Holden Torana LX A9X

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LX Holden Torana A9X


Holden Torana A9X

Holden LX Torana A9X

1977 - 1978
Country:
Australia
Engine:
L31 / L34 V8
Capacity:
308ci
Power:
240 bhp @ 4800 rpm
Transmission:
4 spd. man
Top Speed:
n/a
Number Built:
380
Collectability:
5 star
Holden LX Torana A9X
Reviewed by Unique Cars and Parts
Our Rating: 5

Introduction



The penultimate Torana, and one of the best ever Australian Muscle Cars, the Torana A9X became an overnight legend. That the Brock Commodore's would take four years to surpass their performance speaks volumes about the car's innate power and roadholding ability.

The introduction of Radial Tuned Suspension on the LX Torana was announced with great fanfare, GMH running full page ads in most of the dailys. The HZ Holden came in for its share of publicity too, it being the first ever production Holden to sport four-wheel disc brakes.

But unlike the regular Torana's, the A9X received no such publicity, instead it being quietly released onto the market and slipped into dealer showrooms around the country. The fact that the A9X was unquestionably the best Torana to date, and arguably the best Holden ever, was not mentioned. Perhaps the "anti-super-car journalists" had prompted the marketers to keep a low profile.

Whatever the reason, it didn't really matter. The A9X had a job to do, and that job was at Mount Panorama. The name A9X was chosen as it was one of a long series of code names available exclusively to GMH (the A prefix being used much the same as Z prefixes are used by Chevrolet).

While a member of the LX Torana family, the car actually used a UC Torana floorpan, enabling it to use the General's new Salisbury rear axle and disc brakes set-up. With only 380 A9X's being manufactured, there are many imitators out there, and if buying one checking the rear axle and brake assembly can be an easy way of identifying a wanna-be (as fitment of this set-up to an LX floorpan is practically impossible).

Another UC Torana innovation adopted for the A9X was the direct mounting of the steering gear onto the chassis, and by ditching the copius amounts of rubber, steering feedback finally reached near XU-1 quality. While the LH L34 SL/R5000 was a great car, it did not offer the finesse or drivability of the XU-1. But things had changed for the better with the A9X, and without question it was a better car.

The rear disc brakes were a blessing, once and for all ridding the Torana of the unnerving tendency of the rear drum brakes on V8's to lock up when there was an abrupt weight transfer. In fact, everything on the A9X was purpose built, almost "over-engineered". For example, the front spoiler incorporated special vents that piped cool air directly onto the front calipers, in turn helping to reduce fade. Extracting every last inch of power from the 308 was helped by ditching the power robbing belt-driven cooling fan and replacing it with a pair of Davis Craig electric units.

GEAR
RATIO
TOP SPEED
1st
2.54
97 km/h
2nd
1.83
135 km/h
3rd
1.38
179 km/h
4th
1.00
210 km/h
Stock A9X Top Speed In Gears / M21
ADR27A regulations introduced in 1976 meant the L34 308 V8 engine could not be used, so the A9X had to make do with the L31. Fortunately though, the L34 engine could be used at Bathurst as it was already homologated. Road going A9X's used a 3.08 diff, while the Bathurst specials used a taller ratio so they could reach take-off speed along conrod straight. The taller gearing meant that the car ran at 44.8 km/h @ 1000 rpm in fourth, which translated into an awesome 268.8 km/h.

The Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) set-up meant the A9X carried new upper control arms, new geometry plus suitably revised shocker mountings (along with the previously mentioned direct mounting of the steering to the chassis). Out back were new upper and lower control arm pivots and shocker mounts. The cabin came in for a few minor revisions, the existing Torana full-foam bucket seats being mounted slightly higher to allow better forward vision, and best of all for the road going variety, the radio was no longer an extra-cost option.

The A9X was ready to show its dominance at the Mount, however the Ford camp were not going to have the trophy wrested from their grip quite that easily. At the 1977 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 only Peter Janson and Larry Perkins would take an A9X to the podium, the pair finishing behind the Allan Moffat / Jacky Ickx and Colin Bond / Alan Hamilton XC Cobra's - a win that to this day remains in many people's opinions to be Ford's finest hour at the Mount.

Things changed the following year, with Peter Brock / Jim Richards taking out the 1978 Hardie-Ferodo 1000, and Allan Grice / John Leffler coming in second. Murray Carter and Graeme Lawrence managed a podium for Ford in their XC. The following year at the 1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 it was all A9X, they filling the first 8 positions. The A9X came, and conquered, all contenders.

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Also see:


Torana LX Sedan
Torana LX Hatch
Torana LX Specifications
Torana Identification
Torana Race Legacy
Reader Reviews page 1 of 1
Click here to add your review
Swagman
Posted Recently
Did admittedly come along at the right time no question...just as ford pulled out, corporate decision, & Holden had access to a light weight opel body & 5.0 motor brock winning by 6 laps kinda shows the amount of cheats they bribed their way with, 2nd, & all the "supposedly" same spec a9x...was a supposedly "identical spec a9x"...yeah, right...was it an early polariser prototype maybe???,lol
Simon Rodgerson
Posted Recently
I bought one new. Loved its handling. As a high performance vehicle it felt a bit soft though. The standard road car straight from Lance Dixon motors in Doncaster was detuned. The 308 felt more or less standard and the gearbox quite light. However as a comfortable sports car it was brilliant. I wish I still had it, not for the value, but as a great car for its time.
Simon Rodgerson
Posted Recently
I bought one new. Loved its handling. As a high performance vehicle it felt a bit soft though. The standard road car straight from Lance Dixon motors in Doncaster was detuned. The 308 felt more or less standard and the gearbox quite light. However as a comfortable sports car it was brilliant. I wish I still had it, not for the value, but as a great car for its time.
AussieBruce
Posted Recently
re: "The a9x came to being is because holden cheated for the previous 3 years, using roller rockers, better rods & bolts..." How can this be cheating? You have described the L34 engine first fitted to the LH SL/R5000, which was a FACTORY version homologated for racing.On the other hand, some of the parts fitted to the XC Falcon in their 1-2 victory were NOT available in Ford's road cars.
AussieBruce
Posted Recently
No such thing as a 202 A9X. The 202 6-cyl was the base engine for the LX SS Hatchback, but just because an LX Hatchback was a SS doesn't mean it was an A9X.
Gazza
Posted Recently
"At the 1979 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 it was all A9X, they filling the first 8 positions. The A9X came, and conquered, all contenders." Says it all really, best Australian race car ever.
Mark
Posted Recently
The a9x came to being is because holden cheated for the previous 3 years, using roller rockers, better rods & bolts, pushrods, oil system, sump, intake & exhaust,etc etc, & it couldn't be covered up any longer, even tho an a9x road car was still way short of the a9x race car...so lop sided were the pro holden "Australia's own" rules!
Margaret
Posted Recently
I had the 202 a9x...one of 3 made...beige glow, with cream vinyl upholstery...traded up to a cm valiant car in 1981.
Rod
Posted Recently
Yes they were a purpose built race car...all the components were fancy...but virtually the competition were all close to factory spec...kind of dulls it's merits in my opinion!
 
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