216 replies to this topic

[RM125n]

In my research back mid 1990's I spoke to ex officer's that had driven GTR Torana' s back in the day and also the mechanic's that worked on them at the Holden Dealership , even mechanics at the police work shop at Enfield before it move to Fairfield they said that all LJ's where all 6 cylinders in The NSW POLICE FORCE NO V8 LJ' s at all only in the new model LH Toranas
Remembering that NSW police ordered 300 GTR Torana on July 1972 again all 202 6 cylinders they even ordered 40 XU1's three where delivered in September 1973 and 37 XU1's in October 1973 .
NSW POLICE policy was to only purchase new production vehicles with new car warranty and this still happen today

[xu2308]

This page is not about V8 LJ Police Cars, it's about Finding Bill Graham to help with info for Pete and me. And the Observation unit could buy any vehicle they liked no Question asked for Observation, 21st Division Observation Unit did that and could do that. Trial cars were there for any set time as well, no one had a answer on how long they trialled cars for. Any way this is not the page RM125n to bring it up on.

[S pack]

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 ?????????.

[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 ?????????.

Yes and TB answered it was not that Bill Graham that was a Top Cop, interesting he was tired up with NSW and ACT Police. Go to the Police thing on here, seems the right place for Police stuff. Of was it the Bill Graham the top traffic cop Haaaaa

Edited by xu2308, 15 December 2016 - 04:41 PM.

[xu2308]

A member of my car club ex highway patrol blue Mountains , then Sydney in the Torana era , he was the one that smashed his LC on the Sydney Harbour Bridge chasing a GT Falcon , when I questioned him about this he said they had no V8 LJ pursuit Toranas .

because the normal force was not aware of what the special force that was 21 Division did, and they did the Trial cars and Observation Cars as the Onservation Unit could and did buy what ever they liked in the 1970's. As they would not be showing or telling what there cars were.

Edited by xu2308, 15 December 2016 - 05:40 PM.

[royalplumss]

because the normal force was not aware of what the special force that was 21 Division did, and they did the Trial cars and Observation Cars as the Onservation Unit could and did buy what ever they liked in the 1970's. As they would not be showing or telling what there cars were.

 

There used to be a special unit that worked out of one of the tunnels under the Bradfield Highway/Pacific highway exit of the Harbour Bridge. They masqueraded as a 'service' department, but it was actually quite hush-hush.

More often than not the doors were closed, but occasionally they would be left open (no budget for Aircon I am guessing). You would be surprised what little titbits a uniformed mechanic will let slip to a 12 year old back in the early eighties (whos he going to tell right?)

There were a number of modified and special undercover cars in there, and engine swaps and upgrades on unmarked bait cars seemed to be the order of the day.

There were Chargers, Toranas, Datsun's and just about anything else that you could think of in there at times.

My fave was a groundshaking 2 door black XB Coupe that had a full compliment of blue lights and sirens hidden in it.

 

Of course these could have been done on the cops own personal cars back then - and maybe they were - but I know what I saw for the 6 years I walked past and sticky-beaked inside.....

 

My mate shoehorned a nitrous fed 350 into his LC so he could get away from some of them......

[StephenSLR]

There were a number of modified and special undercover cars in there, and engine swaps and upgrades on unmarked bait cars seemed to be the order of the day.

 

I don't think that is what this thread is about.

 

Isn't it about 308 XU-1's that had the approval of Holden? i.e. Cars sanctioned and delivered by Holden to the Police, etc.?

 

What some backyard mob did to police cars isn't what the OP wants to know.

 

s

[rodomo]

My fave was a groundshaking 2 door black XB Coupe that had a full compliment of blue lights and sirens hidden in it.

Is that the one Max Rockatansky used to drive? I thought he was a Melbourne boy?

[v8xu1pete]

Hi Bill,

 

Welcome, it is good to hear from you.

 

I will send you an email.

 

Regards Pete.

[hanra]

It's a wet and miserable place up there Bill and the roads are atrocious. So I don't blame you for not driving it much.

[xu2308]

 Once again thanks for all the enquiries over the last few years.  Obviously I was harder to find than a "Where's Wally puzzle".
 
Regards to all
Bill Graham

Hi Bill, more like Jason Bourne. Cool you have popped up now.

