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ben23's '77 LX 2850 - my first Torana

LXTorana 2850 first build rust

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#1 ben23

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Posted 14 October 2014 - 09:16 PM

Well, guys, after many years talking up Torana's to all my riceburner loving school mates, and after owning 4 other cars (mostly riceburners), I finally sold a car I was very fond of and got myself my very first Torrie!

 

It's a '77 LX 2850 auto that I picked up from Batemans Bay a couple of weeks ago with 5 months rego. Drove it home and noticed a few dramas, which is the best thing about getting a running driving car, being able to pick up on things that do and don't work. It was idling like a dog and would stall at every set of lights in gear, as well as pinging its head off going up Kangaroo Vallley. No choke cable was present making cold starting a pain. Did already have electronic ignition fitted so that's a plus.

 

Upon getting it home the front left brakes were grinding, found inner pad down to the metal. No biggie, I threw a set of pads and rotors at both sides. Front left appeared to be sticking and has cooked those new LH pads. Rotor doesnt seem warped, however after cracking the bleeder they seemed to have stopped dragging as much. Got that hot that it popped the bearing cap out into the centre caps and sprayed grease everywhere. Want to do the twin pot upgrade eventually, once the 8 goes in.

 

The running issue was a split PCV hose and horribly advanced timing, so I visited Clark Rubber and replaced all vacuum lines, PCV valve and the LPG-tapped into heater lines, and ripped the in-op LPG kit out. Coolant flush and replacement, as well as an oil and filter change. Leaky rocker cover gasket was replaced as well as a coat of Holden red on the cover to dress up the by a bit. A few mins with the spanner and a timing light and fitting a new chrome filter and its looking and running a lot better than it did when I got it. Choke cable went in and a stereo, someone had done a decent job cutting a stereo hole in the dash and fitting some rear speakers.

 

Rear speakers were stuffed and an old Eurovox cassette/tuner was stuffed into the dash but not connected. Fitted a cheap set of rears and the stereo out of my old car for now for some cruising tunes. A temperature gauge under the dash keeps tabs on the motor with summer coming up and only an idiot light on the dash.

 

The rust is typical but not too bad from what I've seen on it so far. Who knows what's lurking where I can't see. Although I'm now left with 3 big holesaw attacks from the LPG, one near the tank, one where the filler line came back into the boot to exit through another hole next to the fuel filler in the sheetmetal behind the LH side of the plate to connect to the fill poiint. as well as a bunch of rivet holes from underneath the boot all the way to the bay where the LPG line ran.

 

Still a bench seat column shift with seats in damn good condition, the front bench especially. The rear has some cracking at the top of the rear cushion from the sun but that's about it, no tears, cigarette burns or rips, and its all there.

 

Did notice a leak from under the dash onto the passengers floor the other day during the rain so the car has been squeezed into the garage to give it a break. Will have to suss that out. Plans are for a full rebuild, with an 8 but retaining the column shift and auto, plans for it to be a tough, tidy cruiser.

 

Now for some pics!

 

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#2 SmacT

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Posted 14 October 2014 - 09:30 PM

Good score! And yes, better fun than a rice burner. Welcome and enjoy.

#3 _Macca97_

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Posted 15 October 2014 - 03:45 PM

looks good mate, cant wait to see the build, but make sure you enjoy it for awhile the way it is.



#4 RallyRed

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Posted 15 October 2014 - 07:43 PM

good one mate....nice , hard to find in that original form.

#5 ben23

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Posted 15 October 2014 - 10:45 PM

Thanks guys, yeah plans are to just get everything 100% the way it is and drive it for now, fix up what I can on the way. Inevitably it will come off the road for a big teardown and respray, as well as a V8 swap, but all in time.



#6 ben23

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Posted 23 October 2014 - 05:44 AM

planning on Ford XR6 burnt orange :) I think that would look awesome on a sedan, seen it before. Front spoiler but no rear or flares, just a tidy cruiser of a sedan. May have a 253 and trimatic that once powered my grandfathers HZ Kingswood sedan, pop sold the car in '03 to someone in my area (I was 13 at the time), I found it, 5 years later in '08 he still had it, I didn't have the cash for it at the time but my cousin bought it back a year later. Sitting out the front of his house the weather has taken its toll and the body is looking real, real sad. So i'll be liberating him of that car and that motor and box will come out for a full rebuild to eventually go into the Torana.



#7 ben23

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Posted 03 November 2014 - 09:44 PM

Well, bad news, Hume Motorway southbound of Narellan Road heading to Bargo, cruising at 110k's and it strips the frOcking fibre cam gear. After having the thing a frOcking month and spending good coin on getting it running nice. My luck. Thats what i get for paying 8 grand for something worth 3.

 

10343507_10204514975529693_7734001855967


Edited by ben23, 03 November 2014 - 09:54 PM.


#8 _zenburger_

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Posted 04 November 2014 - 05:45 AM

bummer mate!

