Hey
Just looking for some pictures of toranas being made when they were new. Only pictures iv seen are a few in magazines (just holdens being a good one).
Does not matter what model or if it was a hatch, sedan or coupe. After looking on the web i have not found many.
Also after an image of around 1972 showing a heap of HQs and LJ? toranas that had been crash tested.
Chears Neil
Toranas being built brand new on Holdens production line
Started by
Neils LX
, Nov 08 2011 09:03 PM
anyone got any pictures?
8 replies to this topic
#1
Neils LX
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Posted 08 November 2011 - 09:03 PM
#2
_toranarama_
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Posted 08 November 2011 - 10:18 PM
Repost as such...
http://www.gmh-toran...embly-pictures/
The torana xu2 story
IN PURSUIT of more grunt and ultimately line honors at Bathurst, HDT boss Harry Firth was always trying new ideas, and one of those was to put a V8 in a LC body. Initially he started with a 253, but after a few laps around the block by Peter Brock it was decided that it didn't have enough grunt and would not be able to compete with the phase four that Ford were also building. So in went the 308 and a few more trips around the block, the car was eventually driven to circuits and raced as a sports sedan. It was the yellow LC that Colin Bond and Peter Brock drove in the previous year's series production.
The V8 XU-1 idea was put to Holdens executives who liked it so much that they also built three pre-production versions of the V8 XU-1, a Strike Me Pink, a Sebring Orange and a Linamint Green. Peter Brock tested GMHs (Strike Me Pink) pre-production version V8 XU-1 at Calder but it was a bit of a pig, so he took it back to Harry's workshop where George Roberts, Fred James and the rest of the white coated guys to sort out the problems.
It was taken back to Calder after modifications to the suspension, lowered the springs, stiffer rebound shocks, heavy duty suspension bushes (off a Monaro) in the rear axle.
The V8 XU-1 code named 35XW7 (Export Vehicle) was improved by two seconds a lap. It bettered the XU-1 by one second a lap.
Peter Brock drove the Lockwood Special car as a loan car, the motor had been taken out and it had a 202. But it still had the big fuel tank (36 gallon ) which took up most of the room in the boot. It had two fuel filler caps, one on each side. It was a particular Sebring Orange car, one of three pre-production GMH- built prototypes. The reason for the name was due to the fact that it always had a padlock on the bonnet so that no one could discover its secret. Peter Brock recalls that the Strike Me Pink car put out 271 horsepower on Jacks Hannans dyno.
Joe Felice who was the Administrator of Motor Sport and Public Relation for Holden also drove the Sebring Orange V8 XU-2 as his company car for a brief period before the car was finally retired to Holdens engineering section.
Development on the V8 XU-1 continued well until mid -1972, with the aim of having the V8 option added to the LJ range before Bathurst. And it was more than likely that the XU-2 name would have been used. Then the 'Supercar' scare reared its ugly head in a leading Sunday newspaper article, fuelled with rumours of 160 miles an hour "bullets on wheels", available to anyone who had the money. This of course bought a unfavourable reaction by the Federal Government and the potential lose of fleet sales was enough to make Holden give in and on Friday the 13th June 1972, Holden shelved the development of the XU-2 project. All three V8 XU-2 prototypes were dismantled and became test hacks and none were sold to the public. However one car did escape from GMH plant in Pagewood, Sydney in 1973. The car was bought by a leading hand, it was dark purple in colour with the XU-2 decals.
