MONARO MARKET REVIEW
ARRIVAL OF the XU-1 Torana as Holden’s primary race weapon meant that the HG Monaro could soften its stance and become a proper familystyle sports coupe. The car with the kudos was still the GTS350, but with a big V8 came big thirst and insurance premiums to match. Six-cylinder versions looked the part but lacked performance or the visceral V8 sound. That left two new Aussiebuilt V8s in 4.2-litre (253 cubic inch) or 5.0-litre (308 cube) capacities to power mainstream GTS sales. Buying a 253 saved money and still got you a pair of crossed flags on the front mudguards to denote a V8 engine. Most cars surviving today seem to have a Trimatic auto transmission. Since 2015 the market for early Monaros has been difficult to understand or predict. The past 12-18 months have seen greater stability, but even so some vendors harbour expectations of better times ahead. Manual HG V8s can cost $15,000 more than automatics, but condition and authenticity carry more weight in a market where buyers are looking to longterm ownership. Scarce colours also add value but most important is paint matching the colour code on the build plate. Restored or original, body condition and especially the absence of major repairs due to crash damage or rust is vital. Documents that track a car’s history back to the original selling dealer make a difference and so too will a selection of ‘Nasco’ options and accessories. These don’t need to have been on the car from new, although a build sheet showing them adds value.