The Holden Torana is a mid-size car that was manufactured by Holden from 1967 to 1980. The name apparently comes from a word meaning "to fly" in an unconfirmed Aboriginal Australian language. The original HB series Torana was released in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle closely based on the British Vauxhall Viva HB series of 1966–1970.
Whilst the 1969–1973 (LC and LJ series) cars included more popular, longer-wheelbase six-cylinder versions, and with the 1974–1977 (LH and LX series) cars adding eight-cylinder versions to the mix, a range of four-cylinder versions continued for the entire production life of the Torana (with later four-cylinder versions being marketed as the Holden Sunbird from November 1976).
In South Korea, the LJ Torana was produced locally as the Chevrolet 1700 (시보레 1700, 1972–1976) and Saehan Camina (새한 카미나, 1976–1978).
Changing tack in Australian motor sport, Holden released the LC Torana GTR XU-1 in 1970, with performance-enhanced drivetrain and handling. From this time through to the release of the Holden Commodore, the Torana remained Holden's most successful sports/performance vehicle, with many victories garnered in rallying and circuit racing.
The introduction of the VB Commodore in 1978 was preceded by the arrival of the updated UC Torana/Sunbird twins, but with no sports versions or V8 engine options. The Torana was subsequently discontinued in 1979, followed by the four-cylinder Sunbird in 1980.
First generation
HB
Introduced in May 1967 to replace the HA series Vauxhall Viva in the Australian market, the first Torana model was a mildly facelifted HB series Vauxhall Viva. It featured a two-door body, 12-inch (305-mm) wheels, and a 56-bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed gearbox. A Borg-Warner Model 35 three-speed automatic transmission was optional. Drum brakes were fitted front and rear, with power-assisted front disc brakes optional. In terms of styling, the only points of visual difference between Viva and Torana were in the grille and headlamps, the rear tail panel (no registration plate recess), the deletion of the Viva's dashboard air vents, the wheel trims, and the badging. Holden's HB Torana sedan was produced in three model specifications: Torana, Torana S, and Torana SL ... these models effectively mirrored the concurrent larger HR Holden sedans with their three-tiered specification of Standard, Special, and Premier.
A 'sports' option package was released in October 1967, called the 'Brabham' Torana, named in honour of the Australian race driver, Sir Jack Brabham, who at the time was the reigning F1 World Champion and Australian of the Year for 1966. The Brabham Torana's engine featured twin CD Zenith-Stromberg carburettors fitted with individual sports air cleaners. Together with a low-restriction exhaust system, power was boosted to . The Brabham option (available only with manual transmission on Torana S or Torana SL) also included wider wheel rims and red-wall tyres, power-assisted front disc brakes, black body accents, and subtle 'Brabham' identification badges attached to the leading edges of the front fenders and to the rear boot lid.
In early 1968, a "Series 70" engine option (equivalent to the '90' option for the British Vauxhall Viva) was added. This engine had a higher compression ratio and higher-lift camshaft (adapted from the Brabham option engine) and a single CD Zenith-Stromberg carburettor, which boosted output to . Power-assisted front disc brakes were standardised with this engine, whilst availability of the automatic transmission option shifted exclusively to the "Series 70" engine option (no longer available with the standard engine).
In September 1968, the '69 Torana' was released, sometimes called the HB Series II. This featured locally made body panels, replacing the imported bodies of the original HB. The model lineup now included a four-door sedan—some media claimed this design was developed in Australia, with four-door bodies shipped back to the UK to be constructed and sold as the Viva saloon. However, the Vauxpedia website, after extensive research with Vauxhall, maintains that the four-door was designed in England, to compete with Ford's four-door Escort, and both Holden and Vauxhall made their own body panels for their respective Torana and Viva versions. A collapsible steering column was now fitted, together with a new recessed instrument cluster, new indicator switch, and new steering wheel borrowed from the contemporary full-sized Holden HK-series. These local components replaced the previously imported Vauxhall items. A consequence of using these local components was the loss of the stalk-operated headlight dip switch and horn. The dip switch ended up on the floor, as was the case for full-sized Holdens. Dual-circuit brakes were now standard on all models, though power-assisted front disc brakes were still optional with the standard engine. The Brabham Torana became an independent model in its own right—(option XS5) based upon the Torana S two-door sedan—complete with bold specific 'Brabham Torana' badging front and rear and on the flanks, and new black accent body decoration. Its interior specification included a sports steering wheel (from the contemporary Holden HK Monaro GTS) and uniquely comprehensive dash instrumentation with tachometer and three supplementary gauges.
The HB Torana continued until late 1969. Total production was 16,318 with imported panels and 20,243 with the locally manufactured bodies.
