The Australian Six by David Berthon
The fate of the large six-cylinder Aussie car hangs in the balance as sales continue to slide - Holden on one hand waiting on the outcome of its parent company's eventual solvency while Ford will decide next year whether to go with its parent company's "One Ford" global strategy with a front-drive platform.But its not the first time an Australian six-cylinder car has been under threat. Some thirty years before Prime Minister Ben Chifley flagged away our first mass produced Holden an Australian company released a six-cylinder car with great promise.
The Australian Six arrived shortly after World War 1 - the brainchild of Frederick Hugh Gordon, a Sydney engineer and automotive pioneer. Gordon had already made a name for himself importing ready to wear suits, fire extinguishers and noiseless typewriters.
Connected with the car industry from its earliest beginnings he had unpacked and placed the first Ford on the market in Sydney and by 1913 his company F.H Gordon and Co had developed a number of agencies for imported cars including Wolseley, Mercedes and Mitchell.
Gordon's automotive manufacturing venture was based on the belief that he could build a car from proprietary parts at a much lower cost than establishing a major manufacturing facility. The development of the Australian Six saw him import major automotive components from America for assembly with a number of locally produced parts.
The company's motto was "Made in Australia, by Australians for Australia" and it was quick to claim that every part of the car could be made locally and economically with Australian materials and an Australian workforce.
During 1917 Gordon, who made regular business trips to the U.S, had befriended Louis Chevrolet who supplied him with the specifications for an American light-six car he was developing. Chevrolet, also gave him an introduction to the various component manufacturers, for the supply of the engine, gearbox, differential and electrical items.
Assembly of the chassis components initially commenced at Fred Gordon's workshop and service station in McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay with returned soldiers given preference in the workforce.
Building of the car bodies, painting and upholstery was sub-contracted out with the initial batch of touring bodies built at Millers Motor Body works at Randwick and the mudguards entrusted to F Muller and Co. in Crown Street, East Sydney.
The Australian Six was launched at Victoria Park Racecourse on the 28th June 1919 and at least 6 cars were registered by the September. With a launch price of 495 pounds Gordon claimed in advertising that it was between 200 and 300 pounds cheaper than a comparable imported model.
Shortly after, he took out an advertisement in the Motor Traders Association Journal looking for more dealers. "We are selling faster than we can build. Our sales are already larger than any other car… we can sell a car completely assembled in Australia for 495 pounds that, were it imported in the usual way, could not be sold for under 750 pounds."
However, the claims were hollow as his factory was to deliver just 49 cars during 1919. As for the savings over imported cars, Gordon was actually losing around 2000 pounds on each car he produced.
It was obvious Gordon believed he could leverage the Government of the day to support local assembly or at the very least to provide a duty to protect the local industry.
There was no question as to their good quality although the company did gain some adverse publicity early on when some cars needed extra work on their Rutenber engines and the fitting of higher grade pistons.
The cars would eventually prove reliable and strong and soon gained more Australian components although many doubted the company's eventual claim that they had 60 to 70 per cent local content.
With an advertising push to attract a nationwide network of dealers it was obvious that a large assembly facility would be required and 7 acres were acquired on Parramatta Road at Ashfield. To satisfy the need for necessary capital Australian Motors Ltd was registered in September 1919 to take over the new manufacturing operations of Fred Gordon's company.
Officially opened in May 1920 the new facility employed up to 200 workers at its peak with Gordon making much of the fact that returned soldiers were employed at the site. He also advertised the fact that Queensland Maple was included in the construction, steel from BHP at Newcastle and leather from Melbourne.
The Australian Six assembled at Ashfield was a good looking car for the period with a distinctive Rolls-Royce style Grecian-shaped radiator. Six different body styles were offered including a five-seat fixed front seat, five-seat sliding front seat and a seven-seat tourer, the trio available in either standard or deluxe form.
The company also built an eight-seat special service car which was popular with the tourist industry. Rolf's Hire Car Co. offered visitors to Jenolan Caves a pick up service from Katoomba Station which included a souvenir photograph taken in the car outside Hartley Court House.
In effect the major chassis components on the Australian Six were fully imported with the only local items comprising the bodies, radiators, fuel tanks and small body castings. The company also produced its own wooden wheels and would later offer optional wire and disc wheels.
By March 1921 the company was desperately in need of more capital funding and Australian Six Motor Sales Ltd was formed to take over the sales and distribution of the troubled manufacturing arm, Australian Motors Ltd.
However, the death of a Director shortly after would see the new company fold by the July, the assets finally sold to a new company. Production continued at Ashfield until the end of 1923 by which time the company had been purchased by Harkness and Hillier.
Don Harkness had made a name for himself as a racing driver at Maroubra Speedway and as a land speed record breaker. He had also been selling the Australian Six on commission while travelling interstate on business and was using the cars in his own taxi fleet.
The duo invested a considerable sum of money to move the production facility to a new site in Five Dock but sales did not improve. Increased competition from more affordable fully-imported cars including the four-cylinder Model T Ford spelt the end of the Australian Six and production finally ceased early in 1925. Reports vary but just 500 cars are believed to have been assembled over its six year production run of which around 11 are known to survive.
