TROPICAL THUNDER

Our cover car of Issue 26 is a very rare Sundowner ‘Survivor’ van factory fitted with the big 5.8 litre Clevo V8, and 4-speed floorshift, finished in the eye searing Pine’n’Lime. We also feature an interesting ZD Fairlane 351 in Limelight metallic that has been well preserved by its owners.

For the Holden fan, we have a Survivor 4-speed manual HT Monaro GTS that looks stunning in Daytona Bronze. Also from the same stable is an unbelievable Holden WB utility that has just 290 kilometres, and can only be described as a true time capsule.

Built like a bank vault and dripping with class, the Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ SL roadster was the definitive drop-top of the 1960s. We track down a well-travelled 280SL with an interesting history.

When you look at the VE Valiant Regal V8 we feature in this issue, you could easily mistake it for a fully restored example, but let us assure you this one is 100% original.

Early Morris Cooper Survivors are scarce on the ground but we’ve tracked down a lovely example that came to Australia in CKD (Completely Knocked Down) form, a few years before production started here.

Also in this issue, we have a fashion special feature, which showcases some of the fashion that we wore throughout the decades… some of which needs to be arrested by the fashion police! You’ll also notice some black and white photos of early Holdens used to promote sales brochures, and press releases.

These photographs have since been lost, either in Holdens archives or gone to the big dump master in the sky but thankfully Peter Kelly, a dedicated Holden historian managed to salvage the few you see here showing the stunning models in the fashion of the day. We’re sure you’re going to enjoy another great issue of Australia’s favourite motoring mag.