I worked for GM Holden for 12 years at Holden's Engine Operations at Port Melbourne, Fishermans Bend, I started in the Foundry 2004 , then moved to the new HFV6 engine plant in 2006 building the Alloytec V6 engines for Commodore and Statesman, and a 2.8 litre turbo engine built and then exported for SAAB vehicles, I lost my job when the plant closed down on 29th November 2016, so it will be 8 years since that day in a few weeks time , I have always been a car enthusiast and favoured Holden since I was young, and it was a dream job to work there, I was so proud to say I work for Holden. I have an archive of photos I took of the old plants before , during and after their demolition, I will always treasure my time at Holden with fond memories.
No doubt they were great times when you look back now. Who would have guessed back then this would have occurred. As a country a lot of great manufacturing jobs and skills have been lost which is a poor reflection on the Australian Government considering the obscene amount of money they send overseas in aid and waste.
Had one of my best days selling Holdens at Lang Lang, the VX Series II was being released so holdens decided to have a drive day at Lang Lang, which is an interesting exercise in logistics as I, and my co-salesmen, lived in the Riverland in SA, but that’s another story. Cam McConville was there as well as Todd Kelly, I think it was Todd, but we had fun on the skid pads “testing Statemans without traction control”, we did emergency lane changes and braking tests, then we’d do some laps on the Ride and handling course. One bloke managed to roll a wagon, unbelievable. Absolutely the best fun day out I had as a Holden salesman. 👍 Broke my heart when Holden closed.
The saddest thing to ever happen in this country is the end to Australian Car Manufacturing. Hopefully with young innovation, something can come of it. Something big.
Everyone has a bit of blame here, from land lords, to workers demanding insane wages, Fuel prices, Banks, Supermarkets, it all trickles down to the cars having to cost stupid prices to be viable, in the end people just didn't want to pay such crazy prices when you could buy imports of higher quality for much much less and then was the phase of the small car, Now that phase has changed and people want bigger cars again and they now import these stupid American pickups that don't fit our roads or life styles lol
Don’t forget the various arms of government over the years that removed tariffs on imports and stopped subsidies for local manufacturing. The majority of vehicle makers around the world have some level of government subsidies to keep them competitive.
@@novarossi5653 Agreed, but for the last few years of Govt subsidies to GMH, the money was simply sent direct to Detroit to prop up GM. No point in our taxes going to a US company, and NONE of it being invested here.
As a GMH truck driver in the 80s it was always a thrill to take a load down there. Sometimes I didn't even know what I was carting. But I did get a brief session in the 4x4 area.
@jessehalper was wondering about how far apart the plants need to be from each other. Engine plants in Port Melbourne, then the main factory in Adelaide. Did you ever do jobs between them two? If so, is it like another job created for truckies, or is it another reason. Talking about why the plants are not in the same city.
I used to work in a factory that made parts for Holden in Dandenong, we got to see and play with cars before they came out like the Monaro. We had a guy turn up in a WM Buick made for the Chinese market but a prototype, it had full electric rear reclining massaging seats, the dash was LHD and completely different, it was also a V8. While we were messing around with it the guy told us he was just about to take it to Lang Lang and was going to be crushed😪 I miss those days.
@@RossReviewsau Most prototypes get crushed. They cannot be sold to the public and car manufacturers cannot keep all of them. One prototype that hasn't got crushed is the Holden Ute that Chevy used to develop the new Corvette. Holden has got 35 cars in its heritage fleet and 12 of them are on display at the Birdwood museum in South Australia. Another one is the 1979 Repco rally commodore that Peter Brock drove and that is at the motorsport museum in Bathurst.
Awesome video of such a iconic place Ross Reviews. Can’t wait to see a video about the old Elizabeth plant in South Australia 🇦🇺 when you go to South Australia 🇦🇺.
I remember reading in Wheels Magazine the outer ring road was banked at an angle that at 200kmh test drivers could take their hands off the wheel and cars would track straight all day. Great little tribute Ross -loved the burnout too!
160km/h was the balance speed. Top speed was I think Win Percy in one of the race cars at an understeering 300 or there abouts. Too long ago to remember exact numbers. Top speed I ever got to was 280 testing the VZ's. The HRT427 should have been faster but unfortunately the program got cancelled before we got to that phase. Was the fastest thing at the time around R&H.
People blame Holden or blame the government for the collapse, I was a contractor to Holden for many many years, and the secret was in the staff car park, mostly Japanese cars, barely a Holden to be seen. Speaks volumes, and to all of you in the comments saying ‘such a shame’ or ‘it’s so sad’ tell us how many NEW Fords or Holdens have you bought in the past? Did you do your part?
I would suggest if the employees were not buying Holdens there was an systemic problem, either the product was over priced or inferior to the Japanese competition.
I heard that an exec from America questioned why there were other brands in car park, then ordered Holden to offer better deals to workers to encourage purchase or lease of Holdens.
The Government removed the tariffs and replaced it with subsidy's then reduced them as well. In the long run it works out better to have tariffs on imported cars. It forces local manufacture, assembly or partial manufacture to get around the tariff. Tariffs also reduce the governments reliance on taxing the individual.
I was lucky enough to spend several years working there. Firstly in Safety (Crash test) and then Vehicle Performance Group. It was great fun for a car nut like me, and amazing to see what goes on in the background to develop a car from start to finish.
My Dad worked there as a security guard, test driver and maintenace worker. He told stories of driver doing long stints on the ring road to the point they got bored and would put a brick on the accelerator and climb into the back seat. A couple of times they fell asleep and the only way to deal with it was to wait for the car to run out of petrol and wind its way down or use another car to nudge from behind to wake the driver up.
Yet not enough people loved them enough to buy them in sufficient numbers. It isn't enough to be able to sell cars to the handful of 'enthusiasts'. You have to be able to sell them to 'the average punter'.
