Monday, March 20, 2017

What next?

A Torana panel van on ebay. 4 days to go. 3 bids so far. Top bid $11,000.
Built back in the days of the panel van craze by a qualified panel beater (and obviously when LC/LJ Torana coupes were still a dime a dozen!). Has all engineering paperwork, torsional testing etc. Was told it was in an issue of "Van Wheels", but haven't seen the magazine myself. Vehicle is based on a 1971 LC coupe (has all tags) and the back end sheet metal is narrowed 1971 HG panel van, rego papers state Torana panel van. This is not a cut and shut, all the rear floor pan inner guards etc are still LC Torana.  I am guessing the builder was inspired by the "Hunchback" Monaro panel van of the time. The styling is love it or hate it, but I have taken it to a few shows and everyone comments on how good the panel work has been done, (the doors click shut with one finger). The original red velvet interior has survived pretty well but the car was resprayed 4 or 5 years ago (before I bought it). The original paint scheme faded from white at the front through yellow/orange/red/purple to black at the back. and there is still some evidence of this paint scheme on the floorpan. Car has a brand new 202 (under 1000kms) which has 60 over ACL pistons and a 10/10 crank with ACL bearings, new ACL cam bearings and a brand new oil pump. This is a blue block which has the counterweighted crank and better conrods (same as Starfire rods). Cylinder head is a re-coed 9 port Yella Terra with some extra work done, head and block have been modified so that the coolant passages are compatible. Engine has a solid grind NOS Wade cam with alloy gear (246A grind from memory, I have the spec card somewhere) new solid lifters, hardened push rods, 1.5 to 1 stainless roller rockers, a Bosch distributer that has been recurved, had the vacuum advance removed and a steel drive gear fitted, a new Cain 4 barrel manifold with a rebuilt square bore 650 double pumper Holley. Carby has had the choke housing milled off and has a K&N stub stack. It has long primary, twin outlet Pacemaker extractors with flanged 2 1/4" secondaries, these extend to the rear of the transmission where they merge into a single 2 1/2" pipe this travels over the diff then splits into a 2" pipe each side. Drivetrain is a new 2500 RPM stall convertor, tricked Trimatic and a 3.08 LSD banjo. The engine sounds very, very angry at idle (the cam is over 300 degrees duration) but the car is way more tractable than the combination suggests (and sounds). It has a new 3 core alloy radiator with new triple thermos fans, new water pump, new harmonic balancer, alternator and high torque starter motor, and a new Supercharge truck battery. Wheels are 14"x7" and 8" Dragways with near new tyres. Car has Torana front discs and standard rear drums and a stainless steel fuel tank. The bonnet was resprayed just before I bought the vehicle and the paint does not quite match the rest of the car. I was going to fit a reverse cowl scoop and paint the bonnet and scoop satin black but never got around to it. Starting price is the reserve (I'm doing my arse at that) but I have several other vehicles and this poor old girl is not getting used like it deserves (it is stored in a lock up garage). It needs a few little odd jobs doing to make it really schmick but it is a pretty tidy vehicle as it stands. Don't send me any messages on how I've ruined a classic, I didn't do it and if it bothers you that much buy it and convert it back to a coupe, you'll double your money easy!  I'll leave the rego on for QLD buyer but prefer if you get your own safety as I really don't have the time. Happy to help with interstate transport where I can (if required).

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