Six years ago this fine 1972 Holden Monaro HQ LS was nothing more than a bare metal non-running shell. It has since been painted Vixen red and its Chevy 350 mill was given a complete overhaul. It has been given double hump fuelie heads, triple valve springs, roller rockers and a performance manifold to suck in air. A Wilson 2 inch spacer provides a gap while a Demon 750 DP delivers the juice, and an MSD ignition lights the fires. The motor is mated to a TH400 laced with a hi-stall convertor, B&M shift kit, a B&M shifter and a three-inch tail shaft. The TH400 runs out to a Sailsbury rear with 3.36 gears to roast the tires.

It’s not a surprise if you have never heard of a Monaro as few have ever seen a U.S. blacktop. While virtually unknown in the US, the Holden Monaro is arguably Australia’s most popular musclecar. Named after the Monaro region of New South Wales, it was introduced by Holden to be Australia’s first musclecar. The Monaro was light, small, fast and loud much like an Australian Camaro (this may be due to the fact that Holden is a subsidiary of GM) and it even uses GM power plants.

The car is famous for its participation in Australian drag racing, rallies and V8 sports car races. The 1972 Monaro was part of the second generation, it featured a modern redesign containing quad head lamps, bigger windows, a split front grill and sportier lines. The HQ was the premier performance package containing the 350 mill that produced 275 horsepower and 360 ft lb of torque. It was capable of 0-60 in 7.2 seconds and could pull off a ¼ mile in 15 flat.

Musclecars are generally thought of as uniquely American things, but it’s cool to see rare foreign versions that aren’t available in the U.S. If given the chance, how many of you guys would love to have this beauty stashed in your garage?