My 304 efi LX Torana Project

[TUF LX8]

Gday everyone, just joined up so I thought I would show you all my Torry. I know it's not a commodore but you'll get over it

Well it was a 253 V8 and it had a trimatic. I threw a set of extractors onto it and have been putting around like that for about a year now. After getting bored of the migit V8 I thought it was time for a bit of an upgrade. Had been shopping around for a while until my mate told me that someone he worked with had a VH wagon with a 304 and a TH700 in it.. One look at it and it was mine, couldn't let that opportunity pass me bye.. Picked it up for an awesome price. The only thing it's missing is comp + lume..

Out with the old in with the new.. The 253 came out that weekend and I have started rubbing back the engine bay. I need to weld some sheet metal over the battery tray (coz its farked). Im putting an airbox there, and I need to weld a battery tray onto the other side. Theres a few other touch ups I need to do to the engine bay aswell. I did a bit of panel beating to get some dents out too.

Im giving myself 4 weeks to have the respray done. Im doing it all myself. Then Im going to rebuild the front end, and put all the shocks and springs in. Then the engine is getting a full rebuild with some goodies.

Ill try to update this if I can remember..

GO HERE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION

Cheers

[Jo3_Blo]

SHould be good with the new engine! Got pics of it before you disassemble the front end?

[NOT.BT1]

looks like a nice project mate keep up the good work

[TUF LX8]

Here ya go mate

[Jo3_Blo]

Very nice mate!

[Lumps of cheese]

Geez i'm jealous, love the torana's!
Good on ya mate, keep us updated with pics and progress if you can.

[walesy]

theres a lc down here with a 304 in it its dam nice with WILDLC i think it was...or WILDE cant remember

[1991_Vn2nV]

Would be great to see this project progress man, keep us posted !

[NickVR]

Nice little project mate. Shjould look awesome when done. What colour you gunna respray it?

[TUF LX8]

Heres an update on my Torry. Been doing some welding..

The first thing I fixed was this crappy bit that looked like it had been attacked with tin snips. It should look good when Its ground down and smoothed over with some bog.

Heres a before pic..



After..






There was a hole like this on both sides of the torana. Who knows what it was for but now they are gone.. I cut them out into a more rectangular shape to make it easier to cut out a replacement part. Then went nuts with the MIG and grinder.. The MIG was jamming heaps thats why some of the welds look ****. After I fixed it they were a lot smoother and neater.















This is after some angle grinding..





I also did a bit of panel beating... The bit that looks attacked with a hammer was all bent intwards (towards the firewall) and was rounded.. Armed with a cold chisel and a hammer this is what it turned out like. I tried to match the other side as much as possible.. I think I did an allright job, looks a hell of a lot better than what it was like before.. The first pic is the good side.








Ill be attacking this a bit later in the week.




As you can see there was heaps of unwanted holes on the wheel arch. Most were from when the gas was connected up. I thought they looked **** so mig mig mig mig mig...



The mig didnt like the paint so off it came.









Just after I started to grind the welds down the angle grinder packed it in so I called it quits for the day...

Will update you again tomorrow night.





Gotta keep the fluids up..

[Goon]

Geez i'm jealous, love the torana's!
Good on ya mate, keep us updated with pics and progress if you can.

Yeah they are a sweet ride, and that body style looks nice! love those fat wheels

Good luck mate

[Jo3_Blo]

Looks like you've been busy. Keep us updated and keep up the good work!

[TUF LX8]

Went and bought a new grinder today as mine shat itself.. Made life a hell of a lot easier..

Finished grinding and welding a few parts today, and cut out the battery tray.. Hopefully have the new one made up and put in this week.

I am heaps happy the way this part turned out. It will look great when its smoothed with bog and its painted up..



I ground down the rest of the welds on the holes..




This is where the battery tray was..

[TUF LX8]

Started on the bonnet hinge spots today. I drilled the spot welds out and took the backing plate off.. Cut out the rust and welded a new bit in. It's all grinded down and looks pretty killa but I didnt take a finished pic.






Donated from the VH



All welded up..






I am going to do the other side tomorrow.. Im getting there slowly. Not too much more to do in the engine bay until I start sanding it up properly and bogging..

[TUF LX8]

nearly finished in the engine bay guys, got my sheet metal on order to make up[ the battery tray, once thats in just gotta smooth it all over with bog then whack on the primer..

[Kevhaze]

Its good to see a another torana getting done up iam in the process of doing up my torana at the moment iam just taking my time so i do it right the first time but i still cant wait till it is finished good luck mate

[TUF LX8]

This is all copy and pasted from other forums so please forgive anything that is in the wrong order lol.



Made up a new battery tray today. Fits sweet. I cut the roof out of the VH haha, it's going to SIMS anyway so it doesnt matter..

Going to weld it in tomorrow, and then make up one for the other side..

Getting so close now

Will upload pics in a sec



Made up a dummy



Fits like a glove






and this was donated to make the bits behind the bonnet hinges..

[TUF LX8]

I took off a bit more of the folded edge so it looked a bit better. And that allowed me to get the bend correct.




Ground off all the paint around the edges so I could weld it easier..




Here it is all finished.. Its all welded from underneath and it's strong as. Heaps happy with how it turned out

[TUF LX8]

Got stuck into the other side today. Not quite finished just needs a bit more taken off one edge, then welded in.

This is the before shot.. Pretty ugly






This is after I cut away most of the ****ty bit. I left about 20mm around the whole lot so I have something to weld it to later on.




**** load of rust converter over the whole lot




Using that cardboard template I made I just traced around it onto the donor metal




And this is how it looks so far. Fits pretty nicely only a tiny bit more needs to be removed. And the bend put into it.






Will update you tomorrow, hopefully it will be welded in!

[Jo3_Blo]

Keep up the good work mate.

[dufus]

Very Nice, Love the Torana's

[HRT 666]

Looking good dude and good on ya for doing it all yourself, i will keep an eye on your progress.

[TUF LX8]

Well well well.. Finished the other side today and it looks killa! Heaps happy with it. So stoked now as I have no more panel work to do in the engine bay!! Now starts the bogging and priming

Just gave it a coat of Kill Rust underneath to prevent any rust in the future..



Ready for welding in...






All done!!!!








It was bloody hard to weld upside down... But I got there..






What a handsome fella






Cheers, can't wait to start painting it!

[HRT 666]

Your getting there man and nice work by the way, it will look real nice when finished.

[TUF LX8]

Thanks mate. Wont be too long now until it's painted.. Im just struggling to decide on a colour.. So many nice ones around atm.


Cheers