Australian Car Spotters Guide - 1977

The KC Centura was released in June 1977, and remained in production until the end of 1978. They were fitted with either a 2 litre version of the 4 cylinder 1.6 lite Simca engine or Aussie built 6L 3.5 litre and 4.0 litre hemi engines mated to either a Borg Warner Automatic (3 speed) or manual 3 and 4 speed gearbox. The image at left also shows the Centura fitted with the now much sought after optional Australian made steel sports wheels. The 3.5 litre had a 3.23:1 differential ratio and the 4.0 litre a 2.92:1 ratio. The sixes also came with larger brakes (60 mm front discs and 25.4 mm rear drums) and a tandem brake reservoir. The 6L Centuras quickly earned a reputation for good torque and outstanding acceleration. However, the cars' firewalls were not up to the heavier duty clutches needed for the sixes; flexing considerably and sometimes cracking badly as the cars aged. Centuras also experienced quality issues with interior fixtures, with door trims breaking off, and torn vinyl trim near stitching lines not uncommon. The handling was also fairly ordinary, and Holden fans can only guess how it would have fared in a comparison with the Holden RTS suspension.

The Chrysler Regal sedan and station wagon received a distinctive grille taking advantage of the same sheet metal changes. In addition to the features included on the base model Valiant’s, the Regal’s were equipped with an engine bonnet ornament, front fender repeater lights and a remote control external mirror on the drivers side door. The Regal sedan also featured some stainless steel body mouldings and a “Regal” fuel filler cap. The wagons featured a “C” pillar stainless steel appliqué, special tailgate mouldings and a chrome plated roof rack. The sedan was fitted with the 4 litre engine mated to a three speed automatic transmission as standard, while the wagon came with the 318 V8, again mated to the atmo transmission. But with the decision to shelve development of the VL Valiant everyone knew the writing was on the wall…the question remained, would there be another model Valiant?

Ford's Cortina was the car which should have made it big in Australia. It was introduced at a time when the trend from large to medium-sized cars was just beginning to gain momentum and, by the time of the release of the TE, had demonstrated its ability to last through the transition. It was in the box seat to inherit the bulk of the enormous number of sales thus created in its range, but it was never the seller it should have been. It had the right size inside and out (if lacking a little in rear seat leg room) and the right size engines. And it came equipped with a range of engines to suit everyone’s taste, from the venerable 2.0-litre four-cylinder to the powerful and smooth 3.3 and 4.1 litre six cylinder units, the latter giving surprisingly good fuel economy for its size.

The rectangular headlights made the XC look cleaner and certainly more refined. With later models, Ford would black out much of the chrome work, giving the car a more menacing appearance. The upmarket models also gained far better seating, now affording better under-knee and lumbar support. For the well heeled, there were also electric windows and remote rear-view mirror. One of the more popular models from the XC lineup was the Fairmont wagon, affording a huge luggage capacity and plenty of power on tap courtesy of the 4.1 litre six cylinder engine.

Just two short years after the initial introduction of the Gemini GMH decided to update the little car that was proving to be a huge hit with Aussie buyers. The new model TC was, as could be expected after only 2 years, merely a facelift of the old model, however Holden decided to introduce some important handling options, such as a front stabilizer bar and steel belted radial tyres. The drive train however remained unchanged.

Following on from the HX was the last of the line for the traditional large Holden sedans, the wonderful HZ. There was plenty to celebrate with the new model, and the new Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) created a revolution in Aussie big car design. Until the HZ, Australian motorists had become used to grappling with understeer on every country drive, but the Radial Tuned Suspension system tamed the large Aussie sedan, endowing it with precise and predictable handling.

Like the LE coupe, the HZ GTS 4-door did not wear a Monaro badge, but the brochure produced for it certainly did, and it was officially designated a 'Monaro GTS sedan'. Holden was unwilling to let the legend lapse. The HZ series was launched in October 1977, as behind the scenes Holden geared up for its most drastic model shift ever, the 1978 launch of the Commodore. The HZ brought remarkable advances in ride and handling with the introduction of Radial Tuned Suspension, delivering a Holden that tamed local road conditions better than any before it and handled the twisty bits with European-style competence.

Equipped with all the visual, interior and performance features of a loaded GTS sedan, and with the suspension woes finally cured with the addition of the much-vaunted Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS), the Sandman could truly be considered a 'sports' as well as a 'lifestyle' vehicle.