This is a 1968 Holden Monaro GTS, one of the most desirable muscle cars ever to come out of Australia, and a car that’s been growing in popularity in the USA in recent years as more people discover it.
This example was bought new in Australia and optioned with the desirable 4-speed manual transmission. It was later imported into New Zealand where it’s now being offered for sale.
Fast Facts: The Holden Monaro GTS
- The 1968 Holden Monaro GTS is one of Australia’s most coveted muscle cars, built across three first-generation iterations (HK, HT, HG) from 1968 to 1971. Its styling drew inspiration from American coupes like the Mustang and Camaro, but the design remained entirely unique to Holden.
- The Monaro proved formidable on track, winning the Hardie-Ferodo 500 (now the Bathurst 1000) twice and claiming the 1970 Australian Touring Car Championship. Buyers could choose a straight-six, a 307 Chevrolet V8, or a top-spec 327 small block, with Holden’s own 308 V8 arriving in 1969.
- This particular HK Monaro GTS is finished in Picardy Red over black vinyl with wood veneer trim, riding on 15-inch five-spoke alloys. Power comes from a 3.0 liter inline-six producing 145 bhp, sent to the rear wheels through the desirable 4-speed manual transmission.
- Originally delivered new in Australia before being imported to New Zealand, the car shows 50,588 miles (unwarranted) and was last serviced in March 2021. Recent work includes new front shocks and renewed rocker and side cover gaskets. It’s offered through Collecting Cars in Otago, New Zealand.
History Speedrun: The Holden Monaro GTS
The first Holden Monaro was released in 1968 and sold over three model iterations until 1971. The styling was influenced by American V8 coupes like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, however the Monaro was entirely unique and it quickly became one of the most desirable sports cars in the country.
The first Holden Monaro was released in 1968 and sold over three model iterations until 1971. The styling was influenced by American V8 coupes like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, however the Monaro was entirely unique and it quickly became one of the most desirable sports cars in the country. Image courtesy of General Motors Holden.
The elegant design of the Monaro belied its capabilities on track, over the course of the late 1960s and early 1970s Holden Monaros would win a slew of important Australian races and championships including the Hardie-Ferodo 500 (now known as the Bathurst 1000) on two occasions and the 1970 Australian Touring Car Championship.
Where Did The Name “Monaro” Come From?
Interestingly the Monaro didn’t have a name for much of its development, hundreds of names were tossed around and the name “Torana” seemed like the final choice until Noel Bedford, a member of Holden’s design team, discovered the name by accident while on a family road trip holiday.
Bedford was driving through the town of Cooma in New South Wales in Australia’s east when he saw a road sign: “It said Monaro County Council in western-type lettering that reminded me of “Marlboro Country” and “Camaro”. It seemed to me so simple and logical. Why didn’t somebody think of it before? I was quite excited and couldn’t wait to get back to work.” – Noel Bedford
After he got back to the office and checked the trademark status of the name Holden held an impromptu board meeting and approved it.
The First-Generation Monaro
The first generation Monaro would be built in three iterations, the Monaro HK, Monaro HT, and finally the Monaro HG. They all share the same body panels and look indistinguishable to the non-trained eye but there were a slew of changes made underneath and in the engine bay.
The first generation Monaro would be built in three iterations, the Monaro HK, Monaro HT, and finally the Monaro HG. They all share the same body panels and look indistinguishable to the non-trained eye but there were a slew of changes made underneath and in the engine bay. Image courtesy of General Motors Holden.
Initially you could buy a Monaro with a straight-six under the hood, you could opt for either a 5.0 liter (307 cubic inch) V8 or the top-of-the-line GTS model with a 327 cubic inch small-block Chevrolet V8. At this time Holden engineers were hard at work on their own V8 engine, this new engine was developed 100% in-house and it was intended to become the company’s flagship engine – which it was between 1969 and 2000.
In 1969 you could order your new Monaro with the new Holden V8, a 308 cubic inch (5.0 liter) 90º V8 with 16 push-rod actuated valves and cross-flow heads. This engine proved popular both because it was smaller and lighter than the 327 cubic inch Chevrolet V8 and because it would give its owners bragging rights as owners of a “100% Australian muscle car”.
Today these original first generation Holden Monaros are highly sought after in Australia, particularly the GTS V8 versions which had proven so successful on the race track.
The 1968 Holden Monaro GTS Shown Here
This 1968 Holden HK Monaro GTS is finished in Picardy Red over a black vinyl interior with wood veneer trim, and it’s fitted with a set of 15 inch five-spoke alloy wheels wearing mixed tires. Power comes from a 3.0 liter inline-six producing 145 bhp, sent to the rear wheels through a 4-speed manual transmission.
The car was originally delivered new in Australia before being imported to New Zealand, where it has been registered since. Its odometer currently shows 50,588 miles, though this figure is not warranted. Included with the sale are the Holden owner’s manual, a supplementary owner’s manual, the original New Zealand registration papers, and one original set of keys.
According to the seller, the most recent service was carried out in March of 2021 at roughly 49,000 miles by Temuka Auto Court. During the current ownership, the front shock absorbers have been replaced, and the rocker cover and side cover gaskets were renewed at 50,142 miles.
This 1968 Holden HK Monaro GTS is finished in Picardy Red over a black vinyl interior with wood veneer trim, and it’s fitted with a set of 15 inch five-spoke alloy wheels wearing mixed tires. Power comes from a 3.0 liter inline-six producing 145 bhp, sent to the rear wheels through a 4-speed manual transmission. Image provided by Collecting Cars.
The seller notes some minor imperfections in the wood veneer trim (a common issue on these cars) along with a small hole in the trunk trim and some minor oil leaks.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Otago, New Zealand on Collecting Cars, and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid.
Images provided by Collecting Cars + GM Holden
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
