State Library of South Australia

Prototype No.4 of 48-215 [FX], first prototype built in Australia. [BRG 213/65/30/19] • Photograph

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Summary

Rear view of the hand built prototype, registration number KJ-400, with accident damage when used as a test vehicle.

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Physical description

Photograph (black and white print), 20.2 x 25.8 cm.

Dates / Publication details

Approximately 1946-1948

Creator

GM Holden Ltd

Collection

Part of Holden Collection

Subject

General Motors Corporation
General Motors-Holden's Limited
Holden FX automobile
Holden 48-215 automobile
Holden automobiles -- History
Automobile industry and trade -- Australia
Automobiles -- Australia -- Firsts
Holden automobiles -- History
Automobiles -- Australia -- Design and construction

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

Historical information

For many years the subject of complete motor car manufacture had been under consideration by successive Australian Governments. L.J.Hartnett, managing director of GM-H pursued the idea which became known as the Australian Car project. After the repeal of various acts of parliament in 1945, production of an all Australian car was open to anyone. Proposals were made to Government by various vehicle manufacturers and GM-H presented their proposal to Parliament in March 1945. The U.S. development vehicles 19515 and 19525 were intergrated into Australian developments and became known as Project 2000. The 19525 was based around the 1938-1939 Chevrolet, much modified for the shorter 102" wheel base, and the temporary name for the car, 'GMH', was on the boot lid and bonnet. Project 2000 consisted of seating bucks, scale clay models and 1/8 full size brush drawings. In 1945/46 Project 2000 became known as Project 320. This car was eventually released as the 48-215 [FX] on 2 November 1948.

The first three prototypes for the 48-215[FX] were built by hand in the United States in 1946 by American and Australian engineers at the General Motors workshop in Detroit. Months of durability and performance testing were undergone in the US before the three prototypes were shipped to Australia. Prototypes No.4 and No.5 were handmade in Australia at the Fishermen's Bend plant in Victoria. No.4 prototype (registration number KJ-400) was made by the body being filled with lead and shaped. It was built as a working visual of the future 48-215, and then used a test vehicle to find any possible mechanical and structural faults, and was first registered as a 1946 Chevrolet sedan in Victoria on 1 September 1947. Prototype No.5 (registration number KY-442), which was used as a publicity vehicle and for the announcement of the car's name as Holden, was first registered on 14 January,1948.

Digitisation information

Date

27/04/2016

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

6,273 x 4,942 pixels (31.0 MP)

Size

93.03 MB

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