General Motors Holden 48/215 FX (1948)

This posting is based on facts and figures from the web site of http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/default.html Prime Minister Ben Chifley launched the car 'made in Australia, for Australia' in 1948. No one guessed what a runaway success this plain and practical sedan would immediately prove to be. Adapted from a US design, the first Holden was nevertheless a uniquely Australian car, however it was far from luxurious. There were no chrome mouldings, no heater, a single driver only sun visor, the windows were of a "flipper" design, and to obtain ventilation you needed to use the adjustable air scoop that was situated between the bonnet and windscreen. Many years would pass before  today's basic features were introduced. Despite this the first Holden went straight to the hearts of the Aussie motoring public, starting a love affair that continues to this day. Demand outstripped supply and the waiting list stretched through 1949 and beyond. Although its official model code is 48-215, the first Holden is widely known as the FX. At a time when safety was not an issue, no doubt due to the lack of cars on the road, the 48/215 had a single tail-light and lacked turn indicators. The interior was trimmed in either leather or woollen body cloth, while a PVC material was introduced in mid 1951. Options of the day included an 'Air Chief 5' radio, a rear venetian blind, left hand side sun-visor, a locking petrol cap and a heavy duty oil bath air-cleaner. The exterior body colour range was limited to four: Convoy Grey, Seine Blue, Gawler Cream and Black. The lack of refinement in the first all Australian car had absolutely no effect on sales. In fact, Holden were forced to publish a booklet of testimonials entitled "Holden Owners Give Reasons Why Holden is Worth Waiting For", while in the background they worked furiously to lift production rates (which rose from an initial 10 units a day to 100 per day in 1951, when the first Coupe Utility was launched). During the model life of the FX, many small improvements were made such as a change from lever-type shock absorbers to a modern telescopic variety with wider rear springs (dubbed 'Air-ride'). The very first Holden Ute was released in 1951and in 1953 the fleet and taxi orientated "Business" sedan was introduced - all at a time when production had been increased to an incredible 200 per day!