John Bowe takes you for a drive in the Holden HD Special

View the Holden HD Special here
www.graysonlin...
Stored in a Holden museum for over 20 years. Since being bought from the museum it has had extensive work done to the car. All chrome work re chromed, resprayed door closed, complete rubber kit fitted to the car, doors, windows, screens, brand new headlinning & sun visors. Brand new white wall tyres 1 week old! The Engine has been upgraded to a 186ci for a bit more power, All new shockers springs, water pump, radiator, brakes, master cylinder, clutch slave master, windscreen, seats & door trims are original! This HD presents in amazing condition with thousands spent in receipts. The car runs and drives like new.

[@MichaelSheedy-yl1ld]

My fav the HD's got a couple tucked away in the shed

[@auzzieworker5183]

Even got the unmistakable door squeak when opened..:)

[@adamclarke7394]

It's amazing the things that you notice that have become stored away in the back of your mind. The moment that JB opened the door I heard that hinge squeak which seemed to be a signature of the HD and HR. I can't remember how many thousands of times I heard that as a kid. It instantly brought back great memories.

[@michaelrichter5233]

Yep me too!

[@jimmyjazz9014]

Absolutely ... my ears pricked up when I heard that squeak. Makes me wonder if they built it in to them hahaha

[@gashy1000]

I had a HD Ute for a paddock bomb, was my Pa's farm ute and when he got a new HG, old ute sat under the cyprus trees for quite a few years, then when I was about 12 got to it with my spanners & gear, scrubbed her up and got her mobile again, the beginning of being a Holden Man !

[@brianhay4048]

I had one as my first car, it was fitted with power disc brakes, air chief radio, towed a caravan around western Australia, wish I still had it.

[@peterschibler1580]

Wow

[@waterbourne9282]

My first car which I learnt to drive in was my grandfathers white one with red upholstery. I then sold it to my mother who eventually sold it to my sister. Last I heard it was getting a full resto which was very fortunate for it. Same, lovely and quiet and smooth to drive. First gear way too high for towing but had that great strait cut whine, hopeless front drum brakes, and very good at growing rust which we slowed down with fishoilene. Nevertheless great memories of a lovely old car. Note that one has HR coloured hubcap centres, the HD's were black.

[@Paisly17]

I remember my uncle buying one brand new and I thought it was the best thing I had ever been in 😄

[@OzzysRadioHalfHour]

Take a bow. John bowe

[@davidbrowning6284]

How nice are these old cars weather it be Holden or Ford they were so basic compared to what we have now

[@geoffreylummis2206]

A great story . I had a HD 👍😎🦘

[@patrickbryant5224]

I had a HD Special when I was 18. Loved it. I met the lady who became my wife when I had that car.

[@alanrix5344]

My father had one of these and I borrowed it once .Only thing I remember was the brakes used to fade rather badly scarey stuff

[@robertproctor7234]

beautiful old hd identical to my first road car 40 years ago in hobart apollo turquoise 179 3 spd man. ended up on baskerville at a club day

[@catey62]

What a gorgeous example of one of Holdens lesser loved models. I , for one, actually have a soft spot for the HD and if I could have one as nice as this in my garage I'd be more than happy. whoever owned this one certainly took great care of it.

[@97Premiers]

I had the EH with the same colour scheme. It had the 149 engine and as John says in the video, it was so quiet. A beautiful motor car. I ended up selling it after I finished uni for more than I bought it for. I loved that car.

[@bapcorp8303]

Holden's are beautiful & amazing cars

[@bradjarrett4756]

Lovely car....nice and original

[@davehad-enough2369]

Did most of my apprenticeship on HDs and HRs. Not bad cars if they had the X2 or 186S engines. The Powerglide needed the extra grunt. But they fell to bits with rust so quickly there is almost none left now.

[@alanwall961]

I must be an oddball, cause I liked the EJ & HD , they had more style , beautiful cars

[@miguelde5650]

My first car, a HD Special. Loved it!

[@glennplumbe7815]

So easy to see why people bought them lovey car plenty of space 4 or 5 people family, Most likely awesome fuel economy as well.

[@FirstLightAdv]

Dad's first car!!!

[@kimbo167]

What a ripper! My dad had one as a taxi for suburban taxi's back in the day.

[@gerrys123]

I had a HD Premier with a 2 speed powerglide in Darwin. 1978 or thereabouts. The king pins were as tight as a skinny kid's leg in his dad's gumboot. Loved it.

[@306champion]

5:58 You can always identify a HD - HR by the squeak as you open the front doors. Dad bought a new HD ute for the farm in 65, I doubt he new the flogging it got when he was out of earshot and sight. All considered she was a pretty tough old girl.

[@Cooperyoung501]

my dad has one it sound the exact same

[@jimclarke1108]

My brother had a Premier HD X2 wagon back in the day, electric tailgate glass (new) excellent car them, "only if" he kept it

[@peterschibler1580]

Wow

[@wizzard5442]

As I undedstood it, the HDs were basically EHs but with new body and interior. The HRs were all about refining and retuning and tightening up.

[@adrianjohn4920]

didnt know you were a clutch rider John!

[@shanebonser6965]

I bought one for $90 in good condition, used it for 3 years and sold it for $100.

[@jamesfrench7299]

In a little disappointed they whacked in a 186, excellent motor that it is. Probably sounds the same though. Thanks for the upload.

[@rods6405]

What great video, car and driver!

[@stevetabley3984]

They came with a 149 motor standard-the179 was an option.

[@alanwall961]

Still has the trademark squeaky door

[@enceetee2645]

HR hubcaps. HD hubcaps had black centres.

[@michaelrichter5233]

To match the dash

[@chuckselvage3157]

My grandfather owned one when i was young. He traded it in for a Gemini lol.

