Faults:

There was some rust in the door panels and in the front quarter panel.

The car needed new wheels as the mags had rusted.

There were some parts missing from the engine like the windscreen washer bottle. I have been able to replace most parts now.

The seats were badly worn. They have been re-upholstered.

General Comments:

The car was originally an S model with a twin barrel carburettor. It now has a twin Stromberg carburettor.

Extractors were standard on the S model.

The manual gearbox is a modification. It the gearbox out of a VH V8 commodore.

This combination makes it very quick.

It has been lowered with sway bars which help it to corner much better.

This is an awesome car - quick, reliable, easy to work on, and plenty of grunt when you know how to tune carburettors.

Faults:

Well not really that much; a few leaks, that's about it, and had to replace the universal.

General Comments:

I got it for about $600, and it had a 202 red motor in it. I got a 186 red motor that had been bored to a 202, or so I thought! Then after reconditioning it, I found it worked well. After cleaning and blowing and more cleaning, I finally put it back together and put it in the car. Boy (I thought) there was some power in this V8. I took it out for the first time and lost the rear axle. I was not happy, but I could rev out to about 5000 rpm in first gear and blow a rex if driven well. It is a very good sleeper. Did I mention the 2 inch exhaust by the way?

Faults:

The only things wrong with it are rust in the front lip of the bonnet, the left rear door (why is it always the left rear with these things?)

A tiny hole next to the rear windscreen on the right.

Cracked dashboard.

Needs a general tidy up and respray.

General Comments:

I bought the car today; picking it up on Saturday.

Drives unbelievably good.

The owner says it's a 179hp, but I reckon it's a 186s (didn't think to check the side of the block). Yella Terra head, lumpy cam, twin Strombergs, extractors, 3 speed manual converted to floor shift.

Disc brakes front. Brake booster.

3.08 HQ diff.

Interior is very good; original aqua seats in unmarked condition, original carpet near perfect, good headlining.

Doesn't smoke or leak oil, and is quicker than a VN Commodore.

Faults:

Bought the car in fair condition, had rust in tailgait and front guards and bottom of doors, all repairable.

Windscreen wipers broke after 4000miles, wind-ex fixed this.

Had to put a muffler on it straight away as there wasn't one (sounded good without one).

Drum brakes pulled to one side, fixed the brake cylinder.

Changed the motor after 76000 miles to a reconditioned motor.

General Comments:

The HR station wagon was one of my favorite cars ever owned, it had style. The four speed manual (not standard) and the updated 202 motor gave this car some get up and go. The windows allowed great air flow, and it was an all over comfortable car to drive and be a passenger. It came without rear seat-belts.

I never had any real unexpected problems with this car and thoroughly enjoyed driving it.

Faults:

Wasted the old 186 when driving it up to Auckland after buying it from Christchurch, but it had been sitting motionless for better than 3 years with its 2nd owner so to be expected. Moral: strip and clean an old motor if it's sat too long as the old oil decomposes into sand-like crystals (found out the hard way ;-)

Since then I also discovered steel timing gears are a better idea than fiber ones.

General Comments:

I've not so much had to fix things as wanted to, as I fully hope to hand this old beast on to my son in another ten years when he's old enough to drive.

Have replaced basically all the running gear including fully reconditioning the original 186 but to XU1 standards, fitted a reco'd 4 speed M21 floor change, Commodore electronic ignition, done all steering joints, brake system, new suspension stiffened and lowered etc...

Easy to work on myself and it's fun tricking it up.

Revs to 7,000 rpm easily and blows away new XR8 Falcons to 140mph no problem.

Never misses a beat either.

Paid $500 for it initially and have spent somewhere from $5,000 to $10,000 on it since, and it costs me maybe $60 to $80 a week gas, but if it were a 3 year old Commodore V8 it'd offer no more performance or style (just cost me more in repayments).

I am asked if I'll sell it at least once a week - at the lights, in rush-hour traffic on the motorway, in gas stations... NO WAY! ;-)