Holden VB Commodore

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Holden VB Commodore
Manufacturer	Holden
Parent company	General Motors
Production	October 26, 1978–March 1980
Predecessor	Holden HZ Kingswood
Successor	Holden VC Commodore
Class	Mid-size
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Platform	GM V platform
Engine(s)	I6 2.85 L 64 kW (86 hp) Red 3.3 L 66 kW (89 hp) Red V8 4.2 L 87 kW (117 hp) Red 4.2 L 96 kW (129 hp) Red (dual exhaust) 5.0 L 114 kW (153 hp) Red
Transmission(s)	4-speed manual 3-speed automatic Tri-Matic Turbo-Hydramatic 350 (5.0 L V8 only) Turbo-Hydramatic 400 (5.0 L V8 only)
Wheelbase	2,668 mm (105.0 in)
Length	4,705 mm (185.2 in) –4,729 mm (186.2 in)
Width	1,722 mm (67.8 in)
Height	1,371 mm (54.0 in)
Fuel capacity	63 L (17 US gal/14 imp gal)

The Holden VB Commodore is a car that was produced by the Australian subsidiary of General Motors, Holden. The car was officially launched on October 26, 1978 with show rooms receiving the first examples on 13 November 1978. The station wagon body style was released on July 24, 1979, hitting show rooms on August 6, 1979. Production of the VB only lasted seventeen months, the shortest reign of any Commodore. The VB Commodore was effectively the successor of the Holden HZ Kingswood, although the bulk of the HZ series continued to be produced until the introduction of the facelifted Holden VC Commodore on 30th March 1980.

95,906 units of the VB Commodore were manufactured during the car's lifespan, and during 1979 the VB became Australia's number one selling car. Also in 1979, the VB won the first of Holden Commodore's five Wheels magazine Car of the Year awards, with the car being praised in the media for its value for money and engineering sophistication.

The VB Commodore was loosely based on the 1977 Opel Rekord E bodyshell but with the front grafted on from the Opel Senator to accommodate the larger Holden six-cylinder and V8 engines. Overall, the body was strengthened substantially to withstand the harsh conditions of the Australian outback. Total cost of development is reported to be over AU$110 million.^[1]

The Commodore represented a major shift in thinking for Holden since it was significantly smaller than the previous full-size family car, the Holden Kingswood, but visually similar in size to the mid-size Torana / Sunbird sedans. It essentially came about in response to the 1973 oil crisis and the need to produce more fuel-efficient cars. Holden, hedging their bets, initially built the Commodore alongside the other two established bodystyles, until the Torana was dropped in mid-1979, with only the Sunbird surviving into mid-1980 following release of the updated VC Commodore. The VB was available in three specification levels: Commodore, Commodore SL, and Commodore SL/E. A station wagon variant - not available in SL/E form - was introduced in August 1979 and featured a large cargo area and an easy access one-piece lift-up tailgate.

The OHV engines were largely carried over from the Kingswood: a 2.85 litre 64 kilowatt straight-six, 3.3 litre 71 kilowatt straight-six, 4.2 litre 87 kilowatt V8, which was also available with dual exhausts to produce 96 kilowatts of power, and a 5.0 litre 114 kilowatt V8, which in dual exhaust form was rated at 125  kilowatts. The engine blocks on these motors were painted red and are therefore commonly referred to as the Red motors. The VB was also available with either a four-speed manual transmission or a three-speed Trimatic automatic transmission, or the Turbo-Hydramatic 350/400 automatic transmission with the 5.0 litre V8.

Contents 1 Specification Levels 1.1 Commodore 1.2 Commodore SL 1.3 Commodore SL/E 2 References 3 External links

[edit] Specification Levels

All V8's came with power steering. On the station wagon, there was no 15x6 inch alloy wheels option.

[edit] Commodore

The Commodore was the baseline variant, and was available as a sedan or station wagon. The sedan was priced from AU$6,513.

The VB Commodore standard features included:^[2]

• 2.85 litre 64 kilowatt Red I6 engine
• 4-speed manual transmission
• Featured body colour tail panel
• Silver finish on instrument surrounds
• Vinyl trim
• Steel wheels

The VB Commodore standard optional included:^[3]

• 3.3 litre 66 kilowatt Red I6 engine
• 4.2 litre 87 kilowatt Red V8 engine
• 3-speed automatic transmission
• Air conditioning
• Corded cloth interior
• Power steering
• European Pack which incorporated:
• 3.3 litre 66 kilowatt Red I6 engine
  • Full instrumentation
  • Four wheel discs
  • Headlight washers / wipers
  • 15 inch alloy wheels
• Sport Pack on manuals only, which incorporated:
• 4.2 litre 87 kilowatt Red V8 engine
  • Full instrumentation
  • Four wheel discs brakes
  • Headlight washers/wipers
  • 15x6 inch alloy wheels

[edit] Commodore SL

The Commodore SL was the mid-spec variant, and was available as a sedan or station wagon. The sedan was priced from AU$7,813.

The VB Commodore SL standard features included:^[4]

• 3.3 litre 66 kilowatt Red I6 engine
• 3-speed automatic transmission
• Bright door mouldings
• Chrome wheeltrim rings
• Extra gauges
• Featured vertical accent bars on the grill
• Inertia reel seatbelts for the outer rear passengers
• Plusher interior trim and carpet
• Rear centre armrest
• Rosewood dash finish
• Silver tail panel
• Twin exterior mirrors
• Variable intermittent speed wipers
• Steel wheels

The VB Commodore SL optional features included:^[5]

• 4.2 litre 87 kilowatt Red V8 engine
• Air conditioning
• Corded cloth interior
• Power steering
• Full instrumentation
• Four wheel discs brakes
• Headlight washers/wipers
• 15x6 inch alloy wheels

[edit] Commodore SL/E

The Commodore SL/E was the top of the line variant. It was available as a sedan only, and was priced from AU$10,513.

The VB Commodore SL/E standard features included:^[6]

• 4.2 litre 87 kilowatt Red V8 engine
• 3-speed automatic transmission
• Air conditioning
• Black door frames and tail panel
• Blacked out grill
• Burr walnut dash
• Chrome exhaust
• Extended rear bumpers
• Eurovox stereo radio cassette player which incorporated:
  • Electric aerial
• Four wheel discs brakes
• Headlight wiper/washers
• Power steering
• Reading lights
• Tachometer
• Velour trim and cut pile carpet
• 15x6 inch alloy wheels

The VB Commodore SL/E optional features included:^[7]

• 5.0 L 114 kilowatt Red V8 engine which incorporated:
  • Turbo-Hydramatic 350 or 400 transmission
• Central locking

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Golden Holdens : VB Commodore (1978-1980)
• Holden Model History - Holden Commodore - VB Series November 1978 - March 1980
• The Commodore Info Page - Holden Commodore - VB Series November 1978 - March 1980
• The Unofficial Holden Commodore Archive - VB Commodore
• The Unofficial Holden Commodore Archive - VB Commodore Specifications
• Unique Cars and Parts: Holden Commodore VB

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