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Warrigal Black 73 XU-1's

Started by _Mike73_ , May 12 2011 08:52 PM

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#1 _Mike73_

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Posted 12 May 2011 - 08:52 PM

Anyone heard of a Warrigal Black XU-1?

I know of two now one was raced in Qualifying at Bathurst in 1973 by Ray Thackwell and Barry Coleman, ( 26 D ) this XU-1 was actually a white one painted black apparently, I spoke to Ray Thackwell today and he said that this car was race prepared by Harry Firth and it had a short stroke engine ( I always wondered how a 3.3 litre engine could compete in a 3 litre class? This car ran Webbers acording to Ray.

Unfortunately this car threw a rod in quallifying and took no part in the main race.

I heard from another person that a Warrigal Black XU-1 was ordered for Ray Thackwell for racing but not used, perhaps the August - September lead time was insufficient to get it ready in time. ( Ray can't remember yet )
I have some faint leads on this car and would love to know more about it, I believe someone in a small south West town may know a bit more on this one.

Mike

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#2 lcgtr1970

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Posted 12 May 2011 - 09:31 PM

heres one

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#3 bullitA9X

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Posted 12 May 2011 - 09:34 PM

they are out there mike not sure if this is a 73 though you are quick lcgtr1970 lol

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Edited by bullitljv8, 12 May 2011 - 09:36 PM.

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#4 _gtr-xu1_

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Posted 12 May 2011 - 11:07 PM

yes it is. and its not the only one still alive, and mike have a look in the book bathurst XU1 toranas... threres a few black cars. car 26 is there as is car 23 that has the bonet up and is white on the underside

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#5 _Mike73_

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Posted 12 May 2011 - 11:55 PM

Here is the Warrigal black one that missed going to Bathurst it remained in WA and may still be around from one report.

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Mike

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#6 _Mike73_

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Posted 13 May 2011 - 12:00 AM

yes it is. and its not the only one still alive, and mike have a look in the book bathurst XU1 toranas... threres a few black cars. car 26 is there as is car 23 that has the bonet up and is white on the underside

Yes I looked at that book just after posting the new topic, obviously it was 73 that Ray Thackwell raced the white one painted black, which is a close match to the date of the black one in the picture I posted, perhaps they just did not have time to get a August made Xu-1 ready for a Setember Bathurst race and travel to Bathurst from WA too!

Looks like there were a couple of white ones painted black in that race doesn't there?

Mike

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#7 _rogered_

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Posted 13 May 2011 - 06:40 AM

Just curious
Would the black car have a different shade for the blackouts on the rear and sills ?

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#8 frash da bucket

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Posted 13 May 2011 - 11:35 AM

Hi Roger,

Its the same all over expect around the side windows which is semi gloss.

Cheers John.

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#9 xu2308

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Posted 24 May 2011 - 10:43 AM

Here is a Factory Black 1973 LJ XU-1 Torana from NSW

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Black LJ XU-1.jpg 36.28K 327 downloads

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#10 torry nut

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Posted 24 May 2011 - 01:14 PM

Wow and such a great price!

pity it was missing its JP back then

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#11 lcgtr1970

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Posted 24 May 2011 - 08:59 PM

Geeze! $10,900 what a price...thats cheap!.....i might give him a call.

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#12 _Quagmire_

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Posted 24 May 2011 - 10:26 PM

Geeze! $10,900 what a price...thats cheap!.....i might give him a call.

lol i think he may have added a zero to that price by now

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#13 _rogered_

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Posted 25 May 2011 - 06:31 AM

Wasent that long ago that would have been top price
(or is this a sign of approching old age)

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#14 _Mike73_

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 03:57 PM

Wow and such a great price!

pity it was missing its JP back then

That Vin doesn't match a 73 XU-1 or even a late 72, does this men there were two batches of Black XU-1's or are you quoting a different XU-1?

Mike

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#15 _Agent 34_

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 04:28 PM

Mike,

I think that he VIN "VIN - 82911L213716 Where are you ??" that you are referring to is the " tag " on the bottom of the post by torry nut !

That vin is referring to a car he is trying to find.

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#16 _Agent 34_

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 04:32 PM

Mike,

there is a guy up the road has re created the orignal " nixdorf " gtr xu1 that his dad raced. I have NO idea if the original one was originally painted black. But this is the replica .

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black gtr.jpg 67.68K 286 downloads

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#17 _big jack_

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 04:51 PM

Mike,

there is a guy up the road has re created the orignal " nixdorf " gtr xu1 that his dad raced. I have NO idea if the original one was originally painted black. But this is the replica .

Hey I saw those two cars in a shop window called "Balgowlah Automotive". I was in the big smoke a month ago, went to a party over at the old quarantine station at North Head.

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#18 _Mike73_

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Posted 09 March 2012 - 05:35 PM

Here is the Warrigal black one that missed going to Bathurst it remained in WA and may still be around from one report.

Mike

Finally worked it out!

Melville Motors and Metro Motors were dealer 161 as they were both owned by the same person.

