10 Facts you may not have known about the 48-215 Holden
The Holden 48-215 (also known as the FX) the first Australian produced car. The first 48-215 Holden came off the production line on November 29, 1948.
Created to cater to demand for Australia’s own car, as at the time the only cars on the road were British and American imports. The British cars, considered to be underpowered, undersized and unable to handle Australia’s tougher driving conditions, American cars, considered too expensive to run, at times too large and also not able to cope with Australia’s driving conditions
The Holden 48-215 solved the issue. An Australian car built for Australian roads. The British and American car makers were under the assumption that if it worked on their roads in would work on ours too. Many of the British and American cars suffered from reliability issues and were in constant need of repair. It was bigger and more powerful than British cars at the time, yes smaller and more fuel efficient than American cars. It was more rugged, durable and reliable than its competitors
The Holden 48-215 focussed on handling the unique and often difficult driving conditions in Australia, in a time where unsealed suburban roads were commonplace.
A key design feature was the dust-proof body. The car sat higher, (more ground clearance) considered to be more functional than stylish.
Price and affordability were crucial for Australia’s first car, which targeted the family market. It had to be able to handle the unique driving conditions this country had to offer. It had to be powerful enough to make it uphill with passengers while at the same time being fuel efficient enough to justify running.
The car itself was quite simple. Luxury items were low on the list, there were not many, even by 1948 standards. There were no indicators, no heater and only one tail light. Having fewer luxury features lead to a lighter more fuel efficient car.
Being a locally produced car, parts were cheap and plentiful.
Unlike modern Holden’s, the FX had only one engine option and 1 transmission option. The FX Holden was powered by a 132.5 cubic inch (2.2L) straight 6 engine. This engine, known as the ‘grey’ engine, gets its name due to its colour. Alleged to produce 60hp (45kw), mated with a 3 speed manual transmission only, no automatic transmission was available.
Holden considered a 4 cylinder model while in the prototype stage. Ultimately they decided on a 6 cylinder due to its power and a substantially less increase in fuel consumption. The 6 cylinder could reach higher speeds at lower revs.
In January 1951 the first Holden Ute was released, the 50-2106
The FX/ 48-215 Holden remained in production from 1948 until 1953. The FJ Holden would ultimately replace the FX.
Fuel economy was around 30 miles per gallon
The original 48-215 Holden’s can still be found on the roads, considered to be collectors items and most have been restored. Many are in museums. For those looking to restore a 48-215 Holden, parts can be easier to source than one would expect for a car that is over 60 years old. They grey engine proved to be very durable and are in plentiful supply, even today. They were used in Holden’s for 15 years up until the release of the EH in 1963. For a collector, the price of an original or even a well restored 48-215 will continue to see its value climbing. It is after all, Australians first car and will always hold a special place for motorists in this country.