HQ HOLDEN KINGSWOOD STATION WAGON RESTORATION OVERVIEW | SEPS ADVENTURES
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- The car was purchased brand new in 1973 by my father and has the original registration plates and purchase documentation. It was restored around 13 years ago by myself with the help of my now son-in-law who was a second year apprentice spray painter at the time. I stripped and assembled the car over a two year period and my son-in-law did the rust removal and painting. I have entered it in a couple of shows which it has won in its category. It’s not a show car but it’s in good original condition.
This takes me back many years. My brother was an apprentice mechanic at the holden dealers in Inverell, when the HQs were released. Our parents and i went to the release night. Some years later my brother traded his EH on a sedan in same green. I had an HJ sedan with 253 and 4 speed. It was a rocket. Would do 159 miles per hour standard. Ended up rebuilt with cam, head job, balanced. Wish i still had it.
I think we all have those wishes. My wish is that I still owned the 1968 Bathurst model 327 Monaro that I purchased in 1978. I would have retired about 5 years earlier than I did. But as my dad used to say, ‘son there’s no use crying over spilt milk’ I have a short vid on the Monaro if you want to see it. Photos only, it’s not stock standard flared guards, 500hp. just key in Bathurst Monaro seps adventures and it will come up. Appreciate your comment. Cheers.
Nice old girl.
When cars were cars.
They were reliable, and if they DID crap out, they were easily fixed.
You have a gem there, my friend.
Glad you like it and yes it’s very easy to work on. Cheers!
I never had an HQ, but did have an HG Kingswood:- light green with a white roof, 186 and 3 on the tree. It had disc brakes, a heater with fan, plus a good CD player. I loved it on country roads, but it was a handful in built up areas.
Had an LH Torana as well:- 202 auto, and a VB Commodore with same drivetrain. I just love the brand, but they're getting pricey.
I'd love a good low mileage WB Caprice. The heads that would turn these days would make you glad to be alive! 🤠👍🌏🇦🇺
I learn’t to drive in this one and glad it’s still in the family. No power steering makes it difficult to park but I only park on the road not in tight car parks. If only we new what prices old cars would bring we would all have a yard full of them. Cheers!
@@sepsadventures
I don't think power steering was available with three on the tree transmission.
@@noelgibson5956 Also there is no vacuum booster on the brake master cylinder. All other HQ’s I have seen have the vacuum booster fitted. Appreciate your comment. Cheers!
my dad had a all gold 253 v8 colulmn auto bench front seat wagon , man I wish I had that thing now
We all have those regrets, my intro shows a 1968 HK 327 Bathurst model Monaro which I bought in 1977 and sold in 1988.
Great original vehicle, real credit in keeping it looking so good after all these years. My first company station wagon as a rep was a white HQ with brown interior, this took me right back to those days 😊
I just got back from a motorcycle rally and drove the HQ, I had many admirers that remarked on its condition and originality. Glad you liked it and appreciate your comment. Cheers!
Can’t beat a big straight six - love it ❤️
Glad you like it. Cheers!
I had a white one. Sold it and wish I never did.
Great car and wish my dad bought one. They were the ultimate family car. Some might say they still are. I’d love to have one again.
We all have some sort of regrets, I wish I had kept some of the other cars I have sold too. I have a lot of good memories when growing up and travelling in the HQ I am glad I still have it and glad you like it, appreciate your comment. Cheers!
Love how you've put the date on the Oil filter, in black texta. I drive a 76 HJ wagon and do the same on my filters
It’s real old school, my dad showed me, he had been doing it since he bought the car brand new in 1973. Cheers!
fairdimkum?
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I had an HZ wagon from around 2000 until about 2009
Got it for $500, it never missed a beat ran like a dream was very reliable and I spent very little on it in that time
I loved it, with it's HZ square frontal features it always reminded me of the wagon from the movie National Lampoon's Vacation
I found a set HQ sports rims for it but hid them from the local thieves behind spoked hubcaps they looked really cool and you could see light through the spoked hubcaps from the open slots in the rims
During the time I had it I saw HZ wagons used on TV News programs as examples of both the best and worst cars on the road
They where said to be the best car for all around visibility and then a short time later they were said to be the worst car on the road concerning the damage they could cause to smaller lighter cars in accidents
I agree with the first part but with all the 4 wheel drives on the road today I disagree with the second part
In the end it was getting a bit ratty and I gave it to my son hoping he would understand it's potential but he gave it away as a paddock basher
I hope everytime he sees what they are now bringing he kicks himself
I think there is a fair bit of reminiscing going on here. As you get older you look back at the early years and in my case the HQ was part of it, dad bought the car brand new in 1973. I learnt to drive in it, went for my license in it and drove it most days when I was on L plates. When I drive it now it brings back a lot of happy memories so glad I have it now. Appreciate your comment. Cheers!
