Could this have resulted in some on the CanAm blocks not having the "DZ" prefix?993 Kadett wrote:The project hung on a thread with the availability of the 302 engines. At one stage it was even considered that 350 LT1 engines would be rebuilt in the Aloes engine plant using 302 pistons and cranks purchased from GM parts and accessories division in the USA. That turned out not to be necessary..... as our friend UNCLE BOB again came to the rescue. Scores of transatlantic phone calls resulted in favours being called in and the Tonawanda engine plant produced a differential parts list for both the then current 350 LT1 and the '69 spec 302. The unique 302 parts were sourced from the US GM P&A dept, shipped to Tonawanda and a special run of 302's happened in late 1972 specially for SA!
I just reread this thread, and still, what a great piece of history.
What happened to Paul/993 Kadett?
I can’t help comparing 993 Kadett's account of the 3800 GT to what the General were doing in Australia at the time, seems Holden didn’t share the hang ups of the rest of the GM camp. Both GM SA and Holden in Australia, sold the HB Vauxhall Viva in the late 60’s.
Then GM SA moved onto the HC Firenza 2.5 in 1971, and the very limited CanAm in 1973, but Holden had already started producing a new model called the Torana in 1969, of similar size to the HC Firenza I believe, except the performance models sported a straight 6 of 3L, later of 3.3L, and in 1974 with the slightly larger new model Torana, a 308ci Holden V8, all sold in much greater numbers than the CanAm. A sort of power to the people approach.
Initially I had thought why didn’t GMSA ever build a 6 cylinder Firenza 3800/4100, or 6 cylinder Ranger 3800/4100?
And later round about 1973, when Ranger production stopped and before the 2500/3800/4100 arrived, was the Torana ever considered as an alternative replacement for the medium size category?
But against the company background that was described, I understand it now.
Also a pity someone didn’t see the opportunity to run the Chevrolet Dealer Team as a private or semi-official entity, similar to Dealer Team Vauxhall in the UK, and the Holden Dealer Team in Australia. Or wouldn’t GMSA even have given it, some support? HDT eventually produced special Holden models, with a similar situation in SA, we might even have seen more homologation specials.
