulson seats, with paint matching green stitching. The armchair sensation is amplified by the Monroe suspension with lowered coils in the rear, making those FR Simmons look a lot bigger than they really are.

HSV Clubsport GTS

No Holden show is complete without its special vehicles. Presenting the HSV E3 GTS, owned by Chris. Its shadow chrome wrap, black and yellow accents is inspired by Supercars, except this has its own stealthy, yet personal touch on it. The LS3 in the bonnet has been stroked to 429 cubic inches, with a Walkinshaw WP20 supercharger, headers, and exhaust making the most of the extra capacity. Expensive Mast Race heads help provide power to 650hp at the rear wheels. Making sure both wheels spin effectively is a Trutrac differential. We have a sneaking suspicion that the diff contribute to the plates on the HSV.

HQ Monaro GTS

If Steve McQueen was Aussie, he’d be rocking a Monaro GTS instead of some overrated Ford fastback. Barry’s immaculate HQ Monaro has been with him for the past 15 years. Although the car was finished in this form within 3 years, there was no further need to tinker with it anymore; it’s perfect. Under bonnet lies a 5L injected V8 from a VN SS, with a Stage 1 Cam and flat top pistons for better compression. It lives in a shaved engine bay, and topped with matching covers. A reconditioned 5 speed drives power to the rear wheels. The bright yellow paintjob is flawless, as is the reupholstered interior. Barry has won quite a few awards with his Monaro, he just loves taking it to shows.

2017 VF Walkinshaw W547

Business partners Damien and Greg both brought out their new, customised W547s to enjoy the Hawkesbury sunshine at All Holdens Day. Basically twins, these W547s started life as SSV Redlines, before the Walkinshaw W547 upgrades were applied at factory. This means they rock supercharged LS3 packages punching out 547kW; hence the name W547. The custom livery, paintwork and racecar decals turn heads wherever they go. The paint scheme even extends to the engine covers and the Brembo brakes!

1976 HX Holden Panel Van

This sensational Holden panel van, a.k.a. Sandman has been restored and modified to its current glory by Bob. The bright orange paintjob, together with its chromed wheels, grille, bumper bars, mirrors and even side pipes drew a crowd around the car. The interior has been finished in luxurious leather, and under the bonnet the original 308 straight six has been rebuilt, blue printed, balanced and of course, chromed up. Bob’s love for Sandmans is obvious, with a resto-mod version sitting right next to his orange showstopper!

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