@@sepsadventures
I had an HQ van in the early 80's again with sports rims, nice car very spacious, the HQ's look good they're supposed to be designed by the same bloke who designed the 57/58 FE and when you look them straight in the face you see it in them they both have eyes and lips if you understand what I mean
I'm 65 but ever since I was 18 I've never been without an FE/FC Holden
I have a 1959 FC Sedan Delivery disguised as an FE I've owned it since about 1983, in that time it's been registered in the 3 eastern states, as for it's mileage who knows it's now on its third speedometer after wearing out the first 2
I did restore it but it needs a lot of work now, but it exists
@@hodaka1000 Looks like you have a project on your hands. Cheers!
@@sepsadventures
I didn't mention it but it has a red it did have a 186 third oversize (192) but it's now got a 161
Superb! The 2 tone is a nice combination. Brings back alot of memories. My first was a 72 wagon: 202, 3 on the tree. Exterior was brown, with the same saddle interior: apart from the saddle colour continuing into the boot/cargo space. Can tell yours is a 73, as there was a change to the front lighting. Amber indicators, and the parking lights moved to the headlights. 72 and earlier has white front indicators, and they doubled as the parking lights.
Glad you like it good info I was unaware of the change. Cheers!
Very nice. We had a HQ Kingswood sedan that was the same colour green when I was a child.With out the white roof and it had a black interior. And a EH holden before that. That was red with a white roof.
Wish dad kept them.
And I have a S4 EH Holden sitting in my garage with an original 32,000 miles on it. That is in very tidy original condition that is now worth a few dollars.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could see into the future, everyone would have an old car stored away somewhere. You are lucky to have the EH they also bring back some good memories of the old days. Cheers!
It's not a car.
It's a Kingswood!! ❤
Glad you like it.Cheers!
My Q had a sanden aircon haha ....looks great mate you did a good job......keep your eyes on it some prick will nick ya hub caps
Glad you like it, very rare it’s parked in the street and it lives in the garage at home appreciate your comment. Cheers!
Had a 73 HQ Ute regret selling it but that's life.
Wow nice work, I'm pretty much following in your footsteps with my dad's Statesman.
It takes time but it’s worth it in the end. Cheers!
Every time I see something like this I kick meself !
Many years ago dad said to me, I am going to sell the HQ if you don’t want it and I said, I will take it. I am so glad I did. A lot of people like the car so stay tuned for more HQ vids. Cheers!
A magnificent example of a great old Holden. My father helped buy one of these back in 1974, a 1972 model all White one with a red interior 3-speed manual column change where the linkages sometimes jammed changing from 1st to second gear, nothing but a good old tap with a hammer and you were on your way again. It was my good old surf wagon chasing waves on the NSW north coast back in the day and even though I washed it regularly and kept it clean I could not keep the rot away sadly after 5 years she had to go.
I also had surf boards strapped to the roof when mum and dad would drive us boys down to the coast for a surf. It still has the original South Melbourne surf shop stickers one each side of the rear which I often get comments on. Glad you liked it, Cheers!
Damm nice wagon, great job, should have a toyota badge on it as they were in the unbreakable catagory. Had a HQ ute, 173 motor, did 100,000 miles without a spanner on it. They were a great model .
Glad you liked it and appreciate your comment thanks. Cheers
Blasphemy. Putting an appliance badge on the car that out sold ANY three combined of the VH/VJ Valiant, and the XA/XB Falcon.
When I was a kid in the 80s those Holden waggons were every where, I remember going for a 4 hour drive in a friends family one, and me and my mate were in the back section. We had a HQ ute.
I remember when I was a kid sitting in the car and parked at the local shop, dad came out of the shop with a box and proceeded to put it on the bonnet of the car next to ours, I yelled out and said ‘dad it’s the wrong car’ it was a HQ the exact same colour as ours. Cheers!
