d e t n a w “ I always ” ! o r a n o M a MARK SILSON’S
Classic Aussie Icon So a few years back now, Dewi and myself somehow ended up leaning on a bar leaner watching all the happenings at the Mount Main Street car show, which just so happened to be the same leaner as Mark and his mate Craig were leaning on. Must have been a hot day or something! As usual with all things in common in the car scene, we get yarning and turns out Mark has a genuine GTS Monaro at the show. So again, as usual the good ole Aussie Ford v’s Holden banter starts and the laughs carry on. A while later Sheree (Marks other half) arrives at the same leaner and turns out she also has her Truck on display at the show. So from that very leaner, the rest is history and we have been catching up at shows ever since. So with our very first issue, the thought was,
why not do a “His and Hers” article, and what a perfect combination to have. A Classic Aussie Icon Muscle Car along side a very cool Custom/ Hot rod Pick-up Truck. Marks 1970 GTS Monaro HT is certainly a fantastic example of the Aussie Icon. It’s definitely one of the cleaner un-molested Monaro’s in the scene. With a few tricks in the power and handling department to do the old original design some favours, it certainly is a desirable package to drive now. The black interior remains as factory with the classic styling of the old Muscle cars but Marks no slouch in the car scene having drag raced for a fair few years, so the engine is now a tricked 383 Scat Stroked Chev punching out 426hp on the dyno, back through a four speed manual gear
box (because real muscle cars have four gears!) back to a limited slip diff. The whole suspension package has been lowered a massive four inches, or 100mm for you young fella’s, but still sits with a beautiful stance on the Minilite alloys giving that race look from back in the era of the famous Bathurst racing days of the 1970’s. As you do or need to do when you’re punching 426hp, the brake package has been modified with disk brakes all round to pull the ole gurl up, so all in all the 1970 Monaro now cruises and drives pretty damn good. The addition of the MSD fuel injection / carb has given the power plant a daily driver feel with the ease of starting and cruising, but drop the clutch and be assured, you’ll be transformed back the 1970’s muscle car era in a hurry.
