Australian Car History - Holden (Part 2)

This is part 2 of my Holden history which covers the period from 1948 to 1964.

Part 3 will cover the H-series cars and the various Torana’s until the introduction of the Commodore.
Part 4 will cover the entire commodore lifespan from the VB to the VF.
If there is further interest I will make a part 5 covering concept and custom coach built cars.

1948-1953: Holden 48-215
As covered previously in part 1, the Holden 48-215 was the first all-Australian car. Such was the demand in popularity of the car that the waiting list spanned for more than a year, people were even selling their spot in the queue for £100.

The car itself weighed in at just under 1 tonne and was powered by a 138ci (2.15ltr) inline 6 cylinder known as the “Grey Motor” due to the colour that the motor was painted (this colour naming system would continue far into the future). The motor was capable of propelling the car to a blistering 130km/h, and a quarter mile was covered in 22.4 seconds. The engine produced 60hp at 3800rpm and 100lb-ft of torque at 2000rpm and had a compression ratio of 6.5:1. The transmission was a 3-speed manual column shifted unit and was the only transmission available.

The sedan was marketed as a 6-seater 4 door whilst the ute, which was introduced in 1950, was a 3-seater utility vehicle. The styling was modeled of other GM products at the time, taking influences from Buick, Chevrolet and a few others. The identifying features of the 48-215 was the chrome vertical slat grille, the 2 piece windscreen and the centrally mounted rear brake light. The introduction price was $1466 when the average weekly income was about $15.

A total of 120,402 cars were produced until the 48-215 was replaced by the Holden FJ in October 1953. The 48-215 and the FJ would later earn the nickname of the “Humpy” thanks to the rounded design features.

1953-1956: Holden FJ
The FJ was a styling update to the 48-215 and had an open grille with a thick horizontal bar. The centre of the bonnet was home to a bold Holden badge on the FJ and the centrally mounted “torpedo” rear stoplight had a chrome surround. The “Special” model featured such items as chrome tail fins with built in reflectors, different hubcaps and bumpers, leather trim, armrests and a cigarette lighter. There was also an option for a two-tone paint scheme featuring the new colour range which now had 12 colours.

The FJ used the same powertrain as the 48-215 with some mechanical refinements. The features which had made the 48-215 so successful remained the major selling points: excellent ground clearance, good ride, rugged drivetrain, energetic performance, comfortable seating for six, low maintenance, fuel economy and unbeatable value for money. The introduction price was $2064.

Before the end of 1953, Holden release a panel van version which was a tradesman’s delight.

For the first time Holdens were shipped to New Zealand, the start of an export trade which continues today. The 48-215/FJ had a big impact on the racetrack with its low weight making it the favoured competition Holden long after it had been superceeded. Tweaked by clever race mechanics and driven with bravado, a 48-215 or FJ could hit nearly 200km/h on the fastest circuits.

A total of 169,969 FJ’s were built, and by 1956 the 250,000th Holden rolled off the line.

1956-1958: Holden FE
By the mid-1950s, the Holden was well and truly established as market leader, but the design was starting to look dated. In response, the FE introduced a more modern, Australian-designed body which was bigger and roomier, with a longer wheelbase and wider track. A lower roofline and flatter bonnet and boot complemented the new look. The design drew heavily on the 1955 Chevrolet. The introduction price was $2284.

FE improvements included a one-piece curved windscreen and a larger rear window which together contributed towards a 40 per cent improvement in visibility. There was also a new 12 volt electrical system (replacing the six volt 48-215/FJ system), a hydraulically operated clutch and a slightly more powerful (70hp and 110lb-ft of torque) version of the well-proven ‘Grey Motor’. This power gain was achieved by an increase in compression ratio (to 6:8:1), and the fitment of stiffened piston heads and larger valves.

Many new exterior colour schemes were available and a new dashboard helped modernise the interior. Smaller road wheels and slightly wider track contributed to improved handling and contemporary road testers noted a marked improvement in the quality of fit and finish. It was in early 1957 that the wagon (‘Station Sedan’) was announced. The two variants – standard and special – took the number of distinct models in the Holden range to seven. Sales figures went from strength to strength.

A total of 155,161 FE’s were built.

1958-1960: Holden FC
The FC replaced the FE at a time when Holden sales figures had reached dizzy heights. The market was booming, as was Holden’s market share, which hit an incredible 50.3% in 1958. The nearest competitor was being outsold two to one.

Holden had already established the process of introducing a model, then following with an improved version. The FC continued this practice. The changes over the FE were not great but together made for a smoother and more refined car. Exterior changes were made to the grille and body decorations. Beneath the skin was a redesigned interior and several mechanical improvements.

The torque of the ‘grey engine’ was lifted with an altered camshaft and a further increased compression ratio. Minor improvements were made to the suspension, brakes, gear-change linkages and steering box. Performance, ruggedness and excellent value for money were still major drawcards. The introduction price was $2220.

Wheels magazine said of the FC: ‘its designers have steered an excellent course through the paths of compromise required by modern practices. The Holden has far fewer faults than many cars with higher price tags and imposing overseas origins’. Before the FC bowed out, the 500,000th Holden had been produced and the 10,000th exported.

A total of 191,724 FC’s were built.

