HayDno: 'It's all a bit much to take in...'

We headed west for HD's birthday with no particular plan in mind and ended up in the stunningly dry metrop' of Canowindra (pronounced 'C'nowdra' if your even slightly local. We know of the stories of people who call the town ; Can-no-win-dra';.... Instant disqualification, get no beer, no free pass out of jail, sent home immediately).

Anyhow, we arrived (took the Monaro), had a cuppa and cake by the Belubula River, strolled down town for a peek at the Fish Fossil Museum (very interesting if you are into fish fossils), had a counter' at the Hotel Canowindra and then returned to our car park spot in front of the old Canowindra Holden Motors. This is where an old bloke wandered out of the shopfront and introduced himself as Charlie McCarron, eyeballed the Monaro and invited us inside the woorkshop for a bit of a squizz about.

Charlie owned/ ran Canowindra Motors for 45+ years.

It turned out that his shop floor and workshop area were covered in old Holdens covering models from the first (a 48.215 (FX) No. 46 out of GMH) to a WB Statesman. all in all most were in good to very-good condition. Some were covered by a thin layer of drought-dust but interiors were immaculate. He had a HT prem, LE Monaro, a HQ 4 door GTS, HX Premier and a HQ Prem all on the old show room floor. It was good to have a good hard look at an original unrestored Monaro and HQ's. Down the back on the split level was the clincher, it was all a bit much to take in. 68 Monaro, GTS Torana, HD, HR, FC. EH, FJ, HX, WB, VN all mixed up but all original country cars and stowed away. There was even an early Ford and Valiant thrown into the mix for good measure. The FX was the Last Holden than Peter Brock took around the Mount Panorama track. It has never been restored, just cared for very well.

Charlie admitted that he wasn't getting younger and that he had the lot up for sale as a bulk purchase to someone that would turn it all into a show piece. After all he had the Original shop and workshop and all the promotional gear, mechanics manuals, parts literature, parts, panels etc etc that you would ever need. All for around $2 Mill. Thats a fairly neat price for a draw card like his.

We sat in the show room and yarned an hour away, talked up old Monaros and let him go down town and run a few errands (he/ we could have chatted all arvo.).. Nice fella with a definite appreciation for old Holdens.