GMI's History Of Holden Pre-1948 Information Thread

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by V-Car

You are correct Mike, it was a small Chevrolet...the post war design for a new small Chevy called the Cadet, that had been abandoned.
When Holden went over there and saw this, it was decided to use this as our 'first' car.
Much like Holden 'Australianising' the Opel Commodore in 1978.
The first Australian designed Holden was the FE in 1957.

Yep, based on a prototype small Chevy, but the Buick reference is also valid as the grille was designed to give a family resemblance to the Buicks that GM-H were building at the time - the thought was that it would raise the perception of quality. These grilles were expensive to build so holden switched to a cheaper Chevy inspired grille for the FJ.

The FE was locally designed, but designed to keep a GM family look, the Opel Kapitan (?) of the same era has a similar profile and size whilst remaining completely separate vehicles.

[RedVee8]

monaroSS

Have you any info on the "moonlight roadster" (i think thats what it was called), a extremely low volume holden bodied Chev of the '30's?

That '29 buick is super shmick!

my Grand dad had a 36 chev Coupe - would that have been a Sloper?

The racetrack was in Maroubra in the eastern Suburbs of Sydney & renown as a death trap. thgough i guess any race track in those days was. A few people went "over the top" at one of the banked curves.

[chinamonty]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

Oh Jeeeez...

You just reminded me. Better than the stubbie holder, we all forgot 'The Esky' was a great Aussie invention!!!! Otherwise what's the use of the stubbie holder if the beer's already cold?

Thanks for the list - and yes I did bring a stubby holder and a "can-condom" over here and I do get to use them. Escpecially when I come back from Shenzhen with a six pack of VB.

[chinamonty]

MonaroSS.

One of the kiwis i work with says that New Zealand gave women full voting rights in 1893. I just checked and it turns out he is right but I guess coming second wasn't bad either.

[MonaroSS]

I don't think many of you saw this in the All Aussie thread so I'll post it here for any reactions.

We dont have a famous Aussie Hot Rod like the Americans have their 32 Ford which makes for 90% of Hot Rods. I suggest we have our own Holden Hot Rod based on the 1934 Model F.34 Roadster. Of course this car would be too rare to destroy to make a Hot Rod, but a new body even in fiberglass, like they make new '32 Ford bodies, would be cool. An LS2 powered 34 Holden Roadster - yes pleeeeze!!!!

[Bhodie]

.....going back to the top, the rear of that Buick 40 coupe looks like a stretched VW Beetle!

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

I don't think many of you saw this in the All Aussie thread so I'll post it here for any reactions.

We dont have a famous Aussie Hot Rod like the Americans have their 32 Ford which makes for 90% of Hot Rods. I suggest we have our own Holden Hot Rod based on the 1934 Model F.34 Roadster. Of course this car would be too rare to destroy to make a Hot Rod, but a new body even in fiberglass, like they make new '32 Ford bodies, would be cool. An LS2 powered 34 Holden Roadster - yes pleeeeze!!!!

Very good. But you'd have to make it Rocket powered.
What a nice, Olds car...

[Cammo6791]

Originally Posted by nota

Another good writeup MonaroSS

GMNA's actions in Australia were not one of unmitigated benevolence, or of encouragement towards an all-Oz car. Instead they wished to close down Holden's bodybuilding operations and import bodies from the US

You are right about GMNA's actions not always being of unmitigated benevolence. They nearly killed Holden in the late 70s early 80s by refusing to let them continue producing "full-size" cars on a large scale. The HZ finished in 1978 and the then down-size Commodore was pushed on the Australian public while the WB was restricted to utes and up-market luxury models.

A lot of buyers went to the full-size Falcon, Holden suffered a massive sales slump and had to be bailed out by the parent company and close several plants and didnt take back market leadership until the VN Commodore was released.

[MonaroSS]

To give it a sepia tone look, how about copper/bronze painted body and wheels?

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

To give it a sepia tone look, how about copper/bronze painted body and wheels?

Change the wheels and it could be your take on a RatRod.

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by MonaroSS

Holden’s Pre WWII History

Yesterdays SMH (8.12.07) has a 1928 Buick for sale $500.00.

[Joe88]

Don't know how I got to this but just had to bump it.

[t-rex]

Originally Posted by Joe88

Don't know how I got to this but just had to bump it.

I'm glad you did!

But I have to clear up a misconception: the first Holden WAS NOT based on the "Chevrolet Cadet" it was based on an older design for a compact Chevy or Buick.

The Cadet was an entirely different project and had no links to Holden whatsoever.

Here's the Cadet story...

I apologise for the jpg format.

[asylum]

i love the idea of a "Holden" roadster so much, i had to do my own photoshop

[Joe88]

A polished up Black FX is something I want to get one day. A teacher back at school had a White one which he had restored and it was freakin perfect... and no i didnt go to school in the late 1940's.