TORANA XU-2 SPECS
ENGINE
308 ci engine
Rochester carburettor
Revised brake booster support
Revised throttle linkages
Revised pistons and rings
Revised connecting rods and bearings
Revised exhaust ports
Revised valve springs (chev PN 3927142)
Revised cylinder case
Revised main bearing caps
Studs and nuts used instead of three centre main bolts
Windage tray fitted to main cap studs
Revised main bearings
Revised crankshaft
Oil pan sectioned to clear front crossmember assembly, ears added to maintain capacity (3.9 litres), drain relocated to rear lower part of oil pan
Revised oil pick up
Revised intake manifold
Revised fuel pump
Revised fuel lines
2 into 1 exhaust system with resonator at the front, a Y junction and a standard XU-1 muffler
Revised water pump rotor
Revised rocker covers
Revised flywheel
Engine mounts with 100-thou spacers
Revised camshaft (PN 2825910/1)
Relocated 35 amp alternator (driver side)
Revised splash guard
Revised radiator and cap
REAR SUSPENSION
Revised upper and lower control arms
Harder bushings
Revised springs
Revised springs and shock absorbers
Revised shock absorbers
FRONT SUSPENSION
Revised crossmember to clutch to clear starter motor - lip removed on passenger side strut
Revised springs
Revised bump stop and rubbers
Reinforced lower control arm as per XU1
Revised wheel alignment settings
Revised upper control arms (bushings) assembly. Revised attachment bolts
Brake disc 60-thou thicker than XU-1
Revised disc calipers for thicker discs
TRANSMISSION
M21 four speed gearbox with heavy duty casing and 2.54:1 first gear ratio
V8 clutch and pressure plates
G92 rear axle with 2.78:1 final drive ratio
Three inch diameter propeller shaft with V8 universal joints
Revised floor shift
STEERING
Additional universal joint
Both universal joints splined
Steering gear revised:
short pinion shaft and mounting point to crossmember
INTERIOR
Steering column no longer offset
Clutch pedal arm reshaped to clear steering column
Drivers seat reinforced
Choke control deleted,
opening covered
Laminated windshield
EXTERIOR
Two HQ station wagon/commercial fuel caps added to each rear quarter panel
Air deflectors added to front spoiler
Wind deflectors fitted to windscreen wipers
XU-1 stickers retained for front fenders
XU-1 rear spoiler retained
Globe mag wheels
BOOT
36.2 gallon (165 litre) galvanised box type fuel tank with twin filler points fed through rubber hoses from filler points on each quarter panel. Features anti-surge baffling and fuel pick up sump
Fuel tank extended from between the wheel arches to the full width of boot at its rear-most point - 9 inches (27 cm) deep at the rear and 7 inches (21cm) deep over the axle
Revised fuel line and venting
XU-1's 17 (77.4 litre) fuel tank deleted and boot floor cutout replaced by mastic
sealed panel
Existing LJ fuel cap retained
Spare wheel probably mounted under boot floor
Source: http://outerlimits4x...17989&view=next
http://www.gmh-toran...embly-pictures/
The torana xu2 story
IN PURSUIT of more grunt and ultimately line honors at Bathurst, HDT boss Harry Firth was always trying new ideas, and one of those was to put a V8 in a LC body. Initially he started with a 253, but after a few laps around the block by Peter Brock it was decided that it didn't have enough grunt and would not be able to compete with the phase four that Ford were also building. So in went the 308 and a few more trips around the block, the car was eventually driven to circuits and raced as a sports sedan. It was the yellow LC that Colin Bond and Peter Brock drove in the previous year's series production.
The V8 XU-1 idea was put to Holdens executives who liked it so much that they also built three pre-production versions of the V8 XU-1, a Strike Me Pink, a Sebring Orange and a Linamint Green. Peter Brock tested GMHs (Strike Me Pink) pre-production version V8 XU-1 at Calder but it was a bit of a pig, so he took it back to Harry's workshop where George Roberts, Fred James and the rest of the white coated guys to sort out the problems.
It was taken back to Calder after modifications to the suspension, lowered the springs, stiffer rebound shocks, heavy duty suspension bushes (off a Monaro) in the rear axle.
The V8 XU-1 code named 35XW7 (Export Vehicle) was improved by two seconds a lap. It bettered the XU-1 by one second a lap.
Peter Brock drove the Lockwood Special car as a loan car, the motor had been taken out and it had a 202. But it still had the big fuel tank (36 gallon ) which took up most of the room in the boot. It had two fuel filler caps, one on each side. It was a particular Sebring Orange car, one of three pre-production GMH- built prototypes. The reason for the name was due to the fact that it always had a padlock on the bonnet so that no one could discover its secret. Peter Brock recalls that the Strike Me Pink car put out 271 horsepower on Jacks Hannans dyno.
