Released in January 1960, just two weeks before the
arrival of Ford's XK Falcon, the FB Holden directly reflected
the changing taste and style of the 60's.
Immediately evident was the incorporation of real "fins"
to the design rather than simple chrome additions to
the rear guards as seen on the FJ and FC.
The design
was 140mm longer than the previous model, and suffered
a resultant power to weight ratio disadvantage with
the outgoing FC.
To cope with the extra weight, Holden used heavier rated
coils in the front suspension, widened the rear leaf springs
and upgraded the brakes.
The ever reliable 'grey' engine
was bored out by 1/16th of an inch to take the capacity
to 136cu in.
Despite these changes to the engine capacity (increased
from the original 132ci to 138ci), the resultant extra
3kw of power was not enough to compensate for the extra
weight of the larger car and the FC remained the faster
of the two.
The 'Americana' style dashboard was far more elegant,
the centrepiece being the speedo which featured an orange-coloured
curved indicator band instead of traditional needle pointer.
The windscreen was now a "wrap-around" design,
and the overall glass area was increased by almost
30%, with the resultant better visibility for the driver. The bonnet was longer, lower and flatter and the interior
was better designed to increase the feeling of spaciousness.
Ventillation was further improved over the old model by
the introduction of a full-width intake vent situated
between the front windscreen and rear edge of the bonnet.
The options list included such additions as the 'Warmaride'
heater/demister, and now a wireless (radio) could be added
should you wish to listen to music while you drove.
The upmarket "Special" was adorned with more
chrome and stainless, particularly on the side panels
and C-pillars. The electrical system was upgraded,
and featured a new larger capacity battery and four-brush
starter motor.
Improvements in paint technology saw the introduction
of a new "Dulon" acrylic lacquer paint, dubbed
the "Magic Mirror Finish", further enhancing
the prestige of the vehicle.
There were 6 FB models from which to choose, although
the "Business Sedan" was deleted from the
model lineup. The FB was also significant in that it
was the first model for which left-hand drive export
versions were produced. Holden was still holding its 50% share of the domestic
market - much to the displeasure of its rivals, particularly
Ford, who were about to launch their attack on the Holden
domination.
