1970 Holden Monaro GTS is an original icon

Sunday, 24 October 2021

Mark Stilson’s 1970 Holden Monaro GTS is a stunning example of an Aussie icon.

This article was first published in Octane Fix Online magazine.

A few years back I somehow ended up leaning on a bar leaner watching all the happenings at the Mount Main Street car show.

The HT Monaro can be distinguished from the HK by its adoption of sa plastic grille. Still wearing that important GTS badge for the top spec one though.

It just so happened to be the same leaner as Mark Silson and his mate Craig were leaning on. Must have been a hot day or something…

As usual with all things in common in the car scene, we get yarning and it turns out Mark has a genuine Monaro GTS at the show. So again, as usual, the good old Aussie Ford versus Holden banter starts and the laughs carry on.

16-inch Minilites give the Monaro a tough period racer look.

Mark kept the interior largely along factory lines during the restoration.

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The Chev 383 V8 now pumps out a healthy 318kW.

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A while later Sheree (Mark’s other half) arrives at the same leaner and turns out she also has her truck on display at the show.

So from that very leaner, the rest is history, and we have been catching up at shows ever since.

Mark’s 1970 HT Monaro GTS is certainly a fantastic example of the Aussie icon, and it is definitely one of the cleaner ‘un-molested’ Monaros around.

With a few tricks in the power and handling department to do the old original design some favours, it certainly is a desirable package to drive now.

The black interior remains as factory with the classic styling of the old muscle cars, but Mark’s no slouch in the car scene having drag raced for a fair few years, so the engine is now a tricked 383 scat stroked Chev punching out 426hp on the dyno, back through a four speed manual gear box (because real muscle cars have four gears!) back to a limited slip diff.

The whole suspension package has been lowered a massive four inches, or 100mm for you young fella’s, and sits with a beautiful stance on the Minilite alloys, giving that race look from back in the era of the famous Bathurst racing days of the 1970’s.

As you do or need to do when you’re punching 426hp, the brake package has been modified with disc brakes all round to pull the old girl up, so all in all the 1970 Monaro now cruises and drives pretty damn good.

The addition of the MSD fuel injection has given the power plant a daily driver feel with the ease of starting and cruising, but drop the clutch and be assured, you’ll be transported back the 1970s muscle car era in a hurry.

Year: 1970
Make: Holden
Model: HT Monaro GTS
Engine: Chevrolet block with Scat 383 stroker kit producing 426hp (318kW) on the dyno, Pacemaker ceramic coated headers, 1 ¾-inch primaries to full 3-inch stainless steel exhaust with cutouts
Transmission : Richmond Super T10 four-speed manual, Carbolic clutch custom-built in Australia
Differential: Borgwarner limited slip built by Steelie Gear
Suspension : Lowered four-inches
Brakes : Four wheel disc brakes.
Wheels : Minilite alloy wheels, 16x8-inch fronts and 16x10-inch rears

Octane Fix is an online magazine for the grassroots car enthusiast – check out the latest issue here.