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Torana Hatchback "Premier"

Started by _franko_ , Nov 07 2012 08:39 AM

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#1 _franko_

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 08:39 AM

Just for interest.....here is a GM-H artist sketch (block mounted on 600 x 900 mm mount) which was rescued and given to me by a GM-H engineer some years ago during a clean up.
It shows a proposal for a hatchback Torana as a Premier model. Obviously never happened but I still have the concept artwork.

Attached Files

Torana Premier 1.JPG 127.43K 21 downloads

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#2 RIM-010

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 02:18 PM

5 door hatch was on the cards for the UD, wasn't it?

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#3 yel327

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 03:41 PM

It would have been sketched prior to Leo Pruneau's "triple" luxury level scheme. It was probably what became the SL/E - the top spec Torana aligning with the top spec Holden. I guess they intended to have The whole lot align like this:

Belmont/Holden = S
Kingswood = SL
GTS = SL/R
Premier/LS = SL/E

Edited by yel327, 07 November 2012 - 03:41 PM.

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#4 _skidb_

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 07:12 PM

four door aswell

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#5 TerrA LX

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 07:30 PM

IMO it seems more like it was an artists impression of a 4dr hatchback commodore.

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#6 eyepeeler

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 08:14 PM

Exhaust on the right, Should be on the left.

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#7 TerrA LX

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Posted 07 November 2012 - 08:25 PM

^ And it should have door handles and amber indicators and clear reverse lights to meet relevant ADR's etc etc, but point taken.

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#8 LXM21

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Posted 09 November 2012 - 06:36 PM

Very interesting !

You wonder what other design/concept stuff was hidden away also from that era !. Would have loved to be a "fly on the wall" in the design studios back then :mellow:

!

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#9 wot179

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Posted 09 November 2012 - 11:26 PM

Regardless of anything else, its a pretty cool bit of memorabilia.

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#10 _Lazarus_

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Posted 04 October 2013 - 10:37 PM

I read that the WA range was also supposed to include a 5 door hatchback and that all models were to be built on the Statesman wheelbase, rear quarter design.

But GM insisted that Holden went with the Commodore.

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#11 Potta

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Posted 05 October 2013 - 05:02 PM

Regardless of anything else, its a pretty cool bit of memorabilia.

:iagree:

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#12 yel327

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Posted 05 October 2013 - 05:14 PM

I read that the WA range was also supposed to include a 5 door hatchback and that all models were to be built on the Statesman wheelbase, rear quarter design.

But GM insisted that Holden went with the Commodore.

WA was meant to be released after HQ in 1974-ish era. WA Kingswood is in the Birdwood Museum, as you say it ended up as a HJ Statesman body (or vice versa, would love to look under the bonnet to see what it is/was).

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#13 _Lazarus_

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Posted 05 October 2013 - 07:48 PM

WA was meant to be released after HQ in 1974-ish era. WA Kingswood is in the Birdwood Museum, as you say it ended up as a HJ Statesman body (or vice versa, would love to look under the bonnet to see what it is/was).

What front panels does it have ?

I read about the WA series in an old Street Machine. Said Holden submitted the design to be introduced after the HZ but was knocked back and ordered to go with the Commodore.

I have a feeling there was a factory sketch of the base model with a WB Kingswood front.

Will dig up the mag tomorrow.

ps. That four door hatchback Torana would have sold like hotcakes one would imagine. Don't know why they didn't do it, even in a Commodore body.

.

Edited by GTR - U9X, 05 October 2013 - 07:55 PM.

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#14 _uctorry_

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 10:15 AM

mmm if only if only

would have been interesting to see how far they could have gone with the hatch

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#15 _walpolla_

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Posted 06 October 2013 - 04:18 PM

four door aswell

Without handles ....... remote opening?

regards,Rod

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#16 _Mint_

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Posted 07 October 2013 - 05:04 PM

i thought you might find these interesting some pics from a Holden book i have of the proposed WB Kingswood that never was

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#17 _Lazarus_

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Posted 07 October 2013 - 08:44 PM

I have a WB Kingswood walk-off front that I had HJ Sandman flutes welded in to.

I've thought about building a mock-up WB wagon, sky blue with a white roof, black interior, WB ute tailights, blue 202 with a 4 speed and GTS wheels.

If I come across a good HZ wagon I might just do it.

ps. That's the first time I've seen actual photos, thanks for that.

.

Edited by GTR - U9X, 07 October 2013 - 08:48 PM.

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#18 A9X

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Posted 08 October 2013 - 09:40 AM

Nice concept Mark, would look good ii reckon

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#19 _Mint_

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Posted 08 October 2013 - 07:38 PM

a slightly better pic of the sedan

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#20 2600s

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Posted 09 October 2013 - 09:28 PM

My late father used to work in maintenance at the GMH Woodville plant here in Adelaide.

Dad saw each one of those prototype cars at the time, apparently this was a side project by a group of designers who believed the company was making a big mistake in down sizing their cars.

One of those prototype Kingswood /Statesman's still exist today, the car is on display at the Nation Motor Museum in Birdwood.

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#21 dattoman

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Posted 12 October 2013 - 06:18 PM

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#22 _Mint_

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Posted 12 October 2013 - 06:33 PM

that looks better than that wonky Brit piecae a crap(Rover) ..Datto

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#23 _Lazarus_

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Posted 12 October 2013 - 08:20 PM

The rear quarters are extended, aren't they ?

There was a fully imported Corona like that too.

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#24 mika03au

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Posted 14 October 2013 - 08:09 AM

that looks better than that wonky Brit piecae a crap(Rover) ..Datto

The Torana 5 door looks like what it is, a sedan with an arse grafted on, Holden seemed to like doing this (Broughan, Statesman) which upset the balance of the original design.

Way too much rear overhang past the rear wheels.

Rover, with a clean sheet design, has good proportion. Sure they fell to bits after a few years. At least they all come with a V8, we didnt get the 6 cylinder (ex Marina, P76, Tasman/Kimberly) here.

Edited by mika03au, 14 October 2013 - 08:10 AM.