[xu2308]

There used to be a special unit that worked out of one of the tunnels under the Bradfield Highway/Pacific highway exit of the Harbour Bridge. They masqueraded as a 'service' department, but it was actually quite hush-hush.
More often than not the doors were closed, but occasionally they would be left open (no budget for Aircon I am guessing). You would be surprised what little titbits a uniformed mechanic will let slip to a 12 year old back in the early eighties (whos he going to tell right?)
There were a number of modified and special undercover cars in there, and engine swaps and upgrades on unmarked bait cars seemed to be the order of the day.
There were Chargers, Toranas, Datsun's and just about anything else that you could think of in there at times.
My fave was a groundshaking 2 door black XB Coupe that had a full compliment of blue lights and sirens hidden in it.
 
Of course these could have been done on the cops own personal cars back then - and maybe they were - but I know what I saw for the 6 years I walked past and sticky-beaked inside.....
 
My mate shoehorned a nitrous fed 350 into his LC so he could get away from some of them......

Yeah mate, not many peeps knew about 21st Special Division and there secret Lair. Not even RM125n on here, They even Trialed the LH SLR5000 Torana and yet there is no LH SLR5000 patrol cars. They had anything they wanted the Observation Unit of 21st Division.

[xu2308]

Bill Graham

any chance of posting up some Pics on here of your 1973 LJ XU1 Torana

 or you can email me some and i can post them up on here.

AL

Edited by xu2308, 03 April 2017 - 03:11 PM.

[Kockum]

Hi Bill ,

 

Did you have your car painted a metallic pink and tow a boat down the south coast of NSW before the guards were flared ?

[Kockum]

Hi Bill , sorry for more questions.

 

Was your LJ converted to V8  at Davo's Dyno located at the Ampol ? service station on  Botany St , Phillip.

 

Also heard on the vine that it had a 350 chev first and you broke your drivers seat .

 

I heard this from a dude that said he was somehow involved in the V8 conversion.

[myss427]

Kockum my brothers one was done there in 1972, it was a Metalic Blue XU1. But 308.

[xu2308]

Hi Bill ,

Did you have your car painted a metallic pink and tow a boat down the south coast of NSW before the guards were flared ?

Pete XU1 did a check with Helen at the ACT RTA on ACT rego number YEK950 (Bill's XU1) and Helen looked at the old 1970's Microfiche archived records and the Colour was Purple in the 1970's.

When i did a Check with ACT RTA not so long go on ACT rego number YEK950 (Bill's XU1) Rego from 2002 to 2010 the Colour was Red (Computer Records).

They say there old Microfiche records have been destroyed now (So they say)

Edited by xu2308, 08 April 2017 - 08:05 PM.

[Kockum]

Getting interesting now.

 

The Zodiac LJ was a very well known car .

 

Did a few runs at Canberra Dragway so most people knew what it had.

 

Last I saw of it -  for sale in a Queanbeyan car yard for something like 11K - super expensive at the time.

 

Still looked to be in good nick exterior wise.

 

Mechanicals - no idea.

 

Very close to Davo's Dyno used to be seen a  metallic purple XU1 v8 parked most weekdays [ ACT rego ] .

 

Had a circular hole cut in hood with a chromed air cleaner lid sitting 

below the hoods outer skin.

 

Owner was a draftsman . Bill by any chance ?

 

Used to ride my bike there and wait a bit in the hope of seeing owner come out of office building and drive it. No joy .

 

ACT LJ v8 towing boat down the coast that I mentioned earlier could have been painted HX LE metallic .

[xu2308]

Kockum

 

Someone in the South of Canberra owned a Purple V8 LJ XU1 and a Red 308 V8 LJ GTR Torana (That was orignally Strike me Pink)

Dont think it was Bill Graham but maybe Bill knew who that person was.

Edited by xu2308, 09 April 2017 - 03:34 AM.

[Kockum]

There were a few LJ v8 cars around then.

 

At the same house there were two holden v8 GTR - glacier white and the other one was gunmetal.

 

There was a white LC GTR legally reg as a 6 but had a strong 308 fitted that only came out in search of prey after dark.

 

If the cops had caught them they would have had the book thrown at them.

 

I was told about a red v8 lj - YES 308 .

 

An oldish bloke that used to catch butterflies apparently owned it .

 

Never saw that red one myself.

[Kockum]

There was a yellow LJ GTR / XU1 fitted with an all alloy 4.4 litre Leyland V8 too.