[@hyper2high]

When i think jonny bowe i think class act

[@lucienleech-larkin7544]

The HD Was Prone To Rust, And Every Second Model From Holden Had Rust Trouble, Strangely!! That's Why There's More HR's Than HD's, And More EH's Than EJ's, And So On. I Hate Seeing Historical Cars "Hot-Rodded," Or Even Modified; To Me It's Outright Vandalism Of An Important, Historical Icon!! A Monaro With A Huge Scoop On It Just Destroys The Innate Value Of The Car!! Thanks For The Post; It's Very Gratifying For An Old Bloke Like Me, Who Never Quite Believed I'd Make Old Age!!

[@richardhoulton4016]

My first car was an HR Special 186 Powerglide that I pretty quickly blew up and replaced with an HG 3 speed with an Impala straight line floor shift. It also got Aunger Hotwires shod with Kleber V12GTS rubber. K-Mac bars. Gabriel adjustable dampers. Momo wheel. I had the most over capitalised HR in Brisbane. Fun times though. It got traded on a Rover P5B…and that was another story.

[@andysaunders3708]

I had a Premier with a Powerglide. Solid old beast. That one looks way lower than standard, or have the years messed with my head?

[@victorvelasco2039]

Hello good afternoon mr bowe.i just want to ask where to buy parts for my holden special 1966? Im victor from the philippines.thank you

[@beagle7622]

Motoring journalists called used to call these cars chuckable . It was an awful car to drive. That steering wheel was huge . No heater,

[@brianross4057]

Ahhh, the 179 was a highly regarded motor especially the HP block.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

HP block was EH 179 only

[@brianross4057]

@@ldnwholesale8552 Yeah the S4 to be specific.

[@SuperTambo69]

did you buy it JB ?

[@iandibley8032]

Wouldn't you think John would take his foot off the clutch pedal, throw bearing worn out early.

[@robertarmstrong4801]

They did not bottom out on national park speed humps. You didn't need to go for a wretched SUV.

[@daveschuman2062]

the the foot off the clutch

[@Cooperyoung501]

my dads got a souped up hd premier

[@skatedd2451]

I used to have a HR poor little thing

[@ldnwholesale8552]

The big block 179 was an option,, as was the door mirror. And the seat belts! And never carpets! It is a good bit lower than a std HD. Which were the most Highly Dangerous 60s Holden ever made. Being a 65 it may be inflicted by the dreaded king pin front end. Which while used for only a few months were the worst of the HDs. The EH with all their faults were the best handling. HRs with some simple mods, better front end geometry and a bit lower had far better manners as well. But still thise 50hp gearboxes! There is something wrong with the gearbox,, it does not jump out of second and top! A bloody awful gearbox, good for about 50hp. The Powerslide was ok but only fast and faster!! No slow! And yes in period I have owned at least a couple of dozen of those so know all of their many faults. Though surprising they still look good even now.

[@MickH60]

well I've owned, and still have HD's, and my mate has a dozen or more, EJ. EH, HD and HR were all built on the same track and wheelbase, The HD was far from the worst Holden ever made, that's a complete myth, and they set the highest monthly sales record for Holden and it will stand forever, also they sold 178,927 units in just over a 12 months, also a record. If you didn't flog the gearbox the are fine, we have 55 year old boxes in original condition still working as intended, The power-glide is one of the strongest gearboxes made, and when serviced, they are great, I'm having a 6 cylinder powerglide rebuilt for my 5 litre Holden engine in my HD ute.... I'm not sure you ever owned any at all because your assessment is miles off. The EH was maybe a better handling car than the kingpin HD but the ball joint HD is a far better driving car than any EH, especially with disc brakes. PS we also have 5 EH and EJ's between us...

[@bluecent]

Big Block ? The block was the same size.

[@francodalpozzo7533]

I had an X2 model but the original motor had been replaced with a 149. One of the worst cars I had 😂

[@savvasperisanidis]

An amazing Australian shitbox

[@johnmac8100]

Riding with a foot on the clutch pedal is not recomended!

[@billoddiea]

Has he had work done on him?

[@noelgibson5956]

I'd rather a highly equipped HK or HT anyday........the first Holden's you could drive across Australia, and still feel like a human being by journeys end. You need a heater, aircon, disc brakes and power steering, plus cloth seats, which those models offered. The thought of a base line HD underwhelmes and frightens me at the same time.

[@rodneybrown4951]

Get your foot off the cluch pedal, you will wear out the throwout bearing . A big no no.

[@lundsweden]

The kidney eater!

[@wayneharper2168]

Watch these sort of shows. Peter Wheret for one. Now I have a new respect for the old cars. I realise cars are just modes of transp ort,not status symbols. Cars are mostly status symbols today. All most people really need is a small economical sedan to transport 1 or 2 kids and 2 adults in comfort. But no. How many wankers do you see drive huge four wheel drives,idiotic ford rangers,clumsy bloated SUVs, and have you seen those Ram things(makes a kingswood look like a toy). The roads are becoming increasingly clogged by these lumbering behemoths. (One of the reasons there's road works everywhere, one person driving a nearly two thousand kilo truck). So

[@Ticonderous1]

HD .... Highly Dangerous .....................

[@batmanlives6456]

When they first came out the motoring press called them the kidney scoopers The hr that followed was the hurried rectification

[@jamesbaddeley2610]

How's the sound of the door when opening they all sounded that way fantastic old thing.

[@shaneemerson7843]

Not one for hot rodded cars, lol.drives touring cars as a Pro

[@alstefan4814]

John is a super nice Legend BUT Greys online are a bunch of GRUBS to deal with and most of the cars they sell are substandard RUBBISH!