Comments by "John D" (@johnd8892) on "Ep. 25 World Tour: The History of the Australian Car Industry" video.

  1.  @Wayne_155  Until about 1962, most cars that looked like US car model sold here were assembled from Canadian parts due to Commonwealth country favourable import tax rates. Our early model T Ford's were mostly Canadian. Cars like the Pontiac Parisienne and further back my father had a Maple Leaf truck.
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  2. Thumbnail is the first Holden badged car. Internal code 48-215 later called the FX unofficially. Lots of it developed from an experimental 1941 Chevrolet comparison of a light unibody car with a 2.2 litre four or six. The six was much better. To get Holden cars off the ground by 1948 they refined the body a bit. First tested on Michigan plates in 1946. Size chosen to be affordable to the average Australian family then. History of Holden search will give more detail with eighties documentary.
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  3. More detail here , some of which may look familiar : https://youtu.be/IR8BhiiAWTo There is a part two on the same channel. A very iconic car with years long waiting list to buy when new.
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  4. One of the last 1976 Rambler Matadors assembled in Australia : https://youtu.be/REJRKCa1_Hw By this time Ramblers here were getting far less sales as they got uglier and more expensive. The rise of locally made cars with V8 options on long wheelbase floor pans to make the bigger looking luxury version satisfied most of the demand for larger cars. Toyota taking over AMI sealed the fate of Rambler in Australia.
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  5. You may also be interested in this even deeper dive in four half hour parts made in Australia so missing a few of Eds errors : https://youtu.be/5tC7yP9LmAE I suppose don't watch the last parts until Ed releases his what happened to.
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  6. Missed the Australian Leyland P76. More detail here : https://youtu.be/oSwgB_68Duo And also : https://youtu.be/S21P9n2RoBE
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  7. Lots of LHD Holden's from the 1990s exported to the middle east as Chevrolet Luminas when US chev went front wheel drive. Middle East liked the Holden's for quite a while.
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  8. Ford did nothing to help the first 1960 Falcon cope with rural Australian conditions. The backlash against the car falling to pieces nearly had Ford close manufacturing here. Took until the 1964 and 1965 XM and XP models diverging from the US models with lots of compact Fairlane running gear for Ford to start recovering here.
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  9. By the time of the LTD the disarded a Cleveland 5.8 litre tooling was sent to Australia to enable Australian Ford Falcons, Fairmont, Fairlane, LTD and Landau to have cheaper locally produced V8 options. Australia produced a 351 and 302 version of the Cleveland V8. Late production De Tomaso Pantera cars had these Australian engines qualifying them for cheaper import duties for the Australian content.
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  10. On the road versions of race cars being stopped by the government. They said make these cars and you won't get gov fleet sales for your make. Good to see your interest in our Valiant Charger. The 302 hp E49 265 cui model triple Weber 6 packs were sold with a few hundred examples. Would out accelerate the Falcon 351 GTHO but lost out just a bit on top speed. What was cancelled was the next faster version with a 340 V8 four speed aimed to be sold Bathurst race. Got that part slightly wrong.
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  11. He missed the Toyota plant at Altona North in Victoria that ceased making cars in 2017. Much more success at exporting cars than Holden or Ford but component suppliers folded without the volumes of Ford and Holden. What started up in Adelaide was manufacture of the Brabham BT62 supercar.
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  12. 1960 to 1964. Assembled by AMI as he touched on. Assembled alongside the Toyotas. Get the feeling Toyota learnt a few things from those Mercedes 220s. My father bought a 64 one in preference to a new 70 Valiant he was considering.
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  13. And manufactured Toyotas up to a few weeks before Holden closed. About half or more of the Toyota cars were exported. Something Holden and the rest never achieved Add Studebaker, Renault, NSU and Peugeot to the list. All these at the same Heidelberg West factory over the years.
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  14. Yes smaller car with a 2.2 litre six. Holden EK the top selling car in Australia in 1961 with near half of new vehicle sales.
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  15. Around 1964. First significant Toyota assembly outside Japan in partnership with AMI Australia at their Port Melbourne plant. Some Toyota Tiaras assembled from 1963. The AMI plant also assembled Triumph, Rambler and Mercedes Benz. Later Toyota bought the company and manufactured cars at Altona North. Last cars made 2017, just weeks s before Holden closed. Most found export markets unlike Holden and Ford.
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  16. Two door local cars were rare. With low volumes the pillarless hardtop cars were much more expensive and Australians were reluctant to pay more for less so after initial sales burst later declining sales had them dropped from manufacture. We also needed usable back seats.
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  17. Holden advertisement from 1960 promoting the export levels achieved including LEFT HAND DRIVE versions exported to Hawaii among other LHD markets https://youtu.be/I5YReuF6BVA Possibly GM head office and US auto workers unions would prefer these markets to be supplied by Detroit later. Would love to know how the cars were received. In 1980 my brother travelled in Greece in a 1967 Holden Taxi that the driver was very happy with.
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  18. An XB Ford Falcon coupe, heavily modified.
