1974 Holden Belmont HQ 253 V8 'Manual' Utility

Description

It is a shame that the HQ Holden was never engineered for left-hand-drive because it had greater potential than any previous Holden to sell on international markets. Many observers would say it was the most beautifully styled car in the General Motors world of 1971. Here was the first Holden to offer a level of refinement and silence normally reserved for much more expensive cars. It had a superb ride with coil springs all round and very high levels of compliance in the suspension. The rubber-insulated front subframe contributed significantly to this quietness, smoothness and refinement. The new ‘forward-mounted’ steering offered greater feel than previous Holden systems. Integrated factory air-conditioning and power steering were options. Superb ventilated front disc brakes were also offered. Three levels of specification were offered: Belmont, Kingswood and Premier, but utilities and vans were offered only in the first two. The entry level Belmont utility had a 173 cubic-inch engine with three-speed column change gearbox.