46 replies to this topic

[ridgeroll]

Wondering whether anyone has any information on some of the late 1973 2 door Torana S with GTR options.

 

I contemplated buying one at the time but instead bought a new VW Kombi.

 

The Torana's were around $2800 dollars and came with the 202 motor, four speed, GTR Dash, front disc brakes and did not have badges on them.

I know that one of the colours they were available in was Sunburst and had the satin black along the sills but not around the back as the GTR and XU1 had.

 

GMH were using up parts at the time before the new model Torana's and sold a limited number of these cars.

 

Any advertising material, numbers or information on these particular models would be appreciated

 

 

[Ice]

We got a forum member who owns one

[LHSL]

Talked about elsewhere in the forum. I think they are referred to as the Gilbert Torana.

[S pack]

The Gilbert Torana was a late '71 LC with 173 HC, Aussie M20, Disc brakes, sports instruments, rear spoiler, 5.5" rims etc. The OP is talking about late 1973 and or 1974 LJ's. 

Edited by S pack, 13 February 2018 - 08:22 PM.

[jd lj]

We got a forum member who owns one

Now who could that be.
These things are a rare breed.

[Ice]

Now who could that be.
These things are a rare breed.

Knew you would chime in sooner or later

[ridgeroll]

James D, do you know who has one?
It would be good to compare notes.

[Ice]

James D, do you know who has one?
It would be good to compare notes.

He knows alright give us a pic James

[Dr Terry]

I don't know that these are anything special or rare, they are just a nicely optioned LJ. My brother had one in the mid 70s & several of our mates had similar. If you had a family, a 4-door version of the same thing was also popular.

 

The 3300 engine & disc brakes were very commonplace options by 1973. Also the M20 & the sport instruments were relatively common options, but It's just when they are all combined it's getting to look like a poor man's GTR.

 

Again this was common in 1973, the insurance premiums on GTRs, GTSs & the like were going ballistic, especially for young guys, so fully optioned lesser models were an easy thing for dealers to order & sell. 

 

Dr Terry

[S pack]

I don't know that these are anything special or rare, they are just a nicely optioned LJ. My brother had one in the mid 70s & several of our mates had similar. If you had a family, a 4-door version of the same thing was also popular.

 

The 3300 engine & disc brakes were very commonplace options by 1973. Also the M20 & the sport instruments were relatively common options, but It's just when they are all combined it's getting to look like a poor man's GTR.

 

Again this was common in 1973, the insurance premiums on GTRs, GTSs & the like were going ballistic, especially for young guys, so fully optioned lesser models were an easy thing for dealers to order & sell. 

 

Dr Terry

+1.

 

AFAIK the power assisted front disc brakes and 5.5" rims with GTR chrome dress rings and caps was STD with L20.

[Dr Terry]

+1.

 

AFAIK the power assisted front disc brakes and 5.5" rims with GTR chrome dress rings and caps was STD with L20.

 

Not AFAIK. I have a lo-km one owner 1973 LJ S 4-door with 202, auto, disc brakes & dealer fitted a/cond.

 

It has 4.5" rims & standard hubcaps.

 

The GTR centre cap was option no. P01 & the dress rim was option no. P06. Both these were regular options on any 6-cyl LC/LJ.

 

Dr Terry

[jd lj]

Mine is a July 73 Adelaide built car in Balmoral green with black interior.
The options include the following :
L20/202
M20 4 speed
G93 (I think from memory), 3:08 lsd diff. All the driveline details are stamped on the id tag due to being non std.
GTR instrumentation
GTR steering wheel
GTR wheel package
GTR front sway bar
Centre console which would've been std with all floor shift 4 speeds I assume.
Only one spare wheel bracket as per GTR's and XU-1's.
Front disc brakes, probably std for this driveline combo.

