Story
1968 Holden Monaro
Holden introduced its first Monaro in 1968 as a five-seat, pillarless coupe with three factory personalities. The regular Monaro, Monaro GTS, and Monaro GTS 327 shared the same basic HK body but differed substantially in engine, drivetrain, chassis, trim, and price. They belong together here so the differences are easy to compare without making three nearly identical pages.
Regular Monaro, GTS, and GTS 327
The regular 80337 Monaro carried restrained trim and could be configured as an economical six-cylinder coupe or with Chevrolet V8 power. The 80737 GTS added sports instruments, console, bucket-seat trim, exterior bands, badges, wheel treatment, and firmer chassis tuning. The 81837 GTS 327 combined the GTS appearance with a dedicated 327, four-speed, limited-slip rear, power front discs, long-range tank, and competition-focused specification.
Five engine paths
The engine range began with the 108-bhp 161 and 126-bhp 186 Red sixes. The 186S raised output to 145 bhp with a two-barrel Stromberg and was the standard GTS engine. Chevrolet supplied the 210-bhp 307 V8 with a Rochester two-barrel for Monaro and GTS buyers. The 250-bhp 327 used a Rochester Quadrajet and belonged only to the GTS 327. Engine size or dress-up parts alone cannot establish which model a car began as.
Three-speed, four-speed, or Powerglide
Regular configurations could use a column-shift three-speed manual, a floor-shift four-speed, or a two-speed Powerglide according to engine and model. The GTS 327 used a Saginaw four-speed; Motorsport Australia's historic specification explicitly says a Muncie was not factory fitted. The gearbox, controls, pedals, floor opening, axle, dates, and body records must agree before a drivetrain claim is accepted.
Coils, leaves, drums, and discs
The unit body used upper and lower front control arms, coil springs, telescopic dampers, and an anti-roll bar. A live rear axle rode on semi-elliptic leaf springs. Dual-circuit drum brakes were the regular starting point, with power front discs available. The GTS 327 used power-assisted front discs and rear drums, plus its own rear axle and chassis calibration. Later brake, steering, suspension, and axle upgrades should be identified as changes.
Paint, stripes, and cabin
The July 1968 color card names 17 HK colors including Hacienda Blue, Inca Gold, Tennyson Turquoise, Silver Mink, Ermine White, Picardy Red, Warrigal Black, Cambridge Blue, Kingston Cream, Bright Blue, and Warwick Yellow. Only formulas reconciled across the reviewed references are structured above; the rest remain named factory-card choices pending formula and restriction review. GTS striping, sports wheel discs, badges, console, tachometer, steering wheel, and cabin trim must match the model and build records rather than current appearance alone.
Production and identification
The reviewed archive establishes the three models, but it does not provide an audited public split for regular Monaro, GTS, GTS 327, engines, gearboxes, colors, or trim. Start an individual-car review with the 80337, 80737, or 81837 body identity and chassis number, then reconcile the shell, engine, induction, gearbox, axle, brakes, suspension, tank, paint, trim, cabin, dates, and ownership history. GTS stripes and a Chevrolet V8 do not turn a regular Monaro into a GTS 327.
Original price and market context
Reviewed Australian references report introduction prices of A$2,575 for Monaro, A$3,090 for GTS, and A$3,790 for GTS 327. Dated Australian sales include very different projects, restorations, and documented cars. Those native-currency figures remain in the source notes until the site's structured price system supports Australian dollars; none has been relabeled as USD or converted into a current appraisal.