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Lightburn Industries

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Founded by Harold Lightburn in the Adelaide suburb of Camden Park as a white-goods manufacturer, the company would for a brief time in the mid 1960’s turn its hand to the manufacture of lightweight fiberglass bodied cars. Initially launched in 1963, the Zeta was manufactured in three body styles, the 2 door sedan, 2 door roadster and utility – each clearly targeting the “cheap and cheerful” market segment. On paper at least, the Zeta put forward a compelling argument to augment the Aussie family with a second car, the £595 asking price amazingly low.

But the execution was poor, build quality and insipid engines combining to wipe the smile off any new owners face in seconds, rather than minutes. And with the release of vastly better vehicles such as the BMC Mini, few were tempted to give the little Zeta a try. The Sydney City Council did purchase a handful of the utility body styled Zeta’s to supplement it’s Hyde Park fleet, but these rarely ventured onto the bitumen. In the end, only 400 would be sold, production ending in 1965 and the last vehicles being sold in 1966.

Lightburn Zeta  

Lightburn Zeta

1963 - 1966
During the 1980's you could be forgiven for thinking many car manufacturers were turning their products into mere appliances - but if you were to wind the clock back even further (to the 1960's), you would find the Lightburn whitegoods manufacturer turning the appliance into a car! More >>
Lightburn Zeta Sports

Lightburn Zeta Sports

1964 - 1964
Despite failing to capture the imagination of the Australian public with the Zeta Station Sedan, Harold Lightburn pushed ahead with plans to release the Zeta sports car. More >>
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