1960-1961: Holden FB
In the 1950’s everything from the United States was considered a cut above. No Holden reflected this trend more than the very American-looking FB. Mechanically, the new model was a further refinement of the FC but the appearance was significantly changed with a wraparound windscreen, a lower bonnet line and finned rear guards. A more efficient interior layout increased usable room. Although the design was all new, in reality the style was about 5 or more years old by this stage.

The length was increased by 140mm (although the wheelbase remained the same) and the ‘grey’ engine was slightly enlarged to produce 75hp. Due to the car’s marginally increased weight, however, the performance remained unchanged.
The FB was the first Holden with acrylic paintwork. It incorporated upgraded brakes, heavier front coil springs and a reworked interior. The range included six models (the Business Sedan was dropped). The basic price was actually slightly cheaper ($2214) and Holden’s amazing 50 per cent share of the Australian market was maintained.

Holden’s brilliant success had not escaped the attention of its competitors, which at that stage were mostly importing or locally assembling European cars.

At the time the FB was launched, Ford Australia was known to be preparing for the full-scale manufacture of the US Falcon and Chrysler Australia was also looking at the USA for a medium-priced family car. The FB was also significant in that it was the first model for which left-hand drive export versions were produced.

Holden sales top 12,000 per month and the 750,000th Holden is built.
A total of 174,747 FB’s were built.

1961-1962: Holden EK
Following the release of the Ford XK with the Fordomatic auto-transmission, Holden found itself playing catch up for the first time in thirteen years with the introduction of the three-speed Hydramatic providing the first taste of automatic motoring for hundreds of thousands of Australians.

When the FB was facelifted and revised as the ‘EK’, the differences were minor: exterior badges and mouldings were changed and a redesigned grille featured wider-spaced parking lights/flashers. The Hydramatic was a fully imported American unit used in several GM vehicles overseas. It allowed the auto Holden to maintain respectable performance figures although the power of the Holden engine was not increased for the automatic versions. Economy was also closer to the manual than many expected. The introduction price was $2212.

Modern Motor magazine said: ‘The Hydramatic is the most efficient automatic drive we’ve struck so far. Hydramatic is very, very sensitive to the demands the driver makes on it’.

EK refinements included revised interior trim, an electric wiper motor (replacing the vacuum unit) and a new fresh-air heating unit. The EK stayed in production for just over a year with a total production number of 150,214 cars.

1962-1963: Holden EJ
The first completely new Holden of the 1960’s was the EJ, a design then widely considered the best to date. As well as a restyled body, the EJ range introduced the name ‘Premier’ which, for the greater part of two decades, would be identified with luxurious Holdens.

The first Premier was based on the Special sedan but featured leather-covered bucket seats, a heater, wool pile carpet, whitewall tyres, a floor console and other luxury features. It had additional body ornamentation and was the first Holden with metallic paint and automatic transmission as standard. It also had a heater, which was not a standard fitting on most cars in the early 1960s.

The EJ incorporated a lower profile, a flatter bonnet, a squarer rear end and a more integrated overall appearance. In spite of the new ‘low-line’ look, the traditional Holden virtues of ruggedness, high ground clearance and good interior room were equaled or improved on. The introduction price was $2102.

The wagon had a rear cargo tray over two metres long.

The previous Holden drivetrain was carried over on all models but the mechanical improvements include new Duo Servo brakes, strengthened front suspension and an improved Hydramatic transmission. The EJ would be the last Holden to use the long running Grey Motor.

The EJ was the first Holden to feature safety belt anchorages. It’s production run included the millionth Holden.
A total of 154,811 EJ’s were built.

1963-1965: Holden EH
The EH was the eighth Holdel model since 1948. In a period of 18 months more than 250,000 EH’s were sold, making it the fastest selling Australian car ever. Based on the popular EJ, the EH incorporated a new-look roof-line and clever styling which, to most eyes, improved its looks from every angle.

This ‘Power Swept’ styling gave the car a longer look at the rear, neater more modern lines and a larger boot. Added to this was a completely new six-cylinder engine, available in two capacities, and a price which made the car easily the best value on the market. Despite its new features, the EH was the same price as its predecessor (the introduction price was $2102) and cheaper than the Holden’s of the mid-1950’s.

Dubbed the “Red Motor” (after the colour of the painted block), the new powerplant replaced the “Grey Motor” used in all previous Holden’s. It had a shorter stroke and larger bore and operated with a higher compression ratio. It offered 33 per cent more power than a grey engine in standard 149ci configuration and 53 per cent more power in bigger 179ci form. Fuel economy was also improved.

The 179ci engine, which developed 115hp, was standard in the upmarket Premier (now available in wagon form) and in the “S4” sports model. The latter was the only version which combined the big engine with the three-speed manual gearbox at the time of launch. Produced in small numbers for use in motor sport, it featured upgraded brakes, a bigger fuel tank, a wider track and a toughened clutch and tailshaft. The most famous EH race car would have to be Norm Beechey’s S4 (blue car pictured below).

A total of 256,959 EH’s were built.

So that’s it for part 2 of my brief history of Holden.
Let me know in the comments below if you would like me to continue this. As I stated at the beginning of the article I’m planning on doing the following:

-Part 3 will cover the H-series cars and the various Torana’s until the introduction of the Commodore.
-Part 4 will cover the entire commodore lifespan from the VB to the VF.
-If there is further interest I will make a part 5 covering concept and custom coach built cars.

Again, hopefully you found this interesting!