26. 1972 Holden Torana LJ 308ci 4-Speed, 9in Diff Coupe
2014 Gore Aussie Muscle Mania Car Show (12-4-14)
The Holden Torana is a car that was manufactured by General Motors–Holden's (GM-H), the Australian subsidiary of General Motors (GM) from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana (HB series) appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle with origins in the British Vauxhall Vivas of the mid-1960s.
(Ref: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Torana#LJ)
Holden Torana -LJ (series 1972-1974)
LJ Torana: LJ was just another set of initials in the non-specific GMH fashion. The " L" still referred to, the "light" car concept, but the mysteries of the "J" are probably not worth trying to unravel. As for the cars themselves they are basically face-lifted LC models with substantial improvements. GMH heavies wanted them to sell in the showroom alongside the newly released HQ, keeping the Torana name healthy in the market but without stealing too much of the bigger Holden's thunder. HQ was the biggest Holden news in years, bigger even than the LC Torana had been late in 1969. Thus it made plenty of sense for GMH to establish a strong connection between HQ and the cheaper Torana. Visually, this connection was achieved by giving the LJ an egg-crate style grille, similar in shape to the HQ's. At the rear, three piece tail lights replaced the original one piecers. The changes introduced with LJ and the strengthening of its links with the full size Holdens went much further. In side the cabin, the bond was emphasised with identical steering wheels, ignition switch, steering locks and door ashtrays. And, where the LC six-cylinder sedans had offered a choice between the 2250 and 2600 engines, LJ was available with the newly released 202 engine. In Torana application the 202 was dubbed " 3300 ".With LJ there was still no V8 option, but the Torana could be specified with the biggest six, which hadn't been the case before. This went some way to narrowing the gap between Torana and Kingswood and helped prepare the public for the forth coming LH model. The LJ was launched for sale in January 1972. Altogether there were no less than eight engines from which to choose, ranging from the venerable 56 horsepower 1159 cm3 four (which preferred flat terrain and lots of revs!)to the 190 horsepower version of the 202 (which loved mountains!) used in the LJ XU-l. Most models were upgraded. The standard GTR, for example, now used a 202 engine instead of the "S" version of first the l6l and then the 173 (2850). A bored-out version of the 1159 cm3 four displaced 1256cm3 and was standard fitment in the Deluxe four. It's output was 62 bhp (and it still Preferred flat terrain and lots of revs!) The biggest of the fours was the slant SOHC 1600 introduced in July l97l as a running mod on LC. Unfortunately, this engine promised far more than it delivered. With a quoted maximum power output of 80 horsepower at 5500 rpm, you'd expect a substantial performance gain over the 55 bhp l256 cm3 four. Infact, you'd expect a 1600 Torana to match any of the l.5/1.6 litre SOHC Japanese fours of its era. It couldn't, There was impressive mid-range top gear flexibility, but outright acceleration was sad to say the least, with zero to 60 mph taking a whopping 17 seconds. The standing quarter time was genuine are-we-keeping-you- up? material at 20.5 seconds, only a second or so clear of the l.3 litre version and barely on the same page of the calendar as any of the sixes.
All the sixes displayed good torque at low engine speeds, but to get any thing approaching real performance, you were looking at a 2850 version, minimum. A four speed geared 2850 could cover the quarter in 18.5 seconds, having dispatched 0 to 60 mph in a tad over 13 seconds. Top speed was about 97 mph, compared with 85 for the 1600 and even less for the 1.3. Interestingly enough, the 2250 could stretch its legs to 95, even if the speedo took a while to arrive. The interior of the LJ Torana in all its variants was a much nicer place to spend time. The seats were greatly improved. Chief Engineer of the time, George Roberts admitted that the earlier seats were like miniature trampolines. Apparently they were designed without any reference to the suspension and were totally out of tune with the springs, The effect was worst on the stiffer GTR and XU-l models. Over uneven surfaces the hot shot LC's were painfully uncomfortable.
