When it comes to cars, South Africa in the 1960s and '70s was very similar to Australia. Both cultures were interested in V8 muscle cars. It was an exciting time.
So says South African native Clive Massel, owner of this time-warp South African-delivered HT Monaro. Looking over the chronicles of V8-powered machines destined for the South African market bears this out. Ford SA imported complete knocked-down (CKD) GT-spec Falcons, calling them Fairmont GTs, while later the infamous Capri Perana introduced the small-block V8 to Capri chassis.
On the GM side, Chevrolet was the big name – but the most outlandish car to be seen on its forecourts was derived from the humble Vauxhall Viva. One hundred Vivas, known as the ‘Little Chev’, were sold with the Trans-Am inspired 302ci Chev V8.
Here in Australia, the two-door Monaro series first introduced in 1968 was performing its role as halo car of the Holden range. Its local reputation was built off consecutive Bathurst victories with Chevrolet power, but with the introduction of the locally built 253ci and 308ci Holden engines and its removal from the racetracks, the HT Monaro needed to make money.
One way to achieve this was to utilise export markets, and the RHD South African market, on paper at least, suited the car perfectly.
Muscle car memories
Over the years there have been some misconceptions regarding the Monaros destined for South Africa. The first batch was fully assembled Australian HT Monaros complete with the Holden badge and almost identical in specification.
Interestingly, all of these had the vinyl roof, a rarely picked option in Australia. The cars were sold through selected dealers in competition to Chevrolet, an outwardly similar set-up to Pontiac in the US.
Most had the Holden 308, though a handful housed the Chev 350 and it’s believed only 64 fully assembled HT Monaros were exported in total. Transmission options included the Powerglide two-speed auto or Saginaw four-speed manual. All exported shells were manual-bodied, having the ‘Saginaw hump’.
After the initial batch, a change to South African government requirements dictated that future vehicles had to be brought in as CKD kits.
Despite encouraging initial press, time quickly proved the GM brand experiment wasn’t working.
“The biggest issue for Holden,” recalls Clive, “was that for muscle car fans, Chevrolet was everything. We’d been getting Chevelles and Impalas for a while and that brand had more of an identity with us.”
As a result, GM SA decided to change strategy, and the HG Monaro became the Chevrolet ‘SS’.
With the Chev branding came several changes. The vinyl roof was removed, and a four-headlight front with ‘SS’ badging and Chevelle hubcaps nodded to its new master. South African-spec interior trims, stripes, badges and colour options were also added. It had lost a part of its Holden identity.
When Clive moved to Australia a couple of years ago, he left behind a wide-ranging classic collection. Clive is a keen historic racer who won the 1989 South African Historic Championship behind the wheel of a BMW 2002.
He purchased this South African assembled 1970 HT Holden Monaro to revive earlier muscle-car memories and because he enjoyed its unique back-story. When he came to Oz, the Monaro was one of a relative handful of vehicles to follow him over.
“I purchased it off the first owner, who looked after it really well. I took it to my workshop back home and we looked it over. A couple of consumable items needed replacing, which was duly done, and we also had the paint ‘blown over’ because the hot sun had faded it over time. In bringing it over to Australia with me, I feel like it has completed its story, it has gone full circle.”
It’s powered by a 308ci Holden motor, which produces 240bhp (179kW) at 4000rpm and 315lb/ft (427Nm) at 3000rpm, breathing through a four-barrel Rochester carburettor. This is backed-up by the familiar four-speed Saginaw manual ’box and a 3.36:1 Salisbury limited-slip diff.
Cosmetically the car is in near-showroom condition and rust-free, the legacy of a lifetime in the warm South African climate. It is very hard to fault its presentation – even the underside is spotless, and the boot may well have never been opened before today. As we walk around the car, Clive points out small details that, when added up, reveal some minor differences in finish compared with Australian-delivered examples.
One such item is the ‘5 litre’ badge found on either front fender, rather than the ‘308’ found on the Holden-powered Australian HG (the ‘5 litre’ was locally used for Chev 307-powered HKs and early HTs), while the under-bonnet, boot and wheel wells are painted body colour rather than black.
Squeal of rubber
Opening the driver’s door, it is again hard to believe this car was built over 40 years ago, all surfaces appearing as new. Again there are some minor differences to the interior trim, but settling behind the thin-rimmed steering wheel (a spindly, almost delicate piece contrasting with the car’s otherwise brutish feel) feels exactly the same as in any other HT Monaro.
Driving the GTS is a physical experience. This example is fuss-free on start-up, requiring no throttle pressure to catch on all eight cylinders, and it quickly settles to a smooth idle. Underway the clutch is heavy in operation, the non-power steering (power-assist was optional for 308s) cumbersome, particularly at low-speed, but the smoothness of the standard-spec 308 dominates the experience.
If the engine is its finest attribute, the gearbox is a little reluctant and needs a firm hand to guide it through, preferring that you shift down through the gears (the engine braking effect taking the load off the ‘power’ disc front/drum rear braking combination) when approaching intersections so as not to try and ‘crunch’ it into first once stopped. Once up to cruising speed the car works best using third and top gear, relying on the ample response available throughout the rev range.
The big coupé sits on 14 x 6-inch steel rims with stylised hubcaps, encircled by 70-profile tyres that were seen, back in the day, as low-profile. In conjunction with the coil-sprung independent front suspension and leaf-sprung rear, the principal handling dynamic is understeer accompanied by several degrees of body-roll and a squeal of rubber.
Images of the Series Production Monaros racing at Bathurst indicate the understeer can be balanced by more copious use of the throttle to maintain a four-wheel drift, but given the age and value of the car (let alone the fact we are nowhere near a track) we decide not to delve any deeper into its performance envelope.
With the rise in muscle car popularity in the last decade, several have found their way back to Australia thanks to their relatively good value.
“Early-on, and given they were all manual-bodied, automatics were often purchased cheaply in South Africa and shipped here to be converted into manual cars,” Clive explains.
From an investment perspective, purchasing a South African HT/HG might look appealing, however verifiable history is king with Australian muscle cars and it is difficult to prove a South African vehicle’s history if previous owners have not been diligent.
Aussie-delivered cars have firewall tags and the firewall itself has the body number stamped into it, while the SA cars make do with two tags on the inside of the passenger door and no body stamping.
To complicate things further, some paint and trim codes differed from Australian cars. This lack of verifiable information goes some way to describing the difference in relative values for these vehicles. If you are in the market simply to drive and enjoy, the SA cars are still seriously tempting from a value perspective, even though the price gap has closed in recent times thanks to increased demand and decreasing supply.
As we continue to cruise, many on-lookers stop, point, wave and nod as we burble past, some double-taking and no doubt pondering the last time they saw a Monaro with a vinyl roof, let alone one in such exceptional condition. When asked if the attention is a regular thing, Clive just smiles.
“It’s nice people still have an interest in cars like this,” he says. “It feels at home here.”
Story by Adam Davis in Australian Classic Car magazine, October 2011 issue. NRMA Classic Car Club Members receive up to 50% off Australian Classic Car magazine. Click here to purchase.
