823 replies to this topic

[MRLXSS]

HAHA! No Nitrous kit for me Marc...

[Litre8]

Go on... you know you want to.... 

[76lxhatch]

When he said TV cable I thought he meant the one attached to the trans, not the idiot box...?

[orangeLJ]

Thats what I thought too haha, talking gearboxes, not televisions!

[MRLXSS]

Yeah, I can talking about my transmission (Throttle Valve Cable)! HAHA!

 

If I dont get it sorted... It'll just go BANG!

Edited by MRLXSS, 03 July 2013 - 12:23 PM.

[MRLXSS]

Hey Guys,

 

Loooooooooooong time since an update on the Torana. Unfortunately not much has happened to the Torana since the last post, but I've been very busy myself!

 

I've completely extended and renovated my house, started a family and worked my arse off in my job to get to work on some pretty sweet dream projects directly with Holden. Including the new Sandman, CL Edition Commodore, Motorsport, Magnum & Director models as well as most recently the Project Monaro.

 

Through my involvement with the projects I saw a bit of a gap in the market and started my own small business on the side called The Render Garage (https://www.therendergarage.com.au). Lots of pics on my Facebook (https://www.facebook...heRenderGarage/)  or Instagram (https://www.instagra..._render_garage/) if you want to see the sort of stuff I do. Picking up a bit of work through social media which is great and it's really getting me excited about my Torana again and getting it back on the road and cruising!

 

When I started building up the 355 all those years ago, LS conversions were still ridicously expensive which is why I chose to go with my current combo. If I had started the engine build 12-24months later I would 100% have gone a LS engine of some sort - for driveability & reliability. My currently daily driver is an LSA Clubsport, so I'm a bit spoilt in regards to modern horsepower and I'd absolutely love something like this in the Torry.

 

But, I'm not about to rip it all out and start again, but I am trying to think outside the box and do something a little bit different to what everybody else is doing - hear me out.

 

I'm thinking about converting my current 355 to EFI, but run it on a LS1 PCM etc. This will give me a bit more freedom with tuning as I'm friends with a few gun tuners who a keen to help me out. I also had a bit of grief with the set up of the 4L60, so by running the LS1 PCM, I could run a 4L60E and adjust all of the shift points/line pressures etc in the tune to get it shifting exactly as I want!

 

I was also considering updating my solid tappet cam to a hydraulic roller cam to hopefully get better driveability. Haven't looked too much into this yet, just early thoughts and thinking what I want the end result to be.

 

I've also got some grand plans to upgade the fuel system,  brakes, diff etc along with a full respray etc. But it's all just dreams at this stage. Keen to just get back around it all!

Here is a 3D Render that I did a few months back of my Torana.

 

 

I've improved my techniques a bit lately and upgraded my computer to handle the rendering of these images. Here is one of my latest renders:

 

Cheers,

Matt

 

[76lxhatch]

PCM conversion sounds interesting, if memory serves there was a guy on pcmhacking.net that apparently set one up to run a Holden V8 but never came back with any details. With all the GM sensors being so easily interchangeable I can't imagine its a big deal if you have enough documentation to work from (or the time and ability to reverse engineer it). Fallback would of course be to run one of the later Holden Delco PCMs which will also allow trans control.

[Statler]

Welcome back Matty.

I've heard about people using the LS ECU for the plastic . I'm keen to know more .

[DanWA]

Welcome back!

That is awesome work on the rendering

 

The LS1 PCM only EFI Holden engine has been done quite a bit, unsure what they do with the dizzy though

[MRLXSS]

Thanks guys!

 

I've found two places that can create the wiring harness. This mob seems to have good experience in it.

 

https://www.ultimate...running-ls1-pcm

 

Castle Hill Performance is the other place that has done them before, I think Dale may have been the guy on PCM Hacking that had done this.

 

One I my mates set up a LS1 PCM on a big block Chevy and he said it was a breeze to set up on the dyno.

 

Either way - I've got lots of questions to still ask!

[makka]

Well, well, well...

[DanWA]

I have an Ultimate Conversion Wiring harness in my car, recommend for quality and support

[MRLXSS]

Well, well, well...

 

Would you look at what we have here!

 

Have you figured out how to fit those Lime Scooter electric motors to your Torana yet?

[makka]

Not yet, still waiting for them to come back for summer!

[rodomo]

They're at it again? High noon at Heathcote?

[Heath]

I assume makka has a e-mail notification on this thread... I do kinda hope he hasn't been logging into the forum to look here every day since 2013 to see if Matt posts an update.

 

Welcome back Matt. Would be good to see something happening with your hatch!

[LhMusL]

Just read all of this, good stuff.

Think the 355 went in after I left Melbourne.

Great to see you getting back into it, it all sounds like a familiar story!

[racean69]

Renders look great.

[orangeLJ]

Terminator X?

https://www.holley.c...universal_kits/

Haven't seen anyone in Australia having a good go yet with them.

But the LS guys are frothing in the states and doing some awesome things.

What sort of comp did your 355 end up with back in the day?

[LXCHEV]

I’ve often wondered if MRLXSS has been getting out of the garage or not. It sounds like not, so you definitely need to fix that problem Matt!

Life certainly gets in the way. How many kids are you up to? I’m lucky with my own 3 that they love the Torana and going out in it. You need the kids to embrace the hobby, so everyone can enjoy it together.

A custom EFI setup is a cool idea (I’ve often thought about it for mine), but I’d focus on your other improvements first if you’re not happy with the drive-ability and get it back cruising.

[makka]

I assume makka has a e-mail notification on this thread... I do kinda hope he hasn't been logging into the forum to look here every day since 2013 to see if Matt posts an update.

Welcome back Matt. Would be good to see something happening with your hatch!

Honestly it was pure chance that I logged on for the first time in ages and saw it haha

[MRLXSS]

I'm just gonna leave this here...

 

MRLXSS is soon to be A9-XHDT  

 

 

I'll try to keep this thread updated, but I've also started a page on my website that will show the progress of the build!

 

https://therendergar...project-torana/

[LXCHEV]

You already know my thoughts on this