1970 GTS MONARO

I REMEMBER SEEING these getting around when I was a teenager, though they were a long way past being new at that stage! This is my father’s car. He bought it in 1991-92 and restored it in '93. That was long before the prices started to go crazy.

He’s been into these cars his whole life – he’s always had them – before there was such a thing as a muscle car boom.

It was in pretty good shape when he got it, a one-owner car. He’s redone the mechanicals – it started life as a 308 and he converted it to a Chev 350 small block. It was automatic and he’s changed it to a four-speed manual. And he replaced the factory ten-bolt diff with a ford nine-inch.

The brakes have been upgraded to HQ units front and rear, 16 Simmons wheels, basically going for a cruiser look or restomod effect.

The engine is mildly worked and it drives well. There’s no air-con, but it does have power steer so it’s easy to handle.

It’ll stay in the family – there’s no doubt about that, as I have two other brothers. I think my younger boy wants it, so it’s likely to see a third generation behind the wheel.

It gets out a couple of times a month. Both my father and my younger brother get out in it fairly regularly. I just like putting the windows down and going for a cruise, getting the thumbs-up – anyone who has one of these knows you get that. It’s the best feeling…