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The Holden Torana was a car produced by General Motors Holden (GMH), the Australia n subsidiary of General Motors . The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning 'to fly'. It had its origins in the British Vauxhall Viva s of the mid 1960s. The first Torana (HB) appeared in Australia in 1967 and the final model was phased out by 1980 . FIRST GENERATION HB Torana
Introduced in mid-1967, the first Torana model was a facelifted Vauxhall Viva and featured a two-door body, 12 inch (305 mm) wheels and a 56 bhp 1.2 litre Four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed gearbox. A Borg-Warner Model 35 three speed automatic transmission was optional. Drum brakes were fitted to all wheels, with power assisted front disc brakes optional. In early 1968 a "Series 70" engine option was added. This engine had a higher compression ratio, a higher lift camshaft, and a single CD Stromberg carburettor, which boosted output to 69 bhp. Power assisted front disc brakes were standard when this engine was used, and the automatic transmission option was now no longer available with the standard 56 bhp engine. A 'sports' model was also released at the same time called the 'Brabham' Torana, named in honour of the well-respected Australian race-car driver, Sir Jack Brabham . The Brabham Torana's engine was based on the Series 70, but twin CD Stromberg carburettors with sports air cleaners were fitted. Together with the low restriction exhaust system, this boosted the power to 79 bhp. The Brabham also included wider wheel rims and red-wall tyres, power assisted front disc brakes as standard, different badging and black body accents. Automatic transmission was not available on this model. In late 1968, the '69 Torana' was released, sometimes called the HB Series II. The model line up now included a 4 door sedan. The 4 door variant was developed in Australia. A collapsible steering column was now fitted, together with a new recessed instrument cluster, new indicator switch, and new steering wheel borrowed from the contemporary full-sized Holden. These replaced the previously imported Vauxhall items. A consequence of using these local components was the loss of the stalk operated headlight dipswitch and horn. The dipswitch ended up on the floor. Dual circuit brakes were now standard on all models, though power assisted front disc brakes were still optional with the standard 56 bhp engine. The Brabham Torana was still available, in two door form only. It now included a sports steering wheel similar to the contemporary Holden Monaro GTS, full instrumentation, different badging, and different black accenting. The HB Torana continued until late 1969. SECOND GENERATION LC Torana
The next generation of Toranas (LC) appeared in 1969 and were available with either a four or Six Cylinder engine. The inline six had a capacity of 138 in³ (2250 cc). The six-cylinder cars had a slightly longer nose to accommodate the larger engine, and offered a choice of three and four-speed manual gearbox or a three-speed Trimatic automatic transmission. The Torana was '' Wheels '' magazine's Car Of The Year for 1969. Body styles were either two or four doors, and were offered in S or SL trim. Bench or bucket front seats were also an option, along with disc front brakes. A more-powerful 161 in³ (2600 cc) engine was made available soon after the model's release in the more upmarket SL and in the two-door sports model, the GTR, as a 2600S with a WW two barrel Stromberg carburettor. Later in the production run, the 161 was replaced with a larger 173 version which also made it into the last of the LC GTR's as a 173S. In 1970 the first genuine performance Torana, the GTR XU-1, was released for an assault on the Bathurst 500 motor race. It added a 186 in³ (3 litre) six cylinder engine fitted with three Zenith Stromberg CD-150 carburettors, cast iron headers, a performance cylinder head and camshaft and an Opel four-speed gearbox. This car featured a rear spoiler, guard flutes, wider steel rims, full instrumentation and front disc brakes as standard. At this time GMH also experimented with a true sports car, the GTR-X, which featured the 186 engine and numerous components borrowed from the Torana, but in a low-slung two-door fibreglass body. Only a couple of examples were produced for evaluation, and the project was subsequently shelved. LJ Torana
In 1972 , the LJ Torana was introduced to bring the Torana range into line with the larger HQ Holden series. Many components were shared, and essentially this model was a facelifted LC, with the major changes limited to the choice of engines. While the base level 2250 remained, the 2600 was replaced by a 2850 cc (the base engine in the larger HQ Holden sedan) and an optional 3300 cc engine. Gearbox choices remained the same across the range. The 3300 engine was also fitted to the LJ XU-1 Torana, again with three carburettors and a new close ratio 4-speed Australian made transmission. The LC and LJ Toranas were also sold in New Zealand , but only in 6-cylinder form, likely due to the Vauxhall Viva being sold there too. GTR-X Torana Coupe
The Torana GTR-X was Designed during the LC development, and was going to be released alongside the new LJ models, the GTR-X has a wedge-shaped body with XU-1 components under the fibreglass body. It was planned to use the Holden's 186S engine, fit it with triple SU carburettors, and denote it the "186X", but it was believed that the LJ Torana XU-1 202ci six, with the M21 four speed transmission would be a better production version. The 186X would be used in the LC XU-1 models until the dawn of the 202ci six The GTR-X looks a lot like the Mazda RX-7, the instrumentation in this car included speedo, tacho, electric clock, ammeter, as well as oil pressure, fuel, water temperature and engine vacuum, all mounted in an aluminium dashboard. it weighs in at 1043 kg and has a top speed of 210 km/h. The GTR-X would have been the first Holden fitted with four wheel disc brakes. When GMH Released a promotion about The GTR-X they said "it is aerodynamically designed. Its long, sleek hood is accentuated by a low wedge-shaped grille. The body line sweeps up at the rear to an elevated tail light assembly. Simplicity is the keynote. It is achieved by concealed headlights, sharp windshield rake, recessed parking and turning lights, and flush petrol filler access and door handles. Front and rear bumpers assume the contour of the body. To identify the car the GTR-X identification is contained within a crisp black and orange stripe running parallel to the rocker panel". The Torana GTR-X was never developed by Holden as a concept, even thought brochures, photography and promotional films where produced to show how serious they were to put the car into production, however they were unable to justify the high cost of putting the GTR-X into development given the size of the population in those days. TA Torana
