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QLD P-Plate Worthy Torana

Started by _splosh123_ , Sep 07 2009 05:52 PM

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#1 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 05:52 PM

QLD P Plate Restrictions.
eight or more cylinders
a turbo-charged or super-charged engine that is not diesel powered
an engine that has a power output of more than 200 kW as per the manufacturer's specifications
a rotary engine that has an engine capacity of more than 1146cc as per the manufacturer's specifications
a modified engine that must be approved under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management � Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 1999, section 30.
The last one is pretty much anything that requires a mod plate.

So, what modifications would you do a pretty much stock Holden Torana UC (No, use it for parts, sell it because it's a torana comments

)

All i've got on it at the moment is; Holley 350, Redback Extractors and 2 1/2" Exhaust, B&M Shifter.

Don't have to stick with the $2000 limit, but you know, just for a general outline.

So pretty much we're working with a 260HP Torana until I get on my open license, then goes a Chevy 350.

Cheers
Josh

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#2 _nial8r_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 06:11 PM

gezz im glad my P Pates are looooooooooong gone but was funny when i turned up at the RTA in my old Torana that had a 400 in it, i got turned away and had to do it in the old girls VB Commmodore Posted Image

and failed lol

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#3 Statler

Heckler Extraordinaire

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Location:Mackay Qld. Whitsundays for all you back packers!
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Posted 07 September 2009 - 06:19 PM

(No, use it for parts, sell it because it's a torana comments

Open 1 door & use it as a kennel.

Drop in a ecotec.

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#4 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 06:36 PM

Take the Holley off and get something decent, pick up an old yella terra high comp head from somewhere, put in a mild cam, and get a torque converter out of a gemini, throw it all together and it will be quiet a bit quicker.

Should be able to get all of that for around the $800 mark if you pay top dollar for stuff.

The rest, i dunno, few guages??? You will be able to use them with the chev so no big drama, new set of rims if you dont already have mags on it, lower it a bit, without knowing whats already done its hard to spend your money for you

.

Cheers.

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#5 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 06:39 PM

do nothing, depending on how much longer left i guess.
save it for the v8

I have about 4-5 years i'm pretty sure until i get my opens... And either way i'm sure getting a hot six in my car for now will be fun and probably prepare me for the big block when it rolls around.

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#6 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:04 PM

then goes a Chevy 350.

prepare me for the big block when it rolls around.

350 big block???

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#7 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:22 PM

then goes a Chevy 350.

prepare me for the big block when it rolls around.

350 big block???

"Bigger-than-a-6 block" is more of a GMH-Correct term...

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#8 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:24 PM

Lol sweet.

Anyway, for your budget performance mods i listed are probably a very good start, i built a reasonably quick little motor for what it was (beat most SS commies) for well under a grand quiet a while ago with that basic combo.

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#9 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:31 PM

Lol sweet.

Anyway, for your budget performance mods i listed are probably a very good start, i built a reasonably quick little motor for what it was (beat most SS commies) for well under a grand quiet a while ago with that basic combo.

Only problem is finding a good y/t head for that cheap... $800 for all those things? Where are you shopping? My local machinist said he can boar out and put all new internals and springs blah blah blah in my current head for $695.

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#10 mitchg

The guy with the Torailer

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Name:Mitch
Location:Ingleburn, NSW
Car:Was a '77 LX V6 Torana + Torailer now VX SS
Joined: 19-May 07

Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:34 PM

commodore V6 is pretty fun. 15.2 quarter mile and will beat most other p-platers who arent driving their daddys car.

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#11 mitchg

The guy with the Torailer

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Name:Mitch
Location:Ingleburn, NSW
Car:Was a '77 LX V6 Torana + Torailer now VX SS
Joined: 19-May 07

Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:55 PM

Is that a QLD thing? When I did mine, I went through RTA and cops and they loved the conversion. Iv had people tell me im not allowed to drive a car that requires an engineers certificate yet iv been pulled over and they have asked to see it.

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#12 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 07:56 PM

Mate if you pay more than $150 for a serviceable but used yt head you have payed to much.

Brand new cam will cost around $200 plus lifters $50. No need to get a really expensive one, a cheapie will do fine for this.

Get a better carbie, a WW2 strommie will be way better and easyer to set up. I payed $50 for a good one. Plus adaptor plate to fit it to your Holley manifold $40.

Gemini torque converter would be free or around $50.

So were up to $600, new head gasket $20, go through the points dizzy (better than electric) new points condenser cap rotor leads and plugs $100 or so and thats about $800, will be a good improvement.

