{"id":5461,"date":"2016-09-26T07:22:42","date_gmt":"2016-09-25T21:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.streetmachine.com.au\/news\/1970-holden-ht-kingswood-magnuson-blown-ls-830hp"},"modified":"2023-08-15T00:40:22","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T14:40:22","slug":"1970-holden-ht-kingswood-magnuson-blown-ls-830hp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.streetmachine.com.au\/features\/1970-holden-ht-kingswood-magnuson-blown-ls-830hp","title":{"rendered":"830HP BLOWN LS-POWERED 1970 HOLDEN HT KINGSWOOD"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Matt Cowan’s killer Holden HT Kingswood is a Magnuson-blown 427ci LS-powered heirloom<\/p>\n

This article on Matt’s HT Kingswood was originally published in Street Machine LSX Tuner #3 magazine<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s not uncommon for us gearheads to think of cars as being part of our families, and Matt Cowan’s HT Holden has been part of his since the day his dad bought it brand new off the lot some 45 years ago.<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>The HT was Matt’s parents’ wedding car, and when he was born, he caught a lift home from hospital in it. The car faithfully served as the Cowan family truckster throughout Matt’s childhood, dropping him at school and towing their ski boat away on holidays.<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>In the ’80s it was hot-rodded at the skilful hands of Matt’s old man, with the 253, auto and poo-brown seats swapped out for an owner-built 308, M21 and Monaro buckets. The car was an ever-present part of Matt’s life, and he adored it.<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>“Dad paid about $3000 for it brand new back in the day, and he and mum called it the ‘White Hot Special’,” he says. “Many years later I came along and from the age of around five, I told Dad that this was ‘my car’.”<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>Matt got the shock of his life when, on his 21st birthday, his Dad handed him a wooden box. “Inside it was the keys to the HT. Literally the next week, I put it in Dad’s shed and stripped it to a bare shell.”<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>And so started a ground-up rebuild that would take nine long years to complete; a steady process, governed as these things usually are by the availability of time and money. On the advice of a mate, the first thing Matt bought for the car was the wheels – Intro Vistas in 19x10in and 19x8in – and built the car around them.<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>Initial plans called for a big-cube Holden V8 on account of the raucous tone they produce, and Matt got as far as gathering parts and having a custom crank built before hearing of a Procharged 355ci small-block Chev that was up for grabs.<\/p>\n

\"Holden<\/span>Meanwhile, the crew at Markos Bodyworks were getting stuck into the bodywork and fabrication, shaving the fuel filler, smoothing the engine bay, fitting a flat firewall, adding GTS guard flutes, mini-tubbing the rear end and enlarging the quarters to allow for the big wheels. Matt’s dad was an integral part of the planning process, and some big decisions – such as the colour – came down to his call. He opted for Alabaster Silver, and it suits the car’s lines beautifully.<\/p>\n