First published in the January 2003 issue of Street Machine

Hands up those who’ve clocked up 30 years and still own your very first streeter? We are talking about registered, driven vehicles here, so if your first car is sitting up on blocks in the backyard with a flock of chickens living in the boot, it doesn’t count! Those of you sitting there with your arm up in the air should be damn proud – it’s no mean feat to find a car you really like first time out and keep it in top condition for all those years.

Phil Kassimatis is one such guy. He bought his HQ Statesman when he was just 16 with the ink still wet on his learner’s permit and 14 years later, not only does he still have it, but it’s a multiple trophy winner in sensational condition. It’s also an awesome road car with plenty of grunt, all the luxury of chilly air and power steer, luxurious trim and a serious sound system. Kinda like a HSV Grange, 1972-style!

Back when Phil bought it, an HQ Statesman was hardly the pinnacle of cool and was seen by many as something of a grandad’s car. Phil didn’t care what anyone thought, he just liked the shape and in 2002 the old bus looks very sharp.

The key to the HQ’s success is its level of originality. If this was a hot rod, it would be called a ‘resto rod,’ meaning that the car retains almost all of the factory styling cues, but has a meaner stance, cool rims and a whole lot of extra power, detail and chrome. The aim is not to make the car appear more modern but to highlight its god-given good looks.

Phillip may have been a young fella when he bought the car but he had the good sense to find the best example he could for his money. In fact, it was in such good nick that he didn’t have to replace a single piece of chrome – or strip the car back to bare metal.

“There was a small rust hole in a rear quarter panel, but that was it,” he smiles. 

The trick was to smooth the engine bay and selected parts of the undercarriage to maintain the sensuous flow of quality panel work. Backbreaking stuff but well worth it for results like this. The whole lot was hit with several coats of a metallic gold paint Phil mixed himself.

“We painted the car without the vinyl roof but there was too much gold, so we put it back. Everyone rips them off, so I thought why not leave it on?” Good choice mate!

 The interior is another area where Phil has spent a bunch of time and money getting it right, maintaining as much as the original 70s ambiance as possible, starting with a custom woodgrain fascia and matching sports steering wheel. A subtle and practical touch are the VL door pockets, along with shaved arm-rests and extended window winders to get the proportions of the door trims looking spot-on. Phillip also made up a custom parcel shelf to mount a pair of 6×9 Alpine speakers, complete with raised ‘Statesman’ lettering. For the cruising tunes, a well-hidden sound system was installed utilising an Alpine head unit, CD stacker, two splits, the 6x9s, a 15-inch sub and twin amps.

The under bonnet area is simply gorgeous. The first task was to get rid of as many ‘uglies’ as possible, starting with a smooth upper radiator tank Phil then went to the considerable trouble of engineering a single 1.5-inch belt system for the alternator, air-con, water pump and power steering to keep the front end of the engine simple and clean. With the hard work done, Phil could get stuck into the fun stuff, like dressing up the engine bay. Besides a whole lot of chrome, braided line and aircraft fittings, there’s 18-carat gold plating on various clamps, brackets and linkages. Totally nuts!

For all its glitz and glamour, this HQ’s 308 has plenty of grunt. Phillip went to town with all the best bits from brand names like Yella Terra, COME, Crane, Speed Pro, TRW, King, and Carter. L34 spec parts were used in the heads, pistons (40-thou flat-tops), valves and fuel pump. Topping off the donk is a Edelbrock intake manifold and Holley 650 carburettor, with Pacemaker extractors for just the right note. A reliable but stout combo that has propelled the Statesman to a storming 13.9sec quarter-mile, not bad for a 1700kg monster!

There is a lot to like about this car and show judges around Victoria seem to agree, as Phil has taken home no less than 30 trophies over the years – which means it is going to break Phil’s heart to see the old girl go. That’s right, after 14 years of ownership, the HQ is up for sale to fund Phillip’s new project – a Summernats Top Ten Pro Street FJ van and this thing is gonna be a very serious undertaking. .

Magnum Force

The ultimate factory expression of the original Statesman platform was the HDT Magnum, based on the WB Statesman and Caprice. From there, Brocky’s boys fitted their ‘Magnum Pack’ to the car, consisting of the Group 3-spec motor, Bilstein shocks, lowered suspension and cosmetic touches like chrome rocker covers, 15-inch alloy wheels, Momo steering wheel, and cold-air intake. Power was listed at 188kw from the 304-cube motor, cracking the quarter-mile in 16.76 seconds and doing the 0-100kmh in 9.43 seconds.

PHILLIP KASSIMATIS
HQ STATESMAN