Custom Holden Monaros

Developed from a few scrawls on the wall of Holden’s then-new Technical Centre, awards and accolades quickly followed its release, with the new HK Monaro coupe taking out Wheels magazine’s Car of the Year award in 1968, also winning Holden its first Bathurst and backing it up the following year in the updated HT.

Initially lean and lithe, the Monaro aged like Elvis, getting fatter as the years went on. Technically the Monaro-badged coupe bowed out in 1975 with the HJ Monaro GTS, while nameplate lived-on for a tad longer on the HX GTS Monaro sedan until late in 1977.

The Monaro name returned officially in 2001 with the V2 CV8 Monaro, going through several different interations and also being exported overseas badged as either a Pontiac or Vauxhall, until bowing out with the rest of the VZ range in 2006 to make way for the new VE platform.

Flashback: Holden VZ Monaro launch

Here’s a look back at our first fang of the then-new 2004 VZ Monaro at Lang Lang

Jody Vincitorio’s 468ci big-block CHOPPT HQ Monaro

Jody Vincitorio threw needs to the breeze to create exactly the Summernats stunner he wanted

PHATHT: Chris Schembri’s blown HT Monaro

When a young Chris Schembri dreamed of owning a tough HT Monaro, he never imagined it would turn out to be this blown, elite-level stunner

Nick & Tim Bartrop’s Top 20 HQ Monaro – MR HP

A father and son team proves once and for all that the family that plays together, stays together

Milan Stefanovich’s 1300hp turbo LSA-powered HK Monaro

What’s your idea of a mild street cruiser? For Milan Stefanovich, it’s 1300hp at the tyres

Wendy Cockroft’s HQ GTS Monaro

Wendy Cockroft has owned her HQ Monaro for an incredible 39 years. After a recent five year resto, it’s back to its original colours and now serves as her cherished weekend cruiser

11-second Street Animal: Mick Jury’s HQ Monaro

Mick Jury has owned his stunning HQ Monaro for 20 years and took out his Heavy Hitter drags class at Red CentreNATS 10. We caught up with him for a chat to find out more

HSV VZ GTS/R Coupe concept – flashback

Looking back on HSV’s one-off prototype, built a track-only prospect

Family project: Jesse Bourke’s HT Monaro GTS

Building this genuine HT GTS Monaro was the ultimate family adventure

Bruno Cavallo’s blown LS-powered HK GTS Monaro streeter

Having stepped out of Pro Stock racing, Bruno Cavallo built this blown HK GTS Monaro streeter to help fill the 195mph void

Eddie Khazi’s 1700rwhp HQ GTS streeter

Think building an elite car is tough? Try doing a 1700rwhp HQ Monaro streeter at the same time

Bare-metal, blown Noonan Hemi-powered HT Monaro build

Slammed, tubbed and dressed in its birthday suit, this in-the-build, blown Noonan Hemi-powered HT Monaro has attitude for days

Auction watch: Max Wilson executive-special HJ Statesman coupe!

This uber-rare factory project coordinated by Leo Pruneau is crossing the block soon

Mark Sanders’s HK Monaro – Heatseeker

Mark Sanders’s Holden HK Monaro was tuff, street legal and, despite first appearances, well ahead of its time

Where are they now? HQFORU

Rodney and Judith Menso have gone full time-warp on HQFORU

Noddy Perkins’s stunning blown & injected HQ Monaro

While the number plates are still accurate, this particular blown two-door now packs a lot more flash to match the dash

HQFORU at Summernats 36

Our famous HQ giveaway car from the 80s was on show at ’Nats 36 under the custodianship of Rod and Judith Menso

Ratty HK Monaro at Summernats 36

Rod Cordingly and his son thrashed long and hard to get this wonderfully weathered, methanol-chugging Monaro to ’Nats 36

God of Thunder: THOR HT Monaro

Alex turned his dull six-pot HT Holden Monaro into one seriously bright Barbados Green 355-powered toughie

80s pro street-inspired blown big-block HK Monaro GTS

Freddy Finnegan’s genuine HK GTS Monaro is a blown big-block salute to the golden era of 80s Aussie pro street