My father bought a new one tonner in early 1973 and again in Dec 1975 (was a 10/75 build unit, we still have it stashed away awaiting it's turn to be rebuilt) after the demise of the first one, through his uncle - Doug Hillsdon (ie: Hillsdon's in Parramatta). According to him they were both bare bones floor stock purchases but their appearance was as I mentioned. Both were 6cyl, chamois with brown interiors with white bumpers/HOLDEN lettering over the grille but I remember the HQ had silver wheels with painted caps (no "Holden" decal on the rear end) and the HJ had white wheels with chrome hubcaps with the decal.
I vividly remember the day he bought the HJ as I was on school holidays with him going to work down Windsor Rd at Northmead (concrete road back then!) when a Bedford truck blew a tyre in the lane next to us, swerved and pushed us up the gutter into an (empty, thank gawd!) bus shed, totalling in the HQ in the process. He looked at the mess, called his uncle from the adjacent fruit shop and they came and picked him, myself and dad's ute load of plumbing tools up there and then and brought us back with them to the dealership where dad picked out his new ute. I believe it was delivered the next day - complete with his tools already loaded and his ladder racks in situ....
I do remember clearly him being very happy with the extra grunt of the 202 and the disc brakes that were not as touchy when cold as the HQ front drums were. As to if they had a dress-up package I couldn't tell you, but that is the way they were delivered off the showroom floor. Thanks for that info!
Bookmarks