My Muscle Car

Reader: Phil Walmsley Muscle car: ‘The Prem’ Hometown: Southern Highlands, NSW What is it? “HX Holden Premier with the 5.0-litre V8.” When did you buy it? “February 2015.” Why did you buy it? “I’d love a two-door HQ GTS, but they’re scarce and prices are high. This is my ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’. It packs a 308 V8 with factory dualexhaust, GTS rally wheels and sports dash, plus cloth-trimmed seats. About as close as you could get to an HX Monaro without screaming out that you had a wolf. Although, thanks to ADR27A, a Monaro had become a bit more sheepish anyway! I wasn’t actually looking for a car [ED: Oh yeah, pull the other one], but a mate told me about it. His father’s former nextdoor neighbor, who’d had the car for years, had come to the realisation he wasn’t going to do anything with it and it was time for it to find a new home. There was really no choice.” What do you know about its life? “It’s a 12/76 build, with the original owner taking delivery from Urquhart and Nicholson Motors at Cooma on 11 January 1977. Total price was $9887.92, and trade-in allowance for the HG Brougham was $4000. The car spent its first 23 years with the original owner, a single man, in Tumut. The passenger seats and boot show

little evidence of use. When he passed away in 1999, the Prem was left to his nephew. At this point it had travelled only 85,000 kays, and it only covered another 4000 in the ensuing five years before the registration was allowed to lapse in 2004. It remained in a garage in the ensuing 11 years, being started and moved occasionally to maintain it in running order.” How does it go? “I was actually expecting it to be a bit of a dog performance-wise, but it surprised me. There’s still plenty of horses and bags of low-down torque in a dual-exhaust five-litre, even with the emission controls. Corners, however, are best taken in a relaxed manner!” Anything you’d like to add? “It may not be a Monaro, but with lots of the right options boxes ticked, and a rare colour combo – I’d be surprised if another Bordeaux Metallic fivelitre Prem with Sienna cloth trim was built – she’s a pretty cool old girl. You just don’t see many cars of this age in such original unmolested condition. I’m pretty happy to have it in the shed.”