Holden FB

The FB range consisted of four-door sedans in two trim levels, five-door station wagons in two trim levels,[3] a two-door coupe utility and a two-door panel van.[4] The six models were marketed as follows:

• Holden Standard Sedan[3]
• Holden Standard Station Sedan[3]
• Holden Special Sedan[3]
• Holden Special Station Sedan[3]
• Holden Utility[4]
• Holden Panel Van[4]

The Holden Business Sedan, which had been marketed as part of the FC range, was not carried over to the FB series.[2]

• 
  Holden Standard Sedan
• 
  Holden Standard Station Sedan
• 
  Holden Special Sedan
• 
  Holden Special Station Sedan
• 
  Holden Utility
• 
  Holden Utility
• 
  Holden Panel Van
• 
  Holden Panel Van

The FB was promoted as being longer, lower, more spacious and more powerful than the FC model, but in reality it was only slightly so on each count.[5] Overall length was 5.5 inches (140 mm) greater, although the wheelbase remained the same.[5] The engine bore was still 3 inches (76 mm), the last model with that specification. Engine capacity remained at 132 cubic inches (2.16 L) but the compression ratio was raised. However, the resulting extra 4 brake horsepower (3 kW) of power did not compensate for the greater weight of the FB, so performance was inferior to that of its predecessor.[6] Changes were also made to the brakes, front coil springs, air cleaner and clutch.[2]

Obvious styling differences were the lower bonnet, finned rear mudguards with new taillights (on the sedans and wagons only) and a wrap-around windscreen.[5] Seating was improved, as was the instrument panel.[5]

Notably, the FB was the first Holden model to also be produced in left-hand drive form, those vehicles being destined for export markets.[2]

All FB models were powered by a 132-cubic-inch (2.16 L) inline six-cylinder engine, the last to have the 3-inch (76 mm) bore size, producing 75 brake horsepower (56 kW).[6]

After a production run of 147,747 vehicles,[1] the FB was replaced by the Holden EK series in May 1961.[7]

• Norm Darwin, 100 Years of GM in Australia, 2002, pages 230–231
• Norm Darwin, The history of Holden since 1917, 1983
• The Sixties Holden Archive – Holden FB Retrieved from members.tripod.com on 15 October 2009