Holden's planned pull-out from Australia is a double blow for Figtree's Brad Lloyd.
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Mr Lloyd is a lifelong Holden man, owning a wide array of the iconic Australian manufacturer's vehicles since his first stint behind the wheel.
But he also works for South Coast Equipment, a supplier to the Port Kembla steelworks, which is expected to suffer a body blow with the loss of a big customer.
"There's a lot of talk about jobs in there; it's going to affect everyone," he said.
"I think it's a big blow for everyone in Australia. Not just the car industry, but people's lives, too."
BlueScope Steel is expected to lose up to $33 million in annual revenue when Holden's local manufacturing arm leaves Australia in 2017. BlueScope sold 14,000 tonnes of steel worth $18 million to Holden in 2012, while other major Holden suppliers accounted for up to $15 million of steel sales.
Mr Lloyd has spent most of his free time restoring his classic 1973 HQ model Holden Premier. With all the original trimmings, from the seats to hubcaps and mudflaps, it has been a labour of love.
"I've had a lot of Holdens in my life. I just sold an original SLR 5000," he said.
"This one only has 32,000 kilometres on it."
He said he had owned Holden cars his entire life, and had many friends and fellow car enthusiasts who were disappointed to see the brand leave Australian shores.
