97 replies to this topic

[REDA9X]

Ok, i just had another quick read of my "how to rebuild and hotrod holden v8" book, ( awesome book i reccomend everyone to buy a copy, best book i have.
anyways heres some quotes and information.

I borrowed this book from a a mate at work before Christmas, we had a very good laugh at some of the crap written in it about L34 and A9X.
"Early testing of the (standard) L34 engine on the dynomometer proved that the engine was on the right track. Horse power varied between 300 and 320 horsepower and the engine would successfully rev to 7000 rpm."

Thats not standard, thats an engine, out of the car on a bench dyno at Repco.

5.0 litre - red option L34 High Performance Package
Blah Blah Blah
Power output : 260kW (350 bhp) @ 6000 rpm
Torque : 400Nm (544lbs/ft) @ 3000 rpm

Read above, High Performance package

"A9X power specifications were not released to the public as it was deemed that public opinion would be negative to a registered road car suitable for race team development for the race track. This was similar to the L34 high output option for the LH. (CRAP)
The standard A9X engine was the blue block  (SINCE WHEN WAS IT A BLUE BLOCK????? AS I SAID THE BOOK IS FULL OF SHIT) with performance heads (BULLSHIT), modified intake manifold (BULLSHIT), ignition as on the L34 (BULLSHIT) and an exhaust system similar to the L34 (MORE BULLSHIT). The A9X was a better handling car than the LH, due to "radial tuned suspension".
Touring car racing and bathurst homologation allowed A9X Toranas to run the L34 ngine and L34 improvements. Race teams worked on the fuel and exhaust systems and eventually increased the horsepower to 395 - 400."

Well looks like the A9X did have modified heads and should have gone just as hard as the L34. There are no A9X power figures in this book, only the L34 HO.

AGAIN THIS BOOK IS FULL OF IT

Race teams didn't just tune, carby exhaust and cam. I think you need to do a little reading back. The A9X engine was basically stock. What it had over a 5l SS or 5000 af the same Polution specs was a different cam, and no engine driven fan.
The L34 had a list of parts designed to make the engine stronger, and capable to be prepared by a race team within the rules for racing purposes. As I said, there is no doubt at all, these changes would make a stock L34 go harder , but the way Holden built the cars from the factory, the difference wasn't that great, and the 0-100 and quarter mile times of the day prove that.
You have to understand Holden was in the business of making money, they did as little as they had to to make the cars racable within the rules of the day, thats why the A9X didn't need a shit hot engine, they had homolgated that with the L34, all they needed was a decent diff, gearbox and brakes. They got that with the A9X. Anyway, the original arguemant was what had more power, a stock SS 5l or aa A9X, and as I said before, you have to compare cars of the same pollution specs, so the SS would have to be an ADR27A car, simple as that.

Well thats enough typing for tonight.

As changed in the quote.

Edited by REDA9X, 12 January 2006 - 09:55 PM.

[REDA9X]

The heads on an A9X are stock 5.0l ADR27A heads :furious:FFS read back the race cars could use the L34 spec engine

Edited by REDA9X, 12 January 2006 - 09:59 PM.

[REDA9X]

Don't believe everything you read. I don't know how many times I have seen things likr A9X had twin thermo fans written in magazines. Thank God when Mark does a story for AMC he does some decent research.

[REDA9X]

They will be doing a full story on the A9X in a future edition, but there has been plenty written about them so far in it, including my car 2 issues ago

[REDA9X]

Hay i just read this from start to finnish and i thought oldschool was right but after
Reading reda9x coments i don,t know there seems to be a contradiction here
In 1974 i could go in to one of 4 gmh dealerships in sydney if i had a cams licence i could order a L34 with all the hot gear ie HO hi output pack. remember
This is only a hoted up SLR5000 and drive away .Now these L34s with the HO pack where alot faster than the SLR5000 . you can,t compare them I owned a
SLR5000 in 1986-93 dead stock from factory. Ait nd a mate at the time had a L34-HO
yer with all the good gear from holden parts divisions. genuine and it shit all over
my slr5000

My point is. Could you go in two holden when the A9X or SS came out and get the same HO pack as the L34 if knot then in my mind i think L34 is the quickest ?

YOU GUY,S REALLY GET STUCK INTO SOME OF THESE TOPICS :

As has been said over and over, a stock L34. HO pack was NOT a factory fitted item, it was a Dealer option, and $1500 at the time was alot of money. To answer your question, NO, the HO pack was not allowed to be fitted to the A9X as it was against the ADR's of the day. A letter was even sent out to the dealers in 78 stating HO packs were not to be fitted for this reason. Apparently some dealers had been fitting them, so there may be some A9X's or even HX's etc with HO kits fitted by dealers.

[REDA9X]

I made a call to a member of the club who has owned (back when they were new) an LH SLR 5000, an L34, and currently has a stock A9X and a modified A9X, plus an XU1 1970 LC Bathurst model. I'd also say this is the most knowledgable person when it comes to Toranas that I know. Many people who know him will agree, it's a shme he doesn't get on the forum. He confirmed again to me the L34 wasn't any quicker over the quarter than a 5000. He reguarly would beat L34's in his 5000. He told me he raced one in particular that was stock bar a holley. The L34 only just beat him. Had it been over anything greater distance however, the L34 was always going to be faster. He believed the difference was 13" to 14" wheels, but engine wise, there was nothing in it, as I said, Holden choked the L34 with the small exhaust. Anyone who has driven an L34 that goes a lot harder has driven a modified one, (that includes HO pack as it is not a factory fit) simple as that. Back to the book that was mentioned earlier. I pulled it out today and even it lists the L34 in stock form as being 240hp.

Edited by REDA9X, 17 January 2006 - 04:05 PM.

[kudu]

Its a pity that I can never find any figures for my M40 LH SL/R 5000. I wonder if that would have been any quicker (or slower)over the quater than a manual version or even a L34 ???

[REDA9X]

Red, what options were fitted on the "Bill Paterson Pack" A9X's
you could buy from them?

Louie

Where did you hear about Bill Patterson Pack A9X's?

A9X had 2.60 and 3.08 ratio diffs only.