CUSTOM FE-HR HOLDENS

RESEARCH for our recent deep dive into custom FX-FJ Holden history uncovered a number of very cool later-model custom Holdens built in the 1960s and 70s.

- SIMON MAJOR

Although not as dominant as their venerable humpy brethren, the decade long FE-HR model run still provided perfect fodder for budding hot-car builders also looking to personalise their rides. Here are a few that caught our attention, and we’ll round out our Snap Shots custom series next issue with a look at some iconic non-Holden builds.

1: THIS FE sedan built by David Chapman was an innovative and unusual custom Holden of the late 1960s. The Melburnian busied himself by sourcing an HD ute shell and a written-off HR wagon – both near-new cars at that stage – and grafting the ute’s outer rear quarters and the wagon’s rear pan to his FE. David then switched the body to two-door configuration, raising the lower edges of the remaining doors six inches in the process, while the nose treatment was achieved using two shortened HD bumper bars, one reversed and mounted on top of the other before being moulded with the body. A fibreglass bonnet bridged the new void, and a full grille was made to suit. The HR wagon donated its dash and many interior parts, while the 186 engine was fitted along with the early adoption of an HR front end and diff conversion. Paint was a rare Holden hue, Hannans Gold, which was set off nicely by Herbert mag wheels. When its show duties eventually wrapped up, David needed a work vehicle, so he took the bold step of stripping his coupe and applying its mods to a panel van. In the process, he changed the colour to orange and adding flared guards to cover a fat set of Dragways. The van came up for sale recently, and is now in the hands of custom fan Brett Birch, who is leaving it visually as-is and just tidying it up mechanically.