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OHV 4 cylinder versus OHC 4 cylinder Toranas

Started by _Four_Cylinder_Fan_ , Dec 06 2020 05:52 PM

Production numbers

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5 replies to this topic

#1 _Four_Cylinder_Fan_

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 05:52 PM

Hi, here's a couple of questions for the keepers of statistics and production numbers for Toranas.

I am trying to find how popular were the "Slant 4" (1600 and later 1760) OHC engines in the four cylinder Toranas compared to the smaller 1200 & 1300 OHV engines?

The only Torana 4s (LC, LJ, TA) I have seen have been the smaller OHV variety, although I haven't seen a lot of little Toranas!

Does anyone currently active on this forum own or has owned a Torana 4 with one of these engines?

I know these engines were imported from Vauxhall in the UK and fitting them and the heavier duty gearbox added $ to the cost of the car but was justified by their better performance.

The only complaint I heard about the 1600 & 1760 is that they are relatively thirstly for their size.

Regards from Mike In Melbourne

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#2 limo

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 06:18 PM

I have a LC with 1760 slant and a LJ with 1600. That's not backwood. Also have couple LCs with other motor, don't know what size. Back in mid 80s bought LJ with 1600 for my daughter. Went very wwell much better than 1200, but didn't think it overly thirsty. I thought they had a taller diff. My daughter once told me her car easily did 140ks.

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#3 yel327

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 06:41 PM

I think you’ll find most Aussies hated them all. Until GMH built their second T sized car with its 1600 Isuzu 4cyl engine (TX Gemini) GMH were way behind the competition. I remember Chris Young (of Young and Green) telling me they were berated in the 70’s by GMH about their lack of 4cyl sales. Their reply was build us a better 4cyl car and they’ll sell, the current stuff is inferior. Same applies to CF Bedford, they weren’t much good until they got a 173 and Aussie box. Why GMH bothered with the big block Opel 1.9 in local LH Torana either was and still is beyond me, it was a ridiculous car. They were so underpowered and so low geared I doubt one of them would have been more economical to run than a 2.85L Torana. With a 3.9:1 rear end, 13” tyres and 1:1 top gear they were lucky to get to highway speed and if they did were revving their tits off, whereas a 6cyl auto Torana with 2.78 rear end would effortlessly and economically cruise at 100kmh.

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#4 _Four_Cylinder_Fan_

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 07:14 PM

I have a LC with 1760 slant and a LJ with 1600. That's not backwood. Also have couple LCs with other motor, don't know what size. Back in mid 80s bought LJ with 1600 for my daughter. Went very wwell much better than 1200, but didn't think it overly thirsty. I thought they had a taller diff. My daughter once told me her car easily did 140ks.

The LC 4 is listed as having either the 1159cc OHV (1200) engine, carried over from the HB, or the 1599cc OHC (1600) engine, introduced as an option from 1971.

The LJ 4 is listed as having the same engines intially but later having the enlarged 1256cc OHV (1300) and 1759cc OHC (1760)

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#5 _Four_Cylinder_Fan_

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 07:32 PM

I think you’ll find most Aussies hated them all. Until GMH built their second T sized car with its 1600 Isuzu 4cyl engine (TX Gemini) GMH were way behind the competition. Why GMH bothered with the big block Opel 1.9 in local LH Torana either was and still is beyond me, it was a ridiculous car. They were so underpowered and so low geared I doubt one of them would have been more economical to run than a 2.85L Torana. With a 3.9:1 rear end, 13” tyres and 1:1 top gear they were lucky to get to highway speed.

I believe the Opel engine was a mistake in car which was a full sized car by European standards. Opel used that engine in smaller cars in Europe. The Opel "Cam In Head" engines were well designed but didn't produce enough BHP to be in the bigger Toranas. Holden still didn't get it right with the unloved, locally designed and built "Starfire" 4 cylinder engine as used in the last Sunbirds and early Commodores!

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#6 limo

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Posted 09 December 2020 - 09:51 PM

The LC 4 is listed as having either the 1159cc OHV (1200) engine, carried over from the HB, or the 1599cc OHC (1600) engine, introduced as an option from 1971.

The LJ 4 is listed as having the same engines intially but later having the enlarged 1256cc OHV (1300) and 1759cc OHC (1760)

I know that, didn't say was original but the 1760 motor was in it when I bought it in 1987. All I've done is rob few parts for me and others but still fairly complete