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mid-life crisis

Started by _lxclone_ , Jun 20 2008 02:39 PM

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20 replies to this topic

#1 _lxclone_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 02:39 PM

hi all,
since the sale of my xu1 some 30years ago i promised my self one day to have ago at the A9X. little did i know that when the time came to be able to buy the car and start the rebuild the cost of a purchase of one of thses cars would be totaly out of reach..forced up by the sudden death of my hero of some 38 years ..
what a sad day that was.
any way now in my 50th year its time to start.
i just finished a wb ute with my son which he uses as a every day driver.
so i have three toranas

76 lx hatchback good condition
74 lh sedan in poor condition
78 uc hatchback in reasonable condition

i plan to use the front suspension fromthe uc as well as the handbrake set up and the double diaphram brake boster.

i have just found a VR rear end to have shortend and a new lsd fitted.
one of the other cars i have is a wb statesman i intend to use the blue 308
from that for the power plant thats about all i have at the moment.

the big thing for me now is to get advice from you readers on what you would use
on the car i have started some threads on brakes etc looking for idea's.

when finished i want a replica of the '78 winning car.

i would like to use as many holden parts as poss.

i have a total buget of $25000 for the whole project and intened to do as much as i can myself i have no dream of it being perfect i just would like to have ago!!

so any help on

brakes...what type
engine build..
suspension..
gear box.....
paint...and paint removal..
etc.
many thanks for future input.

i don't have access to the internet all the time so i may be slow in reply etc.
this is a well run site and i enjoy reading the input from it's members.
i am still working out the workings of the site and the terminology used but i am getting there.

many thanks for reading this

tom

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#2 _fatlh5000_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 02:50 PM

Here are two threads of Race Car replicas, one is for a sedan the other for a hatch.

http://www.gmh-toran...?showtopic=9726 SEDAN

http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=16971 HATCH

These threads occurred during the builds of these cars, and show what was done & the many questions asked.

This may be a start, but if you read all of the first thread you may not get to complete your car this lifetime, so beware.

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#3 _rorym_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 03:00 PM

How rude!...You just start reading LX...Don't listen to Fatty
R

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#4 _lxclone_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 03:13 PM

controversy already

how cool!!

sorry in the first post i for got to mention wheels!!!

i real would like the deep dish ones i think they are call hot wires using a hq stud parrern
i don't know by using commodore stud pattern ..are these types available??

cheers

Edited by lxclone, 20 June 2008 - 03:17 PM.

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#5 _pallbag_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 05:48 PM

These are Hotwries (14x10). You wont find them in Commodore pattern. HQ and Torrie pattern and of course early Ford patterns also ....

Posted Image

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#6 _lxclone_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 05:58 PM

These are Hotwries (14x10). You wont find them in Commodore pattern. HQ and Torrie pattern and of course early Ford patterns also ....

there what i am after!

14x10 thats for the rear? tyre size?
how about the front? tyre size?

are they available new?

any problems with clearence? i hear talk about altering the diff length.. some think about the centre off set? :huh:

many thanks tom

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#7 MRLXSS

The Render Garage

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Name:Matt
Location:Upwey, Melbourne
Car:355 LX Hatchback, DeLorean DMC-12, LX SS Hatch, VY Cross8 Crewman
Joined: 09-November 05

Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:08 PM

Good luck finding some Big tyres to suit them mate...

If i were you i would get some 15x10's or something... Tyres for 15's is hard as well... But they are out there....

I have 15x10 Convo Pros on my car... But they might not suit a A9X Brocky clone though (BUT, they would look SEXY!)

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#8 _pallbag_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:12 PM

Not sure about diff width (9 inch in mine), fairly certain if you got flares on you will be fine tho with standard torrie diff width. I also have the guards cut under the flares to help with rubbing as you will find most others have also.

I have 8's on the front - Tyres are 265/50 and 245/50 on each.

Wont get the wheels new. Keep surfing ebay/trading post, some specialised/retro wheel/tyre shops have them occasionally. Prob cost you close on $1000 if not a tad more for 2 of each !!

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#9 Toranavista

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:25 PM

Perhaps consider a commodore internal handbrake rather than the UC floor type for ease of fittment.

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#10 FastEHHolden

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Location:Central Coast NSW
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Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:35 PM

I reckon you should leave you LX hatch in one pice and make you replica out of the UC and LH....Its just that LX hatches are worth a bit.

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#11 _lxclone_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 10:55 PM

I reckon you should leave you LX hatch in one pice and make you replica out of the UC and LH....Its just that LX hatches are worth a bit.

the uc convertion was the first way i was going as the cost of the lx where to high
but i picked this one up at the wright price and torana lovers wher saying better return on your investment if you want to sell later.
i must admit it is some think i am stuck on what do you all think??

thanks pallbag i will get on the look out your not the first to say they are hard to find!!

tom

Edited by lxclone, 20 June 2008 - 10:57 PM.

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#12 _P51_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 11:00 PM

Go for it....do what you want.....different people have different strokes......as long as it gets you off.... :rockon:

.....you will probably find it will get others off too..... :blink:

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#13 _lxclone_

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 11:17 PM

Perhaps consider a commodore internal handbrake rather than the UC floor type for ease of fittment.

