Introduction
hi i am new to this forum and have read many posts .
very good site and most informative . very nice.
i do not know much about the GTS4 Hq until recently
but have read in posts this model the GTS4 350 was noted as not a GMH muscle car ???? and in other posts
read that it is a very desireable model especially the 4 speed .
also the amount built was 58, is that correct?? , (how many Genuine gts4 ,4 speed exist) , and is there a register for them ,
also can anyone tell me the casting number or part number
for the engine , date codes what should i be looking for to verify the L30 engine , was it a us engine brought to australia ...
my engine has QU prefix on the engibe number and also
3 D 4 which i lean towrads as the date code ....



" Smokem Baby "

QU is the "Holden" 350, not an import and the L30 engine code is correct for a 350 Chev option. You should also have a U in your VIN number, either 8N69UD...Q or 8Q69UD...Q.

3D4 is in the Aussie style of date code and would indicate 3rd April 1974.

On the top of the engine block behind the distributor, there should be a casting number of 3970010 and the letter K with a number (early HQ 350s have a M inside a square with a number). The engine number should start with QU (as yours does) and not 11QU. The date code is located underneath the block on the driver side behind the starter motor and as JBM said, yours is a 3/4/1974 block.

As for a register, Im in the process of creating one (different to the Monaro register) for HQ 350s (GTS, LS and Statesman) and hope to have it up soon so people can post details and photos of their cars.

Cheers
Mark
My Monaros:
- HQ GTS 4 Monaro 350, Auto, Mustard, Black Trim
- HQ GTS 4 Monaro 308, Manual, Orchid Metallic, Black Trim

54 is the number of HQ XW8 Kingswood (HQ GTS 4 door) manuals built. The date code will be in US format ie MDY. If you email me the VIN number i'll see what I can find out for you.

_______________________________________________________
If we all had t

ok , is there a difference in us format decoding from GM and Ford us format on date codes Eg: Ford 8J4 being 8= 1968 , J= 10th month october , and 12 the day so it would decode as ameican Format Oct,12,1968 ford reads YMD and are you correct GM reads MDY ...

" Smokem Baby "

what month where they first built , does anyone know of the earliest
built was it march 73 onwards as i googled this and read about the gts4 being released in 3/73 and when was the last of these 54 sedand built , are they, an australian muscle car ? d

The release date wa 3/73 but they already had some buuit for testing, they made those cars in 2/73. No need for long lead time as they are not that different to what was already being made.

They did not intend to race at Bathurst, however a 308 HQ GTS 4 racd in 73 and did not finish, the car was fitted with a 350 for the 74 race and finishd 8th in class.

25th anniversary model was Silver Premier with grey trim and roof, selected instruments, 202 auto, buckets and badging. Cannot remember the rest of the top of my head.

Warren

I had heard the last 350 4sp(sedan or coupe) rolled off the line late Aug 73, after that only autos were built, perhaps someone can confirm if that's correct.

Clearway if you want to find out more about the XW8 manual contact me through this website..

The car that raced at Bathurst was driven by Ron Dickson and Bob Stevens. Does anyone know what happened to it?
My Monaros:
- HQ GTS 4 Monaro 350, Auto, Mustard, Black Trim
- HQ GTS 4 Monaro 308, Manual, Orchid Metallic, Black Trim

I can't remember the exact dates but Matt is correct that the manual 350 production stopped sometime before the autos.
As far as muscle car status is concerned, as far as I am concerned a HQ GTS350 sedan is a muscle car. In my opinion Holden intended it