Hi from New Zealand.Very nice HQ.Love the colour.My parents both had one.Dad had a gold 1972 HQ Kingswood sedan 3 speed manual and Mum had a green 1973 HQ Monaro LS coupe with the T Bar auto.Both had the 202.Love the sound of your engine.Sounds beautiful.Brings back memories.
I think a lot of old cars bring back memories for many people which is another reason they are so popular glad you liked it. Cheers!
It looks almost identical to the 1972 model HQ Kingswood wagon that my dad bought home in 1980 when I was 2 1/2 years old except for these:-
- It was fitted with a Tri-matic transmission
- It had an electric rear window
- It had ROH mag wheels fitted
It wasn't kept like yours which was sad for me to see & I had a real soft spot for it, my dad fitted 4 used engines into it during the 13 years he had it road registered for, the diff & transmission were never replaced,the second engine was a 173 engine which was from my uncles old HQ Kingswood sedan.
He was a fitter who replaced the Ball joints, universal joints, etc but the paint faded & my grandfather had a go at him when he accidentally didn't apply the handbrake & it rolled back then swiped the stilt on my grandfathers old house so the drivers side doors & rear quarter panel were seriously dented from that,it was exactly the same colour & colour scheme as yours.
My dad sold the last engine out of it to a person one of my dads workmates knew because he needed one for his HJ Kingswood sedan,
The engine was actually a rebuilt 202 out of an LX Torana or maybe it was a 208 cubic inch engine because it went well for a 202 engine,so it was a rope type rear main oil seal engine block.
My dad cut it up for scrap metal in about 1996-1997 due to rust,he had welded metal plates into the body over the years & the original engine was given to a workmate of his who didn't really want it because he's a Holden who likes keeping everything original in the FC Holdens he restored,my dad replaced that engine with the 173 cubic inch engine because it lost power about 39 years ago,his mate preferred the 138 cubic inch grey motor which wasn't as thirsty as the 202 engines which is probably why I see some Holden enthusiasts repower on old FC with a 161: engine or something that size because they think that the 202 engine was too thirsty,I know that they have no trouble using fuel !
If only we knew what we know now back in the day we would all have a shed full of old cars. I was lucky dad bought the car brand new and looked after it but it still eventually suffered from some rust that was repaired in the restoration. But 15 years after the restoration some surface rust is starting to show through. It is my daily drive but I rarely drive it as I have another car. It has won some car shows due to its originality and condition but it’s not a show car. If you want to see one of my car regrets search ‘ Hk Bathurst model 327 monaro Seps Adventures’ I have a picture of it on my garage wall but wish I still had the car. Appreciate your comment. Cheers!
Excellent example!
Thanks, glad you liked it. Cheers!
I had a H Q for years went everywhere in it.first car I had with power steering & power disc brakes .use to go rabbit shooting in 70 ,s heaps of room .the 202 was indestructible.
A trip down memory lane, I have them all the time, as kids we went everywhere in it, I learnt to drive in it, I went for my drivers license in it, then lucky enough to still have it now. Thanks for your comment. Cheers!
Brilliant ... love the colour too ...
Glad you like it. Cheers!
Credit to you, very nice specimen!!!.
Appreciate your comment. Cheers!
Looks like a Vacationer with the two tone paint and wheel trim rings
The wheel trim rings are from a premier, I put them on as the original trims showed the green rims which I didn’t like the look of. Cheers!
Beautiful.
Thank you! Cheers!
Very nice 👍
Thanks for your comment, glad you like it Cheers!
A good well good luck to you The car car is great good to hear that the car is a family car
Glad you like it, I grew up in it, learnt to drive in it and it certainly was the family car. Cheers!
Great car and great work with the videos mate hope to see you at Rex’s soon mate it’s been way to long between beers
The vids are fairly basic and I enjoy doing them but I didn’t realise how difficult it is to talk into a camera. The cook says she hears me talking in the garage all the time but the problem with that is I am by myself and the camera is off. Catch up next time at Rex’s place. Cheers!
Back in the early 80’s a good mate of mine had a metallic navy blue HQ wagon with white roof. It ran a 308 with split system & sounded unbelievable!🤤😍 You have a very nice car mate! From a Ford fan. 👏🏼👍🏼😎
I really enjoy driving it and showing other people, appreciate your comment especially from a Ford fan. Cheers!
