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L34 Replica Build


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#1 Stevo75

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 12:22 PM

Hi Guys

I’m looking to collect ideas for my LH Torana rebuild. Being an LH I’m looking to go L34 inspired, but not necessarily looking to strictly stick to L34 specs.

Looking to see what’s been done and what ideas and words of warning anyone has.

As a starting point.

Engine- Would love to get something making 500-600 hp reliably. Is this achievable starting with a Holden 308 block? Happy to work one and bore, stroke, etc. would just prefer to use a 308 block instead of a 350 chev etc if it’s feasible.

Gearbox - Thinking a manual would be the go. Once again something that could handle 500 - 600 HP reliably.

Diff - I’d like to steer away from a 9 inch of feasible. Thinking something Holden, LSD and I’d like to fit disk brakes to it.

This is my starting point to figure out the build. Next I’d look at any body setup mods that have been done. Curious about front end mods and if guys would go to a RTS setup from a later model LX/UC or something different.

Sorry, I realise I’ve asked a lot straight up. But would love to get a discussion going to see what’s been done.

Cheers

Steve

#2 Ice

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 03:33 PM

Being a replica it would be cheaper to go the LS engine route with a 6 speed gearbox to achieve 500 to 600 hp reliably 

308 will cost triple the amount  

Holden don’t make a diff strong enough for powerful engines 

some may have a different view 

check out some members projects  plenty of people have done it and you can get some good ideas 



#3 claysummers

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 03:53 PM


You'd be better off building a mild 308 and

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#4 Ice

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 04:01 PM

You'd be better off building a mild 308 and

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Still cost more than an LS engine 



#5 claysummers

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 05:30 PM

Yes sorry I didn’t mean to post that. Having all them ponies is a fine aspiration. Good luck with it.


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#6 Stevo75

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 05:59 PM

Yeah I did wonder about the LS option. I know they are easy to get to that sort of power. Just need to look at them funny and they are up to 500 HP😆.

Something about starting with a 308 in a Torana feels more legit tho. Food for thought.

#7 rexy

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 07:01 PM

You can do it if you have money and/or are handy.

Are you open to forced induction or want to stay naturally aspirated? 500hp from a holden is doable NA and still be a nice street engine. 600 is likely to be a bit harder to live with as a regular driver. It’s probably going to cost you 16-20k NA if you avoid the dodgy shops.

 

Its going to cost you at least that much to do the same with an LS. It’s not as cheap as some think it is. The only way it’s cheap is if you use stock everything and are handy.

 

Plenty of gearbox options, many involving trans tunnel remodelling. A lot of them are a bit agricultural in shift quality. At that power level you are probably looking at something from the tremec family. I love the Toyota R154 box I have in a couple of my cars. Plenty strong and silky shift quality.

 

At that power level just put a nine inch in it and be done with it. You can run all sorts of brake options from factory style (Commodore or other) to all manner of aftermarket stuff.

 

There isn’t a lot wrong with the factory style suspension that a bit of fiddling and optimising can’t fix whether it’s for straight line, twisty stuff or happy cruising.

 

Whatever you do, it’s gonna put a dent in the wallet.

 

Paint and panel will make all the mechanicals seem a cheap exercise….



#8 LXCHEV

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 09:21 PM

500 to 600 HP is a serious amount of grunt. If this is going to be a regular driver / cruiser I’d encourage you to aim for lower power. Especially if reliability is a key priority.

If it’s more of a low km street warrior / part time racer, then bring on the 600 HP!

I’ve had a 383 Chev making 450 HP in my LX for 20 years and it’s been the perfect blend of cruiser / club day racer (runs high 11’s) with reliability. Plenty of mates with cars in that 500 - 600 HP bracket, and yes they’re faster and louder but certainly crankier and a lot more prone to problems.

If you do chase the big HP goal - I’d just go down the LS path. It’ll be expensive but it’ll provide the proven and reliable outcome.

If you want to go a bit more conservative and just have a mild car that sounds awesome, do a nice hot 308. Or stroke one to 355 for a bit more grunt.

#9 Stevo75

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Posted 27 December 2021 - 10:29 PM

Thanks so far guys. I don’t mind aiming a bit high.

