Shannons has the final coupe version of the original ‘Monaro’ series – an increasingly collectible, limited edition 1976 Holden HX LE coupe – coming up at its Summer Classic Auction in Sydney on February 15.
A run of just 580 HX LE coupes was produced at Holden’s Pagewood plant in Sydney and featured striking metallic crimson paintwork, gold pin-striping and stylish ‘LE’ lettering on its bootlid.
While it did not physically wear the hallowed ‘Monaro’ nameplate, Holden fans regard it as a true blue member of the breed and now value it accordingly.
The HX LE came only as a package with Holden’s 308-cid V8, the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission and Salisbury limited slip differential – all high-performance Monaro hardware.
Four quartz halogen headlights, colour-keyed front and rear spoilers and unique gold-finished 14x7in polycast wheels completed the distinctive model.
The passenger compartment combined GTS features with a walnut finish dash fascia and centre console with crushed velour and cloth trim.
Its comprehensive equipment list included power steering, windows and aerial; integrated air conditioning; heated rear window; tinted windows and a quadraphonic eight-track cartridge player.
The original eight-track system (although not currently fitted) is included in the sale, along with a number of spare music cartridges.
The HX LE being auctioned by Shannons was sold new in Toowoomba and remains in very original condition in the hands of its third owner.
Shannons expects the Holden HX LE to sell in the $32,000 to $36,000 range.
fond memories.i wonder if anyone one there remembers the “H.Q. FOR YOU” that street machine done up many years ago.them was the days…
The photo above doesn’t show its original honeycomb wheels.
From memory, I think the honeycomb wheels were just plastic hubcaps.
Don’t trust your memory – they 14×7-inch polycast wheels.
Yes but they were hubcaps that you could not remove. The face is purely ornamental.. Its a soft rubber feel hub cap, i was poking the wheel. Sort of like the stuff soft feel steering wheels are made of.
They could have been some Supercheap copies, Minnow. I agree with RM. The same wheels were optional on HX and HZ GTS 4-door Monaros, but coloured silver. Holden got them from Pontiac, who put them on Trans Ams.
Weren’t they prone to cracking? Maybe a lot of originals are not fit for use anymore after 30 odd years.
I know a bloke with one of these, same colour and has the honeycomb hub caps.
They weren’t hubcaps
Interestingly in the US and UK (and probably in France and Germany) you can buy out of the refurbs to modify old machines in areas of suspension, brakes, cooling, engine and transmission. One can lift the original parts from the machine and store them. These can refitting if so desired at a later date. Unless one is going to use the machine as a museum piece a refurbishment would seem the logical road. I am sure this would even meet with the approval of ‘classic fundamentalists’ when viewing safety and contemporary on road integrity.
I am a little confused as to why vendors like Shannons do not market such refinements as a side to their core business.
WTF are you on about ?
Sorry guys, left out a key word:
‘Interestingly in the US and UK (and probably in France and Germany) you can buy out of refurbs to modify old machines in areas of suspension, brakes, cooling, engine and transmission’, should read – ‘Interestingly in the US and UK (and probably in France and Germany), you can buy out of the box refurbs to modify old machines in areas of suspension, brakes, cooling, engine and transmission.’
Toxic Horse, this may take many forms. A few possibilities for this machine for example, to replace the brakes with appropriate Brembos, the transmission with a current Tremec 6 speed and clutch combination, the motor with an out of the box 6ltr fuel injected Chev, and so on. It will add to the safety of the machine, and you will be able to use the machine reliably at will.
I remember as a kid. I used to play tennis at Gilmours in southern Sydney. One of the coaches used to own one of these and park it prominently next to the tennis court.
I knew little about cars, but thought this was awesome.
Gold honeycomb wheels, shag pile carpet, dazzling red paint.
I wonder if that tennis coach still is there (its been 20 years) and wether this is his car.
If it is, what happened to the honeycomb wheels?
This one looks like it’s been to Supercheap.
I reckon after 30 years, most Monaros would have ahoneycomb chassis to match the wheels.
I’ve gotta laugh at the 8 track stereo, that really is a blast from the past. If my memory serves me, you used to be able to option these on Holdens of the time, but every one took cassettes in preference and Holden had a heap unsold and so fitted them to this model to get rid of them. I wonder what use the player is toady, assuming it still works. You once could buy adaptors to fit a cassette into so that you could play them in 8 track machines.
I hope it goes to a good home, but it really doesn’t interest me. Now if it was a HK GTS 327 or HG GTS 350, that’s another story. They have some history to them.
There are 2 much better ones on ebay at the moment.
Not worth the money that they are asking! as a restored car maybe! but read the inspection report and it will change most peoples mind….
still trying to get the money of when car prices went crazy (thanks to the xy gt) this car realisticly should be worth no more than $20,000 in its current state..
and i am a person that is in the market for one!