216 replies to this topic

[xu2308]

I know Bill and he has not lived in Canberra for many years.
He still owns the xu1 that he purchased new in 72.

Can you PM me Bill's Phone Number, as I hope Bill can help me with some info on my Pink LJ GTR Torana, as he was into LJTorana's in the 1974 time frame

[xu2308]

Leighton Holdings got Bill Graham to pick up a Person from the Canberra Airport and they made available a Ford Falcon GTHO and Bill Graham was at the controls to get the person to a very important meeting in time, Bill there Wheel Man at Leighton Holdings in Canberra.

Edited by xu2308, 23 October 2014 - 01:35 PM.

[xu2308]

June 1971 that Bill drove the Leighton Holdings arranged GTHO Ford Falcon at Canberra Airport pick up

[xu2308]

Do any ACT/Canberra forum members know of the guy in the attached article from Australian Hot Rodding Review 1974, Bill Graham of Fisher. I would like to get in contact with him if he is still around. Any help appreciated.

Cheers Pete.

 

I Spotto on Bill's Engine that he has the same set up on the Carby to Firewall (Accelerator Bracket type thingy) that GMH used on there V8 LJ Prototypes, Does any one know Bill Graham and has his Contact Details as I would like to chat to him about his Cars etc etc.

AL

[xu2308]

Bill is harder to find than Jason Bourne

[v8xu1pete]

Bill is harder to find than Jason Bourne

 You're not wrong !!!!

[Tyre biter]

Unfortunately the author of that article, Geoff Paradise passed away only a few days ago in a traffic crash as so speaking to him re: Bill Graham is no longer an option: http://www.motoring....-paradise-49305

 

Al, I anticipate you have left n stone unturned but just-in-case; have you tried the Kangaroo Valley Voice - a Bill Graham of Canberra is mentioned in their Feb 2005 issue http://www.lazyfish....e/feb05.pdfAl,

 

Or the Canberra Ornithologists Group: http://canberrabirds...cember-meeting/

 

Did you have any success with Leighton re: previously cited reference to Bill Graham in a company newsletter (1971): http://www.leighton....s_June_1971.pdf

 

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

I spoke to Geoff a few month's back about the story he did on the car, but Geoff Said it been so long a go he can't recall it. Was sad to hear of his passing. The Bird calling mob, there was a email for Bill but he must of shut it down, Leighton Holdings articles here and there on him. Will suss your links out, thanks. AL

[xu2308]

TB have sent a email to the Bird Mob Secretary, so let's hope it's the right Bill and they still know him, there was a Head Traffic Cop in Canberra named Bill Graham as well, but don't think he is the Bill Graham that owned the V8 LJ Torana. We see what we see when we hear from the Bird Guy. AL

[EunUCh]

??? this one ?

[xu2308]

Hi Guys,
You are very right about the Red XU.200 from Vic.
I bought the car in the 70s and fitted the V8 after distroying the 6 . It's still one of my favourites to drive.
The original mirrors were replaced (as they folded in over 160ks ) to XB mirrors then replaced with XY GT mirrors some years later. The centre roof ariel has now gone.
The car has been to Tassie several times but not for awhile now. A group of us hire the race tracks for a couple of days.
I believe there is a clip of it on youtube in it's current state. ( But with sponsers names on it ). Possibly under "XU1 V8 Burnout" or something like that.
Cheers
Ian

Yeah I Spotto your Car at my Town's Local BP Garage getting Juice in Tassy, cool it's the Car from Vic and the one in the Magazine. The BP Garage burnt down about 4 years and a bit ago.

Edited by xu2308, 24 February 2015 - 10:20 PM.

[xu2308]

Ok got a Email back from Bill Graham from the Bird Mob and it's not the Bill Graham that owned the Torana V8 LJ, so have to keep looking for Jason I mean Bill Graham

Edited by xu2308, 24 February 2015 - 10:14 PM.

[Tyre biter]

TB have sent a email to the Bird Mob Secretary, so let's hope it's the right Bill and they still know him, there was a Head Traffic Cop in Canberra named Bill Graham as well, but don't think he is the Bill Graham that owned the V8 LJ Torana. We see what we see when we hear from the Bird Guy. AL

 

 

Ok got a Email back from Bill Graham from the Bird Mob and it's not the Bill Graham that owned the Torana V8 LJ, so have to keep looking for Jason I mean Bill Graham

Sorry to hear Al,

 

Yes there was a bloke named (Supt.) Bill Graham in charge of Traffic Operations in Canberra for a short period - early naughties from memory.

