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By
DAVID PIKE
The 1960s and early 70s were periods of frantic change in the car
industry and, amazingly, the HQ Holden was the fourth all-new Holden
body in just 10 years. The pace finally slowed and HQ-based variants
lasted into the mid 1980s. The first major change was the increase in
size of both six-cylinder engines.
The 161cubic inch motor grew to 173 cubic inches and the 186
grew to 202. Both of the Australian 253 and 308 cubic inch V8s
continued unaltered as did the Chevrolet 350 V8.
In the suspension department further changes were evident as
this was the first Holden to have coil springs all round. The
demise of semi-elliptic rear springs was bemoaned by some, but
anyone who drove quickly on dirt roads was delighted by the
change. Such a suspension was, however, too soft for the
enthusiast driver. A further change was the placement of the
handbrake which was now located on the floor on the driver's side
of the seat, not under the dash as in all previous Holdens.
The entry level Belmont model was aimed mainly at fleet buyers
whilst the famous Kingswood was intended for the family buyer. In
the standard wheelbase range the top of the line was the Premier.
Station wagons were built on a longer wheelbase than the sedans
for the first time and this platform was also used for the
long-wheelbase Statesman and Statesman De Ville. These shared the
HQ door panels and front guards but had a unique grille, roofline
and rear guards. The Holden One-tonner (called at the time the
cab-chassis) used a slightly crude ute-style front-end with a
rugged full chassis behind it. It became a hit with Australian
tradesmen due to its rugged construction and big engined torque.
Lines of the Kingswood were radical in their day and had a lot
of knockers. The body featured a big glass area with narrow (but
strong) pillars. The simple front end style of the HQ was never
beaten, despite many attempts with later facelifts. If there was a
real criticism it was that the ridges along the sides were easily
damaged in car parks. Load area was considerably bigger in the
wagon than the sedan, due to the sedan having a tail that sloped
down steeply. The longer wheelbase also helped to provide more
room.
Although the HQ exterior was radical in its concept, the
interior could be ordered in a surprisingly simple arrangement,
with a column gearchange and front bench seats. Flow through
ventilation was used for the first time in a full size Holden. The
instrument layout on the HQ featured a deep-set arrangement with
round dials within squared-off surrounds. Ventilation controls
were set into the panel, as were the washer/wiper controls. The
Premier model had an imitation woodgrained finish to this panel.
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