69 replies to this topic

[S pack]

More than a couple of months. The schedule was locked in for a couple of months ahead! They would have to have designed, organised, tendered, awarded and received the graphics. This would have involved committees etc. Then placed the cars in the schedule which is what triggered all the parts to be either made or procured. To get them built in early 1975 you'd be looking at least back into mid 1974 to pull the trigger, assuming the whole thing was designed ready to go.

Just had a thought, is the actual Sadlon vinyl in athe  Gpak the same vinyl used on other Holden and Torana?

I suspect it was std 8VB69 black trim.

 

All Holden & Torana decals and spray masks were manufactured by Cutler Brands in SA during the 70's so the procurement process was possibly fairly simplified.

Edited by S pack, 26 September 2016 - 01:30 PM.

[yel327]

I just discovered that those earlier Gpack made late 1974 and early 1975 had the standard 19V trim as you'd find if you optioned buckets and black trim in an LH S.  However the later ones made in later 1975 had unique (I think for the model) trim and it wasn't black. Those supposedly had 18W trim which is Slate Black, not sure what was different to make the W necessary.

 

Also had another thought today. LH was supposed to have a "notchback" body shape variant. Given that the sports LJ were all 2 door, maybe when XV1 for the sports sedan version of LH was assigned late in 1971 the only sports version of LH was to be a notchback, and as a new sport sedan version of HQ was created using XV2, XV1 was created at the same time to be the equivalent sports sedan in LH. Once GMH saw the sales boom in the SS and GTS sedan they possibly then changed direction slightly, and as Bagshaw wanted a hatchback rather than a notchback the decision was then made to create LH as a sedan only and make the SL/R sedan.  The hatchback then was delayed until the facelift of LH. Just thinking outside the square, and it still doesn't explain why they went ahead with the XV1.

 

Does anyone here have an instrument cluster out of one of those really early Gpaks? Like one of the 12/74 cars or even a 1/75 car? Just wondering what the date code is on it.

[SmacT]

Love this thread, because for a reason I can't put my finger on, I really like the things. I'd love to run one stock on the outside, with a turboed 202 up front. Be a bit different, but a lot of fun. I look forward to more posts on this beast.

[S pack]

I still think the Gpak was simply a pre planned marketing special that could be put into production at short notice if required.

Just browsing Torana Tough and found on page 160 it is mentioned that sales of the new LH Torana were consistent with the LJ at 3100 units per month but by the end of '74 sales had slumped below 3000 per month.

 

Similarly the Plus 4 was rolled out to try to boost falling sales of 4cyl LH.

Edited by S pack, 27 September 2016 - 08:49 PM.

[S pack]

Makes no sense. Why bring out the g pak then ? Did we have big fuel price hikes at the same time ?

Perhaps GMH employees just got a bit tired of spitting out all those 2850cc three on the tree bench seated two tone Chamois/Glacier White Convent specials.

[fuzzypumper]

Does anyone here have an instrument cluster out of one of those really early Gpaks? Like one of the 12/74 cars or even a 1/75 car? Just wondering what the date code is on it.

 

 

Wheres the date code stamped?  

I owned a 1975 Gpak and i still own the the dash cluster. However I cant remember whether it was it was a 74 and reg 75 or was a 75 reg 76.

It did have a canister under the bonnet. 

[yel327]

The date code on the cluster will probably be a painted mark. Can't remember if on the top or back or bottom. Even if it is complianced 12/74 they all appear to have BLH chassis numbers so should have a canister.

Makes no sense. Why bring out the g pak then ? Did we have big fuel price hikes at the same time ?

 

There was massive inflation at the time. At release an SL/R was about $3900 but by the time the second lot of Gpak's were on sale in late 1975 they Gpak was $5000.
 

[yel327]

I still think the Gpak was simply a pre planned marketing special that could be put into production at short notice if required.

Just browsing Torana Tough and found on page 160 it is mentioned that sales of the new LH Torana were consistent with the LJ at 3100 units per month but by the end of '74 sales had slumped below 3000 per month.

 

Similarly the Plus 4 was rolled out to try to boost falling sales of 4cyl LH.

 

It is possible the Gpak was put out there if SL/R sales were slow after release. GMH could have stopped making SL/R for the order bank (as in stock order) and allocated those schedule slots to Gpaks, but you'd have to comb the microfiche records to know and look to see if SLR with 3300 became very scarce in the records. And it would have had to have started planning prior to the middle of 1974 if they were going to start building them in 12/74. My guess is those dozen or so 12/74 cars were built prior to Xmas but the stripes weren't ready yet. Stripes were finished when they arrived and then the rest of the cars got done. 

