Australian Car Spotters Guide - 1964

In late 1962 Chrysler Australia began an expansion programme aiming to increase production to 50,000 units per year by 1967. It was in 1963, with the introduction of the AP5, that Chrysler Australia began manufacturing Valiant’s rather than just assembling them (the "AP" referring to Australian Production). Entirely new sheet-metal with new body panels were stamped at the new South Australian Tonsley Park facility. Surprisingly the AP5 only shared 6 common body panels with its US cousin, the left hand drive cowls being initially imported from the US with wipers sweeping to the left.

Around 1,500 modifications were made with the launch of the XM. More chrome was added, heavier front end suspension and a new Super Pursuit engine (6 cyl., 200 cubic inch) was added. Most importantly for Australian buyers, the Falcon XM was promoted as a stronger more rugged iteration. The Falcon's suspension, always a weak point on the earlier models, now carried stronger ball joints and bigger axle shafts, and even tougher engine mounts were fitted.

A far more substantial facelift of the EJ than those that had been attempted before, the "EH" featured a far more commanding look with a revised roofline and clever styling which, to most eyes, improved its looks from every angle. And the improvements were not limited to the exterior of the car. The biggest news with the new model was in the introduction of the new "Red" motor that used an oversquare design with a seven bearing crankshaft. These were the first Holden motors to use hydraulic valve lifters, and they featured the use of an external oil pump and oil filter that made servicing a dream. So popular was the "Red" motor that it remained in service until 1985, during which time it had been continually improved and was now a 3.3 litre with fuel injection, 12 port head and counterbalanced crank.

EH Nasco Accessories brochure

The Zeta was far from attractive, and the fibreglass shell prohibited the use of a tailgate despite the car looking very much as though it in fact had one! The familiar Villiers 324cc twin powered the front wheels. The advertising campaign ensured Harold Lightburn's message was conveyed, when the Zeta was marketed as "Australia's own second car". The Zeta was to employ a lightweight, simple and cost effective design - something so simple that a whitegoods manufacturer operating out of Camden Park in suburban Adelaide would be able to manufacture.

Despite failing to capture the imagination of the Australian public with the Zeta Station Sedan, Harold Lightburn pushed ahead with plans to release the Zeta sports car. It was back in 1959 that Lightburn had obtained the rights to the Frisky Sprint- a low, sleek 'Michelotti' designed sports car similar to the Goggomobil Dart. The Frisky Sprint's designer, Gordon Bedson, was persuaded to leave Frisky and join Lightburn with a brief to develop the Zeta Sports. He bought with him the prototype Frisky Sprint as well as a supply of fifty motors by Fichtel & Sachs, the 493cc engine from the legendary FMR "Tiger".

The Frisky Sprint did have doors- shallow bottom-hinged ones, but they were deleted in the interests of strength. The windshield was changed, the tail restyled, and the final drive altered. The car failed to meet New South Wales lighting regulations, so some were fitted with additional free-standing headlamps on the hood. It seems most Zeta Sports were built in 1961, but the car was not introduced until the summer of 1964 for some reason. While Lightburn had a network of Alfa Romeo dealerships at the ready, they were under whelmed by orders, and only some 28 were sold.