Although the instrument layout itself was unchanged, GMH's styling team had wisely decided to rid the Torana of its droopy fascia. In LJ models the padding ran the width of the car in an unbroken line and looked much neater. The radio was relocated in the entree of the fascia. On LC it had been hung some where underneath. All 1972 cars had to have an ignition/steering lock as standard fitment. So the switch moved off the dash, leaving room for the heater/ventilation controls. Gone was the dash top ash tray and a pair of fiddly HQ door trim-mounted units took its place.
Other detail changes lifted the Torana's game. For example, the protruding glovebox knob was replaced by a neater recessed grip. Front head restraints were standard so occupant comfort in the firm-riding GTR and XU-I models was much greater, with the risk of incurring whiplash having been reduced dramatically! Suddenly a Torana could tackle bad roads without too much trouble. The GTR and XU-1 were reinforced in their position as the leading GMH sporties by the fitment of the GTS steering wheel. All LJs featured softer front suspension rates and wider disc brakes (still optional on some variants). But softer didn't mean floatier. In fact, all LJs rode noticeably better, thanks largely to improved damper rebound rates. Evidently, GMH hit the spot with LJ because its sales performance was better than LC's. A total of 81,453 were produced. They were sold between January 1972 and March l974 when the LH was unveiled. So average monthly sales were around 3100. Admittedly this was only 100 or so units per month a head of the old model, but by 1972 the Torana shape was already half a decade old. Despite the smaller car's facelift with HQ-style grille and rear light clusters LJ's looked positively out dated. The fact that this car could sell strongly was proof that the light six concept was here to stay. Even Ford Australia found it necessary to get a piece of the action with 3.3 and 4.1 litre versions of the TC Cortina. As the 70s wore on, the major failing of the six-pack Toranas became more apparent. The cars were simply too narrow. Not only did they look narrow and increasingly so in company of cars such as HQ and the XA Falcon, even the TC Cortina, but they lacked interior space. To solve the problem an all Aussie team would be needed to create a new car, that is when GMH came up with the 1974 LH Torana.
(Ref: hh.hansenits.com/model/torana/lj_torana_1972-74.html)
Holden also developed a 308ci V8-powered version of the GTR XU-1, often referred to as the GTR XU-2, but the car never made it past the prototype stage.
26. 1972 Holden Torana LJ 308ci 4-Speed, 9in Diff Coupe
2014 Gore Aussie Muscle Mania Car Show (12-4-14)
The Holden Torana is a car that was manufactured by General Motors–Holden's (GM-H), the Australian subsidiary of General Motors (GM) from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana (HB series) appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle with origins in the British Vauxhall Vivas of the mid-1960s.
(Ref: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Torana#LJ)
Holden Torana -LJ (series 1972-1974)
LJ Torana: LJ was just another set of initials in the non-specific GMH fashion. The " L" still referred to, the "light" car concept, but the mysteries of the "J" are probably not worth trying to unravel. As for the cars themselves they are basically face-lifted LC models with substantial improvements. GMH heavies wanted them to sell in the showroom alongside the newly released HQ, keeping the Torana name healthy in the market but without stealing too much of the bigger Holden's thunder. HQ was the biggest Holden news in years, bigger even than the LC Torana had been late in 1969. Thus it made plenty of sense for GMH to establish a strong connection between HQ and the cheaper Torana. Visually, this connection was achieved by giving the LJ an egg-crate style grille, similar in shape to the HQ's. At the rear, three piece tail lights replaced the original one piecers. The changes introduced with LJ and the strengthening of its links with the full size Holdens went much further. In side the cabin, the bond was emphasised with identical steering wheels, ignition switch, steering locks and door ashtrays. And, where the LC six-cylinder sedans had offered a choice between the 2250 and 2600 engines, LJ was available with the newly released 202 engine. In Torana application the 202 was dubbed " 3300 ".With LJ there was still no V8 option, but the Torana could be specified with the biggest six, which hadn't been the case before. This went some way to narrowing the gap between Torana and Kingswood and helped prepare the public for the forth coming LH model. The LJ was launched for sale in January 1972. Altogether there were no less than eight engines from which to choose, ranging from the venerable 56 horsepower 1159 cm3 four (which preferred flat terrain and lots of revs!)to the 190 horsepower version of the 202 (which loved mountains!) used in the LJ XU-l. Most models were upgraded. The standard GTR, for example, now used a 202 engine instead of the "S" version of first the l6l and then the 173 (2850). A bored-out version of the 1159 cm3 four displaced 1256cm3 and was standard fitment in the Deluxe four. It's output was 62 bhp (and it still Preferred flat terrain and lots of revs!) The biggest of the fours was the slant SOHC 1600 introduced in July l97l as a running mod on LC. Unfortunately, this engine promised far more than it delivered. With a quoted maximum power output of 80 horsepower at 5500 rpm, you'd expect a substantial performance gain over the 55 bhp l256 cm3 four. Infact, you'd expect a 1600 Torana to match any of the l.5/1.6 litre SOHC Japanese fours of its era. It couldn't, There was impressive mid-range top gear flexibility, but outright acceleration was sad to say the least, with zero to 60 mph taking a whopping 17 seconds. The standing quarter time was genuine are-we-keeping-you- up? material at 20.5 seconds, only a second or so clear of the l.3 litre version and barely on the same page of the calendar as any of the sixes.
