Hello listeners, and welcome to CurbLakeside in Cambridge II – The Australian Alumni. The venue? Lake Karapiro, New Zealand. The reporter? Your Kiwi KurbLakeside Klassic Korrespondent. The cars? Classic. In yesterday’s instalment we took a gander at Everything Except The Aussies, but today we raise the flag of our Trans-Tasman neighbours and the cars of their motoring industry. We’re going to journey past Ford Falcons and Chrysler Valiants, but where better to start than with a true-blue Holden Kingswood!
Back in 1971, Australia’s #1 family hauler was GM’s HG series Holden Kingswood. 155,787 were sold in a variety of 5 body types, 3 straight-6s, 3 V8s and 4 transmissions. This 80,000ml beauty is powered by the biggest of the 6s, the 186ci ‘red’ motor – so named because the block was painted black with large red polka dots on the sides. I may have made that last bit up.
My recently deceased primary school headmaster and mentor owned an HG as nice as this, albeit in darker blue. The famed Holden Brougham was the same as this Kingswood sedan up to the C pillar, from where it gained a looooooong tail extension. Sadly there wasn’t a real live Brougham there, but I’m keeping my eyes peeled for y’all! Meanwhile, who’s that all dressed in red beside the King?
Why, it’s Holden’s arch-enemy a Ford Falcon! As Holden’s corporate colour is red and Ford’s is blue, I find the transposed colours of these two cars quite amusing! The Falcon is a 1996 EFII GLi, factory-fitted with the famed 302 Windsor V8. This edition of the 302 sported 165kw from the factory, but I suspect it’s no longer standard! Why do I suspect this, you ask? Well aside from the personalised number plate “LOSS OF”(which has the word “SUSTAINED” above, and “TRACTION” below), the EFII was no longer available in XR guise, so the EFII XR8 nosecone on this wagon is from a sedan. Minus the XE/XF Fairmont Ghia ‘Snowflake’ alloys, “LOSS OF” would have looked like this from the factory:
From www.carjam.co.nz
I for one think the “LOSS OF” has been really nicely modified over the original, and I’d gladly use it as my grocery-getter!
While we’re in the mood for grocery-getters, above is the EFII’s great-great-great-grandpa, an XT series Falcon from 1968/9. Plenty of room for groceries ‘n’ stuff!
A golden Holden.
Back to the golden Holdens, here’s a 1972-4 LJ Holden Torana sporting period-correct and colour-coded aftermarket Aunger mags. It also sports 2850cc 6-cylinder badging, but the bonnet scoop and dual exhausts rather suggest there’s now a V8 in residence!
Funfact: the LJ Holden Torana was also built in South Korea by Daewoo’s ancestors and sold as the Chevrolet 1700. “Sold” is a relative word here, as according to the pedia of wiki, the 1700 had a reputation for poor fuel consumption, and consequently sold poorly. Even funner fact: The South Koreans created a 5-door wagon version of the LJ Torana that was sold nowhere else. Good luck finding one now – although you needn’t try, as courtesy of the interwebs I’ve found one so you don’t have to! –
Courtesy of autocade.net
“Just a jump…to the left” (subtle pop-culture reference there) from the Torana was this…
…NZ-new 1956 FE Holden Special. The FE was the first Holden to receive a one-piece windscreen, and was powered by a 132.5 cubic inch edition of Holden’s ‘grey’ motor (I wonder what colour it was?). According to Wikipedia, the ‘grey’ motor was based on a pre-WWII Buick straight-6. The FE is interesting in that it was the first Holden series to be assembled in New Zealand.
So far we’ve seen a couple of hot Holdens and a fine Ford, but let’s not forget that Chrysler was also playing in Australia’s car-building sandpit.
Here’s what’s ostensibly a 1969 VF Chrysler VIP – Chrysler’s answer to Ford’s Fairlane and Holden’s aforementioned Brougham-with-the-bootttttttttttttt. The VIP fitted between the lesser Valiant and the flagship Dodge Phoenix, and to distinguish it from the lower-spec Valiants, it featured a unique front and rear end and a smaller rear window. This one doesn’t have the smaller rear window, so may be a clone.
How does a window manage to be both concave and convex?
