Dual cast 173 engines certainly are the fly in the XU! ointment because they were never intended for a XU-1, the dual cast 202 was the engine intended for the XU-1, Dual cast 173 engines were intended for the 1971 LC GTR 173 ( CF ). These were the cars chosen to compete in the 1973 Manufacturers Championship and Bathurst in the under 3 litre class. At Bathurst in 1973 there were 2 Holden engines entered, a 173 & the 202. Dual cast blocks were designed to last and produce maximum horsepower. In 1973 both the 173 and 202 engines were Holdens top selling engines...........
Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.......
So let me get this straight. GMH specially cast a secret squirrel 173 block in/around August 1973 for use in the two now 2 year old LC GTR's entered in Bathurst for 1973, #36 entered by MKL, a Hunter Valley based dealer with two relatively obscure drivers that qualified in 31st and DNF'ed......Or the #33 car also by a relatively small dealer that qualified 28th and finished 17th. Where is the evidence that either of these cars was actually a 2850S (or raced in that specification)? They are both listed as Class C which is under 3.0L which means they could be 2850S or 2600S. By the qualifying lap time you'd think the #33 car might be a 2850S but given they'd have been allowed to run the same rubber as the XU1's either would be pretty quick in qualifying but it was still about 20s a lap slower than the top XU1's. Herb Taylor drove an Escort in 1971-1972 and Don Smith drove a Datsun 1600 so you'd assume the GTR was a used car as well when they raced it. Anyone know Herb Taylor? Wouldn't hurt to ask him. Herb is 81 from what I can see and still around, but Don is deceased. Interestingly they were both born on the same day.