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ABOUT THE FB & EK HOLDEN
January 1960 saw the release of the very modern American looking Holden FB. This was a completely new body style based on the floor pan and mechanicals of the earlier Holden FC. The new body style had the American styled ‘wrap around windscreen and tail fins’.
The interior was also updated with wider and more comfortable seats, a deep dish steering wheel and chromed instrument cluster. A Warmaride Heater and Demister was available as an optional extra.
The engine, although based on the previous Holden FC was more powerful due to a bigger bore and raised compression ratio. The engine was now 138 cubic inches and put out 75 horse power. The brakes were improved with wider drums and linings and the suspension received a few tweaks to improve the ride.
In July 1960, General Motors Holden introduced a new Dulon acrylic lacquer paint finish called the Magic Mirror finish. Also introduced around this time was the left hand drive version so Holden could develop more export markets.
From January 1960 to May 1961 Holden sold 174,747 FB models.
In May 1961 the new EK model was introduced. The Holden EK was a facelift version of the previous Holden FB. The big news with the introduction of the EK Series was the new three speed Hydramatic Automatic gearbox. Although the automatic gearbox had been well proved in USA, it was a first for General Motors Holden. Another ‘modern’ improvement to the EK Series was electric windscreen wipers, replacing the older style vacuum units fitted up until now.
Visually, the Holden EK had side mouldings running straight along the side of the vehicle at waist level rather than the chrome and colour side flashes of the earlier FC and FB models, giving it a cleaner more modern look.
From May 1961 to July 1962, Holden sold 150,214 EK Series.
