Aussie Caddy
Back in in the late sixties, this the Holden Brougham and its fierce Fairlane competitor were regarded as the local equivalents to a Cadillac and Lincoln contest.
Sure the equipment levels were lower than for the upmarket American cousins, but for a while there in local showrooms these were pretty close to the pinnacle of local manufacturing.
Holden’s approach of stretching the body and not the wheelbase of a Kingswood worked out better than it sounds as the taller roofline enabled the company to repackage the interior layout.
In a feature in the series, Scott Newman wrote: “The Brougham was pitched as Australia’s Cadillac, but luxury had a different meaning in the late-’60s. It meant more cut-pile carpet than a Persian rug factory, seats finished in imported brocade and embossed with a unique logo, pull-out map pockets and courtesy lights on every door, and an infinitely variable heater/demister.
“On the outside, the vinyl roof and a pair of thin gold stripes along each side were as much as you could hope for. Mechanically, the imported 307ci Chevrolet V8 with 157kW/407Nm was standard equipment, attached to a two-speed Powerglide with power front disc brakes also standard. Cost was $3795, or around $400 more than a fully-optioned HK Premier.”
Seven 82 Motors is currently auctioning a 1969 HT Brougham, with what would appear to be its original driveline of 307ci V8 and two-speed Powerglide transmission.
Selling with no reserve, it has been treated to a respray. See it here.
The auction concludes on Decmber 5.