1970-71 Holden HG Monaro - 50 Years of Monaro

By: Unique Cars magazine

Date: 28.11.2018

By the time Holden got to the HG – which was sold July 1970 to July 1971, the old body shape was not the main game. At least not behind the scenes

Holden was concentrating on the final touches for the biggest technical and styling make-over in some years – the HQ. So really, we’re talking a transition model, chiefly with cosmetic upgrades that leaned towards a simpler and bolder look.

The Trimatic transmission had made its way into the range by now, though it had also been fitted to a few of the late HTs. Really, the big news (if there was any) on the mechanical front was that disc brakes were now standard on all the V8s.

More significantly, the brand’s performance mantle had passed to the new and compact kid on the block, the Torana GTR-XU1. It was actually a two-way tussle. The GTS 350 was quicker in a straight oine and the Torana was faster around a race circuit.

Holden had in fact toyed with the idea of upgrading the Monaro’s hero powerplant to something like a Camaro Z/28 unit, with 360 horses, to make it a more convincing top order Ford GT challenger. However it was not to be.

| Market review 2017/18: Holden HK-HG V8/GTS327/GTS350

In the end the GTS 350 soldiered on with subtle mechanical alterations. In a straight line it displayed a little less acceleration than an HT but a slightly higher top speed at 130mph.

Though the original shape Monaro was quietly being wound down as a cruiser rather than a racer by this stage, it was still enjoying modest export success to South Africa. Early cars (from HT series) looked very similar to Australian models and some of them have been repatriated over time. However there was also a Chevrolet SS version, built with CKD packs at Port Elizabeth, that featured a unique Chevrolet SS-branded nose cone with quad headlamps.

Total production reached 6147 examples.

1970-71 Holden HG GTS 350

Engine 5733cc SB Chev OHV V8, Rochester 4V carb
Power 223.5kW @ 4800rpm
Torque 515Nm @3200rpm
Gearbox 4-speed Saginaw manual
Suspension Independent – unequal w/bones, coils, tube shocks(f). Live axle – semi-elliptics, tube shocks (r)
Brakes Disc (f), drum (r)Weight 1495kg

Read more '50 years of Monaro':

1. 1968-69 Holden HK Monaro
2. 1969-70 Holden HT Monaro
3. 1970-71 Holden HG Monaro
4. 1971-74 Holden HQ Monaro
5. 1974-76 Holden HJ Monaro
6. 1976-77 Holden HX Monaro
7. 1977-79 Holden HZ Monaro

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