By JEFF MCCLURG
Jock Charlton has owned, and still owns, a number of Holdens over the years.
He admits that he’s not adverse to owning a Ford but that he’s just always had Holdens.
One in his collection is this very original HR sedan.
The Australian built HR was released by Holden in April 1966 following on from the HD and continued through 1967 until the release of the HK in 1968.
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Jock’s HR is a 1966 model.
Released in Standard, Special and Premier variations, Jock’s is the mid range Special, although it has been dressed up somewhat with Premier wheel trims and rear wheel arch spats to give it a more distinctive look.
It has the optional 186 cubic inch 6 cylinder engine and a 2 speed powerglide automatic transmission.
“I bought it in the mid 1980s,” Jock said.
Ironically, even though he was in a car club at the time, he bought it as a family car with no real intention of it being a ‘collector’.
“I had a later model HX Holden V8 at the time but it was worn out and buggered so I needed something reliable," he said.
"Even though it was 10 years older than the HX I knew its history and it was a great car."
The HR served Jock and his family well for a number of years until he decided he should really get the HX back on the road, but as fate would have it, on the drive to get repairs, he spotted a beautiful blue HZ which became the new family car (and of course he still has it).
The HR went into the shed for probably 15 years until 2004.
Jock was a member of the Parkes Antique Motor Club and they were planning a big road trip to and around Tasmania.
“I resurrected the HR and replaced the brake cylinders from sitting idle and it made the entire trip without putting another spanner on it," Jock said proudly.
Jock remains a member of the PAMC and is also a member of the Central West Car Club which meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Parkes Leagues Club at 7.30 pm.
For more information you can follow the club on Facebook or look them up at www.centralwestcarclub.com.
