8 . ▁The ▁Great ▁De pression ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁substantial ▁dow nt urn ▁in ▁production ▁by ▁Hold en , ▁from ▁ 3 4 , 0 0 0   un its ▁ann ually ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁to ▁just ▁ 1 , 6 5 1   un its ▁one ▁year ▁later . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁G M ▁purchased ▁H MB B ▁and ▁merged ▁it ▁with ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁( Austral ia ) ▁P ty ▁Ltd ▁to ▁form ▁General ▁Mot ors - Hold en ' s ▁Ltd ▁( GM - H ). ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁Hold en ▁also ▁supplied ▁ 6 0 ▁W - class ▁tram car ▁bodies ▁to ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁& ▁Metropolitan ▁Tr am ways ▁Board , ▁of ▁which ▁several ▁examples ▁have ▁been ▁preserved ▁in ▁both ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁▁ ▁Hold en ' s ▁second ▁full - scale ▁car ▁factory , ▁located ▁in ▁Fish erm ans ▁B end ▁( Port ▁Melbourne ), ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Joseph ▁Ly ons , ▁with ▁construction ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁on ▁a ▁new ▁plant ▁in ▁Page wood , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁However , ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁delayed ▁car ▁production ▁with ▁efforts ▁shift ed ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁vehicle ▁bodies , ▁field ▁guns , ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁engines . ▁Before ▁the ▁war ▁ended , ▁the ▁Australian ▁government ▁took ▁steps ▁to ▁encou rage ▁an ▁Australian