fbekholden.com

I'm after some data please on FB and EK utes and vans. The info I need is the maximum gross weight (sometimes called the GVM).

The data needs to come from a verifiable source (e.g. factory workshop manuals, owners manuals, accelerator bulletins or unmolested firewall plates). The reason for being pedantic about the info is to help give some ammunition for those wanting to modify their cars, and facing pedantic engineering requirements. I'll post the info on the forum once I have done the maths.

I'm on the road for work, so don't have access to my workshop manuals. My memory tells me though that the manuals do not list the maximum gross weight (in the first few pages of Specifications). If someone has the FB and EK manuals to hand, please verify my memory, otherwise I will check once I am home.

I think the only place I have seen the numbers listed is on the inner guard plates, that look like this:
These plates are being reproduced, and the various sellers list them differently (eg. one seller says 30cwt applies to a vehicle, another seller says 29cwt does). When I get home, I can see the unmolested plate on Grace's FB ute. If anyone has an unmolested plate from an EK ute, FB van or EK van then please post a photo here.

I think there was a change in the Holden lineup, and some models (FC? FE? utes only? I dunno) increased from 29 to 30cwt. This is an important change, as 30cwt complies with the guidance, but 29cwt does not.

Apologies again for being pedantic about the source of the numbers.

Cheers,
Harv

My recollection is that it changed at FB introduction when they introduced the full third sill panel section. My plate was very faded and I removed it.


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My EK ute plate says 32cwt

Errol62 wrote: Fri Aug 29, 2025 6:43 pm My recollection is that it changed at FB introduction when they introduced the full third sill panel section. My plate was very faded and I removed it.

It could well be. Wiki reckons it was with the change to EK, with stiffer springs. They use Norm Darwin, 100 Years of GM in Australia, 2002 as their reference. Not sure where Norm has drawn this from though.

Brett027 wrote: Fri Aug 29, 2025 6:44 pm My EK ute plate says 32cwt

Many thanks - appreciated.

Cheers,
Harv

You can just read it in this photo.

Thankyou.

Cheers,
Harv

According the sales brochures FE/FC ute & van both have a GVW of 29 cwt. FB ute & van were 30 cwt & this was increased at EK to 32 cwt for the ute & 32.5 cwt for the van.

Harv, would sales brochures be considered a good enough resource for the engineer ?

For the younger viewers a cwt is the abbreviation of hundredweight which was 112 lb or a 1/20 th of a ton. 112 lb is about 51 kg.

Dr Terry

I fly back in today Harv - pretty sure the plate is no longer on my ute but if it is I will post a pic.

Thanks everyone. Terry is on the money.

From the FB Holden commercial sales brochure, both the ute and van have a GVM of 30cwt.
From the EK Holden commercial sales brochure, the ute has a GVM of 32cwt, whilst the van has a GVM of 32.5cwt.

These documents should be defendable - they are stamped GMH, and I don't see any conflicting information anywhere else.

Off to do some maths, then share the results.

Cheers,
Harv

Here you go Harv, on my EK Ute

Thanks Dr Terry, always wondered what the conversion of cwt to modern currency worked out to.

Regards
Stephen

Omitted to add it has a FB subframe

So it would seem the car weighs around 2452 lbs according to manual (1112 kgs). Total gross load is 50kgs x 30 = 1500kgs

That leaves 388kgs for driver, passenger, (my kelpie), fuel, spares, tools and load. Seems pretty minimal by today’s standards or have I got that wrong?

Thanks mate.

EK ute GVM = 32cwt = 1625.7kg
EK ute kerb mass = 2452lb = 1112.2kg
EK ute payload = (1625.7-1112.2) = 513.5kg

FB ute GVM = 30cwt = 1524.1kg
FB ute kerb mass = 2470lb = 1120.4kg
FB ute payload = (1524.1-1120.4) = 403.7kg

Note that those payloads are on top of a full tank of fuel. Less fuel, more payload.

If the ute is an EK one but has an FB subframe, you could put an EK tag back on it. They are available from a few places, including here:
https://www.speedspares.net/GWT1003_p/gwt1003.htm

edit: I got more education today. I (and Terry) are assuming that the data given in the GMH brochures and tags are "long hundredweight". These were used in the UK, and are 50.8kg per cwt. The US uses "short hundredweight", which has 45.36kg per cwt. This is also how you get a "short ton" and a "long ton". Interesting... GMH was a US parented company (short cwt) operating in a Commonwealth country (long cwt)... I assume that they use the short cwt in the documents/tags, but mebbe head office was thinking long cwt.

Cheers,
Harv

My head hurts ….. but here is the tag on the ute - hard to read but not impossible



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Thankyou

Cheers,
Harv