I am restoring a New Zealand FB Special Sedan, I want to make it as original as possible.
I have been told that NZ assembled FB's had Vinyl in the front and carpet in the rear, can anyone tell me if this is correct?
Also if the car was marine blue and Grecian White what colour would the carpet be?
SunnyTim wrote:I'm really not sure - if you say it was Marine Blue they're Aussie colours not kiwi ones - is it definitely a NZ assembled car? In Australia they all had rubber mats front and rear. Not sure about NZ, but I can't see why they would have done it differently.
Be careful, as FJ Specials had a rubber mat in the front and westminster carpet in the rear - this may be where the theory came from?
Tim
Sorry Tim I missed this reply, thanks for your responce - I didn't realise there were Australian colours and New Zealand colours, is there a link anywhere that shows what were NZ only colours? Cheers Tracy
Hi Tracy,I have wrecked a few FB/EK 's over the years and some have had the rubber floormats in them, front and back, however these mats were quite rare to find in a car that was ready to be wrecked. As for the colours on NZ cars, they were painted in a paint type that was not the quality of the Aussie's "Magic Mirror acrylic laquer". ie the NZ paint jobs became thinner quicker and didnt have the gloss. Regards Daz.
EK DAZ wrote:Hi Tracy,I have wrecked a few FB/EK 's over the years and some have had the rubber floormats in them, front and back, however these mats were quite rare to find in a car that was ready to be wrecked. As for the colours on NZ cars, they were painted in a paint type that was not the quality of the Aussie's "Magic Mirror acrylic laquer". ie the NZ paint jobs became thinner quicker and didnt have the gloss. Regards Daz.
Sounds a bit weird - you would think they were painted before they left the factory - if they sent them over in bare metal on a ship its no wonder they are all rusted to death now
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Yeah,it does. I do have some original production line left overs in my shed including a Wagon station wagon roof which is bare metal, Various doors in either red or black primer.I do have a GMH NZ Brochure showing inside the factory, painting utes. The FC was the first model assembled in NZ,but were assembling Chevs,Vauxhalls, Bedfords,etc in the late ''30's.
Hi Kiwifb,
I am only very new to this forum, its my first post, and your subject is very old.
Any way I have purchased an FB special, believed to be original 33,000 mile car (have not done full diligence)(also have no reason to dispute) but I liked what I saw and bought the car.
My car has carpet in the rear, and rubber in the front.
When I was looking at the car I was thinking it was "odd" having the carpet in the rear, after reading your post it has go me thinking "maybe".
The cream carpet matches the cream color which is painted on the bottom of the front seat base. the rest of my car is blue on blue.
G'day Tim
Please find attached a photo of my car
The car in NZ built, Purchased new in 1960 from the Chevy dealership in Whangarei.
I have the original purchase receipt detailing the Gents trade-in, all service books, documents for the options installed and owners history.
Yes Houston Texas, I work over here on a rotation, living outside Hamilton
regards
Thomo
G'day Tim,
Thanks, I will ask the misses to go out to the shed and get a photo of the drivers door jam, I remember there is a sticker from the factory with the paint codes or numbers, this may be of assistance.
regards
Thomo.
Hi Tim, Looks like you were right regarding the Balm name been the paint brand.I had only seen yellow cars and wagons with this tag so presumed that Balm was the colour.
