83 replies to this topic

[yel327]

Just got more info on this:

 

J600709 - completed 21/12/99 (Wednesday before Xmas break on Friday).

 

Betsbac code of 34702J1:

 

3 - 8H77 or 8C77.

4 - L15 or L16 (same for UC but Starfire becomes A for L18 and LY1).

7 - M40.

0 - Conventional steering.

2 - Front discs.

J - This is a UC code for 3.90:1 non-LSD baby Sals.

1 - No A/C.

 

Warranty commenced 12/77.

 

Big thing - dealer code 252. This is Company Dandenong. This must have been a durability/reliability car for the Starfire. Gets run for so many kM and then tendered off.

 

As part of this I just discovered an engine I didn't know about - LY1 - low comp Starfire.

[UCSLE]

Would the x-member strengthening have been required with a split propeller shaft design?

If so the piece of square rod welded to the LX xmember may be for that reason.

 

Just realised Garth's UC xmember is for manual transmission.

 

i always thought because the starfire engine has been known for bad  harmonics , the crossmember bracing , engine to gearbox bracing and 2 piece

tailshaft was to help get rid of bad harmonics through the drivetrain  ?

[Shtstr]

So from this the car was a test car for the upcoming star fire engine and uc diff. Am I correct in assuming that.
If so dose it make it move valuable or not. Owner is trying to decide what to do with it.

[wot179]

It would be a good car to screw A9X tags onto.

[hanra]

Does that ADR tag number match that of the chassis rail number?

[Shtstr]

Only if you have them wot179.

Does that ADR tag number match that of the chassis rail number?

Yes

[S pack]

i always thought because the starfire engine has been known for bad  harmonics , the crossmember bracing , engine to gearbox bracing and 2 piece

tailshaft was to help get rid of bad harmonics through the drivetrain  ?

Yeah Troy, I was thinking of the vibration issue with the 4cyl bag of bolts.

So the split shaft design was an improvement over the single shaft.

 

Cheers

Dave.

[Shtstr]

We still don't have an answer as to why it has an a9x floor patch or if its worth more than any other sunbird hatch or hatch in general?

[yel327]

I also typed 99 instead of 77 in my last reply!

 

It'd be worth more for the floor patch.

[Shtstr]

I'm thinking 15 to 20 if in reasonable condition not full of rust. Reasonable paint and straight

[S pack]

We still don't have an answer as to why it has an a9x floor patch or if its worth more than any other sunbird hatch or hatch in general?

I reckon GMH engineering installed the A9X type floor section to facilitate the installation of the UC 7" Salisbury diff and sway bar.

If you're going to use the car as a test bed for the upcoming Starfire engine then you would want the complete proposed driveline package installed not just one part of it.

 

Wonder if they also built a sedan version?

 

My 5 cents

Cheers

Dave.

Edited by S pack, 27 September 2015 - 06:39 PM.

[yel327]

I totally agree Dave. There will also be others nearby in the records with 252 M coding, probably manuals as well.

[Shtstr]

What would be a fair price for it.

[myss427]

Still don't understand the remote vapour canister unit, that was A9X only, they could have left the lines standard. 

[Shtstr]

Me either but if it was a test rig for the new drive line they needed to run the Salisbury diff.

[S pack]

Still don't understand the remote vapour canister unit, that was A9X only, they could have left the lines standard. 

All vehicles fitted with a charcoal canister in the engine bay have a vapour separator mounted above the uppermost point of the fuel tank.

Appears they needed to raise the vapour separator to clear the Salisbury diff so they cut a hole in the floor and mounted it up through the hole. What you see in that pic is simply a cover that is sealed to the floor to prevent fumes entering the passenger cabin.

Edited by S pack, 27 September 2015 - 08:48 PM.

[yel327]

I'd just treat it like any other Sunbird value wise - best used to make a V8 car out of!

 

One point on the previous post - it won't be Engineering Dave, as all UC Engineering would be finalized by this time. There were even UC's up and driving way prior to this car. It will simply be a matter of building a car using an LX that can be used to drive around with a Starfire and see how it all goes and handles certain kM's. It'll be about the Starfire as part of the UC driveline that is being proven, not the rear axle assembly as this would have been done way earlier (look at the lead time this car was done versus Starfire release into the wild and you'll get an idea roughly when that would have been done). If you look at the 2/75 dealer tender with the Ewe't and V8 GTR on it you can see 2 x HQ Kingswoods listed as "Reliability and Quality Control" vehicles. This LX will be like that. They probably used an LX so it blended into the background out on the roads whereas in 1/78 when this car would be up and around the UC was still not yet released to the public. 

[S pack]

I'd just treat it like any other Sunbird value wise - best used to make a V8 car out of!

 

One point on the previous post - it won't be Engineering Dave, as all UC Engineering would be finalized by this time. There were even UC's up and driving way prior to this car. It will simply be a matter of building a car using an LX that can be used to drive around with a Starfire and see how it all goes and handles certain kM's. It'll be about the Starfire as part of the UC driveline that is being proven, not the rear axle assembly as this would have been done way earlier (look at the lead time this car was done versus Starfire release into the wild and you'll get an idea roughly when that would have been done). If you look at the 2/75 dealer tender with the Ewe't and V8 GTR on it you can see 2 x HQ Kingswoods listed as "Reliability and Quality Control" vehicles. This LX will be like that. They probably used an LX so it blended into the background out on the roads whereas in 1/78 when this car would be up and around the UC was still not yet released to the public. 

Byron, not exactly what I was thinking but makes a hell of a lot of sense. Agree it would have been about testing the Starfire not the diff or the tranny etc etc.

Reading about the UC in Torana Tough it is said the Starfire was originally proposed to be released in the UC in May 1978 however due to ongoing problems with the engine it's release was postponed until September 1978.

[REDA9X]

The problem with this car is the owner, hes adamant everything is factory and no one could have changed anything in 38 years. he also wants $45k for it! Limited edition badge he claims is original, looks like it came off a wine bottle tacked on the dash like that. I don't believe Holden would have been simply getting rid of left over shells, and I don't believe it's stolen recovered as the tags look original and you wouldn't change all the trim like that. I'd need to see it in the flesh but it's either someones attempt to mock something strange up or it's an engineering car or something.

[Shtstr]

Do you know the car red. If so and you are close to Melbourne I can ask him if you can go look at it.

[S pack]

.

Edited by S pack, 28 September 2015 - 07:57 AM.

[Shiney005]

Limited Edition.

 letorana.jpg   131.41K   3 downloads

I wonder how long before September 1st this was published. And how many people ordered their A9Xs through Shazza.

[Bigfella237]

Am I seeing things or does that car have the SL tail light surrounds but painted black?

 

Bit hard to tell but it looks like the chrome trim around the side windows has also been painted black?

[S pack]

That V8 SS hatchback was a GM-H show car at the Melbourne motor show in March 1977.

I don't believe there are any SL type trims around the tail lights but you may be correct about the window trims. Hard to tell if they are chrome or black finish.

[GMHAz]

Wasn't it a sunbird they used