This means that this XU-1 was sold through Melville Motors using the Metro Motors dealer number 161 in Novenmber 1973, it had been ordered by, or for race driver Ray Thackwell and arrived in Perth on the last train load of XU-1's EVER!

It is unknow if this XU-1 was one of the especially ordered Holden Race prepared XU-1's or not, but given that it was for a sucessful race driver, it looks likely.
Race prepared XU-1's were not normally sold to the public, but as this one was surplus to requirements, possibly due to the late delivery, it was eventually sold through normal channels.

The final batch of XU-1's were at least one month late in the start of production, while the final required 250 XU-1's were begun on time at the 1st of July, the final spec componets do not seem to have been available to be fitted to the first 100 XU-1's at that time as had been planned, and was normally the case in previous years, so instead the first of July marking the final spec XU-1's it became the 1st of August that production really got under way on this model, this did not however mean that some of the first 100 did not get retro fitted with the latest componets as this became the practice at this time. It was the 14th of August that the first of the August started XU-1's were completed.
According to Torana Tough book the first 100 July XU-1's were already delivered, this ment by the 15th of August when Cams formalised the Final 9 / 2 - E Homologation amendment that there were only 10 or 11 XU-1's available to inspect as they were on the assembly line. Perhaps 100 were thought to have had upgrades when they had not?

Due to the above delays Ray did not take delivery of this Black XU-1 and it had Just 24 miles on the clock when Graham Dixon purchased it new from the Melville Motors show room.
This time span also fits with the new XU-1 having been reportedly sitting in the show room for a while before being sold, as the sales date is given as November 1973 and being one of the last sold in Australia.
This Warrigal Black XU-1 had white upholstery which did not suit the road conditions at the time so canvas covers were made for it.
I have just phoned Graham and he has confirmed he purchased his Black XU-1 in November 1973, so it is a MATCH!
In early 1974 Graham Dixon, the first registered owner drove this XU-1 to Mount Newman to work, however after a couple of weeks the engine went BANG in a big way, and it was transported all the way back to Perth for major engine repairs.

This XU-1 fits with Vin L252288 eng JP 397926 which was produced on the 6th of September 1973 and given that the last of this WA batch was not completed untill the 12th of September, it may be that all the last spec XU-1's left for WA on the same train in mid September which may not have left enough time to build it up to racing specs for the October 73 Bathurst race, and a weeks travel time, therefore it seems that his old white 1972 XU-1 had a colour change to match the above one, and he used this to compete in the 1973 Bathurst 1000 instead.

According to Ray a new Harry Firth Race prepared 186 had been fitted to his 1972 race XU-1 at some stage, but I have no Idea if it was still in place at the time of the big Bathurst race or not, unfortunately mechanical failure seems to have ended Rays chances at Bathurst in 1973, unless he also took his winning Porsche along?

Back to the new September 73 XU-1 JP 397926

This XU-1 was last seen in Busselton WA and it's current wherabouts is unknown.
The owner is keen to know if his XU-1 is still in existance or not if anyone can help!

Mike

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#19 _RichoX1_

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Posted 07 July 2012 - 04:04 AM

The Xu1 one you talk about most probly was midnight blue not warigal black they painted some HQs the same frome a distance the cars apear black but look from about 1 foot from the paint and they are defanetly Blue
All so the vin is a GTR vin not a XU1 whitch probly didnt match and had a LJ motor origanaly
This GTR fits with Vin L252288 eng JL
This XU-1 fits with Vin H252288 eng JP
This XU-1 Bathust fits with Vin P252288 eng JP

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#20 _sunburst_metalic_

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 09:16 AM

Just saw a Black 1973 Bathurst Special at XU1 on the Mountain 2012, car was Warrigal Black All Over, I speciifically looked for Balck Outs that seemed Non Existant, Frash Da Bucket confirmed the Paint Code Correct, Car owned by a Vic Collector said it dosnt get out much, "Damn Shame That". Awesome Car Simply Awesome Car , Sunburst Metalic

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#21 _torry72_

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 10:42 AM

I saw it there to.Beautiful!!!

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#22 hanra

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 12:37 PM

Hey I saw those two cars in a shop window called "Balgowlah Automotive". I was in the big smoke a month ago, went to a party over at the old quarantine station at North Head.

Ha!!! I seen them there also a few months ago when I to was in the big smoke.

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#23 _Mondie_

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 10:58 PM

Just saw a Black 1973 Bathurst Special at XU1 on the Mountain 2012, car was Warrigal Black All Over, I speciifically looked for Balck Outs that seemed Non Existant, Frash Da Bucket confirmed the Paint Code Correct, Car owned by a Vic Collector said it dosnt get out much, "Damn Shame That". Awesome Car Simply Awesome Car , Sunburst Metalic

Did you get any pics? Has it been restored or original, was the owners name Barry?

Cheers
mondie

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#24 _Nitter_

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Posted 10 October 2012 - 06:57 AM

Here you go...

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Edited by Nitter, 10 October 2012 - 07:02 AM.

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#25 _Mondie_

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Posted 10 October 2012 - 07:47 AM

Thanks for posting them, very pretty. Its amazing to think how rare black was as a colour in the 70's and how common it is now, we were much more practical back then.