Well the inevitable has finally happened, GM have announced the end of the Holden Brand of cars being made and imported into Australia.
Their basic excuse is that the Right Hand Drive market isn't large enough to sustain another manufacturer to play in that market.
Nothing surprising here after the Government dropped import tariffs and let all the Riff Raff in to sell buckets of bolts for next to nothing which in turn screwed our industry. Also the unions had a huge part in this consistently screwing manufacturers which made their businesses less viable.
It's all history now so we'll look forward to Toyota Prius's running around the race circuits of Australia...........Yeah sure !
No cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
GM are a terrible company these days. Just look at the private jet scandal where executives of this broke company still flew to Washington by private jet to meet with Barack Obama to bail them out. He rightfully castigated these dumb men with no self awareness apparently.
Their cars are woeful in the U.S. The customers must be really patriotic there.
Did they really believe the trademark of Australia's own car could go on as a pure importer??
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Most commentators say that they were disappointed; but not surprised. Our Prime Mincer - Scott Morrison - presents to me as a faux 'tough guy' here.
My view is that I welcome this announcement. Fantastic!
The 'pub test' would show every mug knew the modern Holden was just imported branding. Our Holdens - our soul - died long ago.
It is always an embarrassment when we pretend National Identity. Former PM Chifley knew otherwise. He built National Identity.
I have written on these forums about the growth of AUS lawnmowers. This idea grew because of the desire for National self-sufficiency.
Yes, it did involve tariffs; to put us on a level playing field. I have never read a persuasive argument in favour of lack of protection for a nation state when identity was the issue.
For me, the real debate is about the loss of Australian manufacturing.
The BS arguments - about Globalization and economic 'comparative advantage' ring hollow for me.
Sorry to see Holden go; but much better than a pretense.
Going to be interesting to see who picks up the spare parts side now, maybe an opportunity for Rare Spares to become the spare parts supplier. They might be in a position to buy out all the dealers spares bulk lot, good price but they would need a bigger factory LOL Imaging you have just bought one of the latest Cromodores and you have to go to Rare Spares to get parts to service it. I was talking to my son in NZ tonight and one of the blokes he works with had only just had his new Crommodore in for its first service today. I bet he isn't that impressed. Australians were never going to fall for some badged up European box of bolts to be called a Commodore. I think Ford are probably doing better with the Mustang as they seem to be getting around a fair bit these days and they still have their commercial vehicles to help steady the ship, time will tell if they can hang on. Where this all leads to is big problems for the smaller repair guys that have a small workshop. With so many different makes of cars now being imported they are constantly working on cars that are foreign to them and they may only ever work on that particular make of car once a year. Means a lot of cars are going to reach end of life very quickly from here on in. They will end up like the Chinese mowers that nobody will waste their time trying to repair
It seems the whole is moving toward disposable items in the sense they want item to be at their end of life within 5 years just to keep the factories outputting new equipment at an ever increasing rate. Now the net zero carbon push is also going to make things a lot harder to repair as they tighten the screws on us. They are trying to get rid of the internal combustion engine in new vehicles by as early 2030 is some countries.
Personally I do own a 2000 GM Chevrolet PU and I do quality issues with the body as thin as the sheet metal was back then, no telling how thin it is now. Boy my old '73 International Harvester PU was well built for farm work but the Chevy is not. Too bad I couldn't get parts for the IH after they quit producing the PUs.
As for the small shops, we all know how it is to be a Jack of All Trades. Trying to fill where larger shops are no longer servicing a piece of equipment. What worst is the younger generations are just parts replacers; therefore, as us older mechanics dies off or retire there is no confident mechanics to replace us. Some these part replacers can't even figure out how to get out of a wet paper bag with both ends open.
Self sufficiency? We gave that away a long time ago.
AVB, while I love the internal combustion engine, there is nothing necessarily non repairable about electric motors, nor circuit boards. I have been farting around with them and repairing electrical components for years. Does that mean I want to replace my mower/car/etc with an electric type? not particularly, but that is the way things are heading.
For example, there have been a few attempted start ups for Australian electric vehicles here, all of which have been squashed by the current government.
And when push comes to shove, I actually think that is one area Australia could definately compete in and become 'self sufficient'. We won't though, because the powers that be will be too busy selling any advantage away for a few dollars more. See the natural gas debacle for an example, where it is cheaper for Australia to buy its own gas from Japan.