He was from AFP Melbourne and returned there after a few years in ACT Policing - l reckon he is retired nowadays.

I am confident he is not your man given we are talking circa early 1970s but can check for you if you like?

 

I had a scan through the on-line electoral role from the day but didn't turn anything definitive up.

I see there are five of them in the ACT for 1973, just not sure how much detail you get given you have to subsribe: http://search.ancest...gAAEtwFtDOg-61-

Maybe a trip to your local electoral office will allow you to look for free: http://www.aec.gov.a...Electoral_Roll/

 

I assume ratcatcher's lead came to nothing?

 

Have you tried Leighton's HR Dept. to see what information they hold on a (most likely) retired Bill Graham: http://www.leightonc....au/contact-us/

They may not give it to you, but you could ask them to get in touch on your behalf to pass a message?

 

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

Thanks mate I will try Leightons to see if they can do that, Yes Ratcatcher says he knows him, I asked him could he help, but no help so far from him at all.

[xu2308]

Bill Graham the Head Traffic Cop that was in Canberra may be the Bill Graham that had some V8 LJ's as NSW Police has some V8 LJ Pursuit Cars, so did Canberra Police have some, my Guess GMH must of built these Pursuit LJ Torana V8's ?????????.

[Tyre biter]

No Al,

The Bill Graham who was the boss of Traffic Operations in the ACT was from Melbourne - he came up to Canberra for a few years, he ran a couple of portfolios here and then returned to Melbourne before (I believe) retiring.  We are talking early to mid 2000's here - not way back in the day and I am 99 per cent certain he is not the Bill Graham you are chasing. 

 

How did you go with Leighton's?

 

And sorry but no, ACT Police never ran Toranas: Daimler Darts, Mini Cooper S and XA/XB  Falcons but never Toranas.

This website may be of help if you want to chase old police cars: http://historical-po...u/About-Us.html

 

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

Leighton Head Office were no help at all but thanks for your Help.

It must be the Bill Graham from Leighton's then, seems NSW only had the V8 LJ Pursuit Cars, thanks for Help TB

 

Regards

AL

[xu2308]

Sorry to be the Bearer of bad news TB, but ACT RTA did have some GTR Torana's and Clubman GT's and XY Falcon's with GTHO running gear in them.

 

 

Attached Files

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[xu2308]

GTR Torana

 

 

Attached Files

•  Screenshot (156).png   442.27K   12 downloads

[Tyre biter]

That is interesting - The article is cropped - do you have the entire article Al?

I ask because I am keen to learn who in fact is being quoted.

I think the reference to the GTRs and Clubmans is separate to the reference about the ACT Police Falcons, and likely derived from an interview with NSWPF member or some-such.

Toranas were never a pursuit car in the ACT and I do not believe they were used in ay other capacity either.

I have been told a LH/LX SLR 5000 was tested once but rejected in favour of the Falcons, and I think this was even reported in a 1980 Sports Car News article on the ACT Police XB Falcon pursuit car which is presently being readied for use once more.

Cheers, TB

[xu2308]

It's cropped cause it's to big, I read it as they had GTR's ??? NSW had GTR Police cars and V8 LJ's Pursuit Cars, I find that interesting in as we know the Pink Prototype did Marketing Rides and As it had the Hotted up 308 V8, I am thinking To Show the Select Police a Pursuit Car and maybe for Select Dealers to Build some Dealer Built V8 LJ's and for the up coming L34 to Dealers that were involved in Racing. Go to the Canberra Times Archives (Trove) with the Saturday Date that's on there where I posted it 22 July 1972 etc.

Edited by xu2308, 11 April 2015 - 06:53 PM.

[S pack]

A member of my car club ex highway patrol blue Mountains, then Sydney in the Torana era, when I questioned him about this he said they had no V8 LJ pursuit Toranas  .

Agree. If they had V8 GTR's why would the NSW cops be wanting XU1's and eventually received 50 of the 1973 (150 engine listed) variety.