I've been looking for a place to legally practice drifting. A wet area and a dry area would be ideal but it's nearly impossible to find a place. Insurance is a big issue. Can't all us car enthusiasts come together and buy a place like this for people like us. Make driving great again!
It's only 30 mins from me in werrebee, just looked it up n damn that is huge, I didn't even know it existed lol Gonna have to go for a run Saturday, can u even see anything from the road?
@@5lcalais1 I just got back and you can't see much. I went up their driveway and spoke with reception to receive an expected no to seeing the track. But still worth a trip. There's a few notable spots, signs, history to document before it's torn down lol
@@yommmrr I'll upload some clips soon. I'm brushing up on filming and editing so give me a minute. Avalon Burnouts this weekend. I'll try filming that too.
A friend of mines Dad worked for Holden and said he'd been out there a few times to drive some concept cars and new models. He would never tell us what they were though, which was fair enough but also a shame.
When HOLDEN was designing the 1st Commodore the VB, they bought over 60 OPEL Rekord E cars from Germany. Holden returned those 60 cars destroyed in 6 weeks totally wrecked. Holden told OPEL to redesign it's body structure, Holden also sent over 25 [I think] Torana's 6 and v8 model's. The toughness of the Torana's vehicle body blew away the OPEL engineers. The VB COMMODORE was the result.
Always been a Holden man still own 2 of them. Up to 2010 Commodore was top seller. Then the so called aussies who follow Australia in any sport bought SUV's and let holden fade away. Such a shame
2006 VZ Ute, replaced my 1992 Brumby. There's nothing - NOTHING - on the market that even comes close to the VZ Ute. I'll keep it until it "just won't GO" anymore!!
The did not have to close their doors it was GM US that decided it was not getting enough money (kickback) from the Aus Government so they closed it down. GM was in trouble back then and without Government support (which GM use to help bail itself out)they were not spending the US dollars over here.
I wish I had the chance to drive around Lang Lang myself but atleast one of the cars I got to tune as a part of a special project was driven around there by Craig Lowndes so that was pretty cool to be a small part of.
Without manufacturing you don't have country...Car Manufacturers is at the Top of that list. For me personally, from the start of my apprenticeship, right through my adult working life, leading to high level of management in various Componentry Manufacturing supplying to what was referred to as the 'Big 5' Auto Companies, it's a disastrous outcome. Everything, I mean, Everything must be done to bring it back!!
Bro It’s So Sad That Holden Isn’t Getting Made Any More I Would Do Everything In My Power To Bring Holden Back To Life But Sadly I Can’t And No One Can So We Have To Cherish Every Moment With Holden Now Before They Are Gone Forever
My favourite cars are Aussie cars and im a kiwi lol... I got mad respect to Holden as do alot of us kiwis, I grew up watching bathurst every year and watching them battle it out on the Mount was something special and I always looked forward to it every year especially watching Brocky rip it up what a legend (R.I.P Champ)... I was guttered as when they stopped making them felt like my childhood was ripped outta me 😔
Awesome video, well done. It's so sad 😢 this complex could be used for mega events, all year round, image, and All Holden day plus other special days, I've been a Holden man since i was 12 yrs old, my first racecar wasa 1967 HR Holden sedan, I raced at the speedway back in 1972, 3, 4 and I've had endless amounts of Holden's im my day due to been in the motor industry for over 45 plus years, sure do miss those days, and yes I still have 4 Holden's, New Subscribers due to your quality content and video, Cheers 🍻 KC Cradle Mountain🏔 Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 🦘 🏔 🪃
@RossReviewsau totally agree 💯 % but the government aren't interested unfortunately 😕 but we live in hope, someone must be maintaining the place, buy the looks of things, enjoy your weekend 🍻 🇦🇺 🦘 😉
I was lucky enough to do work experience at the proving grounds in 1999, what a place! Going around the speed loop in a LHD VU SS ute about a year before they were released to the public, I was passenger up against the guard rail at..... well we will say 180kmh , because that was the maximum speed they should have been going 😆 but i couldn't see the dash to look. It was in 6th gear though and Wide open throttle!!!!!
My father actually restored that teal FX ute you showed. Even had the same RP 226 plates when he got it for restoration in 89. Don't know what happened to it after, I wasn't born until 94. 🤣
A bit of a shame to have some Canadian try and tell us about Holden history. But that explains the multiple inaccuracies. The place is still rented to companies for many new vehicle validation tests for compliance, hence the ongoing security
@ there was a couple of historical points, but to give accurate feedback I would need to go back through video and take notes. But when telling history , it is vitally important to get the story correct. Incorrect information gets retold and then history becomes rewritten. Cheers.
@ one of the facts that you did incorrectly report was that the proving ground was not being used. Although for sale, the centre is still operational and hired by many companies for vehicle and component testing and verification by vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers. The proving ground is also used for emissions testing, driver training, media testing amongst other uses.
Thank you Ross. This was a good video for the content. I appreciated this. I think there should be something for Holden. GM is not the size it once was any longer. I think Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Holden should be here. I know what happened in Australia. The love of Holden runs deep.
Spewing you couldn't get in there & have a go! but thanks for the history lesson mate great viewing & I really hope they don't destroy it,anyway cheers for this top vid buddy.
Such a shame to see the place like this...even growing up in NZ during the 80's, this place was legendary. Now, im here in Oz and hoping...praying that someone picks up this facility and stops it from becoming more housing at least.
It's such a shame that Holden is no more........I very (very) nearly bought a Monaro VXR here in the UK, but went with a 5th Gen Mustang instead. The proving grounds really do need to become a focal point for car enthusiasts in Australia. Even if its not GM focussed, a facility like that is just too cool to lose. We have a similar facility here in the UK called Millbrook. This, too, was built by GM (well, Bedford, their truck company in the UK). It's gone through a number of owners but is still in use by the automotive industry. Sadly, that's also almost impossible to get into due to many prototype cars using the facility.
