Alex chooses his top three home grown classics
Holden HZ Kingswood SL Wagon
The last of the Kingswoods, and a classic in its own right. Thanks to three magic words: “Radial Tuned Suspension”, the car steered far better than its understeer-ridden predecessors.
Guido found a tasty one for $16,000 in a recent edition of Today’s Tempter. He doesn’t admit to buying it – yet.
V8s are getting on in price, but many received heart transplants back in the 80s. I’m not necessarily a ‘numbers-matching’ sort of guy, so I’ll take what I can get – condition depending.
Give me a wagon, with some louvres and a roof rack for the surfboard I don’t have. It’s a famously (or notoriously) simple and spartan car but I think that’s part of the appeal.
| Read next: Holden HZ Kingswood review
Ford XC Fairmont
As Un-Australian as it sounds, I don’t feel any devout devotion to the classic Red v Blue – anything with wheels seems to catch my eye so this one will be a bit of a mix.
My first pick for an Aussie-family transporter would be the XB Fairmont. An XW would be lovely but far too expensive, and I find myself more drawn to the XB’s curves. It’s a handsome thing, and if I could have one with a factory 302 to cruise about in – that’d do me well.
| Read next: Ford XC Fairmont Reader Resto
HSV VE Clubsport R8
Lastly, something a bit more modern to mix it up. The VE chassis was a breakthrough car for Holden, and the R8 Clubsport had a stonking 6.0lt LS2 (6.3lt post-2008), room for five and could be had with a chunky T56 Tremec six-speed. These things are pretty affordable these days, with VE1s hovering around the low 20s. Again my wagon love shines through as I’d ideally take the Tourer based off the Sportwagon body.
For those after a more modern Aussie family car, you’d be hard-pressed to go past the VE Clubby.
| Read more: HSV Clubsport R8 review