1963 Holden EH from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Any EH restored to it's former glory always looks amazing.

I am 15 and a half lol and I want an EH for my first car, but I don't think ill get one, if I did I would want a EH special with a 186S and Celica 5 speed. Was thinking of an EFI 202 but it would work out too costly for the EFI gear or a whole EFI black 202

Reason for thinking I won't get an EH is cos of either cost, the condition of the car or my dads decision, mind you its not his decision what car I get. if it was up to him I'd get a ford laser or meteor he reckons.

My 17 year old son and I have been restoring his EH Premier.

It has the original 179 with some mild head work. A Weber carby, extractors, HR Disc brake front end and 5 speed Celica box. With 14x7 dragways it look great and sounds terrific. A really cool way to start life on the Oz roads with a classic holden.

I am 16 and want to get an EH for my first car. My dad likes the EH and knows a bit about cars, but keeps on telling me not to worry about cars and to get a little bomb. The thing is that I don't know if I should by an already restored EH with mags, 202 and that sort of stuff to save the trouble of doing it myself of to go for a cheaper one and slowly do it up.

The key to buying a car such as an EH is rust. Engines, gearbox, trim are all relatively easy to fix, but rust can have you paying thousands - that's if you can find someone who is willing to do it.

Original vs modified depends on the use of the car and personal taste. Personally if it was me or a relative driving it, I feel a lot safer with bigger reliable disks, and rack and pinion steering.

V6 vs V8 is about personal preference. It's your money, do what you want, but do it properly.

The EH isn't a racer, it's about style.

I currently own 6 vehicles - 2 Ford XP Coupes (Boooo Ford! LOL wifes cars)...and (yayyy all mine) 4 EH Holdens = 3 sedans and a Ute.

The Ute has a 202 and runs great and is super reliable, its sprayed Holden comm grey with candy purple pearl undertones, it sports a leather interior, billet polished engine and custom vinyl updated interior.

The other 3 are a bit of a mix.

One is standard, complete stock rebuild with the only upgrades being fitment of the Nasco accessories made at the time the vehicle was released - side window windsheild, mudguards etc..

The other two are both V8's - a custom old school block - naturally aspirated of course (very reliable also) This old girl sports 16" dragway custom rims, black leather interior and Dakota digital guages with billet bezel... and the last, but not least EH V8 is my favourite - "Erebus" my Supercharged (wipple) V8 Lexus powered EH, It has a custom diff, gearbox, brakes, exhaust, gauges, 2005 commodore dash/leather seats & trims... with HOK paint and designer custom original 17" rims & steering wheel, just to name a few of the changes, this vehicle from start to finish cost me around 120k to build with - central locking, stereo, aircon, heater, delayed entry lights, custom grill emblem etc etc.

My point here people is anything is possible if you are prepared to put the effort in, if the passion exists, the base is sound and the cash flow supportive of your concept you can do some amazing things.

Find a good idea, get the right advice, attend to every inch of the car with equality and not just the motor or paint - ie if your going to increase the HP, look at upgrading exhaust, diff, brakes, gearbox etc aswell, don't forget chassy strength, etc etc... If your going to paint, change the windsheild glass, buy new brake/indicator light lenses, rechrome what needs doing and always remember that serious and fussy preparation of the body is the absolute key to a good looking car.

Also remember a bad idea is still a bad idea nomatter how much money you throw at it so really take the time to find a theme and design that works.

Don't be frightened off by people who think ORIGINAL is best, or by people who keep saying something can't be done. Don't be afraid to try something new and bring something fresh to our car shows.

Time and time again I'm dissapointed at car shows by the poor standard of builds hailed as Elite Show Vehicles and Street Machines. Anyone with half a clue can spot fault after fault, mistake after mistake and just pure lazy shortcuts on many of our so called national favourites.

If your going to do something.. do it properly or not at all.

The EH Holden is without doubt my favourite car in the world, I like them anyway I can get them as long as they are well done, well maintained and treated with a little respect.

Hello, I'm 16 and I've got an 1964 EH Wagon. It was in need of a face lift when I got it, but now is in the making to hopefully be one of the toughest looking EHs on the vic roads... its going to be done in black with the white roof, but I'm not too sure on the wheels yet, any ideas???...

It has got the stock 186 hp block. I haven't done any modifications to the engine. I have a Celica 5 speed to go into it. Does anyone else know what I should do to put a lil more grunt in to this old timer?

I'm going for a full stereo system (DVD screens etc) but that is to come later...

Is anyone able to tell me how to lower the rear of an EH Wagon D.I.Y style, or will I have to get it done professionally???

