My 1964 EH Holden

My very first car I had owned when I was old enough to buy one (aged 17) was 1964 EH Holden wagon. It was in saltbush green with a white roof. I had widened the back guards with a piece of timber and a hydraulic jack, not to wide but wide enough to suit my wheels they were shod with new Dunlop Aqua jet tyres. The wagon was all original, 179 red motor.

I had installed a Smiths clock and NASCO heater only. Oh yes it had light orange curtains in it, made by my Mother. Mattress in the back was mandatory as I needed for my speedway trips away. I had been looking for an EH wagon similar to one described above, I had been looking for four years, but to no avail, I wanted similar to what I had, not blue, not and it red, but Saltbush Green.

I had found a similar coloured vehicle, but it was a sedan, I took one look! and I decided it was coming home with me. The owner said "Lance is this car going to a good home"? I said OH yes it sure is. The car had been recently painted as the owner gave the car to his Grandson for a present, BUT his Grandson did not like it. The car was not registered and had sat idle in a shed out at Londonderry (a suburb on the outskirts of Sydney NSW) for the past 25 years.

It started first time, but did need some TLC. Along with the car were several spare parts, guards, windows, three boxes of small parts. I had the car brought home on a tilt tray truck and ran it straight into my garage, I proceeded to pull the seats out, the carpet which revealed rust on the back floor pans, they would need to be replaced. The engine bay was very ordinary as was the boot (trunk) area. The car would need new shocks, springs, tyres, carpet, seats re upholstered, basically everything except body work.

First off the floor pans were done, Rare Spares in Sydney supplied those and they have supplied a lot of gear to me over the years. Mainly for our Variety Bash car, but more about that later.
With the help of the boys at Blackshaws Smash repairs the floor pans were replaced, (its amazing what a carton of grog and a few bucks can do) next came the carpet.

Whilst this was being done, the engine department was being cared for by a very good friend and Holden expert Frank Tedesco, (this guy knows everything about Holden's) frank striped the motor, repainted it in the original red motor colours, the radiator needed re coring so I upgraded to three cores rather than two, just in case I venture more distanced than I normally do.

It was then onto EBAY to locate an original Astor or Diamond Dot radio, AM of course, NO FM here. I finall found one at more cost than I thought, but what the heck I wanted original. This was intalled by another great mate and speedway champion Craig Geering from C&A Mobile Sound, if you are in Sydney and need sound this is the guy to talk to.

With the floor and new carpet replaced it was time to refit the seats, a lot better since new springs and framing had been replaced. New kick boards freshly painted of course were fitted, along with newly painted rear parcel tray, (Mmm, can you smell the paint yet),

Lance Wilson