256,959 cars in eighteen months — the fastest-selling Australian car of its day, and the one that introduced the red motor.
The EH looked like a tidied-up EJ and drove like something else entirely, because underneath was Holden’s new “red” six: oversquare, seven main bearings, hydraulic lifters, in 149 and 179 cubic-inch form. The numbers tell the story — a grey-motor EJ manual tested at 82mph and 18.0 seconds to 60, an EH 179 manual at 103mph and 10.7. Buyers noticed: 256,959 EHs left the factories between August 1963 and February 1965 against the EJ’s 154,811, making it the fastest-selling Australian car of its time. Holdens of this generation were assembled in New Zealand from Australian CKD packs at GM New Zealand’s Petone plant — and Petone cars were trimmed with carpet where Australian cars made do with vinyl flooring.
For parts, the dividing lines are clear. The EH is a reskin of the EJ, so doors and floorpan largely carry over while the roof, rear quarters, boot, bonnet, front guards, grille and tail-lights are EH-specific. The grey and red motors share no major components, so “EJ-EH” on a listing is a body reference, not an engine one. Every EH ran drums front and rear, single-circuit and unassisted — no EH had disc brakes; discs arrived with the HD from June 1965. Transmission is a three-speed column-shift manual with synchro on second and top, or the optional Hydra-Matic. There was no factory four-speed, no floor shift and no Powerglide. The exception to all of it is the S4, a September 1963 homologation batch of about 126 cars for the Armstrong 500 at Bathurst, with a stronger driveline, metallic linings and a vacuum booster — the first Holden with power brakes.
Holden EH — specification & changes within the model
- Built
- August 1963 – February 1965, 256,959 cars. Replaced the EJ (1962–63, 154,811 built); replaced by the HD in February 1965. S4 Special built September 1963 only, about 126 cars.
- Engines
- New “red” inline six, OHV, cast iron, seven main bearings, hydraulic lifters, single downdraught carburettor. 149ci / 2,447cc: 95bhp @ 4400 low compression, 100bhp @ 4400 high compression. 179ci / about 2,934cc: 115bhp @ 4000, 175lb ft @ 1600 — standard on Premier, optional elsewhere, and fitted to the S4.
- Not the grey motor
- The EJ’s 138ci grey six shares no major components with the EH’s red six. An “EJ-EH” part number refers to the body, not the engine.
- Brakes
- 229mm (9in) drums front and rear, single circuit, unassisted. No EH had discs — front discs arrived on the HD from 1 June 1965. The S4 alone got a PBR vacuum booster and sintered metallic linings.
- Transmission
- Three-speed manual, column shift, synchromesh on second and top only. Optional Hydra-Matic automatic with column selector. No factory four-speed, no floor shift, no Powerglide. Rear axle 3.36:1 manual, 3.55:1 automatic, commercials and S4.
- Suspension & wheels
- Independent front with coils and unequal-length control arms; live rear axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs. 105.0in wheelbase. Five-stud 13in wheels on 4.5in rims, 6.40-13 cross-ply standard.
- Electrics
- 12 volt, DC generator.
- Models
- Standard (EH-215), Special (EH-225), Premier (EH-235), plus the S4 Special. The EH introduced the Premier station wagon and offered factory Saginaw power steering.
- Bodies
- Four-door sedan · five-door station wagon (Holden called it the Station Sedan) · coupé utility · panel van. S4 was sedan only.