TURBOS ARE NICE, BUT I WOULD RATHER BE BLOWN.

LIFE'S PRETTY STRAIGHT WITH OUT A MINI SPOOL.

I know it has been said a few times, but modifying good original Holdens is a bad idea. If, in the future you turn into a REAL Holden fan, you will look back at what you've done and kick yourself.

I bought my EH a few weeks ago, 57000 orig miles, no damage ever, mint interior (except arm rests), orig paint in good nick, super clean engine bay with wonderfully clean leak free 149, some Nasco accessories and all books and good service history. It was owned by an old lady until she got dementia and sold it to the guy I bought it off. It still has the little card they originally attached to the light switch with advice on running the car in.

It's soooooo ridgy-didge and it's so fun to drive, it seems like every last horsepower still remains. All I need is a $1000 rubber kit (EVERY piece of rubber is cactus!)

...BUT, the bloke that owned it before me decided to cut crappy speaker holes in the rear shelf and the kick panels. This small modification has ruined the car in my opinion and it is so sad that after 40 years of the good life, it gets cut up by a bloke who can't stand AM. That's probably the reason it was $3000 (bargain) and wasn't for sale in Just or Unique cars.

If you want a V8 EH because you think a 149 will be crap in modern traffic, I think you will be surprised, if it runs well and you know how to drive it, they are seriously fun and pretty fast as far as I'm concerned. If you want to be a hoon, stick with a Commodore.

PLEASE don't ruin our classics, if you really want a V8 modified classic Holden with silly modern paint, fix up a heap, buy someones unfinished project (they're are usually cheap) or get one that has already been modified (there are probably more of these around than original ones!) DON'T get a grandma car like mine and suck the life out it! You WILL regret it.

I've got an EH with a small block in it. If you can find one already done, it works out a lot cheaper, than just doing your bits to it. Stick with a Chev as they are a 60 degree block, and a lot thinner than a Holden motor.

I'm 18 and have had my EH ute since I was 14. I bought it cheap from a bloke who as a young guy had done a heap of mods to it- HR front end, 179 taken to 192, X2 twin carbs, headers, roller rockers, 4 speed gear box. It was unpainted and sat in his shed for 20years (he ran out of money/time).

I painted the ute in its original colour; Amberly blue which looks great and gives it the original look on the exterior.

My father has an EH special sedan which is very original with heaps of nasco items.. When I think about some idiot chopping that to bits to put a V8 in I shake my head, but it happens.. SO in my opinion I think putting a V8 into an EH is a good idea if that's what you want. However do it to an EH such as my ute where it has already been deprived of an original life, in the long run I'm sure you will save money by keeping her origianl rather than spending thousands on a V8. Don't ruin an original one!

EHs are classics.

Tim.

Hey.

I'm 20 and I have a EH sedan and I'm putting a V8 in it, do what you wanna do!!

And the guy who wanted to know about lowering the EH, you can either put lowering blocks in the ass end, which you can get from any Autobarn, and isn't to hard of a job, but I think it's illegal in some states??? I have lowering blocks in mine at the moment.

If it is, you might have get your springs reset, I take mine to Pedders; they're pretty good.

I got my EH ute when I was 15, spent 2 years worth of weekends changing building and engine, changing clutches, shifters, engine mounts, chassis kits, front end, the list goes on forever. I'm now 20 and want to get back into my eh as it has a had a life in the shed for the last 2 years as I when away to uni and haven't had the time to keep her in top shape.

I'm now looking into a v8 conversion with a flip front if it is possible in queensland. My ute is by no means original and I have had to cut pieces of the firewall out to fit carbies etc, not to mention the rust that is finding its way into the body.

I think the EH has one of the best shapes of any ute I can think of, and the sound of a v8 in such a nice car would be unreal. I don't see the sense in restoring these cars to original condition and storing them in the shed for them to appreciate in value. Not seeing my EH on the road is one of the biggest disappointments, hence why I'm keen to give it a new lease of life with a v8 and a few other mods along the way.

Standard 6 or v8, as long as they stay on the road I'm happy.

Elbarto.

I own an 64' EH Special sedan in Perth with 280whp. It has a compression ratio of 13:5:1, 316° cam, a modified XU-1 Head, modified combustion chambers, Triple 45 DCOE webers, runs AVGAS with 10% methanol. Revs to 7000rpm, with forged gear it could run higher revs and therefore more power. I'm quite surprised how easy it is to drive in town. with all the torque from the compression and the ex, it feels like I'm driving a normal car.

The EH is going to kill me though, with such agricultural suspension...