Hi Sapper, Where to for the future for Australia, I don't think there is one, you remove our exports, iron ore, coal, gas, and what have we left, Chinese students flooding our universitys and Chinese tourists, not much else and little chance of anything changing. I see a very dismal future for our younger generations
That is what we have left now, true. It doesn't have to be that way, but it is. I like to think things will get better, but it will require a thoroughly angry population to force these changes through, and I think things will have to get worse before they get better.
As an example, I agree with Jack regarding import tariffs. When we had them, it forced foreign companies to open factories here in order to get sales of their products. As soon as those tariffs fell, they were soon fleeing from our shores and sending them to the cheapest place they could go, while sending the stuff back here to sell. Our companies have all done the same, or have been bought out, because successive governments have let them. Not to mention a large part of getting industry going here was as an insurance policy; during ww2, we were caught with our pants down when Japan came south. We had no industry worth the name, so any sort of military vehicle, ship or aircraft manufacture in depth was a pipedream. Chifley was a big advocate of being ready for the next Big One by having working heavy industry that could be retooled if necessary for just such an occasion.
Who has won from that? Fat Cats and shareholders. Ex Politicians too that have been nice fat paypackets as 'advisors' and whatnot after their tenures as politicians were up.
And we shouldn't have to be so reliant on primary exports like some south american dictatorship. Its embarassing.
My last Holden was a 2004 Rodeo,not really a Holden but an Isuzu but I had to get it serviced and warranty at Holden when new. I hated the dealer so much do next time I bought a Mazda. The old Rodeo is still going strong, I sold it to friends. I still look after it. Only ever bought one oil pump gasket for it from GMH.Alwsys were better sources of parts.
Nothing wrong with truck but plenty wrong with the organisation. They deserve their fate.
I had Holdens all my life but my real tipping point was with the WM Caprice my grandson has. The windscreen had to be replaced but because it has rain sensors the screen cost $800 or the Commodore screen which will fit but doesn't have the rain sensors $300. Can't fit the Commodore one because the computer will not allow it to operate. I have a mate who is an auto elec and he said we could not bypass this sensor on the computer. From then I vowed I would never go near a Holden again. Too much European influence with built in end of life unrepairable rubbish. Huyandais only for me now. Cheap, boring, but very reliable with no fancy rubbish added
I have a 2016 Territory, and for once there hasn't been a niggle yet. And I have had Falcons since my first car, an XW Falcon I got from the trading post just after high school. Couldn't open the tailgate because of rust haha. But they have all had something that pissed me off to some degree, but I kept buying them because they were built here and the inline 6 engine hardly changed over the years, so I got to know how they operated and what to look out for.
As soon as they stopped making them here, I have written them off. It is Japan and Korea all the way now with a preference for Mazda or Hyundai. I might be tempted by a Mustang one day. Never know.
Hi Sapper, I was discussing the Mustang with a mate last night and a close friend of his bought one for close to $80,000 , it had only done low ks and because he had lost his job he had to sell it and it took 4 months for him to sell it for $48,000 . Mate was also saying the finish on it was a bit on the rough side, not what you would expect on an $80,000 car
I had heard about this a few years before the Mustangs arrived here. Some American motorsport bloke was talking about how the Australian Ford and Holden V8 cars that he had tried while over here in Aus, were so much better than the dreck they produced over in the US, and why couldn't they organise for those models to be manufactured in the US of A.
Guess they didn't listen to him! Or they thought he meant the opposite to what he actually said.
It would be interesting hearing from someone who had extensively driven all three what their views on it were.
Oh well, the only Mustang I guess I will own will be a Victa haha.
I bought a new Victa Corvette many years ago because I figured it was as close as I would get to the real deal.
Thats what I said when I found my 1975 Monaro 2 stroke, 1979 Monaro 4 stroke 1981 'vette and 1998 'vette.
Thought I had a 1981 Charger the other week - turned out to be another Commando. Can't complain - started first go after much cleaning - full throttle control as well without your mod which is rare
Sapper, can't think of any 'Javelin', the closest AMC nameplate on a mower is the Rebel - which Rover used for a while. Or the Victa Matador - a name they used in the 90s
We could call most of the stock G4/LM Victa carbies 'Gremlins'
Interesting Max, I read about that somewhere before and had forgotten about it
I think HD was the one that changed the numbers - because it was one of the head honchos initials (edit, just looked and apparently David Hegland was MD at the time)
The FX designation has been of some speculation - often it has been suggested car dealer who was sick of writing 48-215 and abbreviated it.
