1963 Holden EH Premier 179 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Champion!

Faults:

Hydramatic damper plate springs cracked and failed at 55K Kms.

Power brake booster failed at 55K Kms.

Master cylinder failed.

Heater/demister valve leak.

New King Pins at 53K Kms.

One occasionally noisy valve lifter/tappet.

General Comments:

This old Premier looks, steers and runs like new and is absolutely original. Its smooth, quiet and surprisingly powerful for such a small engine.

The Nasco power assisted drum brakes work fine, but you just can't slam them on suddenly without a lock-up.

This unit is one of only 50 EHs to have power steering factory installed. It's a scary option too. The steering is as light at 80 km/hr as it is doing a reverse park. Very twitchy.

The Hydramatic transmission is not the world's most responsive unit, but it answers the question adequately when you need to to take off a bit quicker than usual.

The rich smell of the red leather seats takes me back to when at 6 years old my Dad used to take me and my mates to footy practice in his old EH.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th February, 2006

1963 Holden EH 179 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Best holden ever made! I love it very much

Faults:

Rust!

General Comments:

I have taken doors off, windows/rubber/seals out, interior and engine/box out and have removed rust and primed it ready to paint.

Am going for red with white roof. Updated dash and interior for comfort/safety/look.

253 V8 with 4 speed M21 gearbox will go in. New chrome, grille, badges, etc. to go on very soon.

Then chrome mags to finish. (and lowered)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th January, 2006

1963 Holden EH 2.2 186 from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

It is one great muscle car

Faults:

There was a slight dent in the right side front panel.

The gearbox was just about dead.

Needed new carpet.

General Comments:

This EH is truly a muscle car. The motor is a 186 with a three fifty holly and stage five heads. No it's not the original motor, but it can give a v6 a run for it's money.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd January, 2003

24th Feb 2004, 23:31

The EH holdens are great, desirable cars that should be kept at their very best conditions. My uncles EH has been fully modified to fit a 351 engine under the hood. It took 2 years to do right up. It has been taken right back to its original condition besides the front end. EH holdens rule the world of muscle cars.

27th Feb 2008, 07:05

I dunno, I'm currently working on a 186s upgrade to the Phase III, twin strombergs, extractors, vacuum fuel pump, chrome dagger dipstick, the lot. Will do real well at auction so I don't see why it wouldn't work the other way.

The 5.8 will provide plenty of low down torque you won't get from a 202, but it is a trade off for performance.

For the ultimate Muscle, try a rotary, prolly fit a little easier, cheaper parts, easier to work on and will add heaps of $$value$$ to your EH, if twinned with decent sunroof and a pro stock scoop.

1963 Holden EH Special 149ci from Indonesia

Summary:

Stylish and practical 1960's Australian car

Faults:

The main problem with the car was body rust. Both rear dogleg pillars had to be cut out and replacement metal welded into place. Both front wings and both rear wings also had severe rust in them.

The roof needed respraying due to surface rust on it. This I did at home.

The front bench seat had some small tears in it.

The front kingpins needed replacing. The shock absorbers also needed replacing.

Otherwise there were no major problems.

General Comments:

The EH was no ball of fire, but went well for a car of its age and kept up well with modern traffic.

I liked the three-speed column shift manual gearbox though it took me awhile to realise there was no synchromesh on first gear.

The styling was very much that of the 1960's, but the car itself was very stylish.

Obtaining spare parts was never a problem as there were many EH's imported into Indonesia during the 1960's. Nearly all mechanical repairs on the car I did myself and as the car was so simple mechanically, I never had a problem repairing it.

I only sold the EH because the cost of having decent body panels shipped out from Australia was too high and the EH was badly affected by rust.

I will miss this car forever...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th June, 2002

1963 Holden EH 149ci (2.45litre) from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Best Holden ever

Faults:

Needed new radiator when I bought it.

Head gasket blew at 190000km.

General Comments:

Best car ever, with good performance, economy and reliability.

One of the best looking cars ever produced by Holden, with its sixties' styling and old school interior.

Can be turned into a really tough car with a set of mags, lowered suspension and a V8 or newer V6 under the bonnet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th April, 2002

28th Aug 2002, 02:06

If you are thinking of putting a V8 engine into an EH Holden, don't do it!

It wrecks the car completely, it will cost more to run, cost more to put the engine in there anyway and one more reason is that the almost all Aussie cars are fine with their original engine.

Please, keep the car as original as you can. These cars are a symbol of Australian history and should not be stuffed around with!

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