Holden 48-215 + FJ - Reader Rides

By: Guy Allen, Photography by: Guy Allen

Date: 01.10.2019

Despite being over 60 years old, these Humpy Holdens are still providing their owners with a lot of joy

David Stephens (1953 48-215): My father always had a Holden, or British product. He was British and switched from Vauxhall to Holden in 1956, which is why I did. He went on to have an EK and an HD.

This was bought in 2000 as a body shell, because a chap started to restore it but was going through a divorce. I bought it with all the bits as a retirement project. My son wanted to get married and have it at his wedding, so that hurried it up a bit. It did break down on the day of the wedding, but that’s another story!

| 2019 Market Review: Holden 48-215, FJ - EK

Because it’s an October 1953 model, it has FJ suspension – something that happened as it was very late in the model run. There were a few other FJ pieces on it, probably because the factory had run out of FX parts.

Peter Hesse (1955 FJ): There’s a little rivalry between the FX and FJ owners. Older people drive the FXs while us younger people in the club like the more modern and stylish FJ!

My FJ is basically all original – it still runs six volt electrics. It was traded in back in the old days on an HQ and sat in the dealer showroom for years. It’s just been refurbished and has I believe an original 65,000 miles on it.

My father had utes and vans and sedans, so it’s all a throwback. We used to go out in his van on his rounds, and we always seemed to come home really tired. Mum thought it was a great car – now I suspect the muffler and floor didn’t seal all that well!

(Ed’s note: we met David and Peter at The Dish in Parkes, for the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. Both are members of the 48 & FJ Holden Club of NSW.)

Valuation: Think $30,000-plus for a good example.

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