My late Uncle bought a VIP new; it was used as my parents’ wedding car on this very day (6 December) back in 1969! Happy 44th wedding anniversary Mum and Dad! A number of their wedding photos are photo-bombed by the distinctive shape of the VIP’s rear door, C-Pillar and rear windscreen…
As well as sedans, Chrysler Australia also built VF Valiant wagons and coupes. The coupes were US Dodge Dart bodies with the Australian Valiant front sheet-metal and interior. We saw a nice green VF coupe in my post on the Cambridge Swapmeet Carpark, and here’s a blue ’70 318ci Regal.
A Talisman!!! Oh wait, we covered that yesterday.
Don’t you just love the shapes of the C-pillar and the rear windscreen? Quite different curvature to the VF sedan, but equally interesting. And looking left, let’s fast-forward 8 years…
A Kombi pick up!!! Oh wait, we also covered that yesterday…
…and this is the Valiant that Chrysler Australia was building. Built in July 1978, it’s a CL series model. Most were 6-cylinder, but this ‘SE’ spec one has the optional 318 V8. The CL Valitanks were the last to be assembled in New Zealand.
Not assembled in New Zealand, and in fact only immigrating in 2011, was this this 1951 Holden 48-215 ute. The 48-215 started out as a rejected Chevrolet design, “deemed too small for the U.S. market as it developed after the war” (Wikipedia). The 48-215’s origin was discussed in more detail in the Chevrolet Cadet CC here. EDIT: This 48-215 ute is owned by the same bloke that owns the monstrous Dodge Power Wagon in yesterday’s write up. What a contrast!
It’s an Opel!…No?…must be a…Vauxhall!…What?…there’s a fair dinkum Aussie Holden version too? Well bonza mate!
While we’re discussing Holdens that began as other GM models, here’s a VH Holden Commodore from 1981. This is a facelift of the original 1978 VB Commodore that was essentially a strengthened Opel Reckord body with Opel Senator front end panels. Most VHs were fitted with Holden’s ‘blue’ motor, an update of the aforementioned ‘red’ motor, but this particular example has the optional 5.0-litre/308ci V8.
That triangular orange indicator is the only part shared with the similar-looking European Mk II Ford Granada.
Holden’s main challenger in 1981 was the XD Ford Falcon, like the Falcon GL above. It’s registered as a silver GL-spec 3.3 litre sedan. Given the colour has changed, I think we can safely assume the engine has too!
Although these XD Falcons look very similar to the European Mk II Ford Granada, they are totally unrelated, sharing only the large triangular front indicator (which appears to be trying to fall off this XD). The XD’s lovely crisp super-low-waistlined shape went on to be facelifted several times, ultimately becoming the 1996-9 XH ute and panelvan we covered here.
This is what a NZ$100K+ Ford Falcon looks like.
Eleven years before the XD saw the light of the world, Ford was building XW series Falcons, like the two 1970 sedans above. The XW represented the first appearance of the highly collectible GT-HO, a GT with additional ‘Handling Options’. The XW GT-HO was initially fitted with a 300hp 351 Windsor V8; late in the production run this became a 351 Cleveland instead. The orange one above is a genuine GT HO, so probably worth well over NZ$100,000. Just 662 XW GT-HOs were built, and only 5,000ish remain. Why? Well the VIN of the silver 1970 sedan above will give you a clue – its VIN says it’s a 1975 XA Ford Landau coupe… Madonna Tiffany (thanks for the correction BOC!) sang a song about such ‘tributes’ entitled “I think I’m a clone now…” (Yes, I know those weren’t the lyrics, I was channelling Weird Al’s cover!)
“I think I’m a clone now…”
Although this XY Falcon is another clone (it started life as a base-spec 1971 ‘500’), I really couldn’t care when it looks this good. Honestly, I think the XW and XY Falcons are the most masculine looking sedans ever produced. There’s not a single ‘girly’ line on them! Except for the huge price tag they now command, I’d love one for my hypothetical car collection.