Look around mate, trading post, handy trader, on here, etc.

Cheers.

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#13 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 08:08 PM

Mate if you pay more than $150 for a serviceable but used yt head you have payed to much.

Brand new cam will cost around $200 plus lifters $50. No need to get a really expensive one, a cheapie will do fine for this.

Get a better carbie, a WW2 strommie will be way better and easyer to set up. I payed $50 for a good one. Plus adaptor plate to fit it to your Holley manifold $40.

Gemini torque converter would be free or around $50.

So were up to $600, new head gasket $20, go through the points dizzy (better than electric) new points condenser cap rotor leads and plugs $100 or so and thats about $800, will be a good improvement.

Look around mate, trading post, handy trader, on here, etc.

Cheers.

I'll have a look around and see what i can muster up then i suppose.

Although will i need to get all new extractors and 12 port manifolds etc?

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#14 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 08:22 PM

No, 99% of the old yt heads re 9 port.

Although something like this if the dollars didnt go up and the location was better would be prime, but i doubt you would get it in our budget.

http://cgi.ebay.com....id=p3286.c0.m14

Also i believe that belongs to a forum member

.

But yeah, so long as you find a nine port head all your current stuff will fit up.

Cheers.

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#15 _mello92_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:00 PM

go through the points dizzy (better than electric)

Can you please explain DJ?

I thought the general consensus was that electric was a big improvement over points? Posted Image

Yeah splosh, the mods that Bomber has suggested are basically the go.

Your 2.5" exhaust and extractors are good enough for the 260hp you're chasing.

Though, you'll need a decent head to get that much hp. Look around mate, you'll find one (eBay, Parts magazines, Papers, throw up some "wanted" things on here you never know somone might have what your chasing).

You could even change your diff ratio if you're after more acceleration, just a thought.

Considering the hp you're after, I rekon your best bet in regards to carbs would be triples. Sets generally go on eBay for $450 - $600. Fair bit more expensive than a WW strommy but I dont know how much hp you could get using the WW.

Get yourself a decent cam too and she'll be alright!

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#16 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:08 PM

I purposely ignored the 260hp thing as it aint gonna happen on that budget.

8-10 grand for a reliable every day car with those kind of ponies, and thats just the motor box and diff wont last long at all so more $$$. Turbo would be cheaper for that hp output but still a lot more than 2k to do it right.

Standard your looking at 120 if your lucky, with my mods your probably heading toward 150, and for a p plater for the first year or two thats PLENTY.

Mods i listed will not require any work to the bottom end, and gearbox and diff will handle it fine, everything will stay nice and reliable.

Yes changing the diff gears will help if its mostly used around town, some nice 3.36's are great around town and workable on long highway trips.

Mello, i dont like the Holden six electric dizzy, just a personal disliking. Much prefer the points ones.

Points with a decent coil and perhaps an old msd box (i got a 5AL from a swap meet for $30, would be perfect for this) will make more spark than a standard electric setup, and a lot more reliable.

Cheers.

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#17 _mello92_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:48 PM

Oh ok, thats cool then.

So would a decent coil and an old msd box on an electronic produce a better spark than on points?

150hp plently for a P plater? Come on! You know we get into trouble, we need the power to get out if it!

I rekon mine is putting out 150-160hp and its not even fast man! Honestly think mums VP wagon would give it a run! Bald tyres and all! LOL

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#18 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:50 PM

Put it on a dyno and prepare to be humbled.

Sorry to be blunt.

Cheers.

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#19 _mello92_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:53 PM

Nah no worries, Id prefer if people sometimes just cut the crap.

So what about complete aftermarket systems from ICE or MSD?

One would assume they would have to be better, yes?

Though, the trade off is cost of course.

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#20 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 09:54 PM

So would a decent coil and an old msd box on an electronic produce a better spark than on points?

You would need a 6al and up to run an electic dizzy, still around second hand but harder to get dirt cheap. Im talking the cheapest mods i can think of here that net good results.

Yes electric would work fine like that, i ran a 6al through an electric ignition with a blaster three coil for a while. But i still prefer points ones, got a blaster two coil (to suit points) and put a points dissy back in and it ran smoother cleaner and had more go.

Or you can go the full hog, my current ignition system owes me over $1800 and im still not really happy.

150hp plently for a P plater? Come on! You know we get into trouble, we need the power to get out if it!

I rekon mine is putting out 150-160hp and its not even fast man! Honestly think mums VP wagon would give it a run! Bald tyres and all! LOL

Put it on a dyno and prepare to be humbled.

