HOLDEN FJ 1953-1956 Photos, engines & full specs

Five years after the introduction of the 48-215 model, the Australian arm of General Motors introduced an upgraded version, the FJ.

Unlike its predecessor, which featured a numbering name system, the revised version was granted with something that looked like a name. At least, it had letters on it. Other than that, it was not a new car, and by today's standards, it was more of a facelift for the 48-215 model, or the FX as it was known. Holden's 25.000's car was a bi-color FJ, and the carmaker made a big fuss around it. The Australians were proud to have their own brand on the streets. In fact, they were that proud that by 1953 one third of the new cars sold in Down Under had a Holden badge on them.

The exterior looked very similar to its predecessor. The FJ featured the same style with a split-windshield and a chromed grille at the front. Unlike its predecessor, the FJ was available in three trim levels, named (taxi-spec) Business, Standard, and Special.

Inside, the FJ base version brought contrasting colors for the door trims. On the full-options version, the Special, Holden installed door armrests and passenger hold straps. The latter was needed, especially when traveling outside cities, on unpaved roads.

The carmaker kept the same inline-six, 2.2-liter gasoline engine paired to a three-speed manual gearbox under the hood. The FJ also deserves another credit for starting the custom-built aftermarket arena. Private garages installed dual-Stromberg carburetors on it, lowered the suspension, and made the car look mean. Unlike the 48-215 model, the FJ was fitted with telescopic dampers for the rear axle.