Holden EJ (1962-1963)
The Holden EJ is an Australian-manufactured automobile that was produced by General Motors-Holden. It was initially launched in 1962 and was produced in Australia until 1963. This midsize car had a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and was built in sedan, station wagon, coupe utility, and panel van body styles.
The EJ earned other names, too, thanks to its various body makes and trim levels. In its brief stay in the country, it had been called the Holden Standard, Holden Special, Holden Premier, Holden Utility, and Holden Panel Van.
The Holden EJ featured a new exterior, veering away from the styling of its predecessor the EK, and now donned a lower roofline and flatter hatch. It had also done without the fins, which was a signature feature on the rear of the EK. The EJ featured upgrades, such as an improved braking system, front suspension, and a 3-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. A 2,262-cc inline six-cylinder engine referred to as Holden’s ‘Grey’ engine (56 kW, 162 Nm) provided its power. The EJ was the last Holden model to use a grey engine.
The Holden EJ range included the luxury-spec Holden Premier, which featured leather interior trims, metallic paint, bucket seats, centre console incorporated with a demister, and armrests on all four doors. Unlike the standard EJ series models, the Holden Premier model came with a Hydra-Matic 3-speed transmission as standard equipment and not optional like in other trim levels.
The Premier was only available for the sedan automatic transmission variant. The Standard and Special sedans, meanwhile, were only sold with 3-speed manual gearboxes. The utility coupe was only released in a base trim level but available in both manual and automatic. The wagon was offered in both Standard and Special trims but came with a manual gearbox only.
The EJ was withdrawn from the market in 1963 and succeeded by the Holden EH.
Holden EH (1963-1965)
The Holden EH, also a midsize car, replaced the EJ and became the first Holden vehicle to use a ‘Red’ engine with a seven-bearing crankshaft. It meant a larger-capacity engine. Two powertrains served the EH during its three-year stint in the country.
- The first one was a 2400-cc 6-cylinder engine (75 kW, 196 Nm) mated to either a three-speed manual gearbox or a 3- or 4-speed Hydra-Matic transmission with a column shift option. The Hydra-Matic worked as a three-speed automatic transmission and only reached four-speed when at full throttle. This engine provided power for the Standard sedan, base ute, and Standard wagon trim levels.
- The second powertrain had a 2900-cc 6-cylinder engine (86 kW, 236 Nm) which came with either a three-speed manual gearbox or a three-speed automatic transmission. It powered the Premier and Special sedans, base ute, and Premier and Special wagons. The first EH sporting this engine option was referred to as the EH-S4. It came with an upgraded manual gearbox with heavy-duty gears and advanced clutch.
The Standard sedans and wagons were equipped with rubber floor mats and had an acrylic paint finish. The Special sedans and wagons sported all-around stainless moulding strips, special badges, and a selection of two-tone acrylic paint jobs for their exterior body. The Premier model was fitted with a 2900-cc engine coupled to a Hydra-Matic transmission. It featured leather interiors with bucket seats, a handbrake warning light, a fold-down centre armrest at the back seats, chrome-plated wheel trims, carpets, metallic paint, diamond dot radio, and a centre console.
The S4 Special sedan model was built for homologation racing reasons. It was launched in 1963, powered by a 2900-cc engine paired to a manual transmission with hardened gears, a 12-gallon fuel tank (more than the standard 9-gallon tank at the time), metal-lined brake shoes and a significantly bigger tail shaft.
The Holden HD succeeded the EH in 1965.
Holden and Australia
Holden and Australia are inseparable. Ask people about what their first cars were, and you’d probably get one answer – a Holden. The more Holdens there are out there, the more parts will be needed to keep them running.
Also, old and retired cars take up space in your garages and languish in your yards when they should be playing more useful roles in the industry. They can be restored to running condition, refurbished as collectors' items, and mined for parts and metal sheets.
For that reason, we have set up Carpart.com.au – to have a place where people can buy and sell cars and car parts, including the old models and classics. We invite you to visit us now or bookmark our site!