All the sixes displayed good torque at low engine speeds, but to get any thing approaching real performance, you were looking at a 2850 version, minimum. A four speed geared 2850 could cover the quarter in 18.5 seconds, having dispatched 0 to 60 mph in a tad over 13 seconds. Top speed was about 97 mph, compared with 85 for the 1600 and even less for the 1.3. Interestingly enough, the 2250 could stretch its legs to 95, even if the speedo took a while to arrive. The interior of the LJ Torana in all its variants was a much nicer place to spend time. The seats were greatly improved. Chief Engineer of the time, George Roberts admitted that the earlier seats were like miniature trampolines. Apparently they were designed without any reference to the suspension and were totally out of tune with the springs, The effect was worst on the stiffer GTR and XU-l models. Over uneven surfaces the hot shot LC's were painfully uncomfortable.
Although the instrument layout itself was unchanged, GMH's styling team had wisely decided to rid the Torana of its droopy fascia. In LJ models the padding ran the width of the car in an unbroken line and looked much neater. The radio was relocated in the entree of the fascia. On LC it had been hung some where underneath. All 1972 cars had to have an ignition/steering lock as standard fitment. So the switch moved off the dash, leaving room for the heater/ventilation controls. Gone was the dash top ash tray and a pair of fiddly HQ door trim-mounted units took its place.
Other detail changes lifted the Torana's game. For example, the protruding glovebox knob was replaced by a neater recessed grip. Front head restraints were standard so occupant comfort in the firm-riding GTR and XU-I models was much greater, with the risk of incurring whiplash having been reduced dramatically! Suddenly a Torana could tackle bad roads without too much trouble. The GTR and XU-1 were reinforced in their position as the leading GMH sporties by the fitment of the GTS steering wheel. All LJs featured softer front suspension rates and wider disc brakes (still optional on some variants). But softer didn't mean floatier. In fact, all LJs rode noticeably better, thanks largely to improved damper rebound rates. Evidently, GMH hit the spot with LJ because its sales performance was better than LC's. A total of 81,453 were produced. They were sold between January 1972 and March l974 when the LH was unveiled. So average monthly sales were around 3100. Admittedly this was only 100 or so units per month a head of the old model, but by 1972 the Torana shape was already half a decade old. Despite the smaller car's facelift with HQ-style grille and rear light clusters LJ's looked positively out dated. The fact that this car could sell strongly was proof that the light six concept was here to stay. Even Ford Australia found it necessary to get a piece of the action with 3.3 and 4.1 litre versions of the TC Cortina. As the 70s wore on, the major failing of the six-pack Toranas became more apparent. The cars were simply too narrow. Not only did they look narrow and increasingly so in company of cars such as HQ and the XA Falcon, even the TC Cortina, but they lacked interior space. To solve the problem an all Aussie team would be needed to create a new car, that is when GMH came up with the 1974 LH Torana.
(Ref: hh.hansenits.com/model/torana/lj_torana_1972-74.html)
Holden also developed a 308ci V8-powered version of the GTR XU-1, often referred to as the GTR XU-2, but the car never made it past the prototype stage.