I know it’s gonna cost some moola, but it will be a reasonably long project, so I’m up for that to a reasonable extent.

Just looking for the direction first. I want to have a good idea where I’m going with the drive train before I get into too much. I’d love to keep this one all holden, but what I’m reading so far is it may not be feasible at that power.

Not against supercharging, but I recon that would take me in quite a different direction from the outset. If I go that way, may as well get a higher cube chev in it too. That would be cool too, but not necessarily my first choice.

It’s not going to be a daily driver.

Great food for thought so far.

Can you guys think of anyone on here who may have achieved something similar with an all holden build?

#10 RIM-010

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 08:48 AM

Settle in for a read of Heath's Hatch build - http://www.gmh-toran...hs-hatch/page-8

 

~500hp Holden based 383, TKO 5 Speed, big brakes and wheels all around

 

I love your plans! Any reason why you're set on 600hp, wank factor aside? That's looking at a LOT of power in a 1200kg car. Why don't you want a 9"? 600hp is going to be pushing any other diff to its limits. Manual is obviously a no-brainer, it isn't an L34 replica without a manual.

 

I'd aim for 400+hp 308 (stroked to 355 or 383), with a TKO and BW78, but that's me. Once you start pulling more than that much out of the old Iron Lion you start spending a LOT of money.

 

frOck the LS, they're ugly and sound like shit.


Edited by RIM-010, 28 December 2021 - 08:54 AM.


#11 Lima31

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 11:02 AM

355 or 383 short block with oiling mods $9k, decent sump, I'd add accumulator and BBC oil pump conversion ($2k)

YT -3 early alloy heads ($5k) - if you want to go VN route check this post out (http://www.gmh-toran...-heads-for-v8s/)

Aftermarket EFI and intank fuel pump, lines ($3k)

Muncie 4 speed $7k or T56 (+35kg) conversion $10k plus hyd throwout bearing, tailshaft, X member

9 inch with discs $4k - decide on ratio after the gearbox choice

New master and 290 or 330 mm front brakes, lines ($2-3k)

Power steering conversion ($2k)

Plus wheels and decent tyres, 17"

 

It all adds up, but if you test drive a car with this set up I doubt you will be finding it lacking in any department



#12 Lima31

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 11:09 AM

PS early heads with the right cam will also sound unreal compared to the LS, I find people comment on that more than anything else



#13 skap

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 11:25 AM

Attached File  lsa.png   610.67K   17 downloads

 

 

+

 

 

Attached File  lsa2.png   259.1K   9 downloads

 

 

=

 

Attached File  lsa3.jpg   88.17K   5 downloads



#14 Stevo75

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 09:32 PM

Thanks Lima and Rim.

Starting to get into some good detail there. I appreciate it. 👍

As for the 600 HP number, I guess I was fishing to see if it had been done or could be done in a 308. Also I’ve got a clubby at the moment that is 375kw so around that 500hp mark. It’s nice power, but sometimes I’d like a little more. Ah it never ends😆.

But great point RIM, on the weight of a Torana. I think the same power in a Torana will feel a hell of a lot more than in the clubby. Plus manual in the Torana vs auto clubby will make a fair difference too.

Maybe setting the sights for a 500 hp 308 sounds a bit more reasonable.

#15 Stevo75

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 09:35 PM

Skap, yeah that would work too. Although still not keen on an LS motor in a Torana. I must be too bloody nostalgic 😆.

#16 rexy

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Posted 28 December 2021 - 11:04 PM

Thanks Lima and Rim.

Starting to get into some good detail there. I appreciate it.

As for the 600 HP number, I guess I was fishing to see if it had been done or could be done in a 308. Also I’ve got a clubby at the moment that is 375kw so around that 500hp mark. It’s nice power, but sometimes I’d like a little more. Ah it never ends.

But great point RIM, on the weight of a Torana. I think the same power in a Torana will feel a hell of a lot more than in the clubby. Plus manual in the Torana vs auto clubby will make a fair difference too.

Maybe setting the sights for a 500 hp 308 sounds a bit more reasonable.


