Hundreds attend Western Victoria Holden Car Club Show and Shine in Warrnambool

It's not the saddle tan coloured 1979 HZ Kingswood ute he finished restoring about six months ago, but the army green 1970 HG Holden Monaro he built more than five years ago.

Mr McGinness had both vehicles at the Western Victoria Holden Car Club Show and Shine at Warrnambool's Lake Pertobe on Saturday.

In a twist of fate, Mr McGinness said he came across the Kingswood in the shed of a property his son was looking to buy and snapped it up.

He is only its second owner and said it was repainted about seven years ago.

"It's all original," Mr McGinness said of the 1979 HZ Kingswood. "Most of these were sort of rotted out and were knocked around.

"I bought it nearly like that from a shed. I just did up the motor and put a clutch in and everything underneath and that was it.

"The guy I bought it off drove it home brand new. His father-in-law bought it for him."

Mr McGinness said he sold two HR Holdens to buy the 1970 HG Holden Monaro which were a highly sought-after model and his favourite because it was better to drive.

He said the body was all original and he had to replace the motor and gearbox which took about a year.

Mr McGinness and wife Annie also have a 1954 FJ Holden they've owned for 20 years but it wasn't at the show.

"It was an ex-government car," he said. "It had a sticker on the back window that I've kept that said minister of defence so he must have rode around in it. That had been off-the-road and in a shed for 26 years."

Mr McGinness has been loyal to the brand for most of his life, owning about 18 Holdens in that time.

"I bought a Chev ute when I was 16 and from then on I bought a FE Holden ute and I've been Holden ever since," he said.

It was the Western Victoria Holden Car Club's 11^th show and shine and the event attracts cars from Geelong, Stawell, Ballarat, Terang, Portland and across the south-west.

Club president Peter Dunn said its 140-plus members, who shared a love of Holden, all looked forward to the event.

"It's a chance for history and car lovers to meet, reminisce and share stories about the beloved Aussie icon, an icon that will continue to remain in Australia's heart," Mr Dunn said.

He said the club's members had a wide range of Holden cars which were built and designed in Australia, from the 48-215, commonly known as the FX Holden, to later model VE-VF Commodores and every model in between.

Each year the club donates gate proceeds to a local charity and has raised more than $20,000 since the event's inception.

This year's proceeds will be donated to the L-P program, a learner driver mentor initiative that supports young people to gain their P plates by providing driving lessons in safe, roadworthy cars and experienced instructors.

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