What we need is for someone with the capital and the vision to do what they did to create 'The Bend Motorsport Park' as it too was originally the proving ground for Mitsubishi Australia!!!
Love ya work mate! Always look forward to your vids. So sad to see our car building is down the shit tube. Im just gald i got to live through it and own quite afew fords and holdens. Much respect brother💪❤️
@@Low760 Lima agreement 1975 signed by Labor and Button plan 1985 made by Labor started the beginning of the end . Lnp didn’t help either in later years .
Way back in the early 70's I was able to visit the IH/Ford proving grounds with my brother and Father. It was mostly IH we looked at as that was Dads work but had a bit of a look at the Ford stuff as well. They were still building it out then as most of the testing was being done in the rough condition areas.
convert the proving grounds into a track like they did at The Bend in Adelaide, the useless victorian government makes it as hard as possible for people to track their cars and then get confused when people do it on the street
Considering the vast diversity in flora and fauna, that isn't going to happen. Secondly Mitsubishi's proving ground was vastly different to Lang Lang. Thirdly Calder Park is the complex that should be improved for use as a motorsport venue. Finally, Lang Lang is actually still being used as a proving ground.
If the Mitsubishi prooving ground out near Tallem Bend in South Australia is able to be converted over to a racing facility. I cant see why it cant happen with Lang Lang. If the funds to pay to do the same with Lang Lang. It would be awesome. Lang Lang can come in three configuration. Outer Oval, inner conventional circuit, and a combined endurance. If done right the endurence would be the only figure 8 endurence circuit anywhere on the world. It could be a good compliment endurence circuit to stand with Bathurst and The Bend in South East Asia/South Pacific. The thre circuits would provide a good foundation for a Le.Mans reafional series for the Oceanian reagion with posible expation to New Zealand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
i did exactly the same when i first moved vic from nsw ...spoke with security at the gate and basically got told to f off ... its just criminal its not open to the public
Holden fantasyland. There was never an Australian car manufacturing industry. There was an American car manufacturing industry in Australia. I’ve pulled heaps of Holdens, Ford’s and Chryslers apart and they were a very average build. They were ok if they were maintained constantly and kept away from water. Rust was a big enemy of the three American/Australian cars. Compared to Toyota even in 1966, Australian made American cars were a second rate product, built down to a profit point.
Yes, amazing 👏. Question: Do you still have teeth left ? With those oversized rims & rubber band tyres - considering the state of our deteriorating roads in Victoria. 😂
Hi. Not very secret, My Dad was one of the first photographers "under" the fence to get pics of the "new" EK holden in the late 50's for the age newspaper.
Someone like Portelli should buy it so all us car nuts can have/run event's out there add extensions and like a world class drag strip etc. Plus a Holden museum 🤔
@@justin_8593he already owns the Anglesea International Truck test facility. He has owned that for probably 20 years and rents it out to manufacturers for various trusting procedures as well as emissions testing and of course, driver training for Linfox.
Secret? Everybody knew about it. I filmed there many, many times all over the place , sometimes in the passenger seat with a certain Peter Perfect driving and scaring the life out of me.
The illusion harboured for decades that the 48-215 was locally designed is sad, it was a hand me off chevy compact design that Chevy decided not to use, so it was given to Holden to tweak into what was final production .model an the rest is history as they say !
GMH was NEVER supposed to make $, or GM (general motors) would have to pay TAX. So Holden was set to fail. Yet (YET) Holden WAS THE ONLY arm of GM that was profitable in 2008/9. GM said KILL IT.
Why doesn’t the government buy it back and open it up for visitors like museum and let people drive around on it with the price? That’s ridiculous letting it be there and nothing to do with it it’s just a disgrace.
I wish they would but Victoria is broker than south east Asia 🙃 they can’t even fix there roads so they just lower all the speed limits so they can fine you more to try n get some money 🤡
😢I worked security a while back at Lang Lang just only for a short time but I had the pleasure to see 5% of it, that place is huge, so big they have their own fire trucks, I patrolled the perimeter fence in a 4WD and it was like a safari, kangaroos, snakes, every Austalian wildlife was outthere, always in your way. Unfortunately I never was allowed to drive on the test tracks but the biggest soul crush was seing all the test cars, GTS, HSV'S just sitting in the rain, rusting away. I can tell you Holden literally threw away millions of brand new parts, engines, wheels, turned into scrap metal, as a tax deduction. Whoever ran Holden were idiots.
@@tomnewham1269true about the test cars but still sad that they sat there unloved, also Holden did actually scrap new parts for all the cars that they didnt sell, I actually personally escorted the trucks that carried them to the scrappers and witnessed it all being destroyed, what a waste
Why don't they have a Holden gathering of the faithful and Holden owners who are not in the car club and have a Holden day at Bunnings hard weore store and PS how Can I find out about how many Holdens are still registered and working
owned many of both makes over 45 years ago. Even Bathurst Monaro's .. switch my mind owning my first XY XA 351s GT... never been left stranded on the roadside in 42 years in a ford ......i have plenty of holdens in my wrecking yard blowern up at present .....they cant go the distance of a ford and never will
Technically GM Holden provding ground Lang Lang is Australian asset as GM took $500 million from federal government aka Australian taxpayers money as condition of keeping plant open n going but close earlier then aspected. We the people aka Australians should have right on the say, i believe it should be open for public use as we have drag stripes so why can't it be used? I reckon Australians would be behind idea, nice bbq area, memorial wall of history, map, people who work here, sponsors like media, social clubs help maintain providing ground.
