Wish list

[Kingcoffee]

If you could go into Holden dealer and buy brand new old stock for you h series car/van what you buy

[wbute]

1 cowel panel, two full quarters and a Ute roof panel. Oh two front HZ GTS guards and a lower tailgate.
Actually just a new HX ute body would do.

[maxsandman]

Bodys would be my choice. They would be the hardest thing to replace or repair, compared to other components you can buy reproduction or reconditioned. How great would it be to have brand new a windowless van body in the corner of the shed!

Sometime mid 90s I got offered a coupe body still in its crate for a few grand, but unfortunately my crystal ball wasn't working. At the time I was driving a HQ 308 GTS coupe that only owed me a bit more than that & had a spare rolling body I picked up for next to nothing. Oh well, I hope someone bought it & still got it stored

[Blue victor]

Good question KC

I second buying the windowless body shell. I recall in Unique cars one for sale for $6,500 in the early to mid 90's which I too thought was ludicrous.

I also recall as a kid (born 64) an article circa 73/74 in either Wheels or The Melbourne Sun where they costed building a HQ sedan completely from spare parts...complete engine, body shell etc. My figures are probably askew but the sentiment is the same. New car approx $3,400........ spare parts version close to $30,000. An early education on how expensive spare parts were.

I wonder what's really out there

[pj350]

Bout 1981 I went into holden dealers in adelaide ...down Richmond road... had a hj ute got a brand new twin head light nose cone radiator support ..gts dash ..console gauges all bloody new old stock ..you could get that gear then.

[Valencia]

Yeah Van body for me to but i did buy a new lower tailgate from Holden in 83 still in its original box today bit tatty
no its not for sale

[Kiwivan]

Tailgate handles

Cheers Kiwivan

[Alien DNA]

Dash pads, passenger quarters, nose cones, upper and lower tailgates, radiator supports & HJXZ front spoilers. Blank cheques dont seen to be enough these days

[damienengland]

I'm thinking everything that's plastic. Between my van project and the daily driver Tonner, i'm constantly looking for better trim bits or patching them up with Araldite after they break...from the lightest touch. Seems you can repair or restore most things that are metal, but the plastics are tricky.

[Dr Terry]

I also recall as a kid (born 64) an article circa 73/74 in either Wheels or The Melbourne Sun where they costed building a HQ sedan completely from spare parts...complete engine, body shell etc. My figures are probably askew but the sentiment is the same. New car approx $3,400........ spare parts version close to $30,000. An early education on how expensive spare parts were.

The reason that a car is more expensive as parts than as a whole is that each & every part is wrapped, packed, shelved & handing separately. Things like warehousing & delivery costs add to that.

I'm not making excuses for expensive parts, but the above does cost a lot when labour rates are so high.

Dr Terry