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I was going through some LH Torana release documentation yesterday and found something that contradicts what I always believed. I used to be under the impression that XU2 became SLR5000 but this isn't the case. XU2 is actually SLR5000 with L34 engine option, or more commonly known as L34.
In the documentation is a draft radio news release (undated but appears to be mid 1973) that GMH are planning to build a race ready LH V8 Torana called XU2 "next August", and that 500 will be built. It is to be available only to racers. Then a later memo stating that XU2 will not be released at SOP (Start Of Production) of LH, but an L31 engined car with dual exhaust and front and rear spoilers called SLR5000. Then there is an initial list of Press Test cars in which they list the car luxury level an dthe engine it is fitted with. One lists as XU2 and the engine as L34.
This also makes sense of the images remaining in the LH Torana service manual that shows a drawing of an XU2 sticker on teh front guard of a car with flares. |
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That's what i thought when i saw Australian Muscle Car Magazine story on the L34, the two pics of where the XU2 decal went, had the L34 flare. |
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I agree, It becomes more obvious, when you read some of the media releases of the day.
It would appear that the front & rear spoilers on the regular SL/R5000 were a last minute decision.
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It was formalised by 1/8/73, the decision by the Vehicle Product Committee to not release XU2 at LH release and replace with an L31 optioned SL/R was documented in an internal memo. Which as you say Terry in the scheme of sketch to production for a brand new vehicle series is very much last minute! LH would have been started way back probably during HK-HT production. The POA document was release May 1971, and the Features manual first issue July 1973 which is basically issued when the whole shebang is ready to roll, so the change to add the SLR5000 was actually done after everything was basically signed and sealed. |
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I thought that the first claim of a XU2 was a V8 LJ Torana that was tested by race teams. it would of been a death trap on the road.
I had a LH SLR5000 with all the spoilers and rough cut out rear arch like the L34's had but L31 M21 Plate, it had a 650 Double pumper Holley on it but stock dizzy and just the Stock 308 LH Block prefix.
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XU2 was actually first applied to Bedford then reassigned to LH. LJ was always XU1. There was to be a V8 XU1 which was canned in 1972.
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A december 1971 document says 'XU2 Special Equipment for G.A.C (Was 666)' it was a 1970 Bedford code. Then its crossed out and LH written next to it.  XW7 was an LJ with a 308 in it.
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When that XW7 code became widely known a few years back it certainly gave a good insight into the timing of V8 XU1 as it was already well known when XW8 was added. Very cool to see the LH series written next to XU2 though, further proof for those who refuse to believe! |
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XU2 again 'Special Vehicle Package' LH 
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Never ceases to amaze me how Holden stuffed such a Nice car as the Torana gtr-xu1 lc x lj by not making and improving the car for a few more years..So they really stuffed up when they made that first LH SLR 5000. IT was a real piece of crap compared to the 1973 lj gtr=xu1....
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The GTR XU1 was dead by September 1973. GMH has to finish them as they did not comply with ADR27 which was due in August-September 1973, all Holden, Torana and Statesman from that time had the new ‘clean air’ engines. ADR27 got delayed until about April 1974 as Ford and Chrysler weren’t ready for it. But GMH were, and there was no future for a high output triple carb 6cyl, the answer was a V8 engine in a small car which is what they did, just to the bigger LH rather than the LJ as originally planned.. If GMH and technology had advanced to the point that a VK EFI setup was possible then that may have been cool in an LJ size car, however it would never have competed with a V8 version as a race car, HDT proved this at Mount Panorama at Easter 1972, they stuck a stock 308 in an old Group E LC race car and disguised it as a Sports Sedan, it lapped many seconds quicker than the Group E XU1’s with no real sorting or race preparation. History shows us that the Group E XU1 won a few months later at the 500. There is nothing hugely wrong with an LH either, they were compromised in their handling just like a HQ was, but the later version of the car (UC) showed how it should have driven. Sure they got crappy banjo rear axles, but so did an LJ, and whilst the LH’s brakes aren’t too flash some SLR5000’s got the far bigger brakes from the HQ series. There is little difference mechanically between 6cyl LH and LJ and at least an LH is comfortable to sit in and drive where everything is symmetrical rather than offset all over the place like an LJ. Edited by user Wednesday, 11 September 2019 9:48:26 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: Rabbo  Never ceases to amaze me how Holden stuffed such a Nice car as the Torana gtr-xu1 lc x lj by not making and improving the car for a few more years..So they really stuffed up when they made that first LH SLR 5000. IT was a real piece of crap compared to the 1973 lj gtr=xu1.... What a load of BS ! the Torana's before the LH were just total crap and he only one's of any worth were the GTR XU-1 and only when driven flat out that they were fun but apart from that they are just a half arse bucket. The SLR 5000 got up and went well and the only real advantage it had over the GTS was because of it's weight. My mate box head had a LH G pack with a worked 202 and I flogged every GTR XU-I that gave us a run and that was to 200KM/H but box heads G pack was a bucked above 200KM/H as they get all floaty and want to take off the road maybe because they were to light, the GTS started to do the same but were much better at it. To sit on 200KM/H from Bundy to Bris the Torana was not impressive at all as you were worn out, the wind noise was a pain and you were never at ease, but come the VY SS you could just sit back in 5th with cruse control on set at 210KM/H taking it easy as pie and wind it out to 260 if need be and she sat on the road like a rock, oh I had a spring tower brace fitted and boy do they make a difference when driving fast on crappy roads to the steering precision, just magic. where you were constantly making adjustments, well that was all gone and ya just sat back with ease hooking in and just loving it.
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How did you get a Gpack to 200? Did it have 14” tyres or something? All G packs had a 3.36 rear axle and 13” tyres so would be valve bouncing by 160!
A standard G pack would be doing about 3100rpm at 100km/h. |
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Originally Posted by: HK1837 How did you get a Gpack to 200? Did it have 14” tyres or something? All G packs had a 3.36 rear axle and 13” tyres so would be valve bouncing by 160!
A standard G pack would be doing about 3100rpm at 100km/h. She had the engine worked that bastard would wind off the clock maybe did 220km/h, it had 14 in wheels. I was flat in my 308 and when I got to 180 km/h he took off like a slingshot f ing gone from sight in no time. But that G Pack shook like a bastard at such speed over 200 that you could just not hold on to it. I would say that it was the tyres were not up to them speeds or the wheel bearings were not nipped up spot on as they should, not my car so I don't know, but my XG ute was a bastard for wheel bearings as I had to keep them tight or it would start to shake and some tyres were some what the same I found, she would only do 210KM/H tho but them tyres can make the difference and wheel bearings for sure. Another mate had a LH G pack std but for twin strombergs with 14 in wheels I think and another mate was driving it and at 160KM/H and then she would Valve bounce and he asked what was that ? I said what it was and just to back off so it did not do that but he did not understand why and kept doing It. I said to the owner about this trip and that their noise and he just smiled and said yep that's it.
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The 14” tyres would bring the effective ratio back a fair bit closer to 3:1 which makes more sense. Very few standard Holden 6’s could even crack 100mph hence why 200km/h sounded odd. |
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Originally Posted by: Dr Terry I agree, It becomes more obvious, when you read some of the media releases of the day.
It would appear that the front & rear spoilers on the regular SL/R5000 were a last minute decision.
Dr Terry yup... SL/R5000 got the fibreglass as without the spoilers, it looked the same as a stock SL/R The original intention (same as LJ) was that the top performance vehicle got the wings but L34 was aways off at LH release |
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