Holden LX Torana SS 253 - Reader Ride

By: Sharon Chapman

Date: 01.10.2017

Sharon Chapman's LX Torana SS 253

My mum had one as a kid, my dad worked at General Motors and I always liked them. Plus I’m short and can reach the pedals!

I was driving an LJ as a daily driver about 20 years ago and decided I wanted something a bit more sophisticated, so I thought an LX usually has a radio, flow-through ventilation and wind-back seats, so I started looking for a hatch. I drove past this one at the Holden 50th celebration at Albert Park Lake. I worked my way back to find it, it had a for sale sign on it, but it was gone.

It popped up for sale the following January. I’ve still got the ad. She was the secretary at Northpoint Holden and this was a demo car. I looked at the paperwork and I picked it up 21 years to the day after she bought the car.

Sharon is a true Torana tragic. She also owns the mauve XU-1 we featured in issue #404

I bought it in 1999. I paid five and a half for it and it had a set of Dragways on it. It looked like a lizard with these wheels hanging out the side. I sold the Dragways for $500 and put the standard wheels back on – it probably cost me $100 for the hubcaps.

I watched the value head up to 15, 20, 25 and I now need to up the insurance on it – it’s quite crazy. I like that it’s an original survivor car, it hasn’t been messed with. One of the seats is a bit ripped – it’s not pretty but it’s honest.

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