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  19. This gives more on the Mad Max cars : https://youtu.be/cEcfTwonSiw With this four part series a deeper dive into Australian motor vehicles : https://youtu.be/5tC7yP9LmAE From Shannon's who have much more detail on Australian cars like a 160 episode series on cars with motorsport history. Falcon XA and XB included. The 351 option GT was the standout. https://youtu.be/77Uyp0dN-eY https://youtu.be/IJb04RSgjtg
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  20. Good to see your interest in our Valiant Charger. The 302 hp E49 265 cui model triple Weber 6 packs were sold with a few hundred examples. Would out accelerate the Falcon 351 GTHO but lost out just a bit on top speed. What was cancelled was the next faster version with a 340 V8 four speed aimed to be sold Bathurst race. He got that part wrong.
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  21. Holden advertisement from 1960 promoting the export levels achieved including LEFT HAND DRIVE versions exported to Hawaii among other LHD markets https://youtu.be/I5YReuF6BVA Possibly GM head office and US auto workers unions would prefer these markets to be supplied by Detroit later. Would love to know how the cars were received. In 1980 my brother travelled in Greece in a 1967 Holden Taxi that the driver was very happy with. Would
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  22. If you don't count the fifties Ford Customline V8;with about 80% local content. A few other similar examples too like the Chrysler Royal etc.
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  23. Actually an upgrade of a 1941 Chevrolet experimental smaller car that never got to production.
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  24. From 7:47. These 1948 Chevrolet cars were assembled by Holden, but all I have seen were four door Sedans or utes. My Father bought one in 1968 for $1. When new they were much more expensive than the Holden, so some people bought the cheaper ute version : https://youtu.be/QHp3uCxuIVc Well before the El Camino. Started in the thirties. First car I learnt in. All Chevrolet cars were six cylinder until 1955, but a 3.5 litre six unlike the more frugal 2.2 litre six being the only Holden engine until 1963 red motors. Ford were the main V8 people.
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  25. US unions a problem too. Put pressure on US big three not to allow cars from their overseas plants into the US. Saying we should make those cars in the US and for LHD export markets.
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  26. The Standard Ten, assembled in Australia, was another small car that sold well here but nowhere near Holden levels. https://youtu.be/_twPhKFw9aQ Fuel consumption a selling point along with lower purchase price. Soon had very stiff competition from Australian made VW cars that outsold all Fords until the Falcon started selling better. My uncles new standard ten was the first car I remember travelling in. Seemed fabulous as a kid.
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  27. Yes, Studebakers of the later era sold surprisingly well in Australia assembled here from US and Canadian sourced parts and as much local content as possible. Out of a Heidelberg West company that specialised in assembling lots of overseas cars to qualify for less import duties. More common here than Buicks, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Dodge and Plymouth and of course Caddilac and Linciln.Similar assembled success with Rambler. Police in Victoria thought highly of them as police cars. Some police racing enthusiasts bought them at police auctions to go racing at Bathurst. Some of the story of the Australian Studebakers here : https://youtu.be/SHHTPLw-oNM Some of the police highway pursuit cars were two door cars. Standardised on V8s with highest trim level here to justify higher prices and simplify the range.
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  28. Vanguard's sold in decreasing numbers here until about 1962. Then the components were put in a new body as the Triumph 2000 and sold at a premium price to cashed up buyers. Standard Vanguard names then dumped.
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  29. That was the rejected plan in 1946.
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  30. It was a development of 1941 Chevrolet prototype lighter car. Abandoned as felt it was too small for the US. Prototypes built in the US Detroit and first registered in Michigan. Film exists of testing in the US. Then these prototypes sent to Australia for further testing and development under Australian conditions All documented unlike the Opel myth.
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  31. The rare top of the line HQ Holden's had the chev 350, so that should be easy to source parts for. Even a six cylinder shell can be converted to the 350. Hot rodders here run more 350 conversion motors in Holden cars than were ever sold off the showrooms.
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  32. VW only outsold by Holden in 1960. Even outsold Ford that year. Increasing Australian content as time went on. Perhaps more than Chrysler and BMC.
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  33. Cars that Australians aspired to , but less could afford before the first Holden : https://youtu.be/zovdujN9-GE Note another pre Holden Ute version parked on the road.
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  34. Skoda also imported to Australia from the fifties or so. Lots of 1950 model Skoda cars on stats sheets for some reason then dropped of until the sixties. Love to know why 1950.
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  35. Local Australian assembly helped Studebakers of the later era sell surprisingly well in Australia. Assembled here from US and Canadian sourced parts and as much local content as possible. Out of a Heidelberg West company that specialised in assembling lots of overseas cars to qualify for less import duties. Also did NSU, Renault, Peugeot and Citroen until Renault took them over. More common here than Buicks, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Dodge and Plymouth and of course Caddilac and Lincoln. .Similar assembled success with Rambler. Police in Victoria thought highly of them as police cars. Some police racing enthusiasts bought them at police auctions to go racing at Bathurst. Some of the story of the Australian Studebakers here : https://youtu.be/SHHTPLw-oNM Some of the police highway pursuit cars were two door cars. Standardised on V8s with highest trim level here to justify higher prices and simplify the range.
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  36. He has missed quite a few others made here. Leyland P76 is one.
