Holden on to the past

Don't get me wrong, I love jumping behind the wheel of every car that comes through the office irrespective of its price, size or place in the perceived pecking order. But there are some that shine a little more brightly than others.

Now you might think I'm about to wax lyrical about the latest Lamborghini, or perhaps some exotic state-of-the-art supercar from some far-flung land. In fact, quite the opposite.

I'm about to share an experience I've always wanted to have. A drive of something old, low-tech, local and loved.

The first time I laid eyes on a 48-215 I would have been all of five or six years old, holding dad's hand as we looked around the local Holden showroom.

Tucked away in the back corner, neglected and unloved, a black 'FX' sat dated and depressed in a room full of glistening metal and plastic.

There was something about that sad little car. It was rusty, the paint job was terrible and the interior appeared worn and wrinkled. It begged for attention, but at the time was worth little more than the novelty of its history; a relic used to contrast the gleaming new models parked strategically against the glass of the showroom street-front, lit to show their angular, modern lines.

I knew then I wanted to drive that car, to sample an Australian automotive icon, to see what it was like for Aussies of the late 1940s to take to the road in a car all their own.

I wanted to feel the history of generations of motorists through that gigantic twin-spoke steering wheel. I wanted to shift gears via the column. I wanted to rely on my 'oneness' with the car to get me to my destination, and not a bunch of computers tucked somewhere beneath the dash.

Over the years I came pretty close. First with my family's HJ Kingswood, then my own HJ Monaro, a HT I owned briefly and finally an FB that I test-drove but never bought. I'd been passenger in a modified FC a number of times, too (and boy, is that a story for another day!), but somehow the 'original' Holden had always escaped me.

Then, this month, the road test team decided it was time we took another look back at the genus of a motoring icon. We'd done it previously with the E-Type and F-TYPE Jaguars, and of course the seminal XR Falcon GT and its modern-day namesake. Now it was The General's turn – a look back at where it all began, for a story we'll feature in more detail soon.

But from my viewpoint, my brief stint at the wheel of the 1952 'Seacombe Green' 48-215 was something of a defining moment — and not just because someone who has loved the car like a child actually trusts you with the keys.

It's the nostalgia of being at the wheel of such a pivotal vehicle (and I use the word 'vehicle' with both of its meanings) in Australia's march toward a nation capable of going it alone.

Smelling the vinyl and leather, sitting high at the controls, as if proudly surveying the road ahead from the helm of some mighty ship... It's a feeling only real car nuts will understand, and one those who don't will probably suggest I need to be committed for.

The 'Humpy' talks through its controls. You can actually feel the front wheels running with the camber of the road, responding gently to the directions of that big pearly wheel.

The engine speaks gently as it builds pace without any cares for hurry, and the transmission tells you precisely when to shift up or down with a subtle vibration that says 'it's time'.

There are no shift lights, no tacho, no 'serving suggestion' arrows to save fuel and no bloody buzzers. It's simple, a car that's as delicate as it is robust. An absolute sweetheart.

I can see why Australians of the day paid almost two years' wages to own one of these beauties, and why they were prepared to wait 18 months for the privilege.

I can also see why the 'FX' has etched such an indelible mark in the psyche of Australian motoring.

It's because driving it is so natural, so carefree and so fundamentally engaging.

Sure it's not going to thrill you with a push in the back from the lights, and without seat belts or the slightest hint of form to the seats it will do little to foster assertive cornering.

But this old girl isn't about that. It's about enjoying the journey, enjoying the moment and the act of driving and reminiscing about a time when owning and taking pride in a vehicle really meant something.

I'm sure there are cars that will evoke a similar feeling for many of you. But for Australian car fans there probably aren't many others besides the 48-215 or maybe the 1960 Ford XK Falcon that carry quite the same level of nostalgia.

They were cars that spawned decades of camaraderie and rivalry in equal measure, that to many were more than just a means of getting from A to B. They're also cars that suddenly seem so much more important now that their offspring are about to become orphans.

Stay tuned for our feature on the Holden 48-215 and Commodore SS V-Series Redline soon.