Readers Rides

1994 HSV Senator VR – Reader Ride

Dave Langman's bought his second-gen HSV Senator 11 years ago and has only travelled 250km since

 

Dave Langman’s HSV Senator VR

It’s a very early HSV – second generation. We bought it 11 years ago and it’s been in storage for two of them. The original owner sold it to his mechanic who stored it in the shed. We bought it as an investment 11 years ago and it’s done 250km since. We put new tyres, windscreen, battery and brakes on it. It hasn’t worked out as an investment and now it’s taking up shed space.

It will probably come around eventually, but we don’t want to hang on to it any more – someone else might as well enjoy it. It’s a fair way off getting on the collector radar and we’re still registering and insuring it.

Hsv -senator -front

They’re an interesting car – essentially a Berlina with the 5.0 litre V8 and a reworked engine management to give it 185kW. They run upgraded brakes, limited-slip diff and this one has the four-speed auto. You could also get them with a five-speed manual.

They scored lots of special gear, like the Statesman back seat, plus lots of special trim and bodywork, cruise, climate control and a four-speaker sound system. It was expensive in its day.

Like all old cars it really likes time to warm up, but once it does it gets along well. The ride is good and I always liked the fact they’re something a little different. We bought this one because it was as it came out of the HSV workshop – it hadn’t been messed with – plus it had the numberplate that reflects its build number: 546.

The shed has filled up to bursting point again, so it’s on the market, you can see the ad here

Hsv -senator -dave -langman

Valuation guide:
Good original examples of 1994 HSV Senators range into the $10k-plus zone.

Photography: Dave Langman

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