It's was absolute criminal negligence what Abbot and Hockey did chasing Ford,Toyota,and Holden out of the country even if there were a lot of economic arguments that made it seem logical. It was ideological grandstanding, which destroyed an industry that was unique to a nation with such a small population as ours. The equivalent of a unicorn. An abberation. Unfortunately, it will never return. It's plainly not financially viable. Australia was a unique paradox. It was worth the money and then some to keep Ford and Holden and Toyota. In Australia for so many reasons. The technology they researched and developed, the flow on effects to industry, the buisnesses that were suppliers ,the capabilities to be able to create a vehicles from scratch the design and development, the people they employed the trades and apprentices they taught the rich cultural heritage all gone. Just to make two forgotten political clowns look like they were being good fiscal managers. Hockey doesn't even live here anymore he lives in the U.S. In the scheme of things, money really wasn't that much of an issue. What has improved by their actions, and where is that money being used now? Toyota didn't even want to leave at the time. They had never had to close an operation anywhere in the world. The money they saved doing that was a drop in the ocean compared to cancelling and paying out the French for the submarine contracts we reneged on. We are now at the mercy of oversea car makers that import dross and sell it at inflated prices. Want a v8 sedan, ute or station wagon to stand out from the sea of SUVs crowd forget it. Uber luxury vehicles with enormous price tags are the only way you'll get that combo these days. I've seen some of the cars Holden was going to release before they were axed, and they would have been amazing. Just ghosts now.😢
I worked for GM Holden for 12 years at Holden's Engine Operations at Port Melbourne, Fishermans Bend, I started in the Foundry 2004 , then moved to the new HFV6 engine plant in 2006 building the Alloytec V6 engines for Commodore and Statesman, and a 2.8 litre turbo engine built and then exported for SAAB vehicles, I lost my job when the plant closed down on 29th November 2016, so it will be 8 years since that day in a few weeks time , I have always been a car enthusiast and favoured Holden since I was young, and it was a dream job to work there, I was so proud to say I work for Holden. I have an archive of photos I took of the old plants before , during and after their demolition, I will always treasure my time at Holden with fond memories.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Weird seeing you in my neck of the woods
Wow. Awesome
No doubt they were great times when you look back now. Who would have guessed back then this would have occurred.
As a country a lot of great manufacturing jobs and skills have been lost which is a poor reflection on the Australian Government considering the obscene amount of money they send overseas in aid and waste.
Yep I remember the Foundry’s Induction furnaces - treat with every respect - Cheers David A
I'm a Ford guy, but I still give respect to Holden and wish they could come back again 😢
You gotta respect them both
GMSV should get Walkinshaw to convert more cars...
I’m Holden guy and feel the same for Australian fords 😢
Got love a good Barra as I secretly love them but tell anyone will you mate lol
@dawso2o2 😆 God bless you
Had one of my best days selling Holdens at Lang Lang, the VX Series II was being released so holdens decided to have a drive day at Lang Lang, which is an interesting exercise in logistics as I, and my co-salesmen, lived in the Riverland in SA, but that’s another story.
Cam McConville was there as well as Todd Kelly, I think it was Todd, but we had fun on the skid pads “testing Statemans without traction control”, we did emergency lane changes and braking tests, then we’d do some laps on the Ride and handling course. One bloke managed to roll a wagon, unbelievable. Absolutely the best fun day out I had as a Holden salesman. 👍
Broke my heart when Holden closed.
That's a great story, sounds like a fun day at Lang Lang!
The saddest thing to ever happen in this country is the end to Australian Car Manufacturing. Hopefully with young innovation, something can come of it. Something big.
Now we just keep getting pumped with Chinese EVs
@RossReviewsau And that is S-H-I-T! We don't need it. I prefer Tesla's over these things and I despise of Tesla.
Everyone has a bit of blame here, from land lords, to workers demanding insane wages, Fuel prices, Banks, Supermarkets, it all trickles down to the cars having to cost stupid prices to be viable, in the end people just didn't want to pay such crazy prices when you could buy imports of higher quality for much much less and then was the phase of the small car, Now that phase has changed and people want bigger cars again and they now import these stupid American pickups that don't fit our roads or life styles lol
Don’t forget the various arms of government over the years that removed tariffs on imports and stopped subsidies for local manufacturing.
The majority of vehicle makers around the world have some level of government subsidies to keep them competitive.
@@novarossi5653 Agreed, but for the last few years of Govt subsidies to GMH, the money was simply sent direct to Detroit to prop up GM. No point in our taxes going to a US company, and NONE of it being invested here.
As a GMH truck driver in the 80s it was always a thrill to take a load down there. Sometimes I didn't even know what I was carting. But I did get a brief session in the 4x4 area.
That’s pretty cool! Would be interesting for sure
@jessehalper was wondering about how far apart the plants need to be from each other. Engine plants in Port Melbourne, then the main factory in Adelaide. Did you ever do jobs between them two? If so, is it like another job created for truckies, or is it another reason. Talking about why the plants are not in the same city.
I used to work in a factory that made parts for Holden in Dandenong, we got to see and play with cars before they came out like the Monaro. We had a guy turn up in a WM Buick made for the Chinese market but a prototype, it had full electric rear reclining massaging seats, the dash was LHD and completely different, it was also a V8. While we were messing around with it the guy told us he was just about to take it to Lang Lang and was going to be crushed😪 I miss those days.
That’s wild, it’s crazy how much we’ve lost in Aussie manufacturing
@@RossReviewsau Most prototypes get crushed. They cannot be sold to the public and car manufacturers cannot keep all of them. One prototype that hasn't got crushed is the Holden Ute that Chevy used to develop the new Corvette. Holden has got 35 cars in its heritage fleet and 12 of them are on display at the Birdwood museum in South Australia. Another one is the 1979 Repco rally commodore that Peter Brock drove and that is at the motorsport museum in Bathurst.