Second generation
LC
The next generation of Holden Torana, the LC-series, appeared in October 1969 and was made available with a range of a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engines. The inline six had a capacity of 138 cu in (badged as the '2250'); a 161 cu in engine (badged as the '2600') was optional. The six-cylinder cars had a longer wheelbase (100 inches against the of four-cylinder models),Norm Darwin, 100 years of GM in Australia, 2002, page 276 a more aggressively styled and longer nose to accommodate the larger engines, and offered a choice of three-speed column shift or four-speed floor shift manual transmissions or the new locally GM-manufactured 'Trimatic' three-speed automatic transmission with column or floor shift. A bench front seat was available for some column shift models. The LC Torana won Wheels magazine's Car of the Year award for 1969.
The four-cylinder engine was initially of 1,159 cc, and offered either . The more powerful Brabham Torana engine was not carried over to the LC-series and the model itself was also discontinued. In July 1971, a bigger overhead cam 1.6-litre engine with was added; this engine was also sourced from Vauxhall in the UK. The 1600 OHC engine option also included a strengthened gearbox.
Body styles were based upon the previous HB-series, but the new six-cylinder cars were of a significantly different external appearance. All LC Toranas shared a new body shape rear of the 'B' pillar, but shared windscreen and front doors carried over from the HB-series (modified with the recessed door handles now required by Australian Design Rules [ADRs]; further to this, all LC four-cylinder cars carried over HB body panels forward of the 'A' pillar. The LC-series was available in two-door and four-door versions of base (four-cylinder only), S, or SL specification, as well as a two-door sports model called the GTR. The new Torana GTR effectively replaced the previous series' Brabham Torana, but raised the performance level significantly with its uniquely specified '2600S' six-cylinder engine.
As for general features, a three-person front bench seat became available as an option for four-door S and SL six-cylinder models. Later in production (July 1971), the 161-ci engine was replaced with a larger 173-ci version (badged as the '2850') which also made it into the last of the LC GTR cars as the '2850S'.
In August 1970, the first ultra-performance Torana, the GTR XU-1, was developed by Holden along with Harry Firth of the Holden Dealer Team for competing in Series Production touring car racing within Australia, as well as in off-road rallying and rallycross events. However, the main purpose of the Torana GTR XU-1 was to keep the Holden brand competitive against the larger and more powerful Ford Falcon GT-HO in the Hardie-Ferodo 500 (Bathurst) endurance race that some consider to be the jewel in the crown of Australian motorsport.
The LC Torana GTR XU-1 was equipped with a , 186-cu in (3-litre) six-cylinder engine, fitted with three Zenith-Stromberg CD-150 carburettors, cast-iron headers, a performance cylinder head and camshaft, and the heavy-duty Australian-designed four-speed manual gearboxes (available in a number of different ratios) replacing the weaker Opel units. This car also featured an underbody front chassis air dam, a rear bobtail spoiler, wider steel wheel rims, and front disc brakes as standard equipment. The Torana GTR XU-1 proved to be a strong performer on both the road and track due to its favourable power/weight ratio. It soon gained popularity in Australian motor sport and successfully replaced the V8 Monaro GTS 350 as Holden's frontline track race car in 1970, winning many touring car and rally events, but for the famed Bathurst race which Ford won in 1970 and 1971 with its XW Phase Two and XY Phase Three Falcon GT-HOs, respectively.
Holden built a total of 74,627 LC Toranas.Tony Davis, Aussie Cars, 1986, page 114
LJ
In February 1972, the facelifted LJ Torana was introduced with the six-cylinder models more visually associated with the larger Holden HQ series. Many mechanical components were carried over from the LC-series, with some changes to the choice of engines. The four-cylinder Torana retained its Vauxhall designed 1200OHV and 1600OHC engines, but was now also available with a 1300cc OHV unit. The base two-door car was now simply called the Torana 1200, while the 1300 engine equipped the Torana Deluxe model in either two-door or four-door form. The optional 1600 OHC engine was later in the year to be increased in capacity, badged as the 1760 OHC. Otherwise, the 2250 and 2850 engines carried over into the revised six-cylinder Torana models, and the 3300 engine (known as the 202 in the HQ range) was adopted as the engine for the LJ Torana GTR sedan. Gearbox choices remained the same across the range.
A race-bred version of the 3300 engine was also fitted to the LJ Torana GTR XU-1, producing . The XU-1 was also equipped with larger CD-175 Zenith-Stromberg triple carburettors, as well as a new close-ratio four-speed Australian-made transmission (which was not available as an option on the standard GTR). Also available on the 'Bathurst Special' was an even closer-ratio gearbox and the taller (reduced from 3.36:1 to 3.08:1) rear axle final drive ratio from the standard GTR which increased top speed to . This gave the nimble XU-1 the power boost it needed to seriously challenge the powerful Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III, which had won the 1971 Hardie-Ferodo 500 production-car endurance race held annually at Bathurst.
In the wet conditions of the 1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500, the lightweight HDT Torana GTR XU-1 was able to finally claim victory against the Ford GTHO, the XU-1 driven solo for by Peter Brock. This would be the start of the 'Peter Perfect'/Torana legend, and the first of five Bathurst wins for the Torana in its 10-year racing career at Bathurst.