This is an unrestored 1969 Holden Monaro GTS that remains in remarkably original condition throughout. It won two Survivor Class awards at major Monaro shows, and it’s now used as a reference vehicle for the HK generation Monaro.
It’s now being offered for sale and it’s sure to attract plenty of attention. The Holden Monaro is remembered today as one of Australia’s most iconic cars, and a match for its American-made contemporaries like the Mustang and Camaro.
Fast Facts: The Holden Monaro GTS
- The 1969 Holden Monaro GTS featured here remains unrestored and in highly original condition. It won Survivor Class awards at two national Monaro events and now serves as a reference vehicle for the HK series. The car retains its factory 307 V8 engine and two-speed Powerglide transmission.
- The first Holden Monaro, launched in 1968, was inspired by American muscle car styling yet had an entirely distinct design. Over three iterations – HK, HT, and HG – it became a major success in Australian motorsport, claiming victories in the Bathurst 500 and winning the 1970 Australian Touring Car Championship.
- The Monaro name originated serendipitously when Holden designer Noel Bedford spotted a “Monaro County Council” sign during a family road trip. Its visual resemblance to “Camaro” and “Marlboro Country” helped seal the decision. The name was quickly trademarked and approved for production use.
- This particular Monaro GTS is one of only 628 built with the 307 small-block Chevrolet V8 and is the only known example in a white-on-white color scheme. Still wearing its original Victorian number plates, the car has 99,612 miles and is now listed for sale via Collecting Cars in Australia.
Fast Facts: The Holden Monaro
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. 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.
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 1969 Holden Monaro GTS Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1969 Holden Monaro GTS, and it’s widely regarded as one of the most original, non-restored examples left in the world. It was first registered in March of 1969, it’s one of only 628 produced with the small-block Chevrolet 5.0 liter engine, and it’s the only “white on white” example known to exist.
It was awarded “Survivor Class” category trophies in both the 2024 Monaro Nationals and the 2023 HK HT HG Holden Nationals, which required deep-level scrutineering. The conclusion was that this car is a true reference vehicle for the HK generation Monaro.
It’s powered by the 307 cubic inch (5.0 liter) GM V8, which sends its power to the rear wheels via a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Inside you’ll find loop-pile black carpet, wood veneer inlays, a wood-grain look sports steering wheel, a complete instrumentation cluster, a black dash pad, and a black floor console with a wood-grain look inlay.
The car you see here is a 1969 Holden Monaro GTS, and it’s widely regarded as one of the most original, non-restored examples left in the world.
The car is now being offered for sale on Collecting Cars out of Victoria, Australia with 99,612 miles, and the original black and white Victorian number plates, which were fitted when it left Preston Motors in North Essendon, Victoria, in late March 1969.
If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
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.
