92 replies to this topic

[A9X]

Hi guy's after some some help would be great, have seen a a9x that im keen on buying, it dose not have it's original ht engine, would any one know of an original ht a9x motor that they might sell.

 

Would the price increase on the vehicle,  if i had the motor,

 

or am i better of buying an a9x with it's original motor ?

 

There is no difference between an A9X engine and a standard Torana V8. (unlike the L34 which, without its HZ engine, is another SL/R ) If the A9X you are looking to buy  does not have a factory replacement block, then it will have no real value difference engines. All other things being equal.

 

Yes you are better off buying matching numbers, strictly speaking if you are paying top end dollars for investment.

 

If you wish to enjoy driving one of the 70 's greatest touring cars, price it accordingly and enjoy.

 

Speak to reda9x for authenticity first , remember the check before the cheque.

 

my opinion only , and you know what they say about opinions.

[a9x868]

i may tentatively agree with welby's post above
but you could surely not expect to purchase a ht block
that may correspond with the numbers fitted to the original a9x's
other than the original engine numbered block for the car
in saying that of course it may be possible to jag one very close!
but i suspect that the details would allready be well known to the priveleged few
who have for many years collected details on these cars, and rightly so i might add!
if you want to buy one so be it!
but you can't buy a block and make it something it's not!
to answer your question
cheers
davemc

[REDA9X]

The A9X engine actually wasn't the same engine fitted to any other 308 car of the day, there are a few differences from new like the crank and cam, the block is the same except for the engine prefix being HT for a Torana and QT for HQ_HX.

The correct engine number, being the one that came with the car will always make it a more valuable car over one thats had the engine replaced. Buying anyother HT block to put in really won't do anything to increase the value because it will always be picked up.

[REDA9X]

That guttless boat anchor won more Bathurst and Touring car championships than any other engine, so it can't be too bad.

[RallyRed]

I'm no A9X guru....but I don't think it really matters what car it is....a totally original, matching number, factory rivets, low km, original seats and carpet, dealer sticker still on the rear window etc etc etc will always be worth more.
No different to Gold ingots or Abe Lincoln's personal pocket watch ( or whatever)...simply, they are rare.
Rare = valuable in todays society.
Any doubt about that can be dismissed if you read old posts on here....something is put up for sale on E/boy or whatever and the gurus soon advise what it is , and is / is not worth the money being asked. ( this is a good thing, as it is all info for those looking).

On the other hand, there is a line that's crossed somewhere?......where the item/car is SO valuable that it cant be used for fear of damage and / or reducing its value ( i.e. trashing the original engine, dinging it on a hot lap somewhere, or just putting Kms on it).

So, IMHO, for each individual person there is a slightly different view of what is most important...
goes fast?,
original? ,
'restored it myself'?,
never seen one with such low Kms? ,
'used to be owned by Mr XXX'?...
or
a myriad of other things.
Only you know what's important to you.
IMHO

[REDA9X]

I think the point here is just because a car doesn't have the original engine doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, the price is adjusted accordingly. For example if you had two identical cars in the same condition and you were not rolling in cash, one's 100 grand the other is 50 grand but doesn't have the right engine number then it's your choice from there which one to buy. If they were both the same price, it's obvious which one to buy.

Me personally, I'd rather a car thats a little rough around the edges but is all there with unquestionable history over something thats been made to look pretty, or something thats claiming to be something it's not.

[yel327]

Rare doesn't mean valuable. 6cyl HX Sandmans are rare, almost non-existant. Not valuable at all. A V8 HQ Belmont wagon is rare, but it won't even be worth half what a much more common Premier V8 wagon is worth in the same condition. SLR5000's are pretty common, a lot more common than their equivalent in a HQ - a GTS sedan with 308 engine, yet the Torana appears to be more valuable.

 

For this particular A9X, just wait until a trimatic pattern GMP&A NT prefix block comes up. Any one will do, cast from 1971 through to 1981. It is as correct as you'll ever get it, much more correct than an overpriced HT prefix block.