Awesome video of such a iconic place Ross Reviews. Can’t wait to see a video about the old Elizabeth plant in South Australia 🇦🇺 when you go to South Australia 🇦🇺.
Thanks, I’m keen to get down to SA to shoot some more content.
Looks Like they proved every part of the car except the head lining 😢
That's every brand of car with foam backed lining.
🤣🤣🤣
Holden had shares in thumb tacs 😏
I only just had to pin up my ve roof last week 😅
I remember reading in Wheels Magazine the outer ring road was banked at an angle that at 200kmh test drivers could take their hands off the wheel and cars would track straight all day. Great little tribute Ross -loved the burnout too!
Wish I could have tested that 😂😏
160km/h was the balance speed. Top speed was I think Win Percy in one of the race cars at an understeering 300 or there abouts. Too long ago to remember exact numbers. Top speed I ever got to was 280 testing the VZ's. The HRT427 should have been faster but unfortunately the program got cancelled before we got to that phase. Was the fastest thing at the time around R&H.
Great video Johnno.. You're right it should be in public hands and they should have a museum celebrating all the beauties us Aussies created..
It’s criminal it’s been sold to Vin Fast
Ahhh, I remember it well, the best thing about my old FJ was the back seat. An endless source of fond memories that just never seem to fade.
Bench seats are great 😈
The back seat was memorable, as was the mattress in my Sandman.
People blame Holden or blame the government for the collapse, I was a contractor to Holden for many many years, and the secret was in the staff car park, mostly Japanese cars, barely a Holden to be seen. Speaks volumes, and to all of you in the comments saying ‘such a shame’ or ‘it’s so sad’ tell us how many NEW Fords or Holdens have you bought in the past? Did you do your part?
from my experience of meeting my audience in person.. they have purchased MANY new ford & Holdens..
I would suggest if the employees were not buying Holdens there was an systemic problem, either the product was over priced or inferior to the Japanese competition.
I heard that an exec from America questioned why there were other brands in car park, then ordered Holden to offer better deals to workers to encourage purchase or lease of Holdens.
The Government removed the tariffs and replaced it with subsidy's then reduced them as well. In the long run it works out better to have tariffs on imported cars. It forces local manufacture, assembly or partial manufacture to get around the tariff. Tariffs also reduce the governments reliance on taxing the individual.
But they raised luxury car tax so it doesnt work out @@lukey6534
Great short and informative video Ross. LOVE IT!
Appreciate it mate!
Thanks for making the trip man especially as we know how much you love driving in this state 😅 Really enjoyed this upload!
I’m glad I went to see it even if I could only like my head over the fence
@RossReviewsau It would have been great fun. Nice burnout also!
I was lucky enough to spend several years working there. Firstly in Safety (Crash test) and then Vehicle Performance Group. It was great fun for a car nut like me, and amazing to see what goes on in the background to develop a car from start to finish.
Sounds like an awesome experience!
Love the archive footage!
Glad you enjoyed it! Was so cool to watch this stuff while editing
Another great video Johnny! 👍
Cheers Mate! Glad you enjoyed it!
My Dad worked there as a security guard, test driver and maintenace worker. He told stories of driver doing long stints on the ring road to the point they got bored and would put a brick on the accelerator and climb into the back seat. A couple of times they fell asleep and the only way to deal with it was to wait for the car to run out of petrol and wind its way down or use another car to nudge from behind to wake the driver up.
😂😂....there is...Noooo.... emoji for Wanker...Really.🤣😂
Got to drive at Lang Lang once in a Walkinshaw Commodore. The bowl was genuinely scary but what a thrill.
Oh man would love that
Was there in 2003 for a VX day with Holden dealers. Cool place
That would have been epic
"Holden, we still love you". Yup. Agree.
🥲😞
Yet not enough people loved them enough to buy them in sufficient numbers.
It isn't enough to be able to sell cars to the handful of 'enthusiasts'. You have to be able to sell them to 'the average punter'.
I've been looking for a place to legally practice drifting. A wet area and a dry area would be ideal but it's nearly impossible to find a place. Insurance is a big issue. Can't all us car enthusiasts come together and buy a place like this for people like us. Make driving great again!
I'm sure legitimate businessmen could buy it from vinfast.
Calder Park
@ I just saw an ad on insta.
It’s an hour away but worth it. Thanks mate.
This would be a perfect place
The worst road conditions possible built in..... Pretty sure Melbourne's roads are worse. I know the Stuart hwy north of pimba takes the cake.
Just driving through country Victoria is more of a harsh test I agree 🤣
Ford proving ground is about a 15 minute drive from my home. You Yangs, Geelong.
I seen it on a map. Is it shut off to public? Im near colac so im close
It's only 30 mins from me in werrebee, just looked it up n damn that is huge, I didn't even know it existed lol
Gonna have to go for a run Saturday, can u even see anything from the road?
@@5lcalais1 I just got back and you can't see much. I went up their driveway and spoke with reception to receive an expected no to seeing the track. But still worth a trip. There's a few notable spots, signs, history to document before it's torn down lol
@@yommmrr I'll upload some clips soon. I'm brushing up on filming and editing so give me a minute. Avalon Burnouts this weekend. I'll try filming that too.
I’ll check it out one day
A friend of mines Dad worked for Holden and said he'd been out there a few times to drive some concept cars and new models.
He would never tell us what they were though, which was fair enough but also a shame.
That would have been so cool back in the day
Our motor industry did well considering they worked off a shoestring budget.
Agreed.. and the small population
Agree, Aussie engineers did well.
When HOLDEN was designing the 1st Commodore the VB, they bought over 60 OPEL Rekord E cars from Germany. Holden returned those 60 cars destroyed in 6 weeks totally wrecked.