In between the XR-XY and XD-XH series of Falcons, was the XA-XC. The XA was the first wholly-Australian designed Falcon, and although a pastiche of Ford America’s design ideas, it was a seriously good looker. Ford Aussie even went to the bother of designing a magnificent coupé, as shown by the rare Fairmont above. These coupés had really bulbous rear sides, as they were designed to accommodate incredibly w i i i i d e rear wheels for the annual ‘Bathurst’ motor race. Thanks to that soaring waistline there’s practically zero vision from the rear seats, but as with the XY sedan above, when the result looks that good, who cares? Fun fact: to help amortise the tooling costs, the XA-XC utes and panelvans used the coupé’s frameless-glass doors (albeit with taller window glass).
Well, we’re reaching the end of our CurbLakeside Classic look at The Australian Alumni, but before we go, we simply must reflect on the XB Ford Falcon coupe, made famous by a certain Max Rockatansky. Ol’ Mad Max’s XB GT coupe was somewhat modified, and included a ‘Concorde’ nosecone designed by Peter Arcadipane (who went on to be an esteemed car-design career, culminating in his 2000-6 C215 Mercedes-Benz CL coupe).
With 6.7 litres (408 cubic inches) under the bonnet I bet the number plate is quite correct…
This luscious black 1974 XB coupe is also modified, as it started life as a yellow base-spec ‘500’. What was that Madonna Tiffany Weird Al song I mentioned earlier…? The biggest factory engine available in Australian-built Falcons was the 351 (5.8 litre) V8, but this coupe lives up to its fast-forward number plate with a 6685cc V8 (408ci). I have no idea what the engine’s from, but maybe it’s a big-block FE?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the Australian Alumni. Despite creating some fantastic cars over the decades, the Australian motor industry in 2013 is but a shadow of its former self. Chrysler Australia gave up local production in 1980 and sold out to Mitsubishi (although Mitsi continued building Valiants until August 1981). Ford is leaving the building in October 2016, and killing the beloved Falcon and its Territory derivative at the same time (we’re getting the new Mustang instead, which will be nice but last time I looked, the ‘stang appears not to have rear doors, let alone decent rear seat space). GM’s Holden is the sole survivor of the once ‘Big-3’, and according to Autoblog this week, even Holden is considering pulling out of Australia. I think the end of Aussie-created Fords and Holdens is a terrible waste. They have both become superb vehicles, the sole-remaining evolution of the large RWD family sedans that were so popular in years past. I predict Ford and Holden Australia will die once they lose their unique selling point. They will be missed, so let’s raise a glass of fine Australian shiraz to the Australian motoring industry that once was.
Thanks for sharing! As someone who lives halfway around the world, it’s always interesting to look at some uniquely Australian (and Kiwi!) cars.
I wont bore you with details but NZ models do not match Australian models, some do but NZ trim levels were very different on Holdens and Valiants
You’re welcome Brendan, it’s a pleasure to be able to contribute to CCdom! Like Bryce says, trim levels were often different on the NZ-assembled versions of the Aussie-built cars. The body shells, mechanicals and dashboards were generally identical though. Model for model, the NZ market usually preferred a higher spec. All the better for car spotters amusement lol!
What an interesting collection of cars we don’t see in northern climes!
Today, the warm looking late-spring spendour that is NZ is the most attractive thing as it is quite unseasonably cold on the (usually) Wet Coast.
“By 4 p.m. Friday, the temperature had dipped to -0.5°C at Vancouver International Airport, ending 586 consecutive days of above freezing temperatures in the city.” (Courtesy of The Weather Network)
Actually I’m not a warm weather bloke! I prefer it to be cold and would be very, very happy if it was -0.5 out instead of the 27-28 it was when this show was on! I know, I know, I’m strange… 😉
Wow, talk about an alternate universe. The ’56 Holden Special looks like a ’55 Chevy that got shrunk in the wash. The back window on the Chrysler VIP is…. disturbing. The front end of the blue Holden pickup reminds me of a pre-war Buick, and the green Valiant reminds me of an AMC Hornet.
The “Madonna” song you refer to (I Think We’re Alone Now) was actually sung by Tiffany, and was actually a cover. The original version was sung by Tommy James & The Shondells in 1967. Weird Al did the spoof version, “I Think I’m a Clone Now”.
The ’56 Holden has strong Chev cues at the front too, so you could be right! Yes, I haven’t studied a VIP’s rear window before, there’s a whole lot more weirdness going on there than I thought!
