There’s always plenty of neat cars to feast your eyes on at Meguiar’s MotorEx, not least among the Real Street entrants parked up outside the pavilions, which is where we happened upon Bob Bridger and his beaut 1964 EH Holden ute.
The number plates gave us a hint about what was going on underneath, so we had a quick chat with Bob to find out more.
First published in the July 2023 issue of Street Machine
It’s a pretty neat-looking EH, mate! Tell us a bit about it.
It’s a long-term project I first got in 2001 from a friend in our car club who was moving overseas. It was midway through being turned into a race car with a big-block Chev and nine-inch, but he never finished it.
I was looking for something to tinker on during weekends and after work, and I’ve always been a Holden man, so I grabbed the car when it became available.
It’s got an LS in there now; how did that come about?
We were thinking about what motor I wanted for it, and then we stumbled upon an LS1 at a swap meet out of a VY. It was a low-kilometre motor, so we grabbed it, and then I just slowly started collecting bits for the project, like the T56 gearbox.
I also got the plates pretty early on as well, so I was committed to [the LS] after that! The engine is still standard; I didn’t feel the need to add any more power to it for a lighter car like the EH.
It’s got an LS in there now; how did that come about?
We were thinking about what motor I wanted for it, and then we stumbled upon an LS1 at a swap meet out of a VY. It was a low-kilometre motor, so we grabbed it, and then I just slowly started collecting bits for the project, like the T56 gearbox.
I also got the plates pretty early on as well, so I was committed to [the LS] after that! The engine is still standard; I didn’t feel the need to add any more power to it for a lighter car like the EH.
The exterior has some cool features as well.
The colour is Tartan Turquoise, and when I had it painted I asked for it to be more on the blue side, because I’m not a fan of green. The bonnet opens from the side because I used a VY brake booster and it didn’t leave a lot of room for the factory hinges, so that’s the solution I came up with.
I also grafted a pair of front wheelarches onto the back, and it has EH wagon tail-lights that were put on in the 70s by the previous owner. The wheels are 18×8 BCI smooth steelies, with original hubcaps.
Do you get it out and about much?
This trip to MotorEx is the first it’s actually done with plates on it. I got it through engineers and registered this week, just in time to get it here.
I’ve trailered it to a few other events, but this was the first time driving it to one with rego, which was very cool.
And how has the reaction been so far?
As soon as I popped the bonnet with the way it opens, we had a little crowd around it, and people were loving the car.
It was great vindication for all the work I’ve put into it, and even Peter Fitzpatrick and the Meguiar’s crew bailed me up and said it probably should’ve had a spot in the hall, but I’m just happy to be here.