Joe Felice who was the Administrator of Motor Sport and Public Relation for Holden also drove the Sebring Orange V8 XU-2 as his company car for a brief period before the car was finally retired to Holdens engineering section.
Development on the V8 XU-1 continued well until mid -1972, with the aim of having the V8 option added to the LJ range before Bathurst. And it was more than likely that the XU-2 name would have been used. Then the 'Supercar' scare reared its ugly head in a leading Sunday newspaper article, fuelled with rumours of 160 miles an hour "bullets on wheels", available to anyone who had the money. This of course bought a unfavourable reaction by the Federal Government and the potential lose of fleet sales was enough to make Holden give in and on Friday the 13th June 1972, Holden shelved the development of the XU-2 project. All three V8 XU-2 prototypes were dismantled and became test hacks and none were sold to the public. However one car did escape from GMH plant in Pagewood, Sydney in 1973. The car was bought by a leading hand, it was dark purple in colour with the XU-2 decals.
TORANA XU-2 SPECS
ENGINE
308 ci engine
Rochester carburettor
Revised brake booster support
Revised throttle linkages
Revised pistons and rings
Revised connecting rods and bearings
Revised exhaust ports
Revised valve springs (chev PN 3927142)
Revised cylinder case
Revised main bearing caps
Studs and nuts used instead of three centre main bolts
Windage tray fitted to main cap studs
Revised main bearings
Revised crankshaft
Oil pan sectioned to clear front crossmember assembly, ears added to maintain capacity (3.9 litres), drain relocated to rear lower part of oil pan
Revised oil pick up
Revised intake manifold
Revised fuel pump
Revised fuel lines
2 into 1 exhaust system with resonator at the front, a Y junction and a standard XU-1 muffler
Revised water pump rotor
Revised rocker covers
Revised flywheel
Engine mounts with 100-thou spacers
Revised camshaft (PN 2825910/1)
Relocated 35 amp alternator (driver side)
Revised splash guard
Revised radiator and cap
REAR SUSPENSION
Revised upper and lower control arms
Harder bushings
Revised springs
Revised springs and shock absorbers
Revised shock absorbers
FRONT SUSPENSION
Revised crossmember to clutch to clear starter motor - lip removed on passenger side strut
Revised springs
Revised bump stop and rubbers
Reinforced lower control arm as per XU1
Revised wheel alignment settings
Revised upper control arms (bushings) assembly. Revised attachment bolts
Brake disc 60-thou thicker than XU-1
Revised disc calipers for thicker discs
TRANSMISSION
M21 four speed gearbox with heavy duty casing and 2.54:1 first gear ratio
V8 clutch and pressure plates
G92 rear axle with 2.78:1 final drive ratio
Three inch diameter propeller shaft with V8 universal joints
Revised floor shift
STEERING
Additional universal joint
Both universal joints splined
Steering gear revised:
short pinion shaft and mounting point to crossmember
INTERIOR
Steering column no longer offset
Clutch pedal arm reshaped to clear steering column
Drivers seat reinforced
Choke control deleted,
opening covered
Laminated windshield
EXTERIOR
Two HQ station wagon/commercial fuel caps added to each rear quarter panel
Air deflectors added to front spoiler
Wind deflectors fitted to windscreen wipers
XU-1 stickers retained for front fenders
XU-1 rear spoiler retained
Globe mag wheels
BOOT
36.2 gallon (165 litre) galvanised box type fuel tank with twin filler points fed through rubber hoses from filler points on each quarter panel. Features anti-surge baffling and fuel pick up sump
Fuel tank extended from between the wheel arches to the full width of boot at its rear-most point - 9 inches (27 cm) deep at the rear and 7 inches (21cm) deep over the axle
Revised fuel line and venting
XU-1's 17 (77.4 litre) fuel tank deleted and boot floor cutout replaced by mastic
sealed panel
Existing LJ fuel cap retained
Spare wheel probably mounted under boot floor
Source: http://outerlimits4x...17989&view=next
Edited by toranarama, 08 November 2011 - 10:31 PM.