[Statler]

Norm says the LH sales were steady around 3200/mth?

 

Across the board yes, but i doubt we will ever know the number of SLR6 made. I'm thinking it was low.

 

I can't imagine insurance being any easier back then. Mention 'SLR' to your insurance company & the premiums skyrocket, even if it is a 6 pack. Also possibly the reason you could order a 5ltr Kingswood without having to buy the full 'GTS' package. 

 

I know of 2 LH  L31 cars that weren't SLR's. I can confirm that 1 of those cars was a special order for this reason. 

 

I have a set of G-pak tags (not for sale) left over from my 'parts car' collection. I am happy to hand them over to a die hard tag collector who doesn't have a set in their collection. 

[yel327]

There were also a few L30 or L31 manual HQ Monaro or Kingswood made too no doubt for the same reason that Insurance was dear on GTS coupe or sedan. There were a fair few hundred HZ Kingswood SL sedans with L31 M21 probably to minimise both cost and insurance cost over a HZ GTS.

Are the Gpak tags you have Col a later one? I'd be interested but cannot buy tags, maybe swap something for them? It would almost complete my "sports" Torana collection, would only be missing Brabham, LJ GTR or GTR XU1 and a Plus4. Still need a set of HJ coupe tags to complete the HK to HZ Monaro or GTS coupe and sedan set. Once I have the Holden Monaro, Holden Sandman and Torana sets I'll make up a glass bar top with tags underneath.

[Statler]

I don't want anything for it. They aren't a salable item. Shoot me a PM with a postal addy & i will get them in the mail.

 

I bought the car for $60 because it had a laminated windscreen. Drove it home. Oh the days!

 

[yel327]

Will do.

[fuzzypumper]

The date code on the cluster will probably be a painted mark. Can't remember if on the top or back or bottom. Even if it is complianced 12/74 they all appear to have BLH chassis numbers so should have a canister.

 

There was massive inflation at the time. At release an SL/R was about $3900 but by the time the second lot of Gpak's were on sale in late 1975 they Gpak was $5000.
 

 

Well,  my old GPAK dash is: 9940337 Code I0  dated 11-75 (7 digit odometer)  and my

        SLR(7/75build) dash is  9938228 Code IJ dated sometime in 74 (6 digit odometer).

 

So I suppose my Gpak was a second realease model and the first release GPAKs would have

had older 6 digit odometer dash.

[S pack]

Well,  my old GPAK dash is: 9940337 Code I0  dated 11-75 (7 digit odometer)  and my

        SLR(7/75build) dash is  9938228 Code IJ dated sometime in 74 (6 digit odometer).

 

So I suppose my Gpak was a second realease model and the first release GPAKs would have

had older 6 digit odometer dash.

All depends on when the 6 digit odo was phased out.

[S pack]

It is possible the Gpak was put out there if SL/R sales were slow after release. GMH could have stopped making SL/R for the order bank (as in stock order) and allocated those schedule slots to Gpaks, but you'd have to comb the microfiche records to know and look to see if SLR with 3300 became very scarce in the records. And it would have had to have started planning prior to the middle of 1974 if they were going to start building them in 12/74. My guess is those dozen or so 12/74 cars were built prior to Xmas but the stripes weren't ready yet. Stripes were finished when they arrived and then the rest of the cars got done. 

For sure at least one of the 12/74 Gpak's would have been used as a promo car so would have to have the Gpak striping done during production.

[yel327]

Agree normally, but they didn't have a HQ Sandman ready for the brochures and just used renderings with stock or altered photos for the interior. The front of the Gpak brochure is the same drawing type as HQ Sandman.  

[RallyRed]

just trawling thru one of the folders of old factory letters I picked up in at the weekend auction.

By the end of 74 they were reporting to dealers that there was  ""good availablilty for LH with 8VD69 with 6 cylinder"", where as some other stuff was delayed etc.

 

Maybe they paniced about being stuck with SL/Rs and invented the Gpack as a workaround.( it may have been invented earlier, but they pulled the trigger)

Edited by RallyRed, 02 October 2016 - 07:43 PM.

[StephenSLR]

Have I stumbled upon a winner or they worthless

 

What does the car mean to you?

 

That's what matters.

 

Personally, I'd rather a G-Pak than a bog stock SL, you have the gauges and interior so you can build an SL/R replica and if any future owner wants to restore it, they don't have to worry about the interior but leave all that to the next guy, you build your car the way that gives you the most satisfaction.

 

s

Edited by StephenSLR, 27 January 2017 - 10:46 AM.