Video: Pro touring 7.0-litre Camaro versus 400ci HT Holden Monaro

It’s the battle of both the Generals and the Davids in this edition of our series of sit-down chats with the 2021 Milwaukee Street Machine of the Year contenders. This time we’ve got a 1969 RS Camaro taking on a 1970 HT Holden Monaro – both cars owned by blokes called David.

14

“I always wanted a pro tourer,” says our first David of his 1969 Camaro. “I wanted a high-end street car, a car to be used.” Underneath the bonnet is the unusual choice of a DOHC Mercury Racing 7.0-litre SB4 V8. The trick mill starts life as an LS7 bottom end, before Mercury bolts its own DOHC heads made by Edelbrock to create a 750hp thumper. It’s backed by a Tremec six-speed manual gearbox.

14

The rest of the Camaro was built by the wizards at Image Conversions, who have created some serious streeters over the years. Underneath the largely standard body are coil-overs, rack-and-pinion steering, a whole new front clip, a conversion to an IRS rear end and Wilwood stoppers all ’round.

14

Our second contestant for this episode is David Galea’s beautiful HT Monaro, packing 400 cubes of carby-fed, all-motor small-block Chev goodness.

14

Because first-gen Monaros are one of the most iconic motoring shapes to come out of this country, and packed Chev V8 power from the factory, David sought more to improve rather than reinvent his HT.

14

“70 GTS is not only about what you can see; it’s what you can’t see that makes her so special,” he explains. “Other than the killer stance, the car appears factory, with no holes through the bonnet and GTS stripes.”

14

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a boring resto, though. The 400-cube SBC is good for 420 horses on the tarmac thanks to a Motown block, Brodix heads, a bunch of top-shelf internals and an 850cfm carby.

14

David hopes to fetch a 10-second pass out of the Monaro, but the HT has already scored a bunch of silverware from Street Machine Summernats, including the Encouragement Award and a spot in the coveted Elite Top 60, and had a decent crack at Grand Champion.

14