63 EH Grizz's Holden Premier
Classic Cars Worldwide Feature #19
PETER ADAMS ‘GRIZZ’
TALKS ABOUT HIS TROPHY WINNING
1963 EH PREMIER SEDAN
“GREAT TO DRIVE AND
RESPONSIVE”
“I started my working life as a motor mechanic and have
always tinkered with cars” says 70 years old Peter Adams. Peter, now retired,
has been married to Helen ‘Haych’ (also retired) for 49 years and they have
three children and eight grandchildren. Peter worked for the Forest Commission
as a mechanic and grader operator for about 20 years. He has also worked in the
logging in Victoria, mining in Western Australia and then a grader operator on pipelines all over Australia.
Grizz
Peter has been retired for five years and can now enjoy his
love of old cars. He has the unusual nickname of ‘Grizz’. He explains how it all
started. “It came about at my workplace on the pipelines. One fella called out for
‘Peter’ over the two-way radio and five people answered! He decided to give me
a nickname of Grizz because I had a long beard and my surname was Adams.
Originating from the early television show Grizzly Adams.”
Early Cars
“I have been interested in cars since I was a young kid”
says Peter. “I have always loved old cars from early Fords up to XY GT’s and I
was always into Holdens. My very first car was a Ford Prefect and then I bought
my first EH Holden in 1972. I had it for years and then sold it to help buy my
house in 1976. I have also had a couple of EH Utes and sedans over the years.”
Classic Car – 1963-64 EH Premier Sedan
Peter now owns a late 1963-64 EH Premier Sedan which he
bought nine years ago from a good friend of his, Mick Brennan.” Mick had done a
complete strip and rebuild and was interested in selling it. He did a fantastic
job and I was in the right place at the right time” says Peter.
The car has a 350 Chev V8 engine, a turbo 350 transmission
with 3000 stall converter and a Ford 9 inch diff. It also has 17 x 10 dragway
wheels on the rear and 17 x 8 on the front.
All the interior has been redone in white leather seats and
trims. The EH is painted Portsea Blue
(with an added pearl mix) and has an ivory roof.
“What attracted me to the car is my love of EH’s” says
Peter. “One of my earliest cars back in the early 70’s was a blue and white EH
wagon. Another big attraction was that I knew the owner and that he wouldn’t
cut corners with the restoration.”
“I have been offered some very good money for the car but I
have no intention of selling at this point in time. The EH is great to drive,
it’s very responsive and I love it.”
Trophies, Clubs and Shows
“I belong to ‘My Car Club’ and go to as many car shows as I can” says Peter. “I took it to the Mansfield Holden Nationals two years ago where it received the First Place Top Modified award.”
Over the years Peter’s EH Premier Sedan has won a number of other trophies which include:
- ·
Knox Show and Shine, 2018 (Peoples Choice)
- ·
Wandin Car Show, 2020 (Best in Show)
- ·
Yarra Valley Chrome Bumpers (Best in Show)
- ·
Lang Lang Car Show, 2020 (Peoples Choice)
- ·
Mansfield Holden Nationals, 2022 (Top Modified)
- ·
Lang Lang Car Show, 2022 (Show Winner Custom
Car 1949 – 1966)
- ·
Mooroolbark Festival, 2023 (Best Engine Bay)
·
“I hope to win a few more in the future.”
Mr. Excited
Pete (Grizz) Adams concludes by saying “Glen Higgenson’s
(Mr Excited) initiative in getting
people together to show off their beautiful classic cars is doing really well.
His enthusiasm really shows with his videos and commentary. I have known Glen
for a couple of years now. I think we met at the Mooroolbark Festival and
through my good friend Gary Hanson. Mr. Excited has done so much for the Classic
Car Show up here in the Yarra Valley and kept things going through Covid. He
has a great team of helpers who do fantastic work for the classic car scene.”
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