Tag Archives: Holden

Mysterious Liking

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There are some things that this TLCB Writer probably shouldn’t admit to liking. Made in Chelsea. His own farts. Nickelback. Star Wars Episode I. And, most embarrassingly of all, the Opel Frontera.

Launched in 1991, the Opel Frontera (or Vauxhall Frontera in our home market) was based on the amazingly-named Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard, and is perhaps the most successful worst car ever, being rebadged around the world as the aforementioned Opel/Vauxhall Frontera, the Holden Frontera, Chevrolet Rodeo, Isuzu Rodeo, Honda Passport, and finally the Landwind X6/X9.

Each was a different flavour of awfulness, with appalling build quality, terrible ride and handling, leaking doors, an interior of the dreariest plastic imaginable, and yet… this TLCB Writer rather likes them. This is one of those occasions were it’s a good thing our identities are secret.

Cue a strange enthusiasm therefore, when one of our Elves found this brick-built example on Flickr, as created brilliantly by Fedor Kolbasin.

Featuring all-wheel-drive, working steering and suspension, four opening doors, plus one of the most realistic interiors we’ve ever seen fitted to a Technic model, Fedor’s Opel Frontera blends working functions with a beautifully executed exterior to create one of the nicest ’90s 4x4s we’ve published yet. (Even if you’re not as much of a Frontera fan as the writer of this inexplicably is. Ed.)

There’s lots more of the model to see at Fedor’s ”99 Opel Frontera / Isuzu Rodeo’ album, and you can head to peak ’90s SUV-ness via the link above. You might even leave with a mysterious liking for the real thing. (Probably not though. Ed.)

A Sight to Behold(en)

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This is a Holden Torana A9X, Australia’s late-’70s muscle car and dominator of the Touring Car Championship. The ‘A9X’ option added the race V8 motor usually reserved for the sedan to the hatchback body style, with just 100 units produced in this combination. Now worth around $500k AUS, the Torana A9X is a ridiculously sought-after car, but fortunately we have one today that’s far more attainable.

Built by TLCB Master MOCer Lachlan Cameron (aka Lox Lego) as commissioned model, this stunning Technic recreation of the Torana A9X captures the real ’70s muscle car in spectacular fashion, with a full remote control drivetrain and BuWizz bluetooth brick, LED lights, accurate live axle rear and torsion beam front suspension, custom chrome pieces, opening doors, hood and trunk, and – of course – a replica of the A9X’s famous five-litre V8 engine.

It’s one of our favourite cars of the year so far and there’s plenty more to see of Lachlan’s incredible creation his ‘Holden Torana A9X’ album on Flickr and the Eurobricks discussion forum. Click the links above to set the lap record at Bathurst in 1979.

Holden HJ

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Lego Holden HJ Ute

Being unfamiliar with Australia’s (now deceased) domestic car market, at first glance we thought this was a bastardised Volvo. It turns out that it is in fact a Holden HJ ute (sorry Australian readers!), built from the early to the mid ’70s, and available with a huge 5 litre V8 engine. It’s about as Australian as a hat with corks on it, and this delightfully studdy Lego version has been constructed by serial bloggee Senator Chinchilla.

There’s opening doors, a dropping tailgate and an opening hood – underneath which is a working V8 mounted to a functioning gearbox. There’s more to see on Flickr at Senator’s photostream – click the link above to make the jump down under.

Lego Holden HJ Ute

Brute of a Ute

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holden-01

The LUGNuts group on Flickr is currently holding a dragster contest and Lino Martins has produced a souped-up ute in response. The “ute” is a classic vehicle of the Australian outback, like the pick-up in North America or the camionetta in South America. Holden still produce utes, despite having been subsumed into the General Motors empire. With an engine of 6.2l available as standard, we don’t think that you’d need to do much to make a great drag-racer of this car. It’s also the only car manufacturer’s website that we’ve visited with a button to press just listen to the engine noise. Click here to see Lino’s ute at full size and click here to hear the roar of its modern counterpart.

holden-02

Men At Work

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Lego Holden Ute

This classic Holden one-ton ute is probably the most Australian thing this side of a hat with corks. But they don’t have wheels so this’ll have to do. Plus it’s also allowed us to write an obscure – but very clever if we say so – Australian band reference as a title.

Anyway, back to the Holden. It’s a half car, half flatbed V8 mongrel that’s so manly just sitting in it would make you pregnant. Even if you’re a dude. Flickr’s Senator Chinchilla built this Model Team version of the Holden in less than 24 hours to limit his exposure, but if we were him we’d still take a trip to the pharmacy for one of those blue sticks.

You can see more of the Senator’s classic Aussie on Flickr – click here to go to the land down under.

Lego Holden Ute