guys, sorry to say, but this seems like a f'n stupid topic, considering noone even knows what a bathurst '72 is ? see...
http://www.gmh-toran...&hl=72 bathurst
I have spoken to numerous forum and non forum members in my search for parts and info in the past few months, and a number of them have said they know someone etc. or have some info... blah blah that can prove what a '72 bathurst is..... though despite promises nothing has ever been produced.... and i have to say it shits me that someone who might hold the key to the identity of these cars, is withholding the info......either that or their full of shit ?
so to answer this pointless thread the '73 has to be better, cos the '72 doesnt exist !!! even though i thought i owned one......
Ok to start with, if you pull down your 8/72 or 9/72 original factory engine, everything from the crank, camshaft, timing gears, con rods and flywheel will be stamped and/or engraved with 8/72 or 9/72. Some people may not believe this, but for those of us who have pulled down these standard bore engines, this is a fact. I still have the original cam out of my last 72 bathurst, and it has XH and below it 8/72. They were the 1st XU-1 factory fitted with the XH 383 Wade cam, not HX, as people called it. Peter Brock was the only Team driver who ran the XJ Wade 373 at Bathurst 72, which just may have given him the extra power he had. The 72 Bathurst was the 1st XU-1 which was factory fully ballanced and blueprinted, as stated in GM "Bathurst special specs" They had cc'd cylinder heads, special valve guides and many other mods. They were fitted with larger needles and metering jets in the 175cd's than the previous LJ XU-1, and with all of these extra mods, they had a car which was capable of approx 175km 3rd gear. I have done approx 180 in 3rd and I felt it did have a little more. They were dealer fitted with the 13 x 6" Globe sprintmasters for bettter road holding. Cars are nicknamed as Bathurst specials for good reason. They were purpose built to have a higher top speed, and to achieve it in quicker time. The reason why these mods were effective in the 1972 production Bathurst 'Road car' was because of the Production Touring car classification. What was raced on the track, had to be very close to what was sold to the public with the exception of roll cage and harnesses etc. Some enthusiasts deem he 72 Bathurst to be a superior car to the 73 Bathurst because the 73 which was sold to the public was not the same car raced on the track, as the classification was then changed. This alllowed the teams to modify the cars for the race, and not to have to sell the same 'hot' car in the showroom. 'No more hotties' on the road to get the edge for the track. Bathurst models really do exist 71,72,73 You just need to have had the on car experience to have worked with them, pulled them down and to have seen the difference between the standard XU-1's and the Bathurst models. I have owned, driven and worked on many 72 and 73 Bathurst XU-1's and honestly the 73 Bathurst seemed to be a little over cammed for the street. With the XJ 391 Wade cam, it took to higher revs to achieve it's 'power range'. For the street, it was just not practical, or nice to drive. The 72 Bathurst is/was a nicer car to drive. I had one as my only car, and drove it every day to and from work from 93-97.
Hope this info has cleared up some misinformation
BRADXU-1
View Garage
