fbekholden.com

No sure how many people saw this in a recent car mag. the answer given, I thought didn't sound correct???. does any one else think this answer is wrong? if so, whats the right answer??

thanks
Sam

Sam, i'd say the answer given in the article is probably correct. Sounds like it was a special code given to army ordered vehicles.

hey Peter.
thanks mate, yer I thought the S4 bit was like he said used on the EH, but there might be an explanation why it was use on the FB????

OHH NO another prototype this time it's an S4
and i hope the pic is not of his car cause that's an FX or FJ

I guess what Im asking is??? does anyone know of S4 used on FBs??? if so whats it actually mean????

I know on EH's it means it was fitted with difference motor speed gear yer????

On the EH's it was the "sporty" model. I think all it got was better brake pads the 179 engine and a stronger 3 speed manual. I dont know if anything appeared on the ID plate on the S4's though, as it was an option, not exactly a different model.

Maybe the guru's can shed more light on this one

I pinched this off the net somewhere.

THE S4
The EH 225 179M-S4, to give it its official title, was Holden's first 'toe in the water' exercise into production racing. Many myths exist about Holden's first 'Sports car'.

There were no disc brakes, wide wheels, suspension mods, multiple carburettors or floor shifts. When the EH series was first released, the previous US 'Grey Motor' (or `Sideplater') was replaced by the new 149ci and 179ci 'Red Motors'. The larger 179 was available only with GM's Hydra-Matic automatic. Holden's 3-speed manual box, basically unchanged from the EJ, wasn't up to the task. There was, however an upgraded gearbox in the planning stages and the S4 was used to trial the new stronger gearbox. It was still very similar to the old box, having the same ratios and synchromesh only on second and third gears. The clutch was increased in diameter, as was the tail-shaft.

Aside from slight carburettor alterations (to suit the manual drive-train) and the removal of the transmission cooler from the radiator the S4's engine was standard issue 179. The only other modifications to the cars worthy of note were the upgrading of the brake shoe retaining springs, the enlarging of the fuel tank from 9 to 12 gallons and the addition of a PBR VH24 vacuum booster to the brakes. This would make the EH S4 officially the first Holden with power brakes as standard equipment. A manual version of the 179 was made available across the entire EH range in early 1964 utilising the new `box, clutch and tail-shaft, but without the brake mods and the bigger tank.

One interesting S4 item was the more comprehensive tool kit. This was brought about by one of the Armstrong race rules, which stipulated that all work on the car, for the first half of the race was to be carried out only by the driver and using only the tools provided in the car's tool kit. This applied whether the car broke down around the track or actually in the pits.

Research into some of these cars has shown that a certain amount of factory 'blueprinting' was carried out. Greater than usual care was taken with sizing and assembly of many components. Cylinder heads were chosen for their more even casting in the port and combustion chamber area, so as to have the same size for each cylinder and to be closest to the maximum available compression ratio. Blocks, pistons, conrods and crankshafts were also picked for matching machining, weights and sizes. Suspension components came in for similar treatment, all springs, coils and leaves were chosen at the maximum end of factory tolerance, and front control arms and uprights were precisely measured to attain the desired alignment specs, once again at the required end of the factory tolerance.

GMH only built around 120 S4s, to cover the racing requirement for proof of a minimum of 100 identical vehicles sold and registered to the public, making them reasonably scarce these days. Apart from the six units made in Melbourne, there were exactly 120 S4s manufactured at GMH's Pagewood plant in Sydney, with sequential engine numbers starting at M14000. The only other identifying numbering is 'S4' stamped on the firewall body plate. This stamping alone however does not make an S4. I have found other EHs with S4, S9, and S12 etc stamped on the body plate referring to various option packs suited for taxis, police cars, fleet vehicles, etc. If you are trying to verify the authenticity of an S4 check for all the equipment and all the numbers or better still join an EH car club. Some EH clubs have members with a wealth of knowledge on these cars.

Reprinted from Australian Classic Car Magazine December 2003. Article written by Terry Bebbington

I have found other EHs with S4, S9, and S12 etc stamped on the body plate referring to various option packs suited for taxis, police cars, fleet vehicles, etc.


That may explain the S4 on the FB army ute

Ok, thanks guys.

But just to be clear. the S4 with reference to the FB ute, meant it was an Army vehicle ????? thats how they taged the army cars?????

hey wot179,
can I steal this & put it onto the EJ-EH site? Im on that site too.

Why not.I nicked it,you can too.
You should probably ask Dr Terry,Its his article,I think he is a member here,he is a member on just about every Holden forum on the net from what I have seen.
A human encyclopedia on Holdens is The Doctor.

great.. thanks!!!! will do