Holden - how long before the end?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tombie

And I agree...

I also accept that it’s all a WANT, a desire, something deep down that hits some base emotion.. something “Caveman”[emoji41]

Nobody *needs* a 435kw shopping trolley.
The simple (and HSV knew it) “I just want one” drive is what has kept passenger V8s from dying out..

Same applies in Motorcycle circles... small engines do amazing things, mid size engines do everything needed to get somebody into trouble, big cube engines hit some sort of emotive feeling.

It’s why even though the Euro/Jap Cruisers are more refined, more powerful and arguably more reliable there is a huge following that love that “Potato, Potato, Potato” sound of the offset V-Twin HD.

Again, nothing wrong with it - but it should be acknowledged [emoji48]

---

All good.
Tell me about your HDT VK Director,....I owned one (about 30 yrs ago!),..Tuxedo black, HDT ïmproved output engine, (169 cam, headwork, in addition to normal HDT engine), HDT T5 g.b, 3.36 diff, Brown leather scheel interior, sunroof, Brock Stereo, BBS wheels (only HDT fitted with them from new!), lovely car, should never have sold it,..was a magazine car,...articles in Commodore Crazy etc, reg no "HDT CD"!..those were the days,...regular car shows etc,...used to "smoke 'ém up" leaving the venue at the end of the day,..can't do that now,....I think they call it "not having proper control of your car,".....IMHO getting it sideways was part of the fun?
Pickles.

I had a VH SLE that I worked over. The 6 in that was hand built with loving care and all the good gear and was fully balanced down to the harmonic balancer itself... left 5.0 stockers and VL 3.0 turbos behind everywhere. Having said that I never had it against Blue Meanies. Great vehicles. Cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ozscott

I had a VH SLE that I worked over. The 6 in that was hand built with loving care and all the good gear and was fully balanced down to the harmonic balancer itself... left 5.0 stockers and VL 3.0 turbos behind everywhere. Having said that I never had it against Blue Meanies. Great vehicles. Cheers

---

"Blue Meanie",..had one of those, also a VL Group A P.P., and what I consider to be the best of the Group As, a VN Group A.
However, these days, a good original VH SLE is probably rarer than any of ém!
Pickles.

In the building I park in for work there is a fully original mint VL Batmobile. Man that was a big boot spoiler.... Cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ozscott

In the building I park in for work there is a fully original mint VL Batmobile. Man that was a big boot spoiler.... Cheers

---

Ah, a plastic pig, complete with fax machine?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

It did.

---

No. It was only available to law enforcement, not the general public.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homestar

Toyota was viable until Holden and Ford shut up shop - the only reason Toyota closed was because the component manufacturers couldn’t stay competitive with only one player and it’s too expensive to bring stuff in from OS to support the factory. Toyota had a large export market and would have continued on had it not been for the other 2.

---

Not to mention Justice Mordecai Bromberg and the unions?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by johntins

No. It was only available to law enforcement, not the general public.

---

In the US, but not in Europe - they just didn't sell very well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Ah, a plastic pig, complete with fax machine?

---

Lol!
No, it wasn't the "Plastic Pig" that came with the fax machine, it was the lesser known, and actually the first vehicle produced by HSV, which was the SV88, which also, in original condition, a rare car these days!
Pickles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pickles2

All good, I stick with what I said, and that is, that is that Detroit always had a say, but for the last 10 years or so after Peter left, they basically set the direction.
HOWEVER, I was NOT "in the frying pan" so to speak, I was close, but maybe, I was "on the stove" relative to where you were, so if you think you know what, in your mind, REALLY went on, then I know I, & possibly other contributors to this thread, would love to be enlightened. So please, if you disagree, I'd love to know your version.
Pickles.

---

Detroit definitely had a say me thinks... They had their own visions for the future of GM and where Holden sits with respect to their vision and keeping in mind the Holden brand in Australia.

But also keeping in mind it's all about $$$. So yes obviously labour rates is also huge factor with the cost of assembling cars in Oz versus the cheaper parts of the world.

And of course there are also the government handouts, capital investment in new machinery and tools for new parts as well as the costs to maintain current machinery. The government at the time announced they would not continue with the handouts.

It all went downhill from there as everyone knows. It was a matter of who blinked first. And one would think Town Hall was just waiting for the handouts announcements before also announcing that because there would be no local support they would shut shop in Oz.