Rather plain in its styling both inside and out - indeed, simple to the point of being boaring in looks - the LH was only sold as a four-door sedan. Some had expected a station wagon, but GM-H reasoned that it made more sence to buy a full sized Holden if you wanted to carry loads.
The choice of engines was staggering. You could buy a (pretty awful) four-cylinder 1900cc Opel unit; sixes with capacities of 2250cc (for export markets only), 1850cc (in low and high compression versions) and 3300cc; or V8's of either 4.2L or 5.0L. The largest Torana engine was over two and a half times the size of the smallest. There was something for everyone.
Luxury levels began with the rather austere Torana S, aimed at mainly the fleet market, proceded through the Torana SL which was the most poplular and finished with the SL/R (Sports Luxury/Raceing). The S and SL could be ordered with any of the engine choices, the SL/R only with the biggest six, as SL/R 3300, or the V8's - SL/R 4200 and SL/R 5000. Naturally the SL/R 5000 is the pick of the bunch, but don't overlook the 300 for an daily driver; it's got plenty of grunt and is reasonably well balanced for good handling.
For a time GM-H had planned to call the SL/R 5000 the ToranaXU-2, but decided to update the name in line with the all new nature of the car. A few months later an options package for the SL/R 5000 went on offer. Called the L34, it was aimed unashamedly at the racetracks of Australia, particularly Bathurst. Option-pack L34 added cylinder heads with modified ports, bigger valves and roller rockets. Both the inlet manifold and exhaust headers breathed better than standard. A high pressure fuel pum supplied petrol to a Rochester Quadrajet carb which was modified to run a manual choke. Fuel was fired up by a twin coil twin point ignition system.
Transmission options on the LH were a three speed column controlled manual, a four speed floor shift manual and the Trimatic three speed auto with either column or floor change. The SL/R 5000 came only with M21 four speed with standard ratios. Later 5000's and all L34's used a close ration M21.
There was also the little known G-Pak in the range of models that the LH Torana series offered. The Torana G-Pak was announced in February 1975. This was a package which featured fixed options obviously aimed at young, value conscious buyers. The engine offered was the powerful Holden 202 six cylinder, the car had front disc brakes and radial tyres on 5.5" wheels. The package of the G-Pak came about as it was the way a great number of Torana's were being specified anyway. The price of $3888 represented a saving of $294 on what it would normally take to option up such a Torana and black outs and body striping were thrown in.
The G-Pak Torana was available in three great colour combinations : Mandarin Red with Blue stripe, Absinth Yellow with Black stripe and Jamaican Green with a dark green stripe. These came with other options included with the SL/R such as black interior trim and upholstery, sports steering wheel and full instrumentation dash including a tacho.
These were:
Four cylinder l900 cc Opel
2250 cc six ( for export markets only )
2850 cc six ( in low and high compression)
3300 cc six (in low and high compression)
4.2 litre V8
5.0 litre V8
Luxury levels:
-Torana S, aimed mainly at the fleet market.
-Torana SL which was the most popular with a good mix of eligance and refinement never before seen in an Australian made car
-Torana SL/R which probably stood for Sedan Luxury Racing.
-The S and SL could be ordered with any engine.
-The SL/R only as the SL/R 3300, SL/R 4200 and SL/R 5000.
-The L34 was a straight out race car.
The L34 option had ported heads with increased valve size and roller rockers which sucked fuel from a 700cfm four barrel carbarettor that was supplied from a high pressur pump. A twin point distributor made it all spark at the high revs and a set of headers extracted all the waste out twin exhausts. The L34 had uprated suspension wider wheels and came standard with the Aussie M21 four speed
Holden vehicle serial number; stamped on the righthand frame side member.
MODEL CODE BODY ENGINE
Torana S 8UG69 four-door four cylinder
Torana SL 8UH69 four-door four cylinder
Torana S 8VB69 four-door six cylinder
Torana SL 8VC69 four-door six cylinder
Torana G-Pak four-door six cylinder
Torana S 8VB89 four-door V8
Torana SL 8VC69 four-door V8
Torana SL/R 3300 8VC69 four-door six cylinder
Torana SL/R 4200 8VC69 four-door V8
Torana SL/R 5000 8VC69 four-door V8
Torana L34 8VC69 four-door V8
Six and V8 released March 1974.
Four cylinder released May 1974.
L34 released July 1974.
Transmissions:
Three speed manual column shift.
Four speed manual floor shift.
Four speed manual close ratio M21
Three speed automatic, column or floor change.
