ULTRA VIOLET
> ATTENTION TO DETAIL MADE SIMON BONELLO’S HR HOLDEN A TOP 10 HIT AT SUMMERNATS 10, KICK-STARTING A REMARKABLE CAREER
AS THE spray gun-wielding maestro from Ground Level Panel & Paint, Simon Bonello would be a wellknown name to most Aussie street machiners. What’s perhaps not so well known is that the HR Holden you see here is the car that kick-started it all.
Simon worked as a painter for Daihatsu Australia when he debuted the violet HR at Summernats 10 in 1996-97, instantly elevating himself to paint-and-panel rock star status.
The HR was a three-year labour of love with gob-smacking attention to detail, which didn’t go unnoticed by the Summernats judges, who promptly awarded it a spot in the Top 10 ahead of a field of quality contenders. It was an impressive feat indeed for a six-cylinder streeter; even back then, it was tough going for sixes.
Simon was of the opinion that street machines should be driven. “Anyone can build an ornament,” he declared at the time. “Being street-driven is what these cars are all about.”
With this guiding principle in mind, Simon undertook the build in his suburban backyard with help from Noel Dingli, Steve Zammit and cousins Daniel and Sam Fenech – not to mention plenty of patience from his wife Susan. “The car is something I’ve wanted to do since high school,” he explained at the time. “I couldn’t afford it back then, but I can afford it now.”
Along with gallons of blood, sweat and tears, Simon invested around $30,000 in the build, which is a bargain considering the quality of the finished product.
One of the first jobs he tackled was the floorpan, which on its own took four months of work to knock into impeccable shape. Rather than smooth it all out, Simon left all the original stamping lines but made them far neater and more precise than they ever were from the factory.
THE HR WAS AWARDED A SPOT IN THE TOP 10 AT SUMMERNATS AHEAD OF A FIELD OF QUALITY CONTENDERS – AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT INDEED FOR A SIX-CYLINDER STREETER
In the engine bay, all the unnecessary holes were filled, while all the badges bar one on the boot were removed. After every panel was smoothed and the gaps aligned, Simon picked up the gun and applied the rich custom violet hue.
To ensure the impeccably detailed 192ci six-pack had the ponies to back up its good looks, Simon filled it with plenty of good gear and topped it with triple 45mm Weber carbs. And just for good measure, there was also a 100hp NOS Fogger nitrous kit.
As with many builds of the day, Simon went mad with the chrome on his HR, hot-dipping every single nut and bolt. He even had the tiny screws and bolts on the triple Webers plated, despite the risk of them getting lost. But when you’re looking to achieve this level of detail, the risks are worth it.
The rest of the driveline comprised a Powerglide and a Holden banjo diff spinning 3.9:1 gears. Like the engine block, the entire driveline sparkled in contrasting silver paint.
While the HR saw plenty of road miles, it also did more than a couple of passes down the strip, which was tough on the Holden six. After blowing up two of them, Simon bit the bullet and swapped it out for a stout 350 Chev. The new mill was not only good enough for a 11.0@121mph pass, but also just as immaculately detailed as the old sixcylinder – the V8 version made the Top 20 at Summernats 12, 13, 14 and 17!
Simon’s effort and hard yakka certainly paid off in the form of silverware, but the HR also became something of a rolling business card, ultimately leading to him forming one of Australia’s premier paint and panel shops.
After many years of enjoyment, Simon sold the HR around 2011. This freed up some funds for his other projects, including a wheelstanding, Silver Fox XW Falcon, which has run 10.2@131mph thanks to its 408 stroker. There’s also a ’64 two-door Fairlane that he’s turning into a Thunderbolt tribute, and he’s finally getting around to finishing off a genuine HK GTS Monaro that he’s owned for 18 years. In between all this, Simon has been helping his son, Chris, on his VL Calais.
“It’s a pretty serious car,” says Simon of the VL. “It’s got a built RB30 with a monster turbo, rollcage, TH400 and nine-inch diff. Chris did all the bodywork himself, and we hope to get the car unveiled at Summernats.”
Looks like the Bonello name will continue to be linked with stunning paint and panel well into the future. Just the way it should be.
ANYONE CAN BUILD AN ORNAMENT. BEING STREET-DRIVEN IS WHAT THESE CARS ARE ALL ABOUT