Thanks for the Tiffany correction too, I’ve no idea what my fingers were thinking as I knew Tiffany sang it because she and that song have been in the NZ news lately! (The were mentioning her because NZ’s own Lorde is the youngest female to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Tiffany).
Thanks Scott for another great read,Dad had a 66 Aussie Valiant 4 door with a straight 6 upright engine which he passed to Mum as she wasn’t keen on driving a Yank solo but liked the style.There’s a few Australian cars turn up at shows in the UK,the Mopar Euronats has some nice examples.I see a lot of British Ford and Vauxhall in these cars lines.That black Falcon is a car fit for the Road Warrior.
Thanks Gem! I hope you’ve got some pics of your folks’ Val to share with us one day! I agree re the Road Warrior Falc – but it really needs the optional spot lights inset in the grille to help with all that night time driving chasing precious fuel!
Most cool. Thanks for the fantastic voyage of these lakeside classics from Down Under. It’s always fun to see the similarities, yet how different they are.
Thanks Brandon, you’re welcome!
It looks like the NZ VF series VIP was built on the standard Valiant wheelbase and retained the full width rear screen. The original was stretched at the rear door by 4″ and had a smaller “town car” rear screen. It was a budget makeover, the turret was cut and a fillet inserted, the screen aperture was partially infilled with a fibreglass blank and the whole roof covered (without prior painting) with a super-broughamy padded vinyl. Classy! The pinstripes were hand painted. When updated to the VG series the V8 became the first local car with standard A/C, identified by the new ventless front doors. Not common then or now, not resistant to rust by any measure.
Yeah it isnt a VIP the wheelbase and rear window are wrong.
Quarter vents were an option on Valiants for several models my 73 Regal sedan had them my 72 Ranger wagon didnt, neither had factory air but of course those were Australian built NOT kiwi models.
You could be right Jim. I’ve often wondered if there was an NZ-spec VIP with the regular wheelbase and larger window, as the one above is the second or third I’ve seen like that. So I checked the VIN on the VIP above, and it does actually appear to decode as a factory V8-auto VIP assembled in NZ. So it would appear that yes, NZ possibly did get a different version of the VIP to the Aussie ones. I’ll check the pics of my late Uncle’s one – he bought it new, so there’ll be no doubt if it has the regular rear window.
That could explain it a mate of mine campaigned a VF VIP for 8 years towing a caravan all year in OZ I know them fairly well that had the small window this one has a stock valiant window.
Superb cars! That VIP is amazing, never saw that rear window close up.
The blue ’71 Kingswood front end is waaayy too similar to the 1968 US Ford Falcon.
There was a lot of criticism at the time of the similarities between the two cars both Ford and GMH stamped outthe same cars from 68-71
I see a lot of North American Mercury Montego or Mercury Comet in the Kingswood profile, in fact. It looks more Mercury than GM/Holden.
This was my very first thought too.
Thats the last issue of that body style the HG Kingswood, Sept 71 saw the release of the Camaro based HQ- HZ series this was a carry over model but featured the Traumatic 3 speed automatic instead of the powerglide
You need to check the cohort Paul I shot a minter VF val recently its on there bro
Thanks Paul! Wow, I see what you mean with the Kingswood and the US Falcon. We didn’t get that grille on the Aussie Falcons, although the ’68 XT series Falcon grille was similar.
The VIP is certainly features some unique styling! Everything about it tells me I shouldn’t like it, but I do, a lot. Here’s another shot I took of that spectacular C-Pillar and windows:
These are great, the cars are so different yet so familiar as their NA cousins. That Fairmont has a whole lot of Torino GT going on.
This was discussed once before as they were designed in the same N/A building but apparently no collaboration happened, yeah right
Interestingly, the XA Falcon sedan and wagon, and the ZG Fairlane sedan were indeed styled in Dearborn, between May and October 1968. But, the Falcon’s designers were entirely Ford Australian staff though, being Jack Telnack, Brian Rossi and Allan Jackson. Rossi said they only styled it in Dearborn because “…we didn’t have, and couldn’t get, the experienced clay modellers here [in Australia]”.
