This is a Holden HR 186 Ute from 1967, it’s one of the most true blue Australian vehicles ever made and it remains in wonderfully original condition throughout, including its engine, transmission, body, and interior.
The ute, or utility, has always been a quintessentially Australian creation. They differ from pickup trucks in that they’re typically based on a production sedan or station wagon, rather than a truck chassis.
Fast Facts: The Holden HR 186 Ute
- This 1967 Holden HR 186 Ute is presented as a highly original example, retaining its factory 186 cubic inch red six, 3-speed manual transmission, bodywork, and interior trim. Finished in Kurrewa Blue with a matching blue vinyl cabin and black rear tarp, it rides on body-colored 13 inch steel wheels with chrome hubcaps and Sumitomo tires.
- The HR series, introduced in April 1966 by Holden, refined the earlier HD series with cleaner styling and some mechanical upgrades. Updates included revised front and rear treatments, a larger rear window, widened track, and ball-joint front suspension aimed at improving ride and handling. Production ran until January of 1968, totaling 252,352 units across sedan, wagon, ute, and panel van body styles.
- Engine options in the HR range centered on the 161 and 186 cubic inch red inline-sixes. By mid-1967, the 186S variant with a two-barrel Stromberg WW carburetor produced 145 bhp. Transmission choices included a 3-speed manual, 2-speed Powerglide automatic, and later an Opel-sourced 4-speed manual. A limited-slip differential was an available option but uncommon.
- This specific ute shows approximately 54,000 miles, not warranted, and has reportedly received routine servicing, most recently in November of 2025. It was repainted in 2025 and features details including a windscreen visor, push-out quarter windows, heater controls, rear window blind, and a two-spoke steering wheel. The sale includes manuals, service booklet, ownership history printout, keys, and an original speed/distance converter.
History Speedrun: The Holden HR Series
The Holden HR series arrived in April of 1966 it was developed largely due to the fact that Holden needed to smooth out the controversial edges of the HD series without losing the sales momentum that they had established during the earlier EH series years.
The Holden HR series arrived in April of 1966 it was developed largely due to the fact that Holden needed to smooth out the controversial edges of the HD series without losing the sales momentum that they had established during the earlier EH series years. Image courtesy of General Motors Holden.
The HD had sold strongly, but its sharp, slab-sided styling had sharply divided opinion. The HR was the answer, it was marketed from the start as the “Turbo-Smooth Holden,” and while it still shared much of its underlying structure with the HD, it was much more than a simple facelift.
From the design side, the HR adopted cleaner front and rear treatments, a revised roofline and larger rear window, and a more balanced tail end design. Underneath, Holden introduced revised ball-joint front suspension and widened the track, changes aimed at improving ride and handling. The result was a car that felt considerably more settled and resolved than the HD it replaced, with handling that was widely praised in period reviews.
Holden HR Body Styles
The HR range covered the full spread of mid-1960s Australian family and fleet body styles, buyers could choose from a four-door sedan, a five-door station wagon, a two-door ute (coupe utility), and a two-door panel van. Passenger models were offered in Standard, Special, and Premier trim levels, with the Premier positioned as the more upmarket variant in true Holden tradition.
Production continued through until January of 1968, with total output recorded at 252,352 examples. That is a huge sales volume for the Australian market, it might be a big country but its population is far smaller than that of the United States.
HR Drivetrain Options
The HR series marked the transition to the 161 and 186 cubic-inch “red” six-cylinder Holden engines, replacing the earlier 149 and 179 units. The 161 served as the mainstream engine, while the 186 provided a little more performance for buyers wanting more than basic transport.
The HR series marked the transition to the 161 and 186 cubic-inch “red” six-cylinder Holden engines, replacing the earlier 149 and 179 units. The 161 served as the mainstream engine, while the 186 provided a little more performance for buyers wanting more than basic transport. Image courtesy of General Motors Holden.
Performance-minded customers could initially opt for the 186 with the X2 option, but in June of 1967 Holden introduced the 186S, with a single two-barrel Stromberg WW carburetor. Output was rated at 145 bhp, an impressive figure for the time, and the 186S offered a more flexible and user-friendly experience than the earlier twin-carburetor X2 configuration.
Standard transmission was a 3-speed manual, typically column-shifted, but buyers wanting an automatic could specify the 2-speed Powerglide. From June of 1967 Holden added an Opel-sourced 4-speed manual option which proved to be a popular choice with enthusiasts. A limited-slip differential was also available, a relatively advanced option for a mainstream Australian sedan of the period, but it wasn’t common and remains rare today.
The HR’s Competition
The HR was launched into a time when competition was tightening in the mid-1960s Australian market. Ford’s Falcon moved from the XP into the XR during the HR’s lifespan, with the XR introducing a locally available 289 cubic inch Windsor V8.
Chrysler’s VC Valiant, which had been launched in 1966, offered the 225 Slant Six and the optional 273 V8. Both competitors were now providing V8 options that Holden didn’t match in the HR.
With the HR series, Holden had been focused on range depth, handling refinement, and steady development of its much-loved six-cylinder platform. It had delivered cleaner styling, important mechanical updates, and better transmission offerings, and it became one of the best selling cars in the country during its production run.
With the HR series, Holden had been focused on range depth, handling refinement, and steady development of its much-loved six-cylinder platform. It had delivered cleaner styling, important mechanical updates, and better transmission offerings, and it became one of the best selling cars in the country during its production run. Image courtesy of General Motors Holden.
The HR series would be replaced by the Holden HK series in 1968. The HK was a notably larger and heavier car, perhaps following more in the American tradition than the British/European tradition of earlier, smaller Holdens. The HK would offer V8s up to 5.4 liters in displacement – thanks to Holden’s access to the full parts catalogue of parent company General Motors.
The Holden HR 186 Ute Shown Here
This 1967 Holden HR 186 Ute is a factory 186-powered example finished in Kurrewa Blue with a matching blue vinyl interior and a black vinyl rear tarp. It presents as a largely standard and unmodified vehicle, riding on body-colored 13 inch steel wheels with chrome hubcaps, fitted with Sumitomo tires.
Power comes from a naturally aspirated 2.6 liter “186” inline-six driving the rear wheels through a 3-speed manual transmission. The odometer shows roughly 54,000 miles, though the listing explains that this is not warranted. The seller notes that car had routine servicing in recent years, including maintenance carried out most recently in November of 2025.
This is a Holden HR 186 Ute from 1967, it’s one of the most true blue Australian vehicles ever made and it remains in wonderfully original condition throughout, including its engine, transmission, body, and interior.
Period-correct details include a windscreen visor, push-out quarter windows, a two-spoke steering wheel, a heater and ventilation controls, and a rear window blind. The ute was reportedly repainted in 2025. Included in the sale are two sets of keys, the owner’s manual, service booklet, a laminated ownership history printout, and an original speed/distance converter.
The car is now being offered for sale out of Newtown in Queensland, Australia and you can visit the listing here on Collecting Cars if you’d like to read more or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Collecting Cars
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.
