This is the first time i have been prompted to start a thread like this as my interestis usually in technical topic as appose to opinionated ones.
But a conversation and a question posed to me has made me re-think what i have onmy front grill of my LX Torana.
While at work I had the pleasure of meeting the Holden MD (Managing director)Mike Devereux. He notices the pic i had of my Torana with in my work area.During that conversation he asked me - 'Why do Aussies fit Chev badges to theirHoldens ?' � My thoughts are after meeting him are � He is a real car guy and avery nice bloke.
Not having much of an answer other than 'I thought it looked good' or 'I havefitted a small block Chev' , well it got me thinking...
I went on to explain its a bit of a culture thing. Aussies associate Chev withMuscel car or Tough ???
So I thought i would ask for the opinion & thoughts of the good people onGMH-Torana.com
1. Why do so many people fit Chev badges to Holdens?
2. Should i keep mine or refit the original Badge?
Personally, I dont have a problem with a chev badge on a car with a chev motor. It has been done to Toranas for decades and as far as I am concerned it is period correct modification. Maybe a bit 80's or 90's but so what.
Interesting what you say about the culture though and where I see it gets a bit screwed up is chev badges on Commodores. Have read of the below. It is my take on globalisation of an aspect of the automotive industry. Scored top marks in a recent uni assignments so if nothing else, I bluffed the person who marked it
Globalisation of the Automotive Industry
The effect of globalisation in the automotive industry on our own culture can be highlighted by one small badge placed on the grill and boot lid of our own Holden Commodore. The Chevrolet �Bowtie� badge is finding a home on Holden Commodores in increasing numbers and is constantly the subject of ridicule among the greater automotive community in Australia. Several such examples of ridicule can be found on youtube.com with one of the more humorous being �Hitler reacts to Chev badges on Commodores�. (Hitler reacts to Chev badges on Commodores 2010)
All jokes aside there is a misconception among some Commodore owners that the V8 engine powering their car is a Chevrolet engine. When General Motors Holden (GMH), the Australian division of General Motors (GM), stopped producing locally made V8�s in June 1999 the replacement engine did in fact come from GM however it was a generic engine developed by General Motors for use in various makes and models including Vauxhall, Holden, Pontiac and Chevrolet. (Autoweb 1999)
The V8 engines in Holden Commodores are now supplied by GM Powertrain which started to consolidate the power train divisions across the GM family of companies as far back as 1983. Since that time the GM Powertrain division has expanded its operations to include 86 facilities across 17 countries and employs close to 50 thousand staff. It is currently one of the largest global automotive parts suppliers. (General Motors Company 2011)
What this means for GM as a global company is the ability to concentrate research and development of driveline components to a smaller group rather than developing solutions for each brand. It allows for a more efficient production process whereby the engines, for example, can be assembled locally and closer to the end market using parts manufactured overseas (where the cost of production might be cheaper).
This global approach to vehicle manufacturing can have benefits for local car manufacturers. GMH won great acclaim and recognition after its 1 billion dollar investment in the production of VE Commodore resulted in the platform being considered as the base of GM rear wheel drive cars globally. (Gover 2009) As it stands, the VE Commodore is exported to 11 countries under various GM brands such as Pontiac, Vauxhall and Chevrolet. (Carsguide 2006)
None-the-less, Australia no longer has a V8 engine to call its own and the impact of this on the iconic Holden brand can clearly be seen on the multitude of Commodores now sporting a technically incorrect Chevrolet badge. Where once upon a time it would have been blasphemous to change a Holden badge to something else, it seems as the corporate giants expand into our own market, they are expanding into our identity and our culture as well.
well my take is that it is a reflection of the 'chev' motor being used.
though some people argue that this doesnt count for lsx because they are not produced for chev. i think in your case its quite alright as you are running a chev produced motor
My take on this is very similar, a Chevy badge on a Kingswood or Torana with a Chevy engine is OK in my books, but LSx engines are nots Chevs.
Add to that the fact that many Commodores wearing Chevy badges are V6 engined, go figure.
I was waiting at the counter at the local Holden dealer a month or two ago & 2 young blokes walk in & order a Chevy grille badge for the VY they were driving. Assuming it was a V8, I asked one of them 'why the Chevy badge ?', expecting the answer 'cause it's got a Chevy V8' & have a bit of fun with the topic. But to my surprise it was a V6 & they were only fitting the badge because it looked 'fully sick bro'.
This brings me to another point. In Australia the Chevy brand is held in high esteem as a builder of big-HP engines in most forms of motor sport. The Bathurst winning Monaros both had a Chevy V8 engine. Add to that, guys my age remember a Chev as Holden's larger & more prestigious cousin from the U.S.A. They built cars like 55/56/57 Bel Airs, Impalas & Chevelles etc. Things have changed. While Chev still build race engines, their public image (in the U.S.) as a builder of large or prestige cars has all but disappeared. Camaro & Corvette aside, all Chev passenger cars are now like Toyotas & Hondas, they are basic FWD shopping trolleys. A Chev to a yank is a Cruze or a FWD Malibu. Even the once great Impala is a FWD thing like a Camry or Magna. Chevrolet does not make a 4-door passenger car anywhere near as good as our Commodore/Statesman range. The tables have turned, Holden is now Chevrolet's big foreign cousin. We should be proud to wear Holden badges on our Holdens.
i just googled for specialists to help people with the chev badge sickness but it doesnt show up anything for now.give it a year or so lol .mate a holden badge belongs on a torana .and yes i do have a 350 in my hatch so im one of them but the badge no way.but from what i can glean gm had frock all input in the torana exercise some 51 years ago when they started on the lh so why would you even think to rebadge .
i dont think i even have a holden badge on my torry its got a torana sticker on the front and the slr warpaint i think if you have a genuine chev in a holden its acceptable if not punishable by death haha
im going to get the engine and box out of my t/a and put it in my hatch and put an isuzu badge on the grille.lol seeing as the t/a was the gemini fill in for a while.it might even start a new craze.
i drive one of these ,i was misconcieved,once...but now that i know the secret of gm powertrain,big t, im healed! im no longer a bogan.i can understand the fuhrers outrage.
That U-tube thing - 'Wow' i had not seen that. Funny though.
Its almost like the fully sick crew has hijacked the look and made it look stupid...
I think i will restore my Torana to its original Grill badge. Mine's a bit weathered i might try rare spares and hope they do a new one.
Its certainly intresting the thoughts of members
Cheers Chriso
I had a chev badge on my Chev powered Torana until last week ! Only last week it went back to a Holden Badge..... after many comments on the inappropriatness of the Chev Badge.
I didn't mind the chev badge so much myself, and saw it as a period correct style modification.
Anyway, Holden front badge afterall !!!!!
Tail up, tail down... as long as it has a tail !!!
This has been a hot topic for some time as it's been pointed out already. I personally hate Chevrolet badges on any Holden as I'm a proud owner of our Aussie icon. I have the factory HSV badge on my clubby R8 and a lion in the grille of my SLR.There's alot of Holden around with a 9 " an top loader so throw a ford badge on it... Lol... I have an idea why people put them on but I'll keep that to myself. In the end it's our car n we can put whatever on we like.
I was a fan many moons ago with the bow tie on old school Holdens, but nowadays there is to much stigma with 6 cylinder commodore drivers using them. I wonder if I can get Shafiroff badge made up, start a new trend by putting the company that builds the engine on my grill.
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