@@sepsadventures Also meant to add my late father was an insurance rep back in the 70’s. His company car was a white HQ with of course the 202! And yes he was a Ford fan too. But it was his company car. After it’s lease time was up, he bought it to then sell it to his younger sister, my aunty who then drove it for many years! Dad then got an XB Falcon.🤣👍🏼
@@andrewd7586 Hard to imagine a HQ as a company vehicle but back when they were new that’s what they had. Thanks for the info. Cheers!
great car. regarding the radio, it does not look like the units as seen in the options brochure. Was it fitted by the dealer?
From memory it was always in the car and fitted from new. Dad never threw out anything so if there was another radio fitted and removed I would have it now. I assume if the dealer didn’t install it they had it done prior to delivery. Good question cheers!
Spent hundreds of hours behind the wheel of HQ Holdens back in the early/mid 70s. Not as nice as this one though. They were all Belmont wagons with the 173 low compression and three on the tree (PMG/Telecom spec).
It made it through the early years pretty much unscathed which is the main reason it looks like it does today. It also generates a lot of trips down memory lane for many people including myself. Cheers!
Looks bloody good mate
I had one of these drum brakes all round in a sedan, 1973 model
Wonder if the lifters flat tablets need adjusting. Slight tap there mate but it’s okay
Yes you are correct one of them is noisy haven’t investigated it as yet, I think they are hydraulic from memory. Thanks for your comment. Cheers!
@@sepsadventures
yeah hydraulic
as you know they’re easy to change rocker cover off side-plates off
You’ll probably find one of them rather than being flat at the bottom is an egg cup No big deal…..
Worst case scenario cam lobes chewed a bit. Might need a cam set of lifters straightforward enough to do mate.
@@thewholls7176 it probably needs a full set of lifters and rockers the engine has done 168,000 miles compression is same in each cylinder so probably worth doing at some stage, thanks for the info.
@@sepsadventures
The earlier red lifters were easily adjusted but from memory the 173 and 202 were non-adjustable
I'm pretty sure lifters are still relatively cheap I'd start by replacing them and if that worked I wouldn't touch the rest
I've always call a red motor "perpetual motion"
@@hodaka1000 I wasn’t sure how far to go on an engine that has done 180,000 miles, there are a couple of oil leaks - rear engine oil seal and sump gasket, but compression is good. Replacing the lifters may stop further wear on other components short term so it’s probably worth doing. Thanks for the info. Cheers!
I was kind of stunned when you said the door linings and seat skins where original. Very nice car. Interesting that the radio isn't the factory Air Chief radio, it must have been added later by the dealer. Is the dash pad original?
You are correct, from memory the radio was fitted by the dealer when the car was ordered and yes the interior is original it does show signs of wear that are not noticeable in the video and the dash pad is also original. The car spent most of it’s life in a garage when it was not being driven. Thanks for your comment. Cheers!
Beautiful looking car. And that engine bay.......so accessible. Just looking at the dash, does it have a temp gauge? Cheers
There are no gauges in the Kingswood model other than the speedo. There is a red warning light that lights up if the engine temperature gets too hot and another red warning light that comes on if the oil pressure is too low. Also has a red light that comes on when the handbrake is applied. Thanks for your question. Cheers!
Bloody hell exact same spec as my hq wagon only difference being mines a 72 and has vinyl floors
I didn’t think it was possible for there to be another one the same colour, I have not seen one to date. I really like driving mine around and a lot of people get enjoyment out of seeing it and asking about its history. Thanks for your comment.Cheers!
Whats the front drum brakes like ? and the good ol 202 gugin knock reminds me of one old 202,s from years ago.
Front drum brakes without a power booster are not the best compared to modern cars so best not to tail gate.
What do you reckon has kept it going so long?
I'd guess oil changes.
Your thoughts?
A few things, it was never flogged, it’s never done any heavy towing, well looked after, regular servicing and it’s been left stock standard. Cheers!
Hey, lovely car! What are your thoughts on hq statesmans?
I remember a friend had a HQ statesman many years ago and I liked how smooth and quiet it was, I thought it was a very nice car.Cheers!
sid you little beauty
Glad you liked it. Cheers!
we dont make cars in australia any more
It’s unfortunate but it appears that it costs too much to build cars in Australia to make them competitive. Thanks for your comment. Cheers!
Very nice 👍
Glad you like it and thanks for the comment. Cheers!