39 replies to this topic

[Heath]

Funny... the V8 XU-1 is normally only referred to as an "XU-2" by older blokes who seem to have never been really 'into' it all. Never seen anything published that calls it that until now.

[xu2308]

The Book is called
Build Your Own
XU-2 TORANA
by Geoff Boatswain
Published in 1985, Published by J.W.D Publications
Was advertised in Street Machine Magazine in 1985 onwards For Sale,i bought my copy back then,it tells you how to build a V8 LJ Torana a 308 V8 or Chevy V8 Version.
Very useful guide in building one,Geoff Boatswain Built a V8 Version him self and he done a Book as a help to fellow Builders.

[Zook]

Never seen anything published that calls it that until now

Pffft. That's because you haven't been around for long! It's a good book.

[Heath]

Mate I'm not denying that it's a good book for one second.

It's just that all the journalism back then refers to the five litre LH as the 'XU-2', not a V8-powered XU-1

Found what I was looking for.

Edited by Heath, 18 August 2009 - 10:42 PM.

[TerrA LX]

I hear you heath, but I have never seen (aside from them few photos of a mock car, it's not a real car), nor heard someone with with a SL/R 5000 refer to it as an XU-2.
Back in the day people with V8 LJ Toranas even went to the trouble of making up GTR XU-2 stickers in place of the XU-1 type.

[xu2308]

Mate I'm not denying that it's a good book for one second.

It's just that all the journalism back then refers to the five litre LH as the 'XU-2', not a V8-powered XU-1

Found what I was looking for.

Get Issue 9 of Australian Muscle Car Magazine
Harry Firth the Inventor of the V8 XU-1 says
The V8 Torana was entirely my concept
To me XU-2 was a obvious progression from XU-1
So it was a Code Name i used in general reference
throughout its development phase.
That are Harry Firth words,so as Harry came up with the idea
and he invented it,to me its XU-2.
The LH V8 XU2 was a after thought,and never used Due to Holden
still smarting over the Supercar Scare of 1972

[Ice]

Tell it like it is xu2308 well said

[xu2308]

Well its Quite Easy i say Glacier 73
Harry Firth invented it,and Harry when building the V8 Yellow LC then the V8 LJ's,he code named in the XU-2,to me it is the XU-2.
The LH V8 is the SLR5000 L34 not XU-2

[Dr Terry]

Well its Quite Easy i say Glacier 73
Harry Firth invented it,and Harry when building the V8 Yellow LC then the V8 LJ's,he code named in the XU-2,to me it is the XU-2.
The LH V8 is the SLR5000 L34 not XU-2

Haven't we been over this XU-2 stuff before?

Harry's memory seems to change with the times. Some people did call the V8 XU-1 the XU-2 back then, but it was always the V8 XU-1 or XU-1 Series 2 to GM-H.

Officially an XU-2 became the LH SL/R5000 (not the L34). The only reason Holden changed the name was the connotations associated with the XU-1 name & the aftermath of the 'super-car scare'.

On the topic of the book itself, when I first read it I thought it was a joke, but somebody actually wasted money publishing it. You should read the chapter on camshafts & camshaft timing, this bloke hasn't got a clue.

Dr Terry

[xu2308]

Haven't we been over this XU-2 stuff before?

Harry's memory seems to change with the times. Some people did call the V8 XU-1 the XU-2 back then, but it was always the V8 XU-1 or XU-1 Series 2 to GM-H.

Officially an XU-2 became the LH SL/R5000 (not the L34). The only reason Holden changed the name was the connotations associated with the XU-1 name & the aftermath of the 'super-car scare'.

On the topic of the book itself, when I first read it I thought it was a joke, but somebody actually wasted money publishing it. You should read the chapter on camshafts & camshaft timing, this bloke hasn't got a clue.

Dr Terry

Harry code named it XU-2,thats why Brocky on the HDT DVD refers to the HDT V8 Yellow LC that Larry Perkins Test drove to iron out the Bugs,and he stopped in the Small Town and lit it up for the local natives,The XU-2 Brocky calls it.
The HDT Boys in that time Frame refered to it as the XU2 as that was its code name given by Harry,Peter Brock told me at Tassy Targa they refered to it as the XU-2,Hence XU2 in my Eyes.
Now the XU2 Book is a great guide in Building a V8 LC-LJ,hence for steering mods,and other things,handy guide in putting one together if u ever have to do one.

[xu2308]

The Book more like a Guide Rory,but you Learn more by doin it yourself i say Trial and Era Beats any Book,any day,and once you Build a V8 LJ ya self,you learn it,as you know by Building one yourself Rory,you learn the pitfalls and things,The XU2 Book is just a Guide and i mean a Guide for someone building one if they never done one before and a learningto do it.

[xu2308]

here's a pic for discussion, says XU1 to me

Yeah thats a Poster that harry sells now and signs,Hence it says No Badges,Like Joe felice Lone O Ranger V8 LJ XU-1 with No badges-As Holden at the time had not Finalised a name,
The Name was not Finalised at time of Cancellation on the Cars,so it could of been XU-2 or V8-XU-1
We will never know ????????????????

[TerrA LX]

here's a pic for discussion, says XU1 to me

Looks like a LC to me.

[xu2308]

TerrA LX
The very First V8 Torana was a Yellow LC,a Ex LC HDT Race car from 1970 or 1971 Season.
Harry did the first V8 Torana ever,as Holden said it couldent be done,But harry did it and Built it,then GMH Built Joe Felice Lone O Ranger V8 LJ in April 1972 using Harry's LC as a Guide.
Joe Felice Orange Car was the Engineering Test car,for GMH to Drive,iron out the bugs and perfect for Production.
The Strike Me Pink&White V8 LJ were the inline cars to be Built,First Production car's Before the Full on Production went ahead,thats what the Cars were,andthe Pink and White ones would of been sent to Harry's HDT when GMH had finished building them for Harry to make them V8 Race cars for the 1972 Bathurst,but they never got to race.
But the LC in that Pic does not have XU-1 Stickers on it,and Joe felice Orange LJ V8 did not have XU-1 Stickers as well
??????????????

[Zook]

Terry's right..I bought it off Ebay and unloaded it 1 week later..It was VERY ordinary

LOL . Oh Rory, you always make me laugh, especially after a couple of home brews. Of course all this is passe for you ex-spurts!
And I think I missed the part where we deviated from the book, being the subject, and onto the naming convention of the V8 Torana

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

Yeah Build Your Own XU-2 Book sure is great dunny reading material, Fairly irrelevant now as V8 installation is in most states is " A NO GO "... Hence the final price of this guide I would imagine, as previously gone for over $100 several times I've seen it listed at auction...