1966 Holden HR: Reader Ride

Date: 07.09.2015

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

Before buying her HR Holden, Rosemarie Walsh says she looked at later model cars but thought they missed that mid-sixties car 'feel'. She also loves the three on the tree on the HR!

Rosemarie Walsh's 1966 Holden HR

I bought this car in 2004 off an old Greek guy who was just driving it around in Northcote (north side of Melbourne) with a for sale sign on the back. He’d had it for 18 years and the guy before him had owned it for 20 years – so I’m the third long-term owner.

He had done all the servicing himself and was proud that he’d only ever washed it with water. It looks like it’s mostly original paint, though he did seem to like fixing leaks and gaps with bits of silicone. My Dad was the same – he was Irish, so maybe it’s a European thing.

The first job I did was put new window seals in it, to stop the doors filling up with water and rusting out. I then got the whole front end done and fitted disc brakes.

Mechanically it’s needed very little other than a recon radiator, a clutch and some bearings in the gearbox. It’s now running like a dream and doesn’t miss a beat. It’s a 186 red motor with a three on the tree.

It’s great to drive and I love the three on the tree, just sitting in second and clunking it into third, I love the body roll on it into corners. Do they have their own smell? Everyone who gets in it says it still smells like an HR!

It will be 50 next year. We all grew up with these cars. My brothers had them and it just takes you back to those times. Even now the kids love it when we load up to go somewhere.

I did look at some later model cars, but they just didn’t have it. They were missing that feel that mid-sixties cars have. Maybe it’s the three on the tree – I just love it.

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