823 replies to this topic

[MRLXSS]

Not Wrong Rob! Bloody pain in the arse! Amazing how much grease and gunk gets into all its corners! Also the welds on my K-frame are so messy!

[MRLXSS]

UPDATES:

Alright, now the front end is all pulled down and apart, I bit the bullet and made a few decisions...

I purchased some UC Upper Control Arms, I thought it's better to do it now and always plan to do it in the future.

I'm still chasing up a LH Lower Control arm... It's annoying because i threw some of these out not all that long ago.

I started to Reco the steering rack this arvo, its a very simple exercise! I'm going to replace the steering rack ends... One of them was worn and was not smooth (Another contributor to my terrible steering).

I'm really really looking forward to getting back in the car and driving it! It's going to be a new car to drive!!!!! Bring on Cruising season! Will be a bonus that it'll also have a new heart!!!!

Oh, and I'm almost 100% set on the Pacemakers as well, they seem like the best option for me.

[Statler]

Never mind the power upgrade..... Matt is going to experience the handling improvement!

[MRLXSS]

this is the 2nd time i have read this whole thread,
mate your a inspiration !!!!!!
car looks fat mate wish i had the dollars for a 2 door !!!!

Thanks mate!

I just got lucky and bought at the right time! If you get lucky there are still good buys out there!!! I couldn't afford to do pay the prices they are asking now for run down old hatches, then have to spend more restoring it!

Col, Yeah It's going to be awesome having a Torana that drives half decent again... I have to admit, the last time i drove the hatch (Back from heathcote in the pouring rain) was scary as shit!! Floating all over the road, lights not working, wipers falling off... Not fun at all..

[LXCHEV]

Good work Mattinator.

It will be interesting to see if the UC upper arms make your steering any heavier when turning in. I fitted mine at the same time as doing my HQ brake conversion, so never had a direct comparison of standard upper arms to UC arms. But they should make a good improvement to your car. The reco steering rack will be great too. Are you replacing all your ball-joints and rubbers and stuff at the same time, or are they already in good nick? Remind me - are you running UC steering arms, or Harrop A9X arms? Once you're done, a good wheel-alignment should see the beastie holding the road really nice.

PS. Go the Pacemakers for sure, they will be sweet pipes.

[MRLXSS]

Good work Mattinator.

It will be interesting to see if the UC upper arms make your steering any heavier when turning in. I fitted mine at the same time as doing my HQ brake conversion, so never had a direct comparison of standard upper arms to UC arms. But they should make a good improvement to your car. The reco steering rack will be great too. Are you replacing all your ball-joints and rubbers and stuff at the same time, or are they already in good nick? Remind me - are you running UC steering arms, or Harrop A9X arms? Once you're done, a good wheel-alignment should see the beastie holding the road really nice.

PS. Go the Pacemakers for sure, they will be sweet pipes.

It'll be interesting to see the improvement.

I'm replacing all the Ball-joints, bushes and tie-rod ends. So everything is going to be brand new!

I'm running the Harrop Steering Arms, and the new springs going in are the lowered A9X King Springs. So it all should be pretty close to the best suspension you can get on a Road Torana.

Wheel alignment will actually work now! (They could never do it before, because of my wore out rack). I'll go around the corner from work at Edgars (where heath got his done) Maddy's dad recommended me there as well.

I just bought the pacemakers, delivered for $650... Not bad i must say.

[76lxhatch]

My steering got lighter when I changed to the UC geometry with more caster, because I fixed the steering issues with the column and uni joints etc much the same as you are

[MRLXSS]

i got a complete front end you can have mate you just got to pick it up from near geelong....

Dammit! I had two mates down in Geelong last week picking up a ute and car parts! LOL

Better get that motor in soon mate , a new NSW thread has started for another drag day

HAHA!!! I don't think the hatch will make it up that far! Unless it was on the back of a transporter! HAHA!

[MRLXSS]

Check these out!

The previous owner (Two owners before me) of the car traced me down off here and forwarded me pics of the car when he owned it! How cool is that!!

This is when how it looked when he bought it.













Then this if how it looked after he gave it some TLC.





I believe he (Chris - SLYLX) owned it from 2000 to 2002, then sold it to a friend, who then sold it to the guy that I bought it off (Street Class Performance in Hallam) in 2003.

[Guns n roses]

should have kept it like that!much nice flareless and blue!!!and a 202!!

[MRLXSS]

HAHA! Yeah, tough as nails!

Remember how smooth the paint on the roof was!


Although, if i remember correctly before you came along with the offer to help with paint, finding me wide dragways at swap meets and coming across flare kits on ebay the Torana was destined to be a flareless blue hatch!!! HAHA!!

[Guns n roses]

ah memorys

where that hot drivers mirror go??

[MRLXSS]

Front end looking a lot nicer than before!

My new pipes arrived today as well! Look great! Ryan is coming over tonight to help press in some bushes and also bring over the new control arm he picked up for me! (Legend!)

[LXCHEV]

Love the old photos!

[Heath]

There's no point in replacing balljoints unless they are actually in poor condition, I wouldn't necessarily regret that. Do they actually have some play Mick?

[MRLXSS]

Yeah, Mick i was told by a mechanic that my uppers were dodgy and should be replaced before they let go. The lower ones the boots were all buggered and needed a birthday.

I was reading, and as heath mentioned. The best ball joints made were the Holden ball joints, so if they are still in good nick, leave them in!

With the top ones to remove, i grinded off the top of the pin things, then knocked them through with a drift. Fairly straight forward.

[Stedz_lc]

Lookin good matt!! it sure has come along way! Wishi could afford to rebuild my hatch!
Whats the go with Uc upper arms and harrop steering arms??? pro's con's and why?

[Heath]

Lower arms are the same geometry but could have different sheet thickness, UC upper ones have the balljoint offset towards the back i.e. more caster by default, capacity for more caster in total but unless you want more than 2.5deg you really don't need them.