Aussie Torana with an LT-5 - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

LGAFF · 10-24-2010

http://www.canberratoranaclub.com/memberscars/matt.html

LGAFF · 10-24-2010

Sent him a note to see what he is running for an ECM

XfireZ51 · 10-24-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGAFF

Sent him a note to see what he is running for an ECM

Looks like a stock ECM. Can't tell what it is but looks OEM.

LGAFF · 10-24-2010

I will throw this out there too, might have been posted already.......by the way if does look like a GM ECM on the firewall.

http://www.araoengineering.com/

scholtmj · 10-25-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGAFF

I will throw this out there too, might have been posted already.......by the way if does look like a GM ECM on the firewall.

http://www.araoengineering.com/

Lots of bad press on Arao's customer service. Very cool product though.

mgbrv8 · 10-25-2010

They even make heads for LSXs that's amazing a LSX/Lt5

Toranamat69 · 02-09-2011

Hi LGAFF,

Those photos on the Canberra Torana club you linked there are from back in 2004 - I now live back home in Sunny Brisbane and have done a fair bit more to the car since then.

There is some slightly more recent pics from about 2008 on my cardomain page.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/480776

To give a little bit of a run down on the Torana:

I am running the OEM controller and the engine is pretty much stock except tuned length headers and 3" exhausts and Edelbrock RPM mufflers. I also have a Haibeck chip in it.
Most other mods are cosmetic at this stage.

I bought the engine as a crate engine with loom and a new ECM and chip was supplied direct from GM by the guys I bought it from.

The only things I had to buy separately was the Thermostat housing, Secondary injector modules, ESC module and secondary vacuum pump - then I just had to make it all work.

All 16 injectors were stuck when I bought it and I got a new set under warranty but just a set of Bosch's with steel internals. I suspect one or more might be on it's way out as it is just starting to develop a slight miss every now and again.

I am actually doing a huge upgrade at the moment since some thieving $#%$hole tried to take it from my garage just over a year ago and did about $6K damage to the car trying to break in and start it and also opened the door onto a post when he reallised I was home and he was about to get the floggin' of his life. He is currently residing in the local jail with his boyfriends :-)

I have a nice selection of the usual upgrade parts here next to me ( fidanza flywheel, ATI balancer, ARP bolts, alloy accessory pullets) and I am now sourcing new coils, wires, injectors to treat her to a major service - It has been up and running for 8 years now and had obviously done some dyno hours before i got it.

I have done about 40,000km's in it since 2003.
I take public transport to work so it is now just a weekend and fun car whereas in 2003 to 2006 it was my daily driver.

Also currenlty scoping the best place to get the IH and plenum ported so they will go back over that side of the water very soon.

The exchange rate is very nice for me too at the moment.

Yes it is very good fun and very nice to drive - I have lost my licence once (damn undercover cops) and should have done so 2 other times whilst driving it but I slipped between the gaps on our useless demerit points system between states and they didn't reallise I should have surrendered my licence so i got away with it :-)

Always plenty of interest in it when I go to shows or for a drive.
The Torana Hatchbacks are actually getting pretty scarce here and you never see them just out and about so it gets plenty of attention before people even see the LT5.

Traction on street tires is one of the biggest issues - especially since I dropped the 4.11 diff gears in it.

This forum has improved heaps since I used to drop in a few years back - the techincal index is brilliant - has helped me out a lot.

Now I just need an extra 6 hours in the day to do all the things I need to now that I have a wife who wants the house looking all nice inside. For some reason it seems to take priority over the torana in her books.

Hopefully someone can provide some interresting history on my engine since I posted the numbers in the other thread.

Matt

Paul Workman · 02-09-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toranamat69

Also currenlty scoping the best place to get the IH and plenum ported so they will go back over that side of the water very soon.

Wow, Matt! Whata project!! Oh, yeah...JUST whatcha need is another 30-35 hp to the rear wheels. You think you have problems getting the tires to stick now...Just wait!!

I'm sure Lee can fix ya right up! (And I thought my putting a 327 SBC in my hatchback Vega was outrageous...But an LT5!? Jeeze louize!)

P.

LGAFF · 02-09-2011

Matt you will appreciate this link:

http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread....hlight=perkins

Even more amazing is the fact that I found 2 more of these the same year at a Corvette Swap meet.