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  37.  @ragnaroni  think ed may have selected info from this series in four half hour plus parts : https://youtu.be/5tC7yP9LmAE Shannon's also have histories on about 160 road cars with motorsport use in Australia. Shannon's Club TV.
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  38. Numerous mechanical improvements with the FJ also.
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  39. Other than manufacturing Holden there was other GM makes Holden assembled to help GMH get near 50% of the Australian market around the 1960 peak years : https://youtu.be/QknV_aFJ6Mo I understand that Holden then was the most profitable division of GM for return on investment.
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  40. So you were perhaps too young or uninterested to notice the Ford based Nissan utes? Or in an outback town not seeing much traffic variations.
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  41. Small cars in Australia had a significant market share in Australia even pre war. Australian bodied Austin, with convertible and UTE versions available : https://youtu.be/yBoWkq89h2M Lower purchase price and fuel cost an attraction for many. Stories and photos in my family of the pre war Austin Seven. Even the first car Peter Brock drove was an Austin Seven.
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  42. American market large body Chargers had options up to the 426 and 440. Never had these larger engines in an Australian market smaller Charger. Biggest was a few 340 models and less powerful 360 luxury versions. Most powerful was the 265 six in E49 form with triple Weber carbs.
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  43. Shannon's End of an Era series is a good overview. Then more detail in Shannon's Club TV episodes 1 to 160 covers an Australian market car if it had some Motorsport connection. Some just big selling imports but a surprising number assembled here that even many Australians did not know about. Hope these YT suggestions interest you.
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  44. The Holden Story on YT goes into depth interviewing key people when they were still alive in the eighties. More depth than Ed.
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  45. On YT the Ford XK Falcon twenty three minute doco gives the Ford Australia lead up to making the Falcon in 1960.
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  46. Likely one in ten thousand or less Australian made Mitsubishi cars were the van you chose to illustrate the long lasting Mitsubishi Australia brand with. Poor choice.
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  47. Lots of Australian models would have had some appeal in LHD drive markets. However this would need the approval of US head office and the US auto worker unions. Some exceptions were the Holden's exported to the middle east a Chev Luminas whereas Ford stuck with the Crown Vic and directed Ford Aus not to develop cars to compete in LHD markets. In 1960 I understand LHD Holden's were exported to Hawaii but there is little info on this. Head office might have preferred to sell Corvairs.
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  48. Australian General Motors Holden documentary from 1953 on the development of the FX into the next model FJ : https://youtu.be/_HXvdf81SVU I think very few will have seen this starting with 33 views.since posted two weeks ago
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  49. All GM brands world wide were influenced by the Detroit global design centre. Usually told to tow the corporate theme unless there was a very good reason not too.
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  50. More info on the FB and EK Holden here : https://youtu.be/-shiHNVDZZE First Holden made in left hand drive for export markets. Hawilai was one, but never heard how they were received. https://youtu.be/I5YReuF6BVA
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  51. Biggest selling Scalextric mould of the last decade was the Falcon coupe. Helped by the Mad Max versions but still popular around the world. Lots of race and road liveries.
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  52. Hey Charger! https://youtu.be/PZdp9Eavi5g And it might had inspired the later US ad : https://youtu.be/LBgWMIhODlI
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  53. Mad Max cars may interest you. Australian made Falcon XA and XB versions were used in the Mad Max film as detailed in this short documentary : https://youtu.be/cEcfTwonSiw Falcons were widely used as taxis in Australia so it was cheap to buy old taxis with a million km on the clock for the time. Tsxis also using the 250 Ford six motor or the 200 3.3 litre version attracted to the long service life. The six was an option in the smaller Ford Cortina too. Made it a rocket ship. My estimate was that the Cortina engine options of 4.1 and 3.3.sixes and Pinto type 2.0 and 1.6 fours were taken up by 10, 30, 55 and 5% of buyers. The sixes preferred by country buyers doing a lot of long distance travel at 100kph rather than being seen as a high performance car.
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  54. Not sure how this 1933 Tatra got to Australia : https://youtu.be/y9BeodCjg8Q
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  55. At 14:55 you showed the early sixties unsuccessful compact Fairlane. Assembled here from imported parts, so too expensive for a compact car here. Much more successful were the 1968 onwards Fairlane made here from Falcon parts but made to look much bigger using the station wagon long wheelbase floor pan and different four headlight grill and tail lights. Convinced many it was much bigger than a Falcon. Very clever lower cost , or higher profit, luxury car from Ford emphasising how Australian car companies needed to do more for less. GMH responded in a rush before the Statesman with the Holden Brougham. Cue your Brougham jokes. But just an extended boot, V8 and luxo touches. Did not look different enough from a Holden Premier, the previous highest trim level.
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  56. And Chrysler Made the race model Charger Ed pointed to with the 302 HP E49 Charger triple Weber Hemi sixes made in a run of a few hundred. What was stopped from sale was faster models like the Ford Falcon GTHO phase 4, Charger 340 V8 four speed and Torana GTR XU2 V8 five litre. And likely a few more in future pipelines like a 351 V8 Cortina if the phase 4 got beat by the Torana V8.
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