Holden FB
Encyclopedia
The Holden FB series is a range of motor vehicles that was produced by General Motors-Holden's
in Australia
from 1960 to 1961. Introduced on 14 January 1960, the FB series replaced the Holden FC
range.
s in two trim levels, a two-door coupe utility
and a two-door panel van
. The six models were marketed as follows:
The Holden Business Sedan, which had been marketed as part of the FC range, was not carried over to the FB series.
Obvious styling differences were the lower bonnet, finned rear mudguards with new taillights (on the sedans and wagons only) and a wrap-around windscreen. Seating was improved as was the instrument panel.
Notably, the FB was the first Holden model to also be produced in left-hand drive form, these vehicles being destined for export markets.
series in May 1961.
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
from 1960 to 1961. Introduced on 14 January 1960, the FB series replaced the Holden FC
Holden FC
The Holden FC series is a range of motor vehicles which was produced by General Motors–Holden's in Australia from 1958 to 1960. Introduced on 6 May 1958, the FC is a facelifted and improved version of the Holden FE series, which it replaced.- Model range :...
range.
Model range
The FB range consisted of four door sedans in two trim levels, five-door station wagonStation wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s in two trim levels, a two-door coupe utility
Coupé utility
The coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
and a two-door panel van
Panel van
A panel van is a form of solid van, smaller than a lorry or truck, without rear side windows...
. The six models were marketed as follows:
- Holden Standard Sedan
- Holden SpecialHolden SpecialThe Holden Special is a mid-size car that was manufactured by General Motors-Holden's, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors . Introduced as the top-level trim in the new Holden FJ range of 1953, the Special was complemented by the entry-level Holden Standard and the mid-range Holden Business...
Sedan - Holden Standard Station Sedan
- Holden Special Station Sedan
- Holden Utility
- Holden Panel Van
The Holden Business Sedan, which had been marketed as part of the FC range, was not carried over to the FB series.
Changes
The FB was promoted as being longer, lower, more spacious and more powerful than the FC model although in reality it was only slightly so on each count. Overall length was 5.5 inches (139.7 mm) greater whilst the wheelbase remained the same. The engine was bored out by 1/16 of an inch to take the engine capacity to 138 cubic inches and the compression ratio was raised. However the resulting extra 4 bhp of power did not compensate for the extra weight of the FB and performance was thus inferior to that of its predecessor. Changes were also made to the brakes, front coil springs, air cleaner and clutch.Obvious styling differences were the lower bonnet, finned rear mudguards with new taillights (on the sedans and wagons only) and a wrap-around windscreen. Seating was improved as was the instrument panel.
Notably, the FB was the first Holden model to also be produced in left-hand drive form, these vehicles being destined for export markets.
Engines
All FB models were powered by a 138 cubic inch inline six-cylinder engine, producing 75 bhp.Production and replacement
After a production run of 147,747 vehicles, the FB was replaced by the Holden EKHolden EK
The Holden EK series is a motor vehicle that was produced by General Motors-Holden's in Australia from 1961 to 1962. Introduced on 2 May 1961, the EK series was a facelifted version of the Holden FB, which it replaced.- Model range :...
series in May 1961.
Further reading
- Norm Darwin, 100 Years of GM in Australia, 2002, pages 230–231
- Norm Darwin, The history of Holden since 1917, 1983
- The Sixties Holden Archive – Holden FB Retrieved from members.tripod.com on 15 October 2009