I can't say whether it had any form of blackouts from new but I believe that the previous owner has painted LJ GTR style blackouts himself. However I have seen the blackouts that you mentioned on some other cars, mostly 73's I think and also on 4 doors. My car still has all the std Torana S badges on the guards and stainless steel strips down the length of the body, it just looks like a std S model with GTR wheels.

Perhaps the S models with a 202 and m20 were not uncommon but when you include the lsd diff I found very few examples on the vin disc when I started working my way through it, however I never got around to finishing the search of the later half of 73.

[Dr Terry]

Mine is a July 73 Adelaide built car in Balmoral green with black interior.
The options include the following :
L20/202
M20 4 speed
G93 (I think from memory), 3:08 lsd diff. All the driveline details are stamped on the id tag due to being non std.
GTR instrumentation
GTR steering wheel
GTR wheel package
GTR front sway bar
Centre console which would've been std with all floor shift 4 speeds I assume.
Only one spare wheel bracket as per GTR's and XU-1's.
Front disc brakes, probably std for this driveline combo.

I can't say whether it had any form of blackouts from new but I believe that the previous owner has painted LJ GTR style blackouts himself. However I have seen the blackouts that you mentioned on some other cars, mostly 73's I think and also on 4 doors. My car still has all the std Torana S badges on the guards and stainless steel strips down the length of the body, it just looks like a std S model with GTR wheels.

Perhaps the S models with a 202 and m20 were not uncommon but when you include the lsd diff I found very few examples on the vin disc when I started working my way through it, however I never got around to finishing the search of the later half of 73.

As I mentioned, it was common for dealers to option these things up, especially near the end of any model series.

 

In this case the dealer would've ordered the car with L20/M20/G93/LSD, plus the instruments & the wheels. I think that the fact that it has the correct spare tyre brackets indicates that this car came from the factory with 5.5" wheels. The centre caps & dress rims could be either factory or dealer-fitted. When the car was delivered to the dealer, he would've had the service dept. then fit the front sway bar & steering wheel (from the spare parts dept.). Neither of these items could be factory optioned. 

 

I believe that the only 'mandatory' item with this package would be disc brakes as part of the 202 option. I don't think drum brakes were ever fitted to the front of a 202 LJ.

 

Dr Terry

[crabba67]

Dr Terry is correct....James it's a torana S with options certainly not a SVO as you state,can you put up some pics.

Cheers

[S pack]

Not AFAIK. I have a lo-km one owner 1973 LJ S 4-door with 202, auto, disc brakes & dealer fitted a/cond.

 

It has 4.5" rims & standard hubcaps.

 

The GTR centre cap was option no. P01 & the dress rim was option no. P06. Both these were regular options on any 6-cyl LC/LJ.

 

Dr Terry

 

My mistake then Dr Terry.

 

I know of three late 73 LJ's that were factory optioned L20 with J52, two (1x S in Salamanca Red and 1x SL in Purr Pull) had M20 and the other an SL in Sable Met had M40 with M11.

All three cars had 5.5" wheels with GTR wheel trims, unfortunately the S ended up having alloys fitted and the 5.5's and dress trims were left at the tyre dealer. The Sable SL was second owner in same family since new.

 

Add James's car to the list and hence why I was under the impression the 5.5" wheels were part of the L20 option package.

 

Cheers

Dave.

[Dr Terry]

My mistake then Dr Terry.

 

I know of three late 73 LJ's that were factory optioned L20 with J52, two (1x S in Salamanca Red and 1x SL in Purr Pull) had M20 and the other an SL in Sable Met had M40 with M11.

All three cars had 5.5" wheels with GTR wheel trims, unfortunately the S ended up having alloys fitted and the 5.5's and dress trims were left at the tyre dealer. The Sable SL was second owner in same family since new.

 

Add James's car to the list and hence why I was under the impression the 5.5" wheels were part of the L20 option package.

 

Cheers

Dave.

Yeah, I don't know how many $$ the 5.5" wheel/tyre option cost, but it would've been relatively cheap & so much better than the 4.5". I think that if I was buying new in those days I would've ticked that option box.

