55 FE

[robbzfc58]

caption says "a grill we didnt get..this shot was from 1955 and it is possible that the different front end treatment was merely to disguise the car during test. Note the lack of badges  "

[Digger]

No number plate suround either, but if you look closely you can see the bolt holes.

Looks very boring !!!!!!!

Steve.

[Shayne]

I think i've seen pics of this car in books with 'Opel' badges fitted for road testing so people didn't realise it was the new model holden.  Glad they ditched that grille.  

[RET]

Great pic.

This grille was indeed part of the camouflage applied to the FE when performing road testing.  It was never intended as a production item.  I haven't seen this front on shot before, but there are a couple of photos of this car (or one like it) from a front 3/4 view that show an Opel badge on the bonnet and "Kapitan" badges (in script very like the eventual standard sedan/ute/van badge) on the guards.

From memory there's one of these photos in "Australia's Own".

This sort of camouflaging wasn't as necessary once Lang Lang was available, as all manner of road-testing could be done in relative secrecy.  But in 1955 the vehicle testing was done on public roads in out-of-the-way places.  To avoid too many people seeing the car and realising what it was, it was common to put 'wacky import' badging on it.

The fact that the proving ground was not available to test the FE properly before release is probably the major reason that so much rework went into the body as problems with it manifested themselves 'in the field'.

cheers
RET

[HAD 708]

The Opel Kapitan badging issue comes up quite often and is quite interesting as the FE did note look like any comparable Opel at the time. The comparable model to the FE in size etc was the Reckord model and that looked a lot more european. I suppose that GMH just used the Kapitan badge as a total decoy as RET mentioned. The majority of on road testing was done up in our neck of the woods in the Dandenongs and ran form the FX through to the FE and ceased totally after Lang Lang. The original SCOOP photos as released in the Modern Motor of the FE were over 12 months before the FE release and hastened the GMH move to the proving ground.

[RET]

Just an addendum to a previous comment: FE standard and business sedans  (and indeed utes and vans and wagons eventually) shared the same front bumper centre bar as the Special Sedan, so all FEs had the holes for the number plate over-rider, even though only the Special Sedan and Special Station Sedan actually had it fitted.

I guess it must have not been considered cost effective to have two versions, until the FC was released that had no front number plate over-rider on any bodystyle.

cheers
RET