LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

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IndianaJones
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LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by IndianaJones » Sat 03 May 2014, 11:10

Hi

As I've never seen a LH/LX Holden Torana in person, I'm asking for the Aus/NZ members to assist here.

If one ever wanted to build a replica of a LH/LX Holden Torana SL/R 5000, what GM body besides the Torana body would be the best to use?

As far as I could find out LH(1974-1976) / LX(1976-1978) Torana's were unique Australian designed and engineered cars in the GM line-up, but do have similar styling to other GM cars of the time, and may have used parts off other GM models.

LX Torana's featured Radial-Tuned Suspension, some sources suggest the front suspension was the same as the suspension used on our Chevrolet Nomad utility vehicle of the 70's. The rear differential was a GM 10-bolt, at least on the A9X optioned cars. The transmission was a M21 4-speed, or T10. The engine obviously the 308ci Holden V8.

Earlier Torana's(pre-1974) were based of the Vauxhall Viva HB(66-70).

But which body is nearest in general shape and wheelbase length, and which interior, dashboard is nearest in layout and looks of the LH/LX Torana?

Chevrolet Vega(71-77)
Opel Ascona A(70-75)
Opel/Chevrolet Ascona B(75-81)
Opel Kadett C(73-79)
Opel Rekord D(71-77) / Chevrolet 2500/3800/4100
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1(75-81) / Chevrolet Chevair
Vauxhall FE Series Victor/Ventora(72-79)
Any other?

It also would be interesting to know, which of these cars, also has a foot-operated parking brake?
Which has a separate nose, like on a Holden HQ / Chevrolet Kommando?
Which also featured Radial-Tuned Suspension in the SA market?

Regards
Attachments
A9X Torana Red_rear.jpg
A9X Torana Red_rear.jpg (23.04 KiB) Viewed 9328 times
LX Holden Torana A9X.jpg
LX Holden Torana A9X.jpg (102.68 KiB) Viewed 9328 times

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Johann65
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by Johann65 » Sat 03 May 2014, 12:21

Reminds me of the first Opel Ascona "A" with rear wheel drive ! Thereafter they came out with FWD. :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Ascona (English)

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Ascona (Swedish)

Australia was playing the same game as we with the Ranger!! 8O
So also Brazil with the Apolo 8O
Last edited by Johann65 on Sat 03 May 2014, 12:38, edited 2 times in total.
Member No: 209
Ah! Yes I remember it well! (Only GM's!)
1966 Opel Rekord L CLASSIC SEDAN Current Project

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Ranger1
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by Ranger1 » Sat 03 May 2014, 12:31

I also think it reminds me a lot of the Ascona.
Nice old school car.

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IndianaJones
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 04 May 2014, 11:31

Johann65 wrote:Reminds me of the first Opel Ascona "A" with rear wheel drive ! Thereafter they came out with FWD.
The Opel Ascona B was also still RWD. And were apparently sold here as a Chevrolet Ascona, or Chevrolet Chevair.

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IndianaJones
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 04 May 2014, 11:45

From what I could find on the net, the LH Holden Torana has a wheelbase of 2590mm.

The Opel Ascona A 2432mm, Ascona B 2518mm.

Personally, I'm leaning towards the Vauxhall FE Series, the rear lights wraps around slightly, unlike the Ascona and upsweep at the rear of the rear doors, bellow the glass looks similar, and it also does not have the vent in the C-pillar.
Closest to the Vauxhall in SA, would the be the Opel Rekord D / Chev 2500/3800/4100, but they all have a wheelbase of 2667/2668mm.

shoedoos
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by shoedoos » Mon 05 May 2014, 06:52

check out pics of a Torana hatch then look up the Vega hatch....


Aussie Holden
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by Aussie Holden » Fri 06 Jun 2014, 07:15

Hello from far off the east coast ... I stumbled upon this forum when surfing the 'net for information regarding the Ranger ... not Ford's ute, but GM's short run brand made in South Africa in the early 1970s and, as it seems, in Belgium and Switzerland too !

Anyway, when I saw this Torana thread heading, I figured I'm well enough qualified to make this my first reply item on this forum and chose for myself a distinctive user name to reinforce my background.

As to the LH-LX series of the Holden Torana, they were a development progression of the earlier LC-LJ series which in themselves were essentially a lengthening exercise based upon the HB series Vauxhall Viva. The Vauxhall brand ceased trading in Australia with the baby HA series Vauxhall Viva; in 1967 the HB series began manufacture in Australia as the Holden Torana. Our HB Torana looked almost exactly the same as the HB Viva, but featured a simpler horizontal slat grille and round headlights.

When the LC series came around in late 1969, the body was lengthened forward of the windscreen to incorporate Holden's in-line six-cylinder engines ... thereafter, the four-cylinder cars of the LC-LJ series still retained the short nose of the HB series.

In 1972, Holden developed a 5.0 litre V8 version of the LJ Torana which was basically intended for touring car racing, but shelved planned manufacture when put under media and political pressure to do so. With the advent of the LH series in 1974, the Torana was reborn with a larger body and was specifically intended to receive larger engines, beginning with Opel's 1.9 litre CIH four cylinder engine, and more commonly Holden's 2.85 litre and 3.3 litre sixes, and also Holden's 4.2 litre and 5.0 litre V8s.

The LH series was restricted to only a single body form, a four door sedan, but as with the LC-LJ series, it was also engineered in both RHD for domestic sales and also LHD for specific export markets ... it was in fact the last Holden to be made in LHD until the advent of the VT series Commodore in 1997.

The LX series was a 1976 update of the LH series, but with it came a three-door hatchback version which "shoedoos" rightly refers to as having a genesis inspired by the Chevrolet Vega. During the course of the LX series, the 1.9 litre version was renamed the Holden Sunbird, but retained the same body as Torana with various minor styling revisions.

The UC series of Torana and Sunbird introduced in 1978 involved a significant restyling of the LX series that included a new dashboard and the return to a conventional parking brake mechanism located between the front seats (in place of the LH / LX foot operated system). With the UC series Torana, Holden deleted the former series' V8 engine options and two and half years later the Torana / Sunbird twins were quietly consigned to history in 1980.

As to visual similarities with other GM product, raised by 'IndianaJones', you'd be hard pressed to find a simpler (bland ?) dash presentation than that of the LH-LX series cars ... a flat dash fascia concept was devised to allow simple translation from RHD to LHD format ... pictured below is the dash layout of a LX series Torana SL hatchback ...
Attachments
LX Torana dash.jpg
LX Torana dash.jpg (45.53 KiB) Viewed 9190 times

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IndianaJones
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by IndianaJones » Fri 06 Jun 2014, 17:35

Thanks for that comprehensive breakdown of Torana models, but what would be your take on it?

Which other GM body is nearest in general shape and wheelbase length, and which interior, dashboard is nearest in layout and looks of the LH/LX Torana?

Do you know to which other countries LH/LX Torana's were exported?

chucky the kiwi
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Re: LH/LX Holden Torana – Aus/NZ members info required

Post by chucky the kiwi » Thu 27 Aug 2015, 09:24

they came to nz as 4 cyl ,, straight 6 , and 253 and 308 ,, same as aussy ///// awesome cars but chronic understeerers hahaha
ive had all off them includeing a couple with 350 chevys in them ,,, they fetch big money now
cheers

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