Project Torana Update: Motor

By: Guy Allen, Photography by: Guy Allen

Date: 21.12.2016

The Torana starts to take its final form

From Unique Cars #384 January 2016 

Project Torana Update - Motor

There is a mad scramble on to assemble at least a convincing anagram of a Torana A9X tribute. What’s the rush? Well, we always debut our project cars at Summernats and, this time around, we hit a few monster delays.

What’s really saved us so far is having the expert guidance of Mick at Glenlyon Motors when it comes to wrangling the project.

At some stage in the not-too-distant future we’ll properly ‘unpack’ the recipe for this car and talk you through the individual components.

In the meantime what we can do is reveal the basic engine spec, which has started with a 5.0 litre Holden engine stroked to 355ci. The good folk at Precision International have supplied the bulk of the heavy engine components, while Autotrax is brewing a Turbo 350 transmission customised for the car.

Inside the crankcases we’ll have a steel crank "balanced to within an inch of its life" according to Mick. That’s running flat-top 10.5:1 pistons and a lumpy custom Wade cam plus Precision’s own 1.65 roller rockers. Ancillaries include a CVR electric water pump with Reidspeed drive system and a decent 85amp alternator. Underneath there’s a giant Canton high-volume sump, while oil pressure is being handled by a big-block Chrysler pump.

Something that has Mick particularly excited is the Quick Fuel Injection unit that will be handling the mixing duties.  "What I like about it is that it is self-learning," he says, "cold start is easy, throttle response is perfect. Just a great little system that still has the old skool look. If you hid it under an old air cleaner, you wouldn’t know it was there."

There’s some question over whether we will hide it. Mick has a twin-snorkel air cleaner he’d love to use ("it looks horn!") but we’re not yet sure if it will clear the bonnet.

Meanwhile the good folk over at Performance Ignition Services have got busy, making a system for us, built specifically for the car. More details on that in a future issue. Oh, and the crafty gents over at Auto Image Car Interiors are busting a gut getting the seats ready! Watch this space…

NEW & OLD

The car came with fresh brakes (one less job), but what we’re really interestied in trying is the shiny new injection system. We can see a few of our own cars being converted over.

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