However, another more believable reason was detailed in one of Don Loffler's Holden books. Apparently (according to one of the engineers working for Holden's at the time) stated the FX was name from 1951 ish onwards when they changed the suspension - F for fifty X meaning cross member.
We will probably never know definitively as most of the people who were involved have passed away
And the Highly Dangerous HD had the vent window which opened inwards and if not really careful when turning the steering wheel you smacked the back of your hand into it and that was extremely painful. They rectified the problem with the HR
I always thought the HD looked like the HR's goofy cousin. The rear looked ok, if a little bland. An HR Premier with 186 and Powerglide 2 speed transmission. That's the luxury car for me!
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I haven't heard of any other Holden models having letters that matched a numerical system ,that's right Tyler the HD was given random initials ( Hegland David) because Holden didn't like the fact that too many people had cracked the code.
Interesting info on the FX ,I was told X for unknown code letter model.
Yep no VD Holden WCE ,surprised they had a VB commodore sounds more like a beer. I knew people who hated Commodores VB VC VH VK VN VG VP, very boring, very crude. very hideous, very knave, very nasty, very grimson, very plastic.
Yes the HD was never Highly Desirable BB,I still have an original sales brochure for the HD except I haven't seen where it's hiding for a few years now.
Holden had some strange air vents Norm,I remember with the HQ Holden you could flick them so they spun around when driving and they would continue spinning until the car slowed down enough so the vent air would not effect them anymore.
Think I have a HD or HR owners manual around here somewhere Max
I remember a few years ago hearing 1 or 2 VD commodore did slip through - apparently because letters were confused with TD gemini. Only problem is the TD stopped in 79, and the VC was early 1980 to Nov 81
No WC statesman either.
Originally Posted by Bonnar_Bloke
HD was affectionately known as "Holden's Disaster" .
Or HD Horribly Designed and HR Hastily Rectified haha
And what about the FB with the weird wraparound windscreen that you could smack your knee on.
First Holden my grandparents bought was a FB (prior to that 2 Ford Zephyrs) - apparently Nan forgot she left the back door open and ripped it off on the garage post.
Then there was the one of the Torana's with 4 wheel drum brakes that got wet in a big puddle and she lost brakes down a steep hill and went into a ditch. 6 week old car and she refused to ever drive it again - from what I am told it was traded in on a Torana SL 6 with front discs (LJ). After that a HX Kingswood Vacationer, VB 202, and then the JB Camira.
She has to hand in her license next month - so roughly 50 years of driving nothing but Holden (would be 60 years but there was a Valiant Regal for 2 years in the late 60's)
I had my father's 48-215 workshop manual that is identical to your first image Max, but sadly it copped a guts full of water some years ago in a flash flood and it was totally destroyed. It was in absolute mint condition prior to that.
I had to iron dry all the pages individually and as such I still have it, but not in it's best state like it used to be.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Here my copy - 1952 update. It was used by the RAC originally - so very poor condition. The later ones are better though.
It was a HR manual - also found a manual from the arch nemesis
There are still a few Camira's about - have seen a few locally - a 1983 sedan and a later JE wagon, both driven by presumably the original owners.
Nan bought hers new in sept 83, and it has had a somewhat interesting life. She has always looked after it, but along the way it has been stolen from a mechanic and thrashed up 1.5 hr from perth (big dents in the sump and trans pan from rocks), had the front end taken off by a fairlane driven by a guy (who incidentally ended up in jail a few years later after conviction in a bikie gang murder).
The engine has been cooked several times (warped head, etc) ran probably 50 km with nearly no oil (blown sump gasket once, mechanic left oil cap off another time so bonnet soundproofing covered in oil), ran about the same dist with no coolant a few times (blown radiator, several coolant hoses), abused by many mechanics (timing advanced so far it wouldn't turn off, putting used oil back in, tying choke half shut with chicken wire, plugging vac lines with bamboo skewers, smacking a camry thermostat in with a hammer, disconnecting vacuum advance, disconnecting fast idle cam).
After a fair bit of work over the years getting it right, it is running pretty well - nice to drive and use. Proud to have it.
