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!