Great Cars, Great Runs, Great People, Great Times ....

Torana LC Series ....

October 1969 - February 1972 ...

October 1969 saw GM-H's move into the small/medium sector of the market with the introduction of the LC Torana. The LC concept was that of a small/medium car powered by the traditional Australian six-cylinder engine and drivetrain. This was achieved by using the basic HB Torana floorpan, extending the front wheel forward for more under-bonnet space and designing an all-new outer body. All cars (four and six-cylinder) came with front bucket seats as a standard option and a rear seat with a much higher squab than the HB, giving a more luxurious feel to the interior. The dash and controls were carried over from the HB.

The engine and drivetrain for the six-cylinder cars were borrowed from the big brother HT range, giving the lightweight Torana an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Front and rear suspension was basically HB, strengthened and updated.

In reality, the LC series comprised two different versions in the one model range. These included the longer wheelbase six-cylinder range described above and a shorter four-cylinder variant. The four-cylinder model was mechanically identical to the earlier HB series, using its front sheet-metal mated to the new LC body from the windscreen rearwards and retaining the HB's wheelbase. The four-cylinder range started with a standard two-door sedan through a two or four-door S to a two-door SL. The six-cylinder cars started with a four-door S, through a four-door SL to a two-door GTR.

With Holden's successful Monaro GTS catering for the full-size sporty market, GM-H gave the smaller sector a big shake-up with the release of the Torana GTR. This little ripper came with a 2600cc S (161ci S) engine, a four-speed Opel transmission, power front disc brakes, front stabiliser bar, sports suspension and full instrumentation. The GTR was dressed in a choice of bright colours. Front guard flutes, rally stripes and wide sports wheels with matching tyres completed the sporty look.

The 2600cc S engine was a slightly smaller version to the HT's 186ci S with a two-barrel carburettor,twin cast-iron exhaust headers, mild-profile camshaft and performance valve springs and bearings. The instruments fitted to the GTR were similar to those introduced on the HB Series 2 Brabham Torana.

Late in 1970, GM-H surprised everybody with the release of the XU-1 option for the GTR, creating the GTR XU-1. This little rocket ship was created by Harry Firth in the Holden Dealer Team workshop to take over racing duties from the Monaro GTS 350.

Firth's idea was, rather than go head-to-head with Ford's Falcon GT HO in a power race, to use a smaller, more nimble package (which would be easier on tyres, brakes and fuel) with a power-to-weight ratio similar to Ford's. The GTR XU-1 was built and homologated purely for series production racing, with Bathurst the main target. Improvements over the normal GTR included a 3048cc (186ci) engine with triple 150mm CD Strongberg side-draught carburettors, tuned full-length inlet manifold, sports air cleaners, revised cylinder head with larger valves and a high-lift camshaft. The result was a healthy 160bhp. Also fitted were a two-inch exhaust system, thicker disc brakes, limited-slip differential, larger fuel tank, front air dam and rear boot lid spoiler. Badging utilised bold GTR-XU1 decals on both front guards and on the rear spoiler (RH side).

Also introduced on the LC was a Tri-matic automatic transmission. This was GM-H's own three-speed unit and was made available on the Series 70 four-cylinder (floor-shift only) and on all six-cylinder cars, except the GTR, with either floor or column shift. The four-speed manual on the four-cylinder cars carried over from the HB, while the three-speed all-synchromesh column shift and four-speed Opel floor shift came straight from the HT.

The LC four-cylinder engine range was limited to the 56bhp and 69bhp (Series 70) versions of the 1159cc (71ci) Vauxhall four-cylinder (the Brabham option was no longer offered). The regular-issue six-cylinder engines were the new small-bore 2250cc (138ci) unit and the optional 2600cc (161ci) powerplant.

The four-cylinder range was enhanced in June 1971 with the release of a 1600cc OHC engine. The 1600cc was a slant-four, similar to the two-litre unit in the Bedford CF van, and was sourced from Vauxhall UK. With 80bhp and 90 ft/lb of torque, it was a lot more lively than the smaller 1159cc OHV unit. With the introduction of the 1600cc OHC engine, the four-cylinder model lineup was revised. The S and SL name plates were dropped, the base model was renamed the Torana 1200 and the S model became known as the Deluxe (the new 1600cc engine was optional on the Deluxe model only). The SL four-door and two-door (82611) has the distinction of being the first-ever Holden model to be discontinued during a series production run, with the 82411 and 82649 model codes continuing on as the Deluxe two- and four-door (with the OHV motor). The four-speed manual gearbox introduced for the 1600cc OHC was a beefier unit with a lift-up reverse lock-out ring on the gearshift lever.

A rare option on the S and SL six-cylinder was that of a front bench seat with a handbrake mounted under the dash. In July 1971, the six-cylinder engines were upgraded to HQ specifications with a revised head design. While the 2250cc (138ci) engine remained, the new 2850 (173ci) engine replaced the old 2600cc (161ci) unit and the 2850 was fitted to the GTR in place of the 2600cc S. In addition, the HQ's new Australian four-speed manual transmission was used in lieu of the old Opel unit on RHD cars (LHD continued with the Opel).

MINOR FEATURES

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINES

Engine Compression Output Engine No
  Ratio BHP Prefix
1200cc 8.5:1 56 Nil
1200cc (Series 70) 9.0:1 69 Nil
1600cc OHC 8.5:1 80 3
2150cc (130ci) (export) 8.8:1 90 130T or CA*
2250cc (138ci) (low-comp) 7.8:1 92 2250 or CB*
2250cc (138ci) (hi-comp) 9.2:1 95 2250 or CB*
2600cc (161ci) (lo-comp) 8.2:1 108 2600L
2600cc (161ci) (hi-comp) 9.2:1 114 2600H
2600cc (161ci) S 9.2:1 125 2600S
2850cc (173ci) (low-comp) 8.3:1 112 CE*
2850cc (173ci) (hi-comp) 9.4:1 118 CD*
2850cc (173ci) S 9.4:1 130 CF*
3048cc (186ci) XU-1 10:0:1 160 3100X or CK*

* Two letter prefix used July '71 onwards.

TRANSMISSIONS

Four-Cylinder

Six-Cylinder

Final Drives

MODEL RANGE

Model (Four-Cylinder) Two-Door Four-Door
Torana (OHV) 82211 N/A
Torana S or Deluxe (OHV) 82411 82469
Torana Deluxe (OHC) 82811 82469 
Torana SL (OHV) 82611 N/A
Model(Six-Cylinder) Two-Door Four-Door
Torana S 82311 82369
Torana SL N/A 82569
Torana GTR (including XU-1) 82911 N/A

* Discontinued with release of Deluxe.

RELEASE DATES

PRICES AT RELEASE

TOTAL PRODUCED