Holden told OPEL to redesign it's body structure, Holden also sent over 25 [I think] Torana's 6 and v8 model's. The toughness of the Torana's vehicle body blew away the OPEL engineers. The VB COMMODORE was the result.
Always been a Holden man still own 2 of them. Up to 2010 Commodore was top seller. Then the so called aussies who follow Australia in any sport bought SUV's and let holden fade away. Such a shame
It’s very sad
Mitsubishi's old test track is now The Bend.
I just stayed there was an awesome place
Great review Ross I’ve been lucky to drive the Vz twice with HSV club amazing place RIP Holden Vz Glenn 🏎😩🇦🇺lots of smoke nice 👍
Oh man how lucky
2006 VZ Ute, replaced my 1992 Brumby.
There's nothing - NOTHING - on the market that even comes close to the VZ Ute. I'll keep it until it "just won't GO" anymore!!
They are elite level Utes 🗿🇦🇺
The did not have to close their doors it was GM US that decided it was not getting enough money (kickback) from the Aus Government so they closed it down. GM was in trouble back then and without Government support (which GM use to help bail itself out)they were not spending the US dollars over here.
We should be able to buy the badge back from GM. Even if it takes a while before we can use it.
Agreed
I wish I had the chance to drive around Lang Lang myself but atleast one of the cars I got to tune as a part of a special project was driven around there by Craig Lowndes so that was pretty cool to be a small part of.
They really should open it up to the public 🥲
@ yeah that would have been amazing if they did
Cool vid Ross
Thanks 🙏
Without manufacturing you don't have country...Car Manufacturers is at the Top of that list. For me personally, from the start of my apprenticeship, right through my adult working life, leading to high level of management in various Componentry Manufacturing supplying to what was referred to as the 'Big 5' Auto Companies, it's a disastrous outcome. Everything, I mean, Everything must be done to bring it back!!
It's sad that we lost Holden plant and the proving ground what a fucking shame
It’s so sad 😞
How many new holdens have you ever bought?
Bro It’s So Sad That Holden Isn’t Getting Made Any More I Would Do Everything In My Power To Bring Holden Back To Life But Sadly I Can’t And No One Can So We Have To Cherish Every Moment With Holden Now Before They Are Gone Forever
It’s truly sad how Australia lost all its manufacturing basically 😞 only the mining industry keeping us up
What a shame. I went there for Holden’s 50th Anniversary many years ago now and got to drive my dad’s FJ Holden around the slopped oval, just amazing.
its truly a special place in australia and should be made historic
My favourite cars are Aussie cars and im a kiwi lol... I got mad respect to Holden as do alot of us kiwis, I grew up watching bathurst every year and watching them battle it out on the Mount was something special and I always looked forward to it every year especially watching Brocky rip it up what a legend (R.I.P Champ)... I was guttered as when they stopped making them felt like my childhood was ripped outta me 😔
its sad we lost this industry..
I am glad you spoke up about it 👏
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
Awesome video, well done. It's so sad 😢 this complex could be used for mega events, all year round, image, and All Holden day plus other special days, I've been a Holden man since i was 12 yrs old, my first racecar wasa 1967 HR Holden sedan, I raced at the speedway back in 1972, 3, 4 and I've had endless amounts of Holden's im my day due to been in the motor industry for over 45 plus years, sure do miss those days, and yes I still have 4 Holden's, New Subscribers due to your quality content and video, Cheers 🍻 KC Cradle Mountain🏔 Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 🦘 🏔 🪃
Wish they would open to the public and keep the history alive there
@RossReviewsau totally agree 💯 % but the government aren't interested unfortunately 😕 but we live in hope, someone must be maintaining the place, buy the looks of things, enjoy your weekend 🍻 🇦🇺 🦘 😉
I was lucky enough to do work experience at the proving grounds in 1999, what a place! Going around the speed loop in a LHD VU SS ute about a year before they were released to the public, I was passenger up against the guard rail at..... well we will say 180kmh , because that was the maximum speed they should have been going 😆 but i couldn't see the dash to look. It was in 6th gear though and Wide open throttle!!!!!
That's awesome! What a story. Love the VU
My father actually restored that teal FX ute you showed. Even had the same RP 226 plates when he got it for restoration in 89. Don't know what happened to it after, I wasn't born until 94. 🤣
A bit of a shame to have some Canadian try and tell us about Holden history. But that explains the multiple inaccuracies. The place is still rented to companies for many new vehicle validation tests for compliance, hence the ongoing security
What did I get wrong.. I could have said a lot wrong tho I wish I knew more about it
@ there was a couple of historical points, but to give accurate feedback I would need to go back through video and take notes. But when telling history , it is vitally important to get the story correct. Incorrect information gets retold and then history becomes rewritten. Cheers.
@ one of the facts that you did incorrectly report was that the proving ground was not being used. Although for sale, the centre is still operational and hired by many companies for vehicle and component testing and verification by vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers. The proving ground is also used for emissions testing, driver training, media testing amongst other uses.
Thank you Ross. This was a good video for the content. I appreciated this. I think there should be something for Holden. GM is not the size it once was any longer. I think Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Holden should be here. I know what happened in Australia. The love of Holden runs deep.
It’s truly a shame, Holden is missed.
Spewing you couldn't get in there & have a go! but thanks for the history lesson mate great viewing & I really hope they don't destroy it,anyway cheers for this top vid buddy.
Thanks Pete
Such a shame to see the place like this...even growing up in NZ during the 80's, this place was legendary.
Now, im here in Oz and hoping...praying that someone picks up this facility and stops it from becoming more housing at least.
Ikr 😞 so sad
It's such a shame that Holden is no more........I very (very) nearly bought a Monaro VXR here in the UK, but went with a 5th Gen Mustang instead. The proving grounds really do need to become a focal point for car enthusiasts in Australia. Even if its not GM focussed, a facility like that is just too cool to lose. We have a similar facility here in the UK called Millbrook. This, too, was built by GM (well, Bedford, their truck company in the UK). It's gone through a number of owners but is still in use by the automotive industry. Sadly, that's also almost impossible to get into due to many prototype cars using the facility.