Initially it was suggested that the centre body section (doors, glass, roof) of the US Torino might be used for the XA Falcon, but with much reduced front and rear overhangs to make it the right size for Australia. The three stylists made a full-size clay model which, in Rossi’s words again: “…showed it wouldn’t work. The Torino had long flowing fenders. When the front overhang was shortened, it just looked compromised.” Senior Ford management agreed and rejected the design, allowing the Australians to develop the entire thing themselves.
The seal of approval for the designers’ abilities and competence was such that the coupe, ute and panelvan were wholly designed in Australia in April 1969. Undoubtedly the current styling themes of Ford, like the Torino, were an influence, but the finished product was uniquely Australian – and a very good vehicle because of it.
NB the quotes are from Geoff Easdown’s book “A History Of The Ford Motor Company In Australia And New Zealand”
The 408 CID engine in the black XB is likely a 351W with a stroker kit.
There are kits available now that can take a high-deck Windsor all the way up to 427 CID.
It would/could have had a 351C originally so a Cleveland-based stroker is just as likely. The 351W was only used for 1 year in Australian (& NZ) Falcons, it came back later in the F150s but those used Clevelands too in the 1970s.
Saw a nice yellow GTHO on my way to the supermarket this arvo the nice weather brings them out to play.
Thanks Scott. One minor nit-pick is the early Holden ute had its own code name, 48-215 was the sedan (for US readers 1948 debut, price goal £215), I cant remember what it was but 51-xxxx.
Fun fact: the GT-HO still had the same 300hp as a standard GT despite having larger cam, carb etc… sure it did… The tow bar on the opening shot is quite common on GTs too despite it being a muscle car, 380lb-ft & heavy duty suspension makes for a good tow car
215 actually stands for 4door special body trim 225 is Premier etc this continued on untill Australian design stopped with the EH of 63 then the Opel based designs began with H prefix
Thanks John, I didn’t know the ute had a separate code name! Now I’ve looked it up I see it’s 50-2016. Apparently we didn’t get any FXs new and the FJ was the first to be sold and marketed here.
I love the GT-HO fun fact – it’s like the “206” kw the Skyline GTRs made through the 90s…!
Some more info on the 51-2106 ute, which is currently for sale for NZ$35K. From the ad: “Bought originally in 1951 by the McMahon family, this ute was used on the family’s orchard to take cherries & fruit to the local co-op. The ute was retired to the chicken coupe until 1998 until it was onsold to be restored. In 2003 it landed on New Zealand shores & was lovingly restored over 5 years. It is a true testament to our Australasian motoring history & as far as we know only 1 of 3 FX Utilities in this country exist.” http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=668097933
I enjoyed this coverage very much, both today’s and yesterday’s pieces. I only wish there’d been a good pic of the green 1958 Plymouth. Is my fin-car orientation showing?
Oh there were several great pics of the green Plymouth pfsm, as well as a black ’61, a green 60, a red ’57…I’m saving them for a NZ-market Plodge write-up!
This is terrific! Thank you for covering this.
Had you not been specific, I never would have guessed the CL series Valiant was a Chrysler product; I see a lot of early ’70’s NA Ford in it with its door handles, shape of the front door, and wheel covers.
At first glance, my mind asked “Did AMC build cars in Australia?”
Yes they did AMI assembled Ramblers and such as did Campbell motors in Thames NZ a mate of mine was a car painter there. Both AMI and Campbells went on to be Toyota assemblers my 71 Corona had a little badge saying Assembled by Australian motor industries on the lower front guard
I heard of some RHD Javelins assembled in Australia but haven’t seen or read anything more about them.
I could be wrong, but I think those Javellins were imported built up into Aussie and converted to RHD there. There were very, very few. and a handful were sent to NZ after the RHD conversion to be sold new here. One of those NZ-new ones was advertised om trademe earlier this year, so there may be more still out there. I understand they were impressive rusters though which won’t have helped the survival rates!
That Valiant body debuted in 71 with the hemi 6 and was just restyled for the next 10 years you can see the join on the quarter panel where the different rear treatments were connected.
Thank you Jason! (belatedly!) Growing up through the late 70s and 80s I never understood styling origins of the VH-VJ-VK-CL-CM Valiant. Its contemporary rival Holdens and Fords seemed more natural progressions of their predecessors, but the Val was…not.