#3
_sloper35_
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Posted 09 November 2011 - 03:07 PM
"However one car did escape from GMH plant in Pagewood, Sydney in 1973. The car was bought by a leading hand, it was dark purple in colour with the XU-2 decals."
Some fantasy here. One was stolen and never recovered. One was crushed at Proving Ground by SIMS and the last was sent into the barrier then crushed by SIMS.
Some fantasy here. One was stolen and never recovered. One was crushed at Proving Ground by SIMS and the last was sent into the barrier then crushed by SIMS.
#4
_sloper35_
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Posted 09 November 2011 - 03:13 PM
Should have added XU2 stickers were NEVER put on LJ V8s by Holden, even if the car had of been built it would not have had XU2 stickers, they would have continued to be XU-1
#5
_Quagmire_
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Posted 09 November 2011 - 08:43 PM
it's posted on the interweb it cannot be a lie 
#6
xu2308
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Posted 02 December 2011 - 09:54 PM
Yes the Purple V8 XU-1 with the Big XU2 Stickers, it has not turned up any where yet to say its the real deal.
Norm would know from his Holden Contacts, so i would say it might be abit fantasy the Purple Machine, but you never know or was it a sydney Holden Dealer Built one like the 1972 LJ GTR 308 V8 one built for Geoff Malony ????????????? thts in the Wheels Feb 1973 Mag.
Norm would know from his Holden Contacts, so i would say it might be abit fantasy the Purple Machine, but you never know or was it a sydney Holden Dealer Built one like the 1972 LJ GTR 308 V8 one built for Geoff Malony ????????????? thts in the Wheels Feb 1973 Mag.
#7
_dakota10_
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Posted 04 December 2011 - 04:27 AM
can anybody help me with a list of V.I.N numbers and Chassis numbers for LC GTR's and LC GTR-XU1 asa i have recently purchased one of each and i want to confirm that they are the real deal not rebadged replicas. i have tried to find this info every where but cant seem to locate these records any where can any body out there help me ? I would be very greatful. Thanks Jimmy
#8
_toranarama_
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Posted 04 December 2011 - 06:40 AM
James, click on this BLUE LINK
http://www.gmh-toran...__fromsearch__1
Then from there after having a read go to this LINK
GTR and XU1 verification thread
http://www.gmh-toran...ication-thread/
AND REPOST ALL YOUR DATA THERE
http://www.gmh-toran...__fromsearch__1
Then from there after having a read go to this LINK
GTR and XU1 verification thread
http://www.gmh-toran...ication-thread/
AND REPOST ALL YOUR DATA THERE
Edited by toranarama, 04 December 2011 - 06:42 AM.
#9
frash da bucket
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Posted 08 December 2011 - 12:47 PM
Hi Norm
I do remember seeing the dark purple at gmh at pagewood,it was paked at different locations around the complex,it was regestered with yellow and black plates,standard issue plates from the day.My father took me there alot to see all the holdens that were parked outside from comming of the prodution line,i was 11 years old at the time.I do remember that torana real well norm,it was never parked near the fence,but seeing it some 15 feet away,i remember the fuel caps on the side of the quater panels,one on each side and were black,it had gtr-xu-1 stickers on it just like the 6 cylinder versions .I did see that car again in the early next year,but was never seen after that.
Regards John.
I do remember seeing the dark purple at gmh at pagewood,it was paked at different locations around the complex,it was regestered with yellow and black plates,standard issue plates from the day.My father took me there alot to see all the holdens that were parked outside from comming of the prodution line,i was 11 years old at the time.I do remember that torana real well norm,it was never parked near the fence,but seeing it some 15 feet away,i remember the fuel caps on the side of the quater panels,one on each side and were black,it had gtr-xu-1 stickers on it just like the 6 cylinder versions .I did see that car again in the early next year,but was never seen after that.
Regards John.
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