Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – One of the US car industry’s biggest ever mistakes happened in 1962 when Chrysler shrank its large Plymouth and Dodge ranges based on the snippet of an overheard conversation. It is automotive folklore that sometime in late 1959 William Newberg, Chrysler’s newly appointed boss, supposedly overheard Chevrolet’s […]
Retro Stories: David Burrell
GMH’s first sports sedan: 1962 Vauxhall Victor VX 4/90
Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – Many assume that the 1963 S4 EH Holden was the first “sporty” performance sedan offered by GMH. Not so. It was the 1962 Vauxhall Victor VX 4/90. Built from CKD (completely knocked down) packs by GMH, the VX 4/90 was the sports sedan version of the new […]
The 1950 Henry J’s Australian connection
Retro Stories by David Burrell Henry J. Kaiser was a self-made steel, aluminium, ship building, health care and construction magnate. And, he wanted to design and build a car for post war Americans. Joseph Frazer was an automotive executive, having held senior roles at GM and Chrysler while still in his twenties and thirties. At […]
The inspiration for Pontiac’s iconic stacked headlights
Retro Stories by David Burrell The 1963 full-sized Pontiacs are hailed as the cars which first defined Pontiac’s youthful and exuberant image in the 1960s. Long and low, they combined a deeply sculptured split grille, stacked headlights and subtle “coke bottle” hips which proved irresistible to buyers. Work on the 1963s started in late 1960. […]
1946 Cadillac CO/Interceptor secret concept car
Retro Stories by David Burrell The 1946 Cadillac C.O., aka the Interceptor, was one of General Motors’ (GM) most intriguing post-World War II concept cars. It was a secret which few people ever saw. The CO/Interceptor was styled at the end of WWII by Frank Hershey. Its shape was based on airplane design motifs. According […]
1961 EK Holden: Never meant to be
Retro Stories by David Burrell Released on 2nd May, 1961, the EK Holden was never planned by GMH. Previously secret GMH documents reveal that it was originally intended for the 1960 FB to run with no styling changes until it was superseded by the 1962 EJ in mid-’62. To keep potential buyers interested, a mid-series […]
1959 “Tank” Fairlane
Retro Stories by David Burrell I’m an American car fan and the Australia built 1959-62 Fairlane has always been a favourite. I like its shape and lines, so much so that in January 1973 I almost bought one—a Custom 300—as my first car. In those days I was a cash poor first year university student […]
1974 Pontiac GTO: Last of the Breed
Retro Stories by David Burrell The Pontiac GTO is a revered automotive icon. And yet, only a decade after its release it was on life support. Indeed, the ‘74 GTO was the last US-built Pontiac to carry the storied name and the first and only hatchback. When the GTO stormed onto the US market in […]
Valiant Town and Country: Right idea. Wrong name
Retro Stories by David Burrell The passenger car-based ute was invented in Australia. First shaped by Ford designer, the late Lew Bandt, and released in July 1934, it has been one of the most potent symbols of our car industry’s can-do inventiveness, and has been copied worldwide. Although Ford created the ute, it was Holden’s […]
