70 replies to this topic

[Shiney005]

Was this car an A9X or just an SS? Does anybody know what the wheels were and are there any around today?
 t 001.jpg   50.86K   21 downloads

[SP5000]

I have seen that photo a few times over the years, I think I read somewhere that car was an SS done up for display at either the Melbourne or Sydney Motor Show in 1977, I believe those wheels are the Honeycombe style that were used on the HX Monaro LE, I stand to be corrected though 

[eyepeeler]

The Honeycomb rims are different, these are the snowflake rims as used on Pontiac cars like the Trans-Am.

The honeycomb rim was also used on the HX GTS 4 door Monaro.

[Swarbs]

Pretty sure this is the same one Laurie  - the concept hatch

Has been discussed a couple of times

 

http://www.gmh-toran...n-torana-hatch/

[Shiney005]

Pretty sure this is the same one Laurie  - the concept hatch
Has been discussed a couple of times

OK. I was searching for Sydney Show Hatch. You just have to choose the right words to find what you are looking for. Sorry for bringing up second hand stuff.

[Neils LX]

Looks like Sunbird seats doortrims and rear moulds around tailights. Only tags would tell could have been anything

[REDA9X]

The car wasn't anything, no tags, show car only and was cut up after it was displayed. There was a show A9X built though.

[xu2308]

You sure it was cut up REDA9X, as GMH Track Record on that is not good, it looks to me they used a LX Torana Sunbird with the A9X Spoiler Kit that Leo invented, it could still be out there. As the Barney Shirt LJ XU1 (Show Car) had ID Tags.

 

AL

Edited by xu2308, 16 June 2014 - 06:59 PM.

[REDA9X]

Mike Prowse told me straight up it was built specifiaclly for the shows and was cut up afterwards. It was not a complianced car.

[REDA9X]

Theres no doubt it would have just been a shell that came down the line, nothing special at all. When I say not complianced I mean it didn't have any tags. All cars that are intended for sale have to leave the factory with compliance plates. This one had nothing at all. It went back to the factory and they destroyed it.

What did they not spot weld it or just put in 1/2 the bolts? Not doubting what Mike said to you but it makes no sense for it to not to be able to be complianced. I mean lets be honest besides a few minor differences they are all 98% all the same A9X, Sunbird, SL, SS. I just find it funny how that car was anything but a production torana hatch. It's not a Hurricane or GTR-X etc that hadn't been built on a production line. After all we have seen production hatch's with floor dip switch and LH headlights stamped 1975. Just seems really weird why this car would not be able to comply with ADR's.

 

Red not saying your wrong just that it seems left of centre to scrap it even though it was used at shows. Its nothing special except the A9X fibreglass kit that was soon released anyhow. Leo new the car well as it was the first showing of the new kit. I wonder if he ever said anything about why?

[Pop's-SS]

I knew I had this pic some where

 

 

Same car I believe

 

Barry

[Pop's-SS]

Ooops, I didn't click on Dave's link to the same pic but I propose this question, where did the information "originate" from about the LJ V8 prototypes being crushed 

 

As that story has been around for a long time and even Harry said that is what happened to them so some one had to tell him.

 

It is no wonder that very few are willing to put their name to any story regarding Torana history as some one will definitely question it.

 

Barry

[xu2308]

My understanding that Harry was told by Ray Borrett that the V8 LJ's were Destroyed, as Ian Tate said to me that Ray came into work and told them the last one hit the wall today, but Ray. told me that he was only told that, and he did not know for sure, so going off that, Ray did not know for sure, i would not be shocked if the Styling yellow LX Hatch was not Destroyed, who ever has the LX Torana Disc List, needs to look for a (000 M) LX Sunbird that was built before the A9X's, my guess early 1977 for the Car Show's . and I think you will find said hatch.

 

AL

Edited by xu2308, 17 June 2014 - 09:52 AM.

[xu2308]

The L34 Prototype had ID Tags and the Barney Shirt Show Car has ID Tags, so why would this Yellow LX Hatch not have ID Tags, Stories I have heard, GMH would not get rid of any thing,

[xu2308]

This L34 Prototype has ID Tags and in pic if you look it has its little ID Tag (PSN Tag) Main ID Tag.

 

AL

Attached Files

•  GMH L34.jpg   56.96K   14 downloads

[REDA9X]

As you say Ian tate was told by Ray Borret they put the last LJ V8 into the wall, Ian told me the same thing. Ray was there at the testing ground, he would know.

Mike Prowse was the production manager at the time this yellow hatch was around. It was his job to select the car and forward it onto the styling department for the show. It's really simple rally and i find it hard to unerstand why it's not hard to use a bit of logic.

Hey Mike, can you get a shell for the styling department to take to a motor show? Sure, no problem. Mike goes down, grabs a shell before it's complianced and trundles it off down to the styling department. Shell gets fitted with some nice bits and pieces for the show, shoved on a truck and shipped off to the show. Car comes back and gets put in a corner and later destroyed.

lets remember it's mid 1977, the LX finishes up at the end of 77. A9X becomes priority. By the time this thing even would have got looked at again, the LX was finished. Why bother with it? Holden didn't think about putting things in museums at the time, and this car more than likely wasn't even a complete car. It's obviously had mods to fit the larger pattern wheels too. So what do they sell it as? Why bother? You have to realise their way of thinking at the time.

Mike clearly started the car was destroyed. Being that he can remember every team every A9X race shell was supplied to, I'd say he would remember a significant car like this one and what happened to it.  

The L34 prototype pictured there, as I've said a number of times before is a production SLR5000 with L34 gear put into it, so why wouldn't it have tags?

This L34 Prototype has ID Tags and in pic if you look it has its little ID Tag (PSN Tag) Main ID Tag.

 

AL

[xu2308]

As I said REDA9X

Ray told me, he was only told they were Destroyed, he did not know for sure, I take that as Ray does not know 100% at all, its funny they were used as Engineering Hacks the 3 GTR's, and not Destroyed when the Program was Stopped, even the Head Guy at Lang Lang said Why would we Destroy them when the LH Program was nearly over, even more funny the Orange one was rego as a V8 in the Sept of 1972, two months after the XW7 Program was stopped, So I would have doubts about the LX Show Car been scrapped and any other thing they say they scrapped. I guess we will agree to disagree,

 

AL

Edited by xu2308, 17 June 2014 - 05:31 PM.

[REDA9X]

Well if Ray apparently only says he was told, then thats something different, and theres a posibility he was told something incorrect. Mike on the other hand stated in no uncertain terms it was destroyed, no questions asked.

[xu2308]

You might be right with the Yellow Show Car, Yes that's what Ray told me, and believe me I have asked Ray a few times on the subject.

 

AL