Hi All,
Firstly to all the other forum members that have already posted build threads and info on the forum, thank you! There is a great amount of information on here that makes resto work easier.
I have been on the forum for a while taking it in and throwing my 2 cents worth here and there and decided it was time to start my build thread. So here is the history up to present on my build.
I am restoring a 1977 Torana Sunbird or Holden Sunbird or just Sunbird depending on what you want to call it.
My Dad was a Trading Post Dad, got it every Thursday morning and circled all sorts of things by the time I got to it at the end of the day.
He was most disappointed when it went out of print and became online only but before it that happened he bought this car because it was in good nick and he likes to buy stuff. I understand it was a 2 owner car as a young bloke had bought it from his Grandad, had 96000km’s and faded paint, manuals in the glove box and pretty original etc.
It was registered and available to be used so I did use it and one day when the oil pressure dropped in the Starfire 4 cylinder and it ceased to turn I spent a weekend swapping in a 308 and Turbo 350.
I used it for about 6 months before I got the traveling bug and went overseas in 2000. It then sat in a garage for a few years with another of Dad’s Trading Post purchases, an MG from 1966.
When the garage was no longer available the Sunbird sat in a yard and the grass grew around it until June 2011 when I decided it was time to restore it.
Thought I could get it running and have a paint shop touch it up and back on the road for $10,000. Well as many of you will know I was very wrong and it is still in resto mode and the $10,000 mark was passed long ago.
The pictures will show the work but at present it sits in a mate’s garage with new paint, front and read screens installed and a new roof lining from Cools Auto Trim. Has a new 9inch diff and needs everything else to be put back in it.
I am trying to fit an LS1 and T56. Engine and gearbox were in and out about half a dozen times early on as I tried to work out how to clear the rear cross member near the shifter hole and have enough sump clearance up front. I am still trying to work it out. Did have some trouble with the Tuff mounts allowing enough clearance to the cross member and after talking with Jason from Velocity Auto have just received a new set of arms I am yet to try but hope will make it all fit.
I plan on modifying the original loom and buying the HP Tuners software so I can get it running without VATS and tuned to suit the installation. I will probably make the extractors using one of the 4-1 kits from DiFillipo exhausts.
I have a short extension housing for the T56 I got from Mal Wood Automotive that also I have not finished fitting but hope it makes all the difference around the rear cross member.
Once I have the extension housing fitted to the gearbox and the new Tuff Mounts I am hoping it fits and lines up. I don’t want to have to cut the tunnel and if it means cutting I may go back to the 308 or spend the cash on a TKO600, will wait and see.
Wheels will be Walkinshaw 5 spoke, brakes will be VN or later, interior will be fairly standard looking with material inserts in the chamois vinyl, paint is original Aquarius
Pictures below should show the work sequence. Hope you all enjoy and thanks for the help so far as I have learnt a lot without having to do it.
Progress from here will be a little slow as I am working overseas for the next few months but hope to get into it later in the year and be driving it before Christmas (although I did originally think the whole project would only take me 6 months).
Cheers, Tom
Guess it was more than long grass
22 june 2011 (1).JPG 165.41K
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Cut the grass
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Rats had made a nest under the brake booster
22 june 2011 (3).JPG 164.44K
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Spiders had made babies inside
22 june 2011 (4).JPG 170.83K
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In the shed ready for the resto
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