Toranavista

now that sound interesting what is an internal handbrake and which modle do you get it from the diff. i am using is from a VR will that h/brake be of any use?

cheers tom

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#14 A9X

A fortunate run

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Name:Welby
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Joined: 09-November 05

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 05:35 AM

[QUOTE]Here are two threads of Race Car replicas, one is for a sedan the other for a hatch.

http://www.gmh-toran...?showtopic=9726 SEDAN

http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=16971 HATCH

These threads occurred during the builds of these cars, and show what was done & the many questions asked.

[QUOTE]

There is a small administrative fee for reading these, Rory & i will pass along the bank details for you by PM :spoton:

Hey good luck with it mate.

Any questions, yell !

Welby

Edited by A9X, 21 June 2008 - 05:36 AM.

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#15 blown308

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Location:Silverdale, NSW
Joined: 05-March 06

Posted 21 June 2008 - 07:02 AM

here is your big tyres

http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

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#16 _Yella SLuR_

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 08:12 AM

Couple of things:-

The price of these cars was well on the rise before the death of PB. I bought my car 6 years ago when the SL/R's moved from $10k to $12k. They were $10k for years and years. The haven't stopped moving up in value since, although some suspect prices have peaked.

Big tyres, 245/50R14 and 265/50R14 are still available, although patchy supply from Yokohama. Will cost you about $1,000 a set.

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#17 _LXChev366_

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 12:13 PM

One thing I would ask is..whats the end use of the car...road or race or a mix...will it be road reg'd? etc... this will determine a few things..I can help with the race side of things etc

Check this thread out re replica Touring cars....

http://www.gmh-toran...opic=22934&st=0

and this....

http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=27073

and finally...race car set up tips etc.. another big read...

http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=12790

Here is a link to the Bowden collection and the 78 Brock car...

http://www.bowdensow...s/brocka9x.html

Posted Image

Good luck!! :spoton:

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#18 _lxclone_

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 04:30 PM

LXChev366

many thanks for the reply
at this stage it will be a mix road and race
yes it will be road registered

the more i read the more i like the idea as a week end track car and i think maybe thats how it might end up.

how.. ever theres a lot to learn so let's get started.

any tip's or advice is most welcome i think more importantly why you chose something over another.

will be looking for 15x10 15x8 hot wires i think this is my wheel pick.

cheers tom

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#19 Obey 1

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 05:58 PM

Good luck Tom..
I was in your position 3 or so years back..I was going to venture down the Brock race car Path as well.
I ended up picking up a very tidy LX hatch and changed the running gear , so I am chuffed with that side of things , but I couldn't bring myself to cutting the ol girl up.It was in too good a condition.Mind you it took me nearly 2 yrs to track this one down.
On the other side of the coin I had an oportunity to buy a complete Brock RACE replica I think in Melbourne for $10,000 but at the time it was too much,and the the bloke who owned it couldn't sell it !!! (Arrgghh!)
Would be worth 3 times as much now !!!
Hindsite is a lovely thing ???
My other big concern would be taking it anywhere..sure you get the looks..but you also get the ol boys in blue hassling you, everyone would want to race you and the thieves would just love it !!!
I will watch this thread with interest as I still hope to pick up that tidy condition cheap (Yeah Right !!) hatch to finish my dream .
Any way Good Luck..
Now where did I put that lotto Ticket !! :spoton:

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#20 _lxclone_

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 06:43 PM

Good luck Tom..
I was in your position 3 or so years back..I was going to venture down the Brock race car Path as well.
I ended up picking up a very tidy LX hatch and changed the running gear , so I am chuffed with that side of things , but I couldn't bring myself to cutting the ol girl up.It was in too good a condition.Mind you it took me nearly 2 yrs to track this one down.
On the other side of the coin I had an oportunity to buy a complete Brock RACE replica I think in Melbourne for $10,000 but at the time it was too much,and the the bloke who owned it couldn't sell it !!! (Arrgghh!)
Would be worth 3 times as much now !!!
Hindsite is a lovely thing ???
My other big concern would be taking it anywhere..sure you get the looks..but you also get the ol boys in blue hassling you, everyone would want to race you and the thieves would just love it !!!
I will watch this thread with interest as I still hope to pick up that tidy condition cheap (Yeah Right !!) hatch to finish my dream .
Any way Good Luck..
Now where did I put that lotto Ticket !!

many thanks for that

i have given though to the issues u mention before even thinking of the start.
getting look.....could not care less doing it just for me..
the boys in blue true could be a problem i have spocen to our local guys and they tell me stay with in the law no problem....hmmm

it will only go out on sunday drives and the hill climb and some club race days

the lx hatch was a real good buy in the right place at the right time ....and the first time for me usually iam ther 10 minutes 2 late
the uc hatch i have had for some time both would make good rep's they are both a bit rough.
i have thought of selling the lx and just converting the uc to lx etc. as the real thing does not worry me just the end result.

i think this will take me 3 years as a project and i will be posting pic's as i go.

thanks again and enjoy your car!!

tom :spoton: