WELL-TRAVELLED AUSSIE

GATEWAY CLASSIC Cars' Las Vegas showroom is offering one well-travelled Aussie classic.

The Las Vegas classic car dealer is currently selling an all-Australian 1973 Holden HQ Kingswood ute.

Rarely-seen on American roads, the Aussie ute holds a niche fascination for Americans in the know.

The dark blue HQ is specified with a 308 V8 and a three-speed auto, and is optioned with AM/FM radio, power steering, power brakes and is fitted with radial tyres.

The HQ throughout the 70s boasted a rather successful export program, with 197,288 examples delivered overseas, with no fewer than seven international assembly plants building them up from Australian-exported parts and components.

This particular HQ with complete Holden badging, is more likely a rare personal export. Gateway Classic Cars (GCC) states it to be one of the 'very few' Holdens that successfully traversed the North Pacific Ocean and made it through customs and on to US roads.

GCC stresses that the 1973 HQ ute is fully registered and titled in the United States. They're asking US$22,595 which equates to Au$31,231 at the current conversion rate.

The you-beaut ute looks well-used and less than concours, with an undocumented odometer of 42,300 miles, aftermarket speakers, and US-style bonnet-mounted SAAS gauges with a healthy patina present on most exterior paint.

Curiously, GCC states that the car would be 'great for hauling or towing', which is rather converse to the classic status they enjoy here in their native land. Coupled with this particular example's clearly-used condition, it speaks to how little collectible value our prized hero cars receive in the eyes of anyone outside of our shores. Having said that, the price is right up there.

It's always fascinating to see how far and wide our some of our local cars have spread across the globe.