“ARGUABLY THE EH'S STYLING HAS DATED BETTER THAN FARINA'S FIAT, PEUGEOT AND BMC EFFORTS"

Premier successor, Holden looked far more to the US than to Europe. Three-speed gearboxes, bench seats and drum brakes prevailed. But when Opel’s chief engineer, Charles (‘Chuck’) Chapman was appointed managing director of GM-H, the perspective shifted. First came Radial Tuned Suspension. Then the Commodore.

During the 1948-78 era, the EH was one of the high points. It retained the simplicity and ruggedness of earlier models but added impressive new engines with forged steel crankshafts and high compression. Arguably, the EH’s hard-edged yet elegant styling from the Bill Mitchell era has dated better than Farina’s efforts for Fiat, Peugeot and BMC. And the interior ambience of a Premier rivalled a Chevrolet Impala’s.

From the first model, strong lowdown torque had always been a Holden trait. This meant that the utility and panel van variants served tradesmen well, while the sedan or station sedan was better able to tow a caravan than most European cars. Whatever they could do, the EH could do that much better, while using negligibly more fuel.

When Australian-made cars grow rare and we look back nostalgically, histor y will be reduced to bulletpoints. The EH will be among them.

ABOVE Joining the three-litre club was a game-changer for Holden in the performance stakes .FAR RIGHT Norm Beechey's potent S4 EH, PK 751, took over track duties from his trusty black 'Humpy', PK 752.