[TerrA LX]

If I were to pay the premium for an A9x I would rather a HT motor in it over a NT motor any day of the week, regardless of the number.

 

The prefix is what makes the motor. Just my 2 Cents.

[TerrA LX]

I'm no A9X guru....but I don't think it really matters what car it is....a totally original, matching number, factory rivets, low km, original seats and carpet, dealer sticker still on the rear window etc etc etc will always be worth more.


On the other hand, there is a line that's crossed somewhere?......where the item/car is SO valuable that it cant be used for fear of damage and / or reducing its value ( i.e. trashing the original engine, dinging it on a hot lap somewhere, or just putting Kms on it).


 

 

 

I am of the opinion that the most modified A9X (race trim, log booked etc) are the most valuable, the line crossed would be 1st, 2nd or 3rd at Bathurst or ATCC winner etc would have to be right up there in increasing it's value.

 

Again, just one persons opinion, and again, if I was to pay the premium for an A9x then one in race trim from BITD would tempt me.

Edited by TerrA LX, 22 May 2013 - 01:06 PM.

[StephenSLR]

Buying anyother HT block to put in really won't do anything to increase the value because it will always be picked up.

 

Just curious, are there records of the actual engine numbers that went into A9X's or is it crap shoot with a HT prefix engine, bar examining the internals?

 

A shame GM-H didn't do matching body/engine numbers like the other companies did.

 

s

Edited by StephenSLR, 22 May 2013 - 01:29 PM.

[yel327]

Yes there are, there are full service/warranty microfiche records for all Torana production as far as I know. Like the LC-LJ ones many have seen, some cars don't have their engine numbers recorded though.

As stated before it is folly to pay big $ for a HT prefixed engine unless it is the original for the car. You might as well have a QT, they are the same thing. If the HT engine was the same price as a QT then grab the HT, but otherwise you are wasting your $. NT is far better choice for any original 308/5.0L car (except L34) for HQ-HZ or LH-LX where the original has gone to heaven or hell.

[Dr Terry]

Does anybody actually know what the differences are, with the crank & cam for an A9X engine. Is it just a superseded part number thing ?

I've had a few of these motors apart & couldn't see any changes. Are there any changes in the material or specs, there doesn't seem to be any literature on this at all. At the time (I was in business back) all the manuals etc. said that the A9X engine was just a stock L31, with the only mod being the removal of the engine fan & the addition of the electric fan & thermo switch.

Dr Terry

[yel327]

The parts numbers seem to be unique Terry to A9X. The same 308 camshaft appears all the way through to VK (2825882), this is a late 1974 HJ cam part  number. Apart from PO A9L VK engines all 308's from HJ-VK seem to use this cam part number except A9X. Oddly enough the camshaft listed for A9X (9933211) has its part number nested right smack bang in the middle of L34 supplement era part numbers, so it may well have been a cam developed for L34 or HJ but the design only ever used on A9X.

 

As far as the cranshaft goes, all rope seal 308 cranks appear to be the same part number from HJ-VK (9932843) except for A9X. The part number of 92005960 is about right for a new item for HZ era, which is about right for A9X.

[yel327]

I wonder why they did that, as rods are the same as other 308's from the same era? And the engines in the cars were never intended for race use anyway? Or is it an optional crankshaft for use with L34 rods, just listed in the parts catalogue but never fitted to the roadgoing cars. Like some of the optional gearbox ratios for LJ XU-1?

[slr5640]

Thank's for help, kinda thought that same, but alway's wanted to know for sure. The a9x was a local car from wollongong, absinth yellow sedan, was priced $95000....

Hello Alex.

Very interesting to hear the Absinth car is from from Dwyers..

My car also came from Dwyers Wollongong ..

They only sold the two the Absinth and a Flamenco both sedans.

I have been hoping this one would show up someday.

I will send a pm ..

I have been trying to find the original purchaser of mine....