Once I started reading US classic car magazines and frequenting internet sites such as CC, the styling made sense though, as to me I see loads of Chrysler-North America influence in the styling! It’s more obvious from the front three-quarter angle though.
It was said at the time by the Aussie car mags that although the HQ Kingswood, XA Falcon and VH Valiant were about the same size, the Kingswood was styled to look smaller than it was, the Valitank was styled to look bigger, and the Falcon was in the middle.
An enjoyable tour. I never knew that Holden engines were color coded in this way. For perspective, if the grey block was based on a pre-war Buick 6, then it was a really, really pre-war version, as Buick went to all 8s in 1931. That Buick 6 design would be a real oldie.
The grey Holden engine is a direct copy of a Vauxhall 6 right down to the enormous sideplate covering the valve gear and the cylinder head bolt arrangement Buick? I dont think so, the grey or sideplate motor was dropped in 63 with the release of the Red motor a downsized Chevy 2 which became blue in 81 in the VC Commodore then Black in 85 with the introduction of a vacuum pump and TBI. V8s were Red then Blue at the same times.
Yeah, I wondered about the supposed Buick origins too. Wikipedia didn’t give any reference to that claim, so I really should have left it out of the write-up. Bryce has summarised the colour changes perfectly!
With reference to the FE/FC I have a brochure on that model from GMNZ which shows utes being assembled in NZ however that never happened,utes came in as no remittance imports through dealers fully built up. Very popular cars though,
I remember my dad borrowing a used FC to drive when he was waiting on a new car he loved it, he caned the guts out of it going back and forth Warkworth to Tauraunga on several occasions it never gave any problems.
‘Sustained loss of traction’… classic! That’s what the officer will write on the ticket here in NZ. Nice catch on the XF Fairmont Ghia snowflakes. Easy to mistake them for later EA Falcon S wheels.
Yes, if the owner ever got a ticket, that plate would make it hard to defend in court lol! Re the Snowflakes, the XE/F versions have the polished spokes; the EA spokes are painted. I love the XE/F version – when I was 9 my grandparents bought an XE Ghia new, and I remember studying the design of the Snowflakes trying to work out how to draw them!
Late to the party (again), but a nice assortment of cool cars. I really enjoyed your two previous car show walk-and-talks too, Scott! I think my favorite is that medium blue Kingswood–nice lines and very original too.
Question: have you spotted a Chrysler by Chrysler at a show or on the road? There was an article on them in an issue of Collectible Automobile earlier this year and I really liked them. Also, PLEASE find a Holden Brougham! Ooh, and also a P6 LTD with the mini-Cordoba schnoz!
The Holden Brougham, P6 LTD and Chrysler by Chrysler (what a name!): The Fleetwood Sixty Special, Continental Town Car and Imperial LeBaron of Down Under.
I’m also thinking: Laurels of a Lifetime 🙂
Hey Tom, thank for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it! There have been three previous walk-n-talks too! (Although one was technically a Swapmeet).
There is indeed a one-owner Chrysler-by-Chrysler here in town that I see around. It’s an early-70s in baby blue, with factory 360. It was featured in our local paper earlier this year. Next time I spot it I’ll take some photos and post ’em! The C-by-C took over from the VIP posted above – the VIP similarly didn’t feature any Valiant badging.
I haven’t seen a Brougham for a while, but there’s a good schedule of car shows and swapmeets coming up, so fingers crossed… A friend of one of my brothers-in-law has a P5 or P6 LTD (albeit with a Nissan LD28 engine fitted so that he can afford to run it, and yes he has the original 351 in storage), I’ll find out more about it if I can.
And don’t worry, Laurels of a Lifetime is coming up and I’m going to steal your title for it, ta muchly 😉 There may also be a Slew of Skylines…not to mention a Collection of Cortinas, a Selection of Sierras, Many Mazda 6s and a Variety of Vans… I’ve owned or driven far too many cars… I’ll spare you all from my Horrible Honda tale though!
An update on the gold LJ Torana featured above. It recently featured in a local paper ‘Motortimes’ and more details were revealed. It’s a ’73 ‘S’, and the 2850 six is long gone. In its place is a 308 Holden V8 stroked to 355 cubic inches. It’s been dyno-ed at 333kW which is put to the road via an XU1 4-speed and Ford 9 inch diff.