#9 ben23

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Posted 06 November 2014 - 07:38 PM

new gear set arrived today. there are plenty of people telling me it can be done with the cam in, so im planning on trying that first. Pull off crank gear, cut off fibre gear, heat the cam gear and line everything up and smack on new cam gear while supporting it thru fuel pump hole. Sump off clean out all the bits of gear, back on with new gaskets, need a new balancer as I #@$^%& mine taking it off, and seal up the timing cover, throw it all back together and pray!



#10 _zenburger_

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Posted 12 November 2014 - 07:05 PM

hows the repairs going mate?



#11 ben23

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Posted 21 November 2014 - 06:37 PM

Got it together, but it wont build oil pressure so I think I may have damaged oil pump drive while doing the cam gear. Not spending anymore time and money on a 173, gonna get cracking on the V8 swap. On another hand, new plates have arrived and pay homage to my dad's LX torrie stolen in '87

 

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#12 ben23

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Posted 13 January 2015 - 08:45 PM

well, progress is at a standstill as I face a mental block towards this car. Not sure what direction to go with it, or if I even wanna keep going, always thought I would know when I got one exactly what colour I wanted it and what engine and gearbox I wanted. Torn between auto and manual. Feel like auto is just too pussy for a Torana but in saying that I wouldnt mind having one auto car.

 

My little toyota paseo turbo rice rocket which was my previous but still ongoing project has been converted to manual but I dont know if I wanna convert the torana. part of me does part of me doesn't. Also wanna keep bench so yeah. So far plan has been for an injected 304 using carby style manifold with injector bosses and 4 barrel style TB, that way I can use my little hilborn scoop out the bonnet. TH700 4 speed auto adapted to the column shift. Dont wanna turn this into a multi year build either I want to try to knock it over by the end of the year. The interior apart from carpet is in good nick and doesnt need to be touched straight away. Biggest drama is gonna be bodywork I feel. Finding more rust everywhere I look. I suppose I can go auto for now and always go manual later on down the track. Sure it will be a pain but at least I'll know for sure what I want once I drive it a bit.



#13 _GMH-001_

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Posted 13 January 2015 - 10:13 PM

Well if it's auto now it's easy to slot in a manual later as you have the room. Keep going on the things your certain of while you consider the uncertainties. You'll be suprised how easy it comes to you as other things are done ;) 



#14 ben23

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Posted 22 February 2015 - 10:25 PM

yeah this is true GMH-001. Heres some more photos of the cancer in the old girl

 

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#15 ben23

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Posted 12 March 2015 - 10:25 PM

My new diff arrived the other day, got the idea to fit a modified R31 skyline diff from the Driveline forum on here, much cheaper than a 9 inch and more than capable of handling my planned driveline (injected 5 litre/TH700)

 

11025138_10205474263871302_5171547001990



#16 GMH-01X

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Posted 13 March 2015 - 05:44 AM

Nice Ben, who did the diff for you and how much ??

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#17 Heath

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Posted 14 March 2015 - 08:28 AM

Aaron that diff is just a standard R31 diff still in those photos.

Are you touching the rust for now? Nothing looks too severe but there will obviously be a bit of work in getting it all looking good still.

Nobody has talked you into a manual yet?

#18 ben23

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Posted 15 March 2015 - 11:01 PM

I've tried talking myself into a manual but I really want to retain the bench and column shift auto. Plus my work ute is manual, my little turbo paseo is manual so maybe having an auto cruiser will be cool. If it was staying a six it would definitely go manual



#19 ben23

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Posted 16 March 2015 - 07:30 PM

Yeah the diff is still standard R31 so that will be getting modified at some stage. Tossing up between blue and white as colours, was considering blood orange and papaya and porsche viper green but its so hard to decide on a colour :(



#20 Heath

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Posted 17 March 2015 - 09:06 PM

All the loud 70's colours are great IMO. Solid is nice and easy to work with.

This rust is nothing you can't learn to tackle yourself mate!

#21 ben23

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 12:35 PM

Yeah see I'm not very steady with my hands and I don't have much patience for measuring and fab work, also that I don't know how to weld. I'm an auto sparky so mechanically and electrically I've got it but just not body work never had a knack for it

#22 Bigfella237

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 12:56 PM

Best thing I can suggest is to ask around and see if there are any panel beater apprentices in your area who aren't all that handy with mechanical or electrical and do a bit of bartering.

 

If you can get in with a group of guys who all have something different to offer and all chip in with each others projects it's a lot more fun and things go a lot quicker too.



#23 ben23

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Posted 19 March 2015 - 02:03 PM

I have a mate who is a boily who can weld but still need someone who can panel beat and paint. I'm not afraid to pay to have it done, in fact to meet a personal deadline I'll probably have to

#24 Heath

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Posted 20 March 2015 - 10:58 AM

Your trade doesn't restrict you to one area of expertise! My advice is throw the deadline in the bin, get the tools you need and get stuck in. No other way to build a car IMO; you are capable of building all the skills that you require.

#25 RIM-010

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Posted 20 March 2015 - 12:03 PM

Building a car (or anything) to a deadline is a bad idea. You'll end up rushing, taking shortcuts etc

Slow down, learn the skills, acquire the tools. You'll do good.





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