In 1974 the LJ was replaced by the larger LH Torana ( Ford Cortina sized) series. To fill in time before the March 1975 release of the Holden Gemini T-Car, the short wheelbase 4-cylinder (1.2L, 1.8L) LJ models were facelifted into the stopgap Torana TA. This car was sold, in both two and four door forms on the Australian market only, alongside the larger LH Torana until the Gemini was announced. THIRD GENERATION LH Torana
Early 1974 saw the first completely new Torana body with the arrival of the larger LH, which deleted the two-door option. Despite the larger external size, the car was relatively cramped by mid-1970s standards. It resembled other GM products of its generation, notably the Opel Ascona . Trim levels were S, SL and a newly introdced SL/E for the sedan, available in virtually all configurations: 1.9 (from Opel), 2.85, 3.3, and 4.2 litre engines. The SL/R was available with the 3.3 litre six cylinder engine with an optional 4.2 litre V8 or the 5.0 litre V8 also called the SL/R 5000. A further option for the SL/R 5000 was the L34, only 263 built, with a unique engine and other improvements to improve durability in competition use. This model raced in Australian touring car racing until superseded by the A9X option. A wagon Torana was considered, and while there was a prototype built, it never reached production. LX Torana
The facelifted LX arrived in 1976 , primarily to embody engine modifications to meet recently-introduced emission regulations. Engines were again offered in four, six and eight-cylinder configurations, and a two-door body re-appeared as the Hatchback—in modern terms a liftback with a sloping rear end—in SL (3.3 litre six) or SS trim (all options: 3.3, 4.2 and 5.0). The 1,897 cc Opel unit was not offered on the Torana hatchbacks, though it was made available with the Holden Sunbird , which was spun off from the main Torana range as the four-cylinder variant in 1976 . From this point, Holden could no longer claim that the Torana was the only car in Australia with the choice of a four-, six- or eight-cylinder engine. The first attempt by Holden to add a handling package to its family sedans saw the introduction of radial-tuned suspension to the LX range. For 1976, the LX Torana Plus 4 sedan was offered. This had body-coloured bumpers and black decals. While it had sporting pretensions, it was powered by the four-cylinder unit. The LH and LX series also saw the development of limited-number high-performance vehicles aimed at the annual Bathurst 1000 race. These included the L34 four-door (from September 1974 through the 1975 model year) and A9X hatchback and Sedan ( 1977 ) Toranas that featured high-performance 5 litre V8s, special gearboxes (A9X option only), suspension modifications, rear disc brakes (A9X only), heavy duty differential assembly (A9X only) and larger diameter wheels. Peter Brock & Brian Sampson won the Bathurst 1000 in 1975 in an LH L34; Bob Morris & John Fitzpatrick won in 1976 in an LH L34; Peter Brock & Jim Richards won in both 1978 and 1979 in an LX A9X. UC Torana
The introduction of the UC Torana in 1978 saw the demise of the V8 engines. The greatly rationalised choices were now the 2.85 litre six for the S and SL sedans, or the 3.3 litre inline six for the SL sedan and hatch. An 'SL Deluxe Pack' was an option that allowed the SL Torana to compete with Ford's Cortina Ghia. It comprised laminated windscreen, tinted side and rear windows, intermittent wipers, radio/cassette player, cloth trim, extra gauges and bumper overriders. There were at one point design ideas of a five-door hatchback version of the UC, which had a similar side profile to the Rover SD1 and rode an extended wheelbase, although they never got past the clay modelling stage. There was also a UC SL/T hatch turbo model built. Only three cars were made, they were basically a 3.3 litre engine and four-speed manual with a small NGM Turbocharger and SU carburettor fitted. But by now the Torana was too similar in size to the more modern Holden Commodore , and it was soon dropped from the Holden range in 1979 . Sunbirds continued through 1980 with the 1.9 litre Starfire (based on the 2.85 litre six) replacing the Opel unit. For a while at least, there was talk of further extending the Torana/Sunbird's production life beyond 1980, with a facelifted 'UD' model, of which prototype models of the sedan and hatchback were actually built - featuring frontal styling similar to the Opel Ascona B. However, due to the car itself being outdated when compared to the Japanese opposition (notably the Chrysler Sigma and Mazda 626 ), and that Holden themselves were to release a Commodore 4-cylinder, its production never eventuated. It was replaced by the 1982 Camira , Holden's version of GM's front wheel drive 'J-Car' world car, though for two years, the Commodore Four with the 1.9v Starfire unit occupied this segment. TORANA TT36 In 2004 , Holden released a sporty five-door Concept Car called the Torana TT36 (TT = Twin Turbo; 36 = 3.6 litre V6). The model was said to début a new platform for General Motors and previews the look of the 2006 VE Commodore . In terms of size, it was marginally bigger than the BMW 3 Series on the outside, though considerably roomier inside with BMW 5 Series rivaling interior space. It received mixed reviews through out the Automotive Community, with some seasoned Torana enthusiasts disliking the colour and the fact it did not have the 'old school' tuff Torana look. EXTERNAL LINKS
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