1977 Holden Torana LX - Reader Resto

By: Trevor Mallia with Guy Allen, Photography by: Ben Galli

Date: 22.07.2022

Can a car become more than the sum of its parts? We reckon this exceptional build goes close

This is one of those cars that kind of sneaks up on you. It’s beautifully presented and looks for all the world like a super-tidy restomod. There are a couple of clues to it not being stock, such as the Centreline wheels and the robust burble from the exhaust, but that’s it.

There is no blower stack punching through the bonnet, no huge wheel flares and it isn’t tubbed. Just a nicely upgraded Torana. Kind of... as you’ll soon discover, it also has teeth. "I came across this car in a paddock in Toolern Vale, alongside a container. It was sitting on its belly with no running gear. There were a couple of railway sleepers on top, plus some corrugated iron screwed to it, and there were chooks running in and out of it. This was his chook shed." That’s from owner Trevor Mallia, who has had the car in various guises for eight years.

"We dragged it onto the trailer and showed it to my partner, who wondered what I was thinking. It was a pretty rough and sad start.

"The car is in its second build. The first was in a pearl white and I ended up having a change of heart and decided to revamp it."

As anyone who has owned one will tell you, black cars give away every little error when it comes to paint and bodywork. They somehow seem to highlight it.

| Buyer's Guide: Holden Torana LX SS V8

Aware of that from the get-go, Trevor and crew put in a special effort. "We went back to bare metal on the second build – a full strip-down. Drivetrain, interior, glass – the whole nine yards. We put it on a rotisserie, tipped it upside down and started all over again."

Trevor says there was a good 11-12 months of body preparation. There is a lot of adjustment in the front of these cars. And if you move one panel, it can affect how another three sit, so there’s a balancing act involved. That said, the gaps on this car are as good as you’ll see anywhere.

| Read next: 1978 Holden Torana LX SS hatchback

According to Trevor, there were a few mates very much involved in getting the body and paint right, including Alvin and his ‘guru’ father, and Joseph.

This Torana started life as a factory 253 V8, but the owner clearly had other plans. While many builders will opt for an ever-reliable 308 stroker as a basis for this kind of project, he is a fan of LS conversions and sees them as a logical option. "It was just practical at the time," he says. "I had a Holden motor in it originally, but I wasn’t happy with the outcome. You let it sit for a week or two and you get carby issues, then there was a new oil leak to begin with – I just couldn’t deal with that crap anymore!

"I wanted something in there that was nice and dry and clean."

It’s running a 6.2lt LS3 and Turbo 350 transmission with a 9-inch diff. "That’s what I do for a living, which is running a mechanical shop that does a lot of conversions. It’s called Trevtech Automotive."

Trevor says the LS3 makes a lot of horsepower straight out of the crate (it was new) and so he’s felt no need to go radical with this one. "Camshaft and springs, change the throttle body, good-quality headers and exhaust – that’s all I’ve done," he explains. The original throttle body was a fly-by-wire and has been switched to cable-operated.

| Read next: Holden Torana L34 SL/R 5000 review

Of course, because the LS3 was never intended for that body, there has been a lot of custom work, right along the driveline and including crucial details such as hoses and wiring.

That lot is producing 331kW at the back wheels and a mind-boggling 1059Nm – more than enough to punt what is in fact a pretty light car by modern standards. It’s probably a little under 1500kg.

It’s running an original-pattern radiator and Trevor reckons the engine runs cooler than it would have in the VF Commodore it was intended for. "The radiator is copper and three-core, with an FG Falcon front fan, and it runs as cool-as," he says.

There is a bit of art to getting an LS3 lined up in the engine bay, and to that end the mounts and cross-member are custom made, moving the engine forward by around 15mm. This resulted in the tailshaft being purpose-built, while the diff is located with adjustable control arms.

In addition, there’s a substantial custom subframe on the underside to reinforce the chassis.

"Getting it all lined up is the sort of stuff that’s pretty simple when you get into it, but a lot of time goes into it." The proof that it’s right is that he’s had it out on a track at over 200km/h and the verdict? "It’s smooth! It can be a handful if you want it to be, but it’s down to the way you drive it. You can drive it like a little old lady, or like you stole it."

On the drag strip, it’s done 10.60 at 124mph (200km/h). That’s a very quick road car, and much more light-footed than the subtle appearances would suggest.

While the Torana has grown sharp teeth, the fact it looks not far off stock is no accident. "I like things to look like they might have come out of the factory," explains Trevor.

Inside the dash, seats and trim are largely SL/R spec. "Nothing has been modified, other than to calibrate the dash for the LS." It reinforces the overall sleeper effect.

When asked why he choose a Torana, Trevor reveals he has a history with them. "I’ve had 19 of them," he confesses – barely able to keep a straight face. Oh, and he’s just bought number 20, which he’s about to restore. It’s a 1974 six-cylinder column auto with bench seat and will stay that way. "Full-on granny-spec," as Trevor describes it.

Really, this is following a lifetime pattern. Trevor’s Dad bought him an old EJ when he was 11, figuring the kid was pretty much born with a spanner in his hand.

"I always had a passion for HQ to WB but the Torana was more in my price range, back in the early days. When I could get hold of one, I’d buy it. The prices weren‘t out of control the way they are now.

"I used to buy them and wreck them and that’s pretty much how I got the deposit for my first house. Now I get to keep them." That sounds pretty good to us...

1977 HOLDEN LX TORANA SPECS

BODY: Four-door sedan
ENGINE: 6.2lt LS3
POWER & TORQUE: 331kW / 1059Nm
PERFORMANCE: Standing quarter 10.60sec
TOP SPEED: 240km/h (approx)
TRANSMISSION: Turbo 350
DIFFERENTIAL: Ford 9-inch with adjustable control arms

Reader Resto of the year contender

See all the contenders and vote here until Jan 8, 2023:

http://tradeuniquecars.com.au/rroty

From Unique Cars #466, May/Jun 2022

Unique Cars magazine Value Guides

Sell your car for free right here