Readers Rides

1978 HZ Holden: Reader Ride

Len's enjoyed putting over 200,000 klicks on his hale 'n' hearty HZ Holden

 

Leonard Muir’s 1978 HZ Holden

This HZ was a special build at the time, with the 308 V8 and four-speed manual. It’s got all the GTS gear, including the scoops front and back, but it was never badged as a GTS. The paintwork and interior are original and it’s now done 232,000km. It still goes well.

It had done 27,000km when I bought it in 1979. It was only a baby when I bought it, I’m the second owner. The fella leased it through a garage that he had and he got it specially built. When the lease ran out and he wanted to buy it, but he got talked into letting it go and leasing the new Commodore that came out.

When it went into the showroom, I shot in and bought it and have had it ever since. I think it was a good decision, though I’m not sure the wife would agree. A few times she said ‘we’re having another child, I think you should sell that car’. Well I’d push up into the back of the shed and hide it. We’d have the child and I’d work a bit harder!

Now the kids have left home, I can hang on to it. This was built with the twin pipes and it just burbles nicely down the street. It’s an old muscle car with that ‘hard’ grunt. It’s nice to get in on a nice sunny day and go for a drive.

BUYING TIP:

Avoid the tired HZs and you’ll only need $10k to get a good starter car.

 

Photography: Leonard Muir

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