[mick taylor]

I was thinking about back in the 1960's what new car would I of bought and why.
I remember asking my dad why he bought the new HR Holden special 186 auto over the XR Falcon 500 200 auto and he said that he just liked the HR better.
I was with him the day that he bought the VG Valiant 245 2 BBL ute, it was a toss up with that or a HG Holden 186 ute and he asked me what I thought was the one that I liked best, I said the Valiant and he bought it.

Now I was thinking what year was the best to buy new in the years, you can challenge this if you wish as I would like to debate it, as to sedans.

1961 XK Falcon 144 manual I would go for.
1962 RV1 Valiant 225 auto any day a better car.
1963 AP5 Valiant
1964 EH Holden Premier 179 auto
1965 AP6 Valiant 225 auto Regal
1966 VC Valiant V8 auto Regal
1967 XR Fairmont V8 auto
1968 XT GT T Bar auto, because of the C 4 auto is magic.
1969 you can't get a HT GTS350 or GTS308 4sp until Sep so XW GT 4sp it is.
1970 HT GTS350 4SP.
1971 HG GTS 308 T Bar auto
1972 HQ GTS 308 T Bar auto but 4sp would be fine to. as the 350 it is gutless crap and the auto is just pathetic but the XA GT 4sp would be the most powerful but I do not like the 4sp unless you are driving it flat out fanging but around town it's a pain as it's so heavy and clunk clunk change I hate and the FMX auto is crap the T Bar has the right set up, but the FMX is boring dopy box, not as shockingly hopeless as a Holden's T 400 but still boring.
I don't like the rear leaf springs under the Falcon as you can not push them as hard at high speed over 180 KM/H in corners they become a danger but the HQ one can just sit back and hold it flat with out a worry, but it understeers like a pig at low speed turns and the GT does not.

So I would say what was the best car to drive flat out doing distance of 400KM say and you can enjoy it, getting to destination not warn out and eager to party on as tho you just came in from next door. that's the thing that points to a real drivers car is it not.

Or how about a Rover 3500s or Leyland P76 V8 4SP Targa Florio or Chargers E55 340 V8 would have to be Valiant's best high speed touring car.

One may wonder what the Europeans though of our cars at the time as they think nothing to drive at 200km/h from top of Germany to Italy.
And looking at an old Australian 1971 Rover Brochure it was boasting of a comfort cruising speed of 90mph I think.