The demise 0f the Holden can be explained by the seat belt laws. 45 to 60 years ago I had Holdens. I had a series of Holden station wagons, we also had 3 young children. I needed the commercial space in the back for work and for weekends or holiday trips we made a bed in the back for the kids to sleep. We went to drive in pictures and bedded them down in the back. If we had visitors we bundled them in as well with as many as 8 kids and 4 or 5 adults crammed in the car for a trip to the beach. We played tennis at night with the kids asleep in the back. They stayed there asleep until we got home. It was legal and we never considered it unsafe.
That all stopped with the seat belt laws and I turned to owning a Pajero, 2 in front, 3 in the back seat and 2 in the legal seats in the back. That is why city mothers drive "Pitt St tractors" or people movers as a vehicle of choice.
I don't say seat belt laws should be dropped, quite the opposite.
I also owned Holden utes as farm vehicles but when a 1 tonner was more useful I bought a Rodeo, a Holden made by Nissen. Holden never made a 4 wheel drive, a necessity for farm vehicles and a choice for tradesmen.
