AFAIK it would be fixed back buckets only for a ute.

Recliners were not optional for commercial vehicles & non-reclining tilt forward were coupe only.

Dr Terry

Thanks guys

I was only thinking about such not long ago and seen a XB Falcon ute with bucket seats that had a clip setup type behind fitted to the body that un clips to let the seat fold forward to let you get to the jack, now I don't remember it being on my XB GS ute with bucket seats but it must of had the same set up, but you could recline the bucket seats.

I can not remember any Holden ute or p van from EH to HG that came with bucket seats off hand, but how would one get to the jack if it can't be folded forward if it did.
I can't remember any EH to HG with bucket seats unless they were a premier.
My brother had a HR special wagon in 1982 with bucket seats but they were premier bucket seats.

Reclining bucket seats must of came in from HT on I think, I don't remember my sisters HK premier having recline buckets.
I think my HG premier had recline, some how I remember putting the front seats full forward and recline the seats flat to make one big bed like.

Yeah, bucket seats in any Belmont (pre-Sandman) was a very rare option.

Bucket seats in Premiers were all over the place.

To my knowledge all EJ, EH & HD Premier had front fixed buckets only with no bench option.

Early HR Prem was the same,, but mid-HR, a front bench seat (without centre fold-down armrest) was made available as an option.

For HK, HT, HG & HQ a front bench seat (with centre fold-down armrest) was made standard, with either fixed or reclining buckets as an option. AFIAK the fixed back buckets disappeared with the 1973 mid-HQ update.

For HJ on, buckets were standard again for Premier.

Dr Terry

A 5litre 4spd HK-HG Kingswood ute would be a nice one to have, I wish you'd kept it too (or at least sold it to me)! They didn't get GTS dashes though, just the optional sports dash (for want of a better expression). The GTS got 140mph speedo, whereas the sports dash had 120mph. The only non-GTS that I can think of that got the 140mph speedo was HQ Sandman.

That sort of car would more than likely be a retail order, and most Holdens built were stock order (like over 75% of them). That is the main reason you don't see them, plus they have been pillaged over the years for parts.

The 140mph dash in HT and HG GTS is Part number 7449855. There is also part number 2806822 which also looks like it's 140mph, and listed for column shift auto 161, 186, 253, 307 and 308. I've never seen one, and don't know what vehicle it goes in, but I have seen the box that used to contain one!

It would have to be the same as the Belmont sedan trim.

Thing is that back in the day most ute and vans were base model 161 powered from HR to HG as people would not fork out the extra $56 for the big 186, a lot of money to fork out in the day, it's something like being stung $560 in todays money.

People would fork out for the extra $56 in a sedan for the big six and even fork out $239 for the automatic, hell that makes a HG about the same price as you could get a 308 4 speed manual, well ok you would have to fork out a extra $19 for that privilege = about $190 todays dollars.
F the 186 auto I would say, it would of been a 308 4 speed for me, be it ute van or sedan.
A $190 worth of beer but a 308

Castellan is spot on, optional drivelines weren't cheap especially anything that involved imported components. For a HK commercial (July 30 1968 and includes 15% sales tax, note options were dearer on passenger line as passenger cars were subject to 25% sales tax):

L20 (186) over 161 was $49.65.
L23 (186LC) over 161 was $62.77.
L66 (186S) over 161 was $124.60.
M22 (4spd) over 3spd column shift was $145.22 on Belmont (floor shift) and $168.25 on Kingswood (M11 console shift).
PTC1 (L30 (5litre), M35 (auto) and LSD banjo in 2.78 or 3.08 ratio) was $477.79. Plus another $28.10 if you wanted G88 (3.36:1 Salisbury rear axle).
PTC4 (L30, M21, M11 and 3.08, 3.36 or 3.55 LSD Salisbury) was $548.05.

This is on top of the base vehicle pricing (August 14 1968 pricing includes 15% sales tax plus on-roads):

Belmont van $2108.53
Belmont ute $2083.11
Kingswood ute $2164.48.

Plus $12 mandatory option for seat belts on all three models.

That makes a 307 4spd quite an expensive upgrade on a HK Belmont ute. You are looking at a 26% premium for the car over a standard one's RRP price.

The bargain in there is the M22 Saginaw over a 3-sp non-synchro (crash box) for $142.25. Or even $28.10 for the Salisbury over the Banjo diff.

Dr Terry