Sorry to be blunt.

Cheers.

*edit, you post to fast, and i got my edit buttons confused*

Complete ignition systems from ICE or MSD are the way to go, but are very expensive and not in the relm of this discussion.

I have belted on at length about this previously, do a search or add me to msn.

Cheers.

Edited by Bomber Watson, 07 September 2009 - 09:57 PM.

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#21 _mello92_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 10:09 PM

Haha yeah you're old and getting slow!

Hang on, what am I puttin on the dyno? Points vs electronic or mums wagon? Posted Image

How expensive is expensive?

That clears heaps up! Thanks!

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#22 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 10:17 PM

Your putting your car as it is on the dyno, that part is the same as the other post like i said i got mixed up with my edit buttons lol.

Expensive is anywhere from $1500 for a pretty basic but good setup up from there.

Where do you stop?? Crank angle trigger with six coils run from a MSD dis digital woudl be nice.....

Anyway, to further this discussion, lets look at this a different way.

My old 173 test mule pushed my approx 2300lb LJ (driver, sterio all the shiznit) to 89mph down the quarter when i ran it.

That converts to about 128hp at the flywheel, or about 102hp @ the tyres.

A 202 is approx 20% larger capacity so one can assume roughly that increase in power = 153hp which is near my previous guestimate.

The 173 was a x million kilometre old motor i payed $40 for, it had a high comp head with a bit of work done to it that i payed $100 for, a stage two Heatseeker cam, twin stomberg induction, a set of extractors and at the time i was still running the electric dizzy witht he previously mentioned goodies.

Now, i believe this would have gone better with a WW2 stromberg like i have atm on the box torana, aswell as being easyer to tune and better on fuel. But alas i had the twin stombergs laying around, didnt have a WW2 laying around so the twins got the nod.

Sounded something like this:

And did this easily:

Posted Image

That was a little one

.

This thread was started with a basic budget, what to do for x amount of money and it didnt sound like old mate wanted to spend the whole lot on the motor, so i layed out a few basic guidelines to improve performance nicely for very little outlay that would leave money for other things.

Cheers.

Edited by Bomber Watson, 07 September 2009 - 10:25 PM.

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#23 _splosh123_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 10:19 PM

Thanks a lot for all the advice, I'll start up a workshop thread in a week or so, and tell you how i'm going with it all. Obviously, i know many p platers think they are the shit when it comes to driving, but i'm fresh on the road so a big 200+ HP car for a first p plate car probably is excessive (not saying i'm a shit driver, but with a year or so under my belt i'm no where near experienced), but I have interests in cars and why not make a beefy torana. Plus i'll be taking it around Lakeside Track a bit when i get it up and running for a bit of fun...

If anyone has any alternates to Bomber's advice shoot away, i love a bit of decision making / research.

EDIT: Are these the type of Strommies i'm looking for?

http://cgi.ebay.com....4#ht_500wt_1182

Cheers.

Edited by splosh123, 07 September 2009 - 10:27 PM.

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#24 _mello92_

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Posted 07 September 2009 - 10:28 PM

Very well said and yeah, like I said before, what you had listed is baiscally the way to go.

Sounded good for what it was.

My LX struggles to do one of them in first unless the clutch is dropped above 5000. Though the only place Ive tested is a super coarse back road and my 235's are almost brand new. And its only got a single spinner.

Maybe its my driving?

Or the extra 60kg of fuel hanging over the back? Posted Image

Maybe I need to lay down some water next time? Posted Image

EDIT:
Nah mate, those strommys are alright (my neighbour swears thats the best setup ever), but its the WW Stromberg you're after.

Edited by mello92, 07 September 2009 - 10:36 PM.

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#25 _evil UC hatch_

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Posted 08 September 2009 - 01:49 PM

looking inside my engine it looks like it has a cam....thats it, I have been told its bored out to 208 as well. plus its a black motor so it has the counterweighted crank and black conrods in it too, the 12 port head is untouched and Im running a 350 holley with the complete original exhaust system, standard electronic ignition too. I have no trouble spinning both rear wheels and I am running 225 R 16 tyres, the diff is a 3.45 single legger, when it spins one wheel, the car barely moves, in the wet, it can fishtail in 2nd gear without touching the clutch, and this is in a commo wagon so its got a heavy bum

Josh if I was you, I would just do the yella terra head like bomber suggested and the cam too, have a go with the holley since you already have it and just get an electric dizzy from a VC/VH commo, and the stall convetrer from a starfire sunbird or gemini and see how you like that, it should go pretty well