Lots of people have made insane power with a twin turbo holden V8 with Todd Wilkes really opening eyes when he turned up to Summernats many many years ago and made 800+ at the tyres on pump fuel. It wasn’t too long before Eddie Tassone made 0ver 1500hp at the tyres on pump fuel.

 

The COME aluminium blocks were good to go up to 427 cubic inches. Mr torque power reckons his big paw combo can go to 500 cubic inches.

 

How fast do you want to go and how deep are your pockets?



#17 Stevo75

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Posted 29 December 2021 - 06:39 AM

It’s just trying to find a sweet spot (if there is such a thing) between $ and power. Gut feel is an honest 500HP ish in an LH would be pretty fun.

COME racing looks like they have some good gear. I guess that’s where you could start to drop some decent coin too. Do COME have any decent competitors or peers in Aus (I’m NZ based).

#18 axistr

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Posted 29 December 2021 - 08:15 AM

No such thing as a total reliability 600 hp NA 308 without building it to V8 supercar specks, and that's going to cost you your first born. 

Short stroke V8s at 350-400hp feel so much powerful than many big HP long stroke engines due to getting through their revs so quick. If I was building another Torana I would go 308 with VN heads 10.5 compression ratio, Cam 230-232 duration @.50" .500" lift, Defiantly EFI,  Tremec TKX or Magnum 6 speed box. You would probably get around 380- 400hp. (not above 6.000 rpm for reliability) and built right won't cost you a fortune and reliable and reasonable drivability. With 400hp you could still run a B/W diff driven with a bit of common sense. Diff gears around 3.7-3.5 and overdrive gearbox will give it good cruising and acceleration. In a Torana this combo would see the car get down the 1/4 mile in the mid to high 12s. And you could take it to the shops. The only other way to go is turbo to get reliable power. But this will cost considerably more coin regardless of what many people will tell you. As they say anyone can build a bomb, it just depend on how long the wick is before it goes BOOM.

 

Big reves = big buck builds, big repairs and maintenance bills, extreme components needed, high piston speeds = short life span.      



#19 gtrboyy

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Posted 29 December 2021 - 01:41 PM

Most reliable way would be ls3/tr6060...cam/heads if stocker with boltons if cant move small torrie quick enough.

 

With Holden v8 & manual sweet spot probably 400hp with stroker & nice efi heads...after that costs start to spiral & not as drivable or reliable but will sound wicked.

 

Had 355/f280 in a vh commodore...normal 450hp recipe build that was tad on wild side even with big stall auto...felt like it was on edge of usable & although never broke it not something you'd actually drive or too often



#20 Shiney005

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 10:40 AM



But great point RIM, on the weight of a Torana. I think the same power in a Torana will feel a hell of a lot more than in the clubby. Plus manual in the Torana vs auto clubby will make a fair difference too.

 

A VE Clubbie is 600 kilo's heavier than an LH Torana. Don't underestimate how much faster things will happen (good and bad) with 500 horses in the Torrie.

A mate of mine has a 525 horsepower N/A 308 in an LH and it is a fun car to drive, but not something you want to cruise around in at 80 kph. The cam doesn't come clean until around 115 kph in top gear.



#21 Stevo75

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 08:51 PM

Thanks Shiney. Yeah it should be pretty lively in a Torana.

If you do r mind me asking, do you know much about the specs of your mates 308. Did he have to spend a lot of coin to get to that amount of power or did he manage it on a reasonable budget?

#22 Stevo75

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 09:00 PM

Another question for the team.

If I was to go down the old school (non LS) chev route instead of Holden for the engine do you think it would be more cost effective to get a reliable 500 ish HP build?

Like I mentioned before, not entirely against using a LS setup. Just want to explore all of options.

Has anyone on here successfully done the LS conversion into an LH/LX?

#23 Ice

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 09:08 PM

Yes on the Chev parts are way cheaper than Holden 308 parts 

There is quite a few builds on here with that LS conversion done well 



#24 Stevo75

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 09:15 PM

Yeah, I’m having a fish around now for the LS conversion threads.

#25 Ice

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Posted 30 December 2021 - 09:24 PM

Check out Bennos build pretty much covers most of what you’re looking for 






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