37 replies to this topic

[Edk]

G'day all

Just wondering what is the best way to identify if a Torana is a Sunbird or not.
Obviously a Lx or UC, but with the LX ive read conflicting information, some saying sunbirds were only late 77
but then ive also seen 76.

Did a Sunbird only come out in 4 cycl? even so the engine could be changed

Is it on the tags? the grills different (which can be changed also)

The RTS badges if any would be long gone

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Neils LX]

Hi
As fas as i know sunbirds are late 76-1980. The plate should be L16 on late LXs not sure on UCs

Edited by Neils LX, 25 March 2009 - 08:47 PM.

[blown308]

http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=35440

this is a 75 Sunbird.. or Plus 4 ????

[rodomo]

Correct! Sunbird will have the badge holes in the quarter panels.

Having said that, I think there were 4 cyl Toranas that weren't Sunbirds so they would have no badge holes.

[Collo]

Don't the Sunbirds have a U instead of a V in the model no., as per Hernes' post above?

[ToRunYa]

that was my understanding. i have the "U" in mine - "U" for "u wanna put a decent motor in this......"

[Collo]

Hahaha yeah.
The LX I got my v8 out of was originally a Sunbird, and had the U.

[yel327]

Sunbird in LX is a different model code ie U as already pointed out, and was only in late LX. Earlier 4cyl LH/LX were 4cyl Toranas. The later LX 4cyl's aren't badged as Toranas, just as Sunbirds. However as in another post here they actually say Torana on the ADR plate although all other documentation refers to them only as Sunbird. So documentation refers to them as LX Torana for 6cyl and V8, and LX Sunbird for 4cyl. Just like HQ where you have HQ Holden and HQ Statesman.

[yel327]

WTF?
Let what drop? Like anyone cares if a car is a Sunbird or Torana? Simple factual answer for a simple question about ID'ing a Sunbird and misconceptions about what engines they had. No "bullshit" involved from this side. Quote from documentation - "Torana & Holden Sunbird".

Edit from previous post - U in the model code meaning 4cyl only applies to LH/LX. All UC are coded U as the V designation shifted to VB Commodore.

[yel327]

Mate it was Holden that chose mid model to stop referring to their their 4cyl middle sized model Torana, and starting to call it Sunbird. Not me, or you or anyone else. Prior to Sunbird release the 4cyl LH/LX version was badged and referred to as Torana. Why Holden did it is beyond me particularly since the ADR plate still has Torana stamped in it. Maybe they decided to kill off the Torana and replace it with the Commodore and the 4cyl "Torana" sized car would continue as the Sunbird? At the end of the day it's just historical fact, and since the body shell is the same who really cares? The only time it should really matter is if the car is being judged in Concours where it is important eg an immaculate restored LX/UC Sunbird, not a 6cyl shell made into a mock up Sunbird (although this is probably a silly scenario as it may never happen, but who knows).
So to me, I don't care less if it's a 4cyl Torana, a Sunbird or whatever. Just like I don't care if a modified Calais is done up to look like a Commodore and called a Commodore. Or a Futura or Fairmont are modified and called a Falcon. The original question was about how to tell if your car is a Sunbird or not, which is just as valid a question as how to tell if your car is an SL/R or not.

[Dr Terry]

Hi Guys

I think somebody has taken the �only Sunbirds� comment out of context. When yel327 said �all other documentation refers to them only as Sunbirds� I took it as meaning that they weren�t labeled Torana-Sunbirds, they were simply a separate one word model name:- a Sunbird. Nothing elitist about that.

Holden just re-named & re-specified the Torana 1900 models as Sunbirds, from Nov 1976 onwards, so what? As yel327 said, the question about the ID is just as valid for a Sunbird as it is for an A9X, an HK Belmont or a VC Brock Commodore. Jeez, some blokes have very short fuses.

LH & LX Torana 1900 & LX Sunbird models are differentiated from their 6/V8 siblings by the UH or UG in the model number. 6/V8 models are VB, VC or VD. This does not apply in the UC series, where all Toranas or Sunbirds are either UH or UG. I think this will answer the original query.

Dr Terry.

[lcgtr1970]

WTF whats this "ONLY AS" bullshit? More elitism whether meant or not......

When will you guys let this drop.

EDIT, please do not bother trying to explain this to me, the chosen words are clear enough to me.

Herne

i dont think the "only as" was meant as derogatory, but rather stating the fact that holden had only the words sunbird on the documentation instead of torana as well.

dr terry beat me to it!

Edited by lcgtr1970, 27 March 2009 - 11:34 AM.

[Dr Terry]

Put as much spin on it as you want guys. Its usual here and why I didnt want it answered.

Herne

As I said, some of you guys have short fuses.

What is the problem & what is 'usual' here.

Dr Terry

[TerrA LX]

Another way to identify a Sunbird is stand around at a car show and watch which Toranas people Jeer.