Completely agree.. the history is to great to have this place slip away
There was not a soul around when you done that cheeky little tribute to Holden. I pray that the do-gooders spidy sense isn't tingling. Good shit.
I had too
Should have checked out Fords proving ground it's massive
Where abouts is that one? I didn't even know they had one here lol
@5lcalais1 you yangs, geelong
Might have too
What we need is for someone with the capital and the vision to do what they did to create 'The Bend Motorsport Park' as it too was originally the proving ground for Mitsubishi Australia!!!
100% I just stayed at the bend and it was an awesome experience
I own a Ford falcon but I still wish Holden would come back 😔
Good man
Love ya work mate! Always look forward to your vids.
So sad to see our car building is down the shit tube. Im just gald i got to live through it and own quite afew fords and holdens.
Much respect brother💪❤️
Was a pleasure to at least experience the tail end of this amazing era
People voted in the LNP and that's what happens.
@@Low760 Lima agreement 1975 signed by Labor and Button plan 1985 made by Labor started the beginning of the end . Lnp didn’t help either in later years .
This place and the Barra should be made and used still, just so sad.
Rip
Way back in the early 70's I was able to visit the IH/Ford proving grounds with my brother and Father. It was mostly IH we looked at as that was Dads work but had a bit of a look at the Ford stuff as well. They were still building it out then as most of the testing was being done in the rough condition areas.
That’s awesome! What a great experience.
Check out Simply Bushed's song "No More Holdens" absolute classic
Legend has it there's a car grave yard there...!
Really???
Yes the HR was the best in my book
Triple SUs on a HP186 awesome 🤩 still remember her 1978 One of my early cars 💪💯
Very cool
Adrian Portelli should buy this his into cars and has some coin
Would be a great place to open to public
convert the proving grounds into a track like they did at The Bend in Adelaide, the useless victorian government makes it as hard as possible for people to track their cars and then get confused when people do it on the street
Absolutely should be opened to the public
Considering the vast diversity in flora and fauna, that isn't going to happen. Secondly Mitsubishi's proving ground was vastly different to Lang Lang. Thirdly Calder Park is the complex that should be improved for use as a motorsport venue. Finally, Lang Lang is actually still being used as a proving ground.
If the Mitsubishi prooving ground out near Tallem Bend in South Australia is able to be converted over to a racing facility. I cant see why it cant happen with Lang Lang. If the funds to pay to do the same with Lang Lang. It would be awesome. Lang Lang can come in three configuration. Outer Oval, inner conventional circuit, and a combined endurance. If done right the endurence would be the only figure 8 endurence circuit anywhere on the world. It could be a good compliment endurence circuit to stand with Bathurst and The Bend in South East Asia/South Pacific. The thre circuits would provide a good foundation for a Le.Mans reafional series for the Oceanian reagion with posible expation to New Zealand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Ford Had You Yangs Proving Ground 3:39
Only have one hope to bring this place back to life and that is Adrian portelli. I can not think of anyone else who would 😊
come one LMCT+
i did exactly the same when i first moved vic from nsw ...spoke with security at the gate and basically got told to f off ... its just criminal its not open to the public
they were not friendly at all!
It would great if they opened it to the public - do some bog laps at the track and then hit the beach to catch some gummies.
What a waste.....heartbreaking 😢
It’s so sad 😞
i hope you could do the same for fords too please man would be sick
I’ll try one day to see the test track
@@RossReviewsau thanks mate much appreciated keep up the good work man
Would make a good venue for track days drags drifting burnout pad but not in Victoria to fkn hard…#holden4ever👊🏻
Absolutely
Now do the ford proving ground in lara, Geelong.
I’m keen to check that out also
Holden fantasyland.
There was never an Australian car manufacturing industry. There was an American car manufacturing industry in Australia. I’ve pulled heaps of Holdens, Ford’s and Chryslers apart and they were a very average build. They were ok if they were maintained constantly and kept away from water. Rust was a big enemy of the three American/Australian cars. Compared to Toyota even in 1966, Australian made American cars were a second rate product, built down to a profit point.
You still got learning to do mate🙄
Haters gonna hate
Yes, amazing 👏. Question: Do you still have teeth left ? With those oversized rims & rubber band tyres - considering the state of our deteriorating roads in Victoria. 😂
Oh it’s not been easy! I’m happy to be out of Victoria
The Ford proving ground is still being used....
I’d like to see that next
You need to get in a few Valiant Chargers and Monaro/GT351! All cool as cars!!!
Would love to see them
Supercars could test there changes there...
There was nothing quite like a Holden
Still ain’t 🥲
Hi. Not very secret, My Dad was one of the first photographers "under" the fence to get pics of the "new" EK holden in the late 50's for the age newspaper.
its more secret since they would test concept cars n vehicles not yet released to the public there
The signing of the Lima agreement eventually destroyed Australian manufacturing ....!!!
Someone like Portelli should buy it so all us car nuts can have/run event's out there add extensions and like a world class drag strip etc. Plus a Holden museum 🤔
Lmao. Yeah we need legitimate businessmen like him more involved.
Agreed
There was talk that Lindsay Fox was interested in buying it a few years ago
@@justin_8593he already owns the Anglesea International Truck test facility. He has owned that for probably 20 years and rents it out to manufacturers for various trusting procedures as well as emissions testing and of course, driver training for Linfox.
Secret? Everybody knew about it. I filmed there many, many times all over the place , sometimes in the passenger seat with a certain Peter Perfect driving and scaring the life out of me.