 

 

Dr Terry

[jd lj]

I've also seen 7/73 4 doors (unmolested) with only one spare wheel bracket but only 4.5" wheels. This was also a factory 4 speed.

Is there anything in particular you guys want photos of?

[Ice]

I've also seen 7/73 4 doors (unmolested) with only one spare wheel bracket but only 4.5" wheels. This was also a factory 4 speed.
Is there anything in particular you guys want photos of?

Just cut some flutes in the guards ✌

[jd lj]

Just cut some flutes in the guards ✌

Or apparently I could just airbrush them on :-)

[madtoranajzedded]

You could then nearly call them a pure bread
mockup 😂😂😂

[ridgeroll]

I don't know that these are anything special or rare, they are just a nicely optioned LJ. My brother had one in the mid 70s & several of our mates had similar. If you had a family, a 4-door version of the same thing was also popular.

 

The 3300 engine & disc brakes were very commonplace options by 1973. Also the M20 & the sport instruments were relatively common options, but It's just when they are all combined it's getting to look like a poor man's GTR.

 

Again this was common in 1973, the insurance premiums on GTRs, GTSs & the like were going ballistic, especially for young guys, so fully optioned lesser models were an easy thing for dealers to order & sell. 

 

Dr Terry

 

There was a difference between the cars I'm talking about and optioned 'S' or 'SL' Toranas.  They were advertised by Holden late 1973. They did not have the stainless steel strips or any badges. Apart from the GTR paint scheme and the flutes in the guards they were the same as an LJ GTR. I know of two of these both in Sunburst. They were Brisbane built cars sold in Sydney. They weren't specific dealer specials but offered by Holden I presume they were using their parts stock before the new model 1974 Toranas were released.

[Dr Terry]

Do you have a link to an advert or a copy of one ?

 

When you say, "the same as an LJ GTR apart from paint scheme & flutes", what about the suspension & interior trim etc.

 

Dr Terry

[jd lj]

There was a difference between the cars I'm talking about and optioned 'S' or 'SL' Toranas.  They were advertised by Holden late 1973. They did not have the stainless steel strips or any badges. Apart from the GTR paint scheme and the flutes in the guards they were the same as an LJ GTR. I know of two of these both in Sunburst. They were Brisbane built cars sold in Sydney. They weren't specific dealer specials but offered by Holden I presume they were using their parts stock before the new model 1974 Toranas were released.

The cars that you mentioned here are a different variety to mine then.

The story that got handed down about mine is that the first owner wanted to beat the high insurance costs of a GTR and he knew someone at Holden who said how about if we order you a S model with all these options. Keep in mind that I was told this story about 35 years after the event by the guy who bought it from the original owners grandson (if the information is correct).

So if some of the upgrades on mine are not ones that would have been fitted by the dealer then it must've had a special order placed presumably by the dealer to build it to these specifications, this would make it a SVO wouldn't it. Hence why the driveline details are stamped on the tag, because this configuration wasn't standard and had to be specially ordered.

At the end of the day none of this really makes any difference though, it just makes an interesting story on on why it has all these options fitted. But these days owners of any LJ 2 door whether it's a S model or Bathurst XU-1 or anything in between should consider themselves lucky.

[S pack]

Do you have a link to an advert or a copy of one ?

 

When you say, "the same as an LJ GTR apart from paint scheme & flutes", what about the suspension & interior trim etc.

 

Dr Terry

 

Looks like John A Gilbert was up to his old Torana Stinger promotion again.

Found a Newspaper ad placed in Sept 1973 advertising a Torana Stinger with 3300 eng, 4 spd, instruments, Cyan Blue with Ash Trim.
 

[Ice]

Looks like John A Gilbert was up to his old Torana Stinger promotion again.
Found a Newspaper ad placed in Sept 1973 advertising a Torana Stinger with 3300 eng, 4 spd, instruments, Cyan Blue with Ash Trim.
 

That would be a rare combo surely
nice though