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Originally posted by castellan
Commodore VK SS is just an option, as are all the Commodores after it.

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Only because of the restrictive trim code system used on Commodores prior to VE - you only had base, mid & high level to choose from.
Thus all packs had to be based on one of 3 levels. Even VS Senators are mid-level based, by the VIN.

But it's not a blanket rule.

XV2 on a base model (just like HQ) was VH & VK SS.
In the Commodore's case, K was the base model trim code.
These are the most closely related cars to the HQ SS as far as the base vehicle & added options.

In VL, XV2 only referred to the Walky Group A SS (not the HDT Group A SS, which was an A9L). The Walky ironically began life as a K-code car (obviously for the lower racing weight) but the L trim level on the other tag will tell you it was mid (Berlina) based, which was required to get the power options.

Through the 2nd & 3rd generations, the option codes grew to denote wider variations of the SS - in VN/VP it was A9F/A9G for an SS. They went numeric with the driveline packs for VR (824, 825 - 8 denoting an SS, so a set of model-specific codes) before further adding alpha-numeric "value" and "safety" packs during later VS and all VT onwards (8BB, 8DD etc). These were still an extension pack, and based on K-code trim level bodies, but unlike the earlier cars, what went in was significantly different to the base K-code exec (main wiring harness to start with).

But in VE, the coding opened up further, so the SS-V became a model with it's very own trim code, like back in HK GTS days.

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Originally posted by HK1837
HQ SS and GTS sedan and GTS350 sedan were meant to be seen as a separate vehicle, just like the XU1 and the SLR5000. They were built as special vehicle packages, but they aren't separate models as such hence the way they are treated with regards to what was standard and what was optional is different to other cars. The easiest example to see is the 2 x GTS350 vehicles after late 1972. The coupe is its own model, look at the mechanical options line on the body ID tag - it is blank (unless auto or non-standard diff ratio optioned). The sedan uses a Kingswood model code, and the standard driveline there was L32 M15 GV1, but as the XW8 GTS350 special vehicle package added L30 and MC7 the ID plate shows these.

That is correct, HJ-HZ use one model code for each lux level and body style, whereas HT-HQ used two (one for 6cyl and one for V8).

That is correct, there was no cab-chassis V8 model until 1973.

HX Sandman was standard with 202.

SLR5000 is a special vehicle package (XU2) which adds options to an SL/R. As does selecting the L34 engine option add more options.

A9X was also a special vehicle package applied slightly differently afaik, it is XU2+A9X on an SL/R and L31+A9X on an SS.

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But not just anyone could turn up and buy the L34 and things were deleted and who would want one with out a centre console, and you had to put the cam and all in your self.

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Originally posted by castellan
But not just anyone could turn up and buy the L34 and things were deleted and who would want one with out a centre console, and you had to put the cam and all in your self.

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This is not quite correct. They only built the minimum number required.

The cam which came standard in the L34 wasn't the stock 308 cam, but it was the maximum grind GM-H could get past ADR27.

The HO kit added the bits you needed to go racing, but weren't needed on the street car. It was a cute way to homologate the necessary race parts without trying to engineer them into the 'retail' version which had to carry warranty etc.

Leaving the console out would be better in a race car, wouldn't it ? There wasn't too else much left out, excepting some unnecessary trim items, probably just to reduce weight.

With the benefit of hindsight, the L34 wasn't perfect (e.g. the Banjo diff), but was a pretty good weapon in its day.

Dr Terry

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Originally posted by Dr Terry

quote:

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Originally posted by castellan
But not just anyone could turn up and buy the L34 and things were deleted and who would want one with out a centre console, and you had to put the cam and all in your self.

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This is not quite correct. They only built the minimum number required.

The cam which came standard in the L34 wasn't the stock 308 cam, but it was the maximum grind GM-H could get past ADR27.

The HO kit added the bits you needed to go racing, but weren't needed on the street car. It was a cute way to homologate the necessary race parts without trying to engineer them into the 'retail' version which had to carry warranty etc.

Leaving the console out would be better in a race car, wouldn't it ? There wasn't too else much left out, excepting some unnecessary trim items, probably just to reduce weight.

With the benefit of hindsight, the L34 wasn't perfect (e.g. the Banjo diff), but was a pretty good weapon in its day.

Dr Terry

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L34 was over rated then, much more over rated now

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Originally posted by detective
...and the L34's had a blank plate where the radio went....

...BTW .. did the L34's get the round 7" headlights like the A9X ?

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AFAIK all LH Torana models from the 1900S to the SL/R5000 did not get a radio as standard. The ones you see were all either a factory-fitted option or a genuine dealer fitted accessory.

Round headlights were fitted to all LH Torana 1900 4-cyls & L34s.

All LX Toranas also had round headlights, not just A9Xs.

Dr Terry

thanks Dr Terry for the info. Was there some specific reason for the round headlights only in those two earlier models?....this has had me intrigued for years...cheers