The bond could go even deeper, according to social historians, because many of those boomers may well have been conceived in the back seat of an FJ Holden. The first car that many ordinary Australians had ever owned, it sold in unprecedented numbers and offered an equally unprecedented degree of mobility, freedom and privacy.

The FJ became an enduring symbol of the Aussie way of life, serenaded in song and awarded the distinction of the title role in a feature-length movie.

Essentially a face-lifted version of its predecessor, the FX or 48-215 model, the FJ's main extemal distinguishing features were a torpedo-style tail light and the horizontal, American-influenced chrome grille with twin port 'nostrils' - a distinctive Holden characteristic that is deliberately echoed in the strong hood design of the most recent VR, VS and VT Commodore models.

In tune with the times, which saw post-war austerity overtaken by the growth of the consumer society, the FJ ushered in the first de luxe Holden, the Special, adding a pampering touch to the brand' s straightforward virtues of value for money, durability and impressive performance.

Instantly popular, the Special sported more bright metal body decoration, including tiny tail fins with built-in reflectors, and offered such enticements as leather trim, armrests, cigarette lighter, rear passenger assist straps, chrome window winders and gee-whiz two-tone colour combinations. "From every angle," read the sales brochure, "Holden Special is a graceful beauty."

Headlined as 'Australia's Own Car' and splashed with golden wattle, the brochure also extolled the virtues of the more spartan Standard model, praised for its six passenger roominess, family-sized luggage compartment and PVC upholstery - "...a recently developed plastic coated material with exceptional durability and a finish simulating antique leather."

The Business sedan was aimed at the commercial market and "specially equipped to meet the particular needs of business and country users whose vehicles are engaged in heavy work or are located in arduous country."

A utility was also offered, and the first Holden panel van made its debut two months after the FJ's October 1953 launch. Utility-based, with an extended roof and an extra upper tailgate, the panel van found ready acceptance in a booming market, which saw eager consumers snap up the new Holdens at record rates and entrench GM-H in the number one sales position.

By 1954, FJ Holdens were being produced at assembly plants nationwide at the rate of 250 per day - not nearly enough to satisfy demand. The same year, however, GM-H took the decision to ship FJs to New Zealand "in the national interest", beginning an export drive that by 1956 saw Holdens on the road in Thailand, Malaya and North Bomeo.

GM-H celebrated the production of the 250,000th Holden, an FJ, in January 1956. It had taken the company just over seven years to produce its quarter millionth car - and the magic million mark would be reached only six and a half years later.

FJ Facts
Base price at introduction: $2046/£1023

Total number built: 169,969

Models: Standard sedan, Business Sedan,
Special Sedan, Panel Van and Utility

Engine: 2.15 litre/132.5 cu.in OHV six-cylinder

Power Output: 45kW/60bhp @3800rpm

Transmission: Three-speed manual gearbox, synchromesh
on 2nd and 3rd. Column mounted shift lever

Dimensions (basic sedan):
Length 4408mm; Wheelbase 2616mm; Width 1702mm

Fuel tank: 43 litres/9.5 gallons