Originally Posted by: HK1837 
Originally Posted by: castellan So on sale from when then.
And a HP opt parts from 8/74 bigger camshaft grindone can put in yourself ?
I just bought an old book with a test regarding the LH SLR5000 and the L34 that was owned by Bruce Sutton rego BS.888 Called COMPERTITION CANNONBALL.
They talked about how much higher the L34 was because of the huge 14in wheels !
I'm not sure the "on sale" really has relevance to the L34 as it wasn't really for general sale. GMH didn't want it road tested, didn't want the publicity, didn't want the general public to buy it. At one stage the direction was it was only to be sold to those with a CAMS licence.
There was a HP kit for those that wanted to race the car. Cam, oil cooler, Holley (same carb as an XY GT-HO), roller rockers and other stuff.
There was an alternative gearbox available too with 2.32:1 first gear, that always came with a 3.08 rear axle. It wasn't geared any shorter than the M21 2.78 cars except for 4th gear though. You are right though that almost all SLR5000 and SS 5.0L manual were 2.78 rear axle (A9X was 2.60 for some cars), and to have that with 14" tyres was awful tall gearing. I remember a friend of mine had a HQ tonner with alloy tray, it had a 308 and M21 with 3.08 rear axle and standard 14" tyres, it was horrible in 1st gear, and with its alloy tray it wouldn't have weighed much different to an SLR5000. So I can imagine how bad an L34 would be. At least with an A9X if you got a 3.08 rear axle car it'd be far better than the 2.60.
HX 1 Tonne v8 = 1365 KG plus the Tray = KG ? alloy Tray and all is plus over 150 KG for sure. Steel timber Tray may be near to 300KG ?
LH SL/R5000 L34 =1306 KG
I think Holden were playing the A9X as a long distance tourer, with 2.60 ratio. sadly they are not as good as the HZ 5.0L 4sp for fast driving over 180KM/H long distance.
Toranas get floaty and wind noise around the doors drives you up the wall at high speeds.
All Fords Fairlanes LTD with leaf springs were a danger to push over 180KM/H into bends bar the P van and Utes can be safer due to how the rear springs do not flex as much and walk about as it becomes the tail that is wagging the dog, I think the Last of the AU on utes rear springs were set up a lot better tho.
I do not think that the Holden 1 Tonne is good for over 180 KM/H driving as the rear springs are to hard, like the AU on Ford 1 Tonne but they have lighter rear springs for ute and lighter for XR6 and XR8
I found that the alloy tray on the AU on too light for serious high speeds, you need more weight in the tail to keep it to function better. or it will dart about. even the XG Longreach Ute would dart about over 8 tentnths if the road got a bit rough.
I tryed to buy a FG XR6 Turbo 6sp manual 1 Tonne ? put XR Springs in it and a heavy timber steel tray. but the dealer had a fit, It will swap enda on ya ! he claimed. No it wont as I am driving it and not you. Thats what I wanted ! as I did not like the ute tray.
But I kept the VY Commodore SS ute, now that's a great ute to drive hard and fast. just make sure the rear shocks are real good ones or it becomes a shit cart, as the IRS camber and toe goes spastic when it can move to freely up an down like and this will shoot ya off line or right off the road. and best with arounf 150KG in the back, but up to 260KM/H is fine as it sits down on the road.
The strut brace is magic always put one on from a VT on as they make the steering so much easyer to guide the road driving fast, as you do not need to make little corrections all the time. so you could drive from the QLD Border to Darwin flat out and still get out refreshed. So put such on on all Commodores from VB on !
