1974 Holden HQ Monaro GTS Coupe - 308 V8 4 Speed - Barbados Green Survivor
Every now and then, a car comes along that doesn’t just represent a chapter of Australian motoring history—it is the story. This 1974 Holden HQ Monaro GTS Coupe, affectionately known as “The Q-Car,” is one of those rare machines. It’s not just a car, it’s a time capsule on wheels. An unmolested survivor that speaks to a different era, and to the lucky few who really understand - it speaks volumes.
Finished in the unmistakable Barbados Green with a black vinyl roof, bold black GTS stripes, and wearing its aged patina with pride, the Q-Car was a feature car in Survivor Car Australia magazine’s celebrated 2017 article, “The Great Tassie Road Trip.”
Ordered new through Motors of Hobart in 1974, the Q-Car was spec'd with some visual punch—an unusual build that turned heads even when new. The salesman, Roly Sloane, who facilitated this special order knew he was putting something unique together.
The bright Barbados Green, a colour usually reserved for the Torana SL/R 5000 L34, contrasted boldly with the black vinyl roof and GTS stripes, while inside, the Doeskin vinyl and Herringbone cloth interior added a touch of class rarely seen in muscle coupes of the time. Under the bonnet lay Holden’s venerable 308cid (5.0L) V8, matched to a tough 4-speed floor-shift manual, making this car not only visually handsome but with the bloodline of a 1970s muscle car.
The Q-Car lived a mostly quiet life in Tasmania. After changing hands in the early days, the second owner parked the Monaro in 1986. And there it sat—covered in dust, but untouched. Hidden away from the world for over two decades. A true barn find, not in the romanticised sense, but in the real, forgotten, keys-on-a-hook kind of way.
A passionate enthusiast became the car’s next custodian. And crucially—he did not restore it. Because he knew better. He knew that preserving this car as-found, retaining its authenticity, meant preserving history itself. That was the decision that ensured the Q-Car became a legend in its own right.
Then in 2017, the car found its current owner, who embraced the role not just as an owner, but as a custodian. Since arriving on the mainland, the Q-Car has made select appearances, including at the Survivor Car and Barn Find Show Spectacular in 2018 at Shannons, where it drew crowds and stirred emotions. It remains one of very few genuine matching numbers 80837-coded HQ Monaro GTS Coupes that hasn’t been restored, modified, or altered into a shadow of its former self. What you see is what was - a rolling documentary of 1970s Australian motoring history.
The Monaro features:
· Original odometer – 99,500kms
If you wish, we will gladly arrange an actual/video inspection tour of the car and of course there is no issue with door to door freight delivery anywhere in Australia or New Zealand.
VIDEO LINK
https://youtu.be/qqgceBoRm2k
Call Mike on 0414 278 604 or Nicholas on 0499 577 997 and let us assist you with your inquiries. Also please note if you have a quality Muscle or Classic car you wish to list or have valued please give us a call. We will be happy to assist you.
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