Sold them to a guy named David Gardner rin AU

Toranamat69 · 11-18-2020

Hi ZR1ers.

Still playing with my torana with the LT5. Spent an enormous amount of work smoothing engine bay.

I just did my new air intake. Pretty happy with the look. It fits under the hood...just.

Work has been progressing well this year. Should be good progress now as I am past a lot of the hard custom work.

Matt.

10-24-2010	#1
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Aussie Torana with an LT-5 http://www.canberratoranaclub.com/memberscars/matt.html __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359

10-24-2010	#2
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Aussie Torana with an LT-5 Sent him a note to see what he is running for an ECM __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359

10-24-2010	#4
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Aussie Torana with an LT-5 I will throw this out there too, might have been posted already.......by the way if does look like a GM ECM on the firewall. http://www.araoengineering.com/ __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359

10-25-2010	#6
mgbrv8 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 793	Re: Aussie Torana with an LT-5 They even make heads for LSXs that's amazing a LSX/Lt5

02-09-2011	#7
Toranamat69 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 37	Re: Aussie Torana with an LT-5 Hi LGAFF, Those photos on the Canberra Torana club you linked there are from back in 2004 - I now live back home in Sunny Brisbane and have done a fair bit more to the car since then. There is some slightly more recent pics from about 2008 on my cardomain page. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/480776 To give a little bit of a run down on the Torana: I am running the OEM controller and the engine is pretty much stock except tuned length headers and 3" exhausts and Edelbrock RPM mufflers. I also have a Haibeck chip in it. Most other mods are cosmetic at this stage. I bought the engine as a crate engine with loom and a new ECM and chip was supplied direct from GM by the guys I bought it from. The only things I had to buy separately was the Thermostat housing, Secondary injector modules, ESC module and secondary vacuum pump - then I just had to make it all work. All 16 injectors were stuck when I bought it and I got a new set under warranty but just a set of Bosch's with steel internals. I suspect one or more might be on it's way out as it is just starting to develop a slight miss every now and again. I am actually doing a huge upgrade at the moment since some thieving $#%$hole tried to take it from my garage just over a year ago and did about $6K damage to the car trying to break in and start it and also opened the door onto a post when he reallised I was home and he was about to get the floggin' of his life. He is currently residing in the local jail with his boyfriends :-) I have a nice selection of the usual upgrade parts here next to me ( fidanza flywheel, ATI balancer, ARP bolts, alloy accessory pullets) and I am now sourcing new coils, wires, injectors to treat her to a major service - It has been up and running for 8 years now and had obviously done some dyno hours before i got it. I have done about 40,000km's in it since 2003. I take public transport to work so it is now just a weekend and fun car whereas in 2003 to 2006 it was my daily driver. Also currenlty scoping the best place to get the IH and plenum ported so they will go back over that side of the water very soon. The exchange rate is very nice for me too at the moment. Yes it is very good fun and very nice to drive - I have lost my licence once (damn undercover cops) and should have done so 2 other times whilst driving it but I slipped between the gaps on our useless demerit points system between states and they didn't reallise I should have surrendered my licence so i got away with it :-) Always plenty of interest in it when I go to shows or for a drive. The Torana Hatchbacks are actually getting pretty scarce here and you never see them just out and about so it gets plenty of attention before people even see the LT5. Traction on street tires is one of the biggest issues - especially since I dropped the 4.11 diff gears in it. This forum has improved heaps since I used to drop in a few years back - the techincal index is brilliant - has helped me out a lot. Now I just need an extra 6 hours in the day to do all the things I need to now that I have a wife who wants the house looking all nice inside. For some reason it seems to take priority over the torana in her books. Hopefully someone can provide some interresting history on my engine since I posted the numbers in the other thread. Matt

02-09-2011	#9
LGAFF Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crystal Lake, IL Posts: 7,194	Re: Aussie Torana with an LT-5 Matt you will appreciate this link: http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread....hlight=perkins Even more amazing is the fact that I found 2 more of these the same year at a Corvette Swap meet. Sold them to a guy named David Gardner rin AU __________________ LGAFF 90 #966-150K miles-sold 92 #234-sold 1987 Callaway TT #17 1991 ZR-1 #1359 Last edited by LGAFF; 02-09-2011 at 06:51 AM.