Haha you must have been one of the lucky ones
Most of the population was conceived in the. Back of a Holden sold well because all of the completion piss weak pommy cars
Hey man the test track was 10 minute from.were ya filmed my car
Would have been close
In the end GM is all about being a business making money and not about getting all emotional, that's what we do and not what they are about.
Agreed 🥲
The illusion harboured for decades that the 48-215 was locally designed is sad, it was a hand me off chevy compact design that Chevy decided not to use, so it was given to Holden to tweak into what was final production .model an the rest is history as they say !
Love to drive a Camira there 😊
It’s a piece of history
Why would you want to drive a Camira anywhere.
@Rob-fc9wg To make history there Bro.
@@ljp1942
Why a Camira?
One of the greatest turds ever to hit the road.
Would be good permanent track site for racing with additions instead of Avalon...
Yeah that’d be sick
Thanks to Scott Morrison and Trump doing a deal to close holden and sell Chevrolet
GMH was NEVER supposed to make $, or GM (general motors) would have to pay TAX. So Holden was set to fail. Yet (YET) Holden WAS THE ONLY arm of GM that was profitable in 2008/9.
GM said KILL IT.
Why doesn’t the government buy it back and open it up for visitors like museum and let people drive around on it with the price? That’s ridiculous letting it be there and nothing to do with it it’s just a disgrace.
I wish they would but Victoria is broker than south east Asia 🙃 they can’t even fix there roads so they just lower all the speed limits so they can fine you more to try n get some money 🤡
😢I worked security a while back at Lang Lang just only for a short time but I had the pleasure to see 5% of it, that place is huge, so big they have their own fire trucks, I patrolled the perimeter fence in a 4WD and it was like a safari, kangaroos, snakes, every Austalian wildlife was outthere, always in your way. Unfortunately I never was allowed to drive on the test tracks but the biggest soul crush was seing all the test cars, GTS, HSV'S just sitting in the rain, rusting away. I can tell you Holden literally threw away millions of brand new parts, engines, wheels, turned into scrap metal, as a tax deduction. Whoever ran Holden were idiots.
Damn so sad.. it’s a special place wish it was opened up to the public
the parts were not new, they were flogged to death. Secondly test cars cannot be sold to the public as they don't have a valid VIN number.
@@tomnewham1269true about the test cars but still sad that they sat there unloved, also Holden did actually scrap new parts for all the cars that they didnt sell, I actually personally escorted the trucks that carried them to the scrappers and witnessed it all being destroyed, what a waste
The wildlife in that property is literally unbelievable!
More foreign ownership of Australia. Damn shame
Agreed hate that 😞
Holden was always foreign owned so nothing has changed.
Imagine if the money they wasted on Collins sub-marines was gave to Holden instead?
Nurburg not nuremburg. While both have links to ww2. They are very diffrent.
My mistake
Why don't they have a Holden gathering of the faithful and Holden owners who are not in the car club and have a Holden day at Bunnings hard weore store and PS how Can I find out about how many Holdens are still registered and working
The commodore, was still a good car(ZB not so much). The small cars that GM tried in Australia just crap compared to what else was on the market
The ZB wasn't a true Commodore. It was pretty much just a rebadged Vauxhall Vectra.
I agree, those small cars didn't stand a chance but man they made a good commodore
The ZB is better than any Commodore before it. Bet you haven’t driven one.
Ford the greatest Australia icon ever produced in the early days .........
I think Holden takes the cake but the Barra is the best engine from Australia 🇦🇺
owned many of both makes over 45 years ago. Even Bathurst Monaro's .. switch my mind owning my first XY XA 351s GT... never been left stranded on the roadside in 42 years in a ford ......i have plenty of holdens in my wrecking yard blowern up at present .....they cant go the distance of a ford and never will
reckon the people should reopen general motors ground for the public go the lions holden
Amen
Technically GM Holden provding ground Lang Lang is Australian asset as GM took $500 million from federal government aka Australian taxpayers money as condition of keeping plant open n going but close earlier then aspected. We the people aka Australians should have right on the say, i believe it should be open for public use as we have drag stripes so why can't it be used? I reckon Australians would be behind idea, nice bbq area, memorial wall of history, map, people who work here, sponsors like media, social clubs help maintain providing ground.
Absolutely should be open to public as we tax payers spent a lot on Holden! This is a perfect opportunity to preserve the Holden memory
It's was absolute criminal negligence what Abbot and Hockey did chasing Ford,Toyota,and Holden out of the country even if there were a lot of economic arguments that made it seem logical. It was ideological grandstanding, which destroyed an industry that was unique to a nation with such a small population as ours. The equivalent of a unicorn. An abberation. Unfortunately, it will never return. It's plainly not financially viable. Australia was a unique paradox. It was worth the money and then some to keep Ford and Holden and Toyota. In Australia for so many reasons. The technology they researched and developed, the flow on effects to industry, the buisnesses that were suppliers ,the capabilities to be able to create a vehicles from scratch the design and development, the people they employed the trades and apprentices they taught the rich cultural heritage all gone. Just to make two forgotten political clowns look like they were being good fiscal managers. Hockey doesn't even live here anymore he lives in the U.S. In the scheme of things, money really wasn't that much of an issue. What has improved by their actions, and where is that money being used now? Toyota didn't even want to leave at the time. They had never had to close an operation anywhere in the world. The money they saved doing that was a drop in the ocean compared to cancelling and paying out the French for the submarine contracts we reneged on. We are now at the mercy of oversea car makers that import dross and sell it at inflated prices. Want a v8 sedan, ute or station wagon to stand out from the sea of SUVs crowd forget it. Uber luxury vehicles with enormous price tags are the only way you'll get that combo these days. I've seen some of the cars Holden was going to release before they were axed, and they would have been amazing. Just ghosts now.😢
its so sad :(
It certainly was never secret
A lot of secrets there