Holden Torana A9X

[Lox Lego]

The A9X package makes this Torana one of the most sought after Holdens ever made, with only 100 hatchbacks produced with the option.

 

The A9X went on to dominate the Australian Touring Car series in the following years, with Brock winning the 1979 Bathurst race by six laps and famously setting the lap record on the final lap.

Let’s reflect  Holden Torana A9X by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

I’m please to show you my latest commission project for Erik Skriveris from Australia the Holden Torana A9X muscle car! Erik had a keen eye for detail throughout each step of the way, he really helped with the design process to take it a step further. As a designer, it is easy to overlook the smaller details as you have to focus on the overall shaping, but Erik helped this build go the extra mile before completion ;) 

Let’s reflect  Holden Torana A9X by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

Huge shout out to @fwartstckr for the awesome sticker pack, @lightailing for the lights, @revaidonat for the chrome, @buwizz_brick for power and my brother @dugald_lego for help with the seats! This car is true to the original with a live axle rear suspension, torsion bar front suspension, opening doors and hood, RC rear trunk opening, V8 with working fan, adjustable and tilting seats, working steering wheel, 1 or 2 buwizz, 2 XL or 2 L motors, servo for steering.

Underbelly of the Holden Torana A9X by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

I would like to send a special thanks to Molnar for this very detailed and awesome sticker pack! He is entering new levels with his sticker skills and its amazes me what he can do. 

Holden Torana A9X- blue chrome by Bubul by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

 In the coming weeks I will be creating instructions. Once Erik has built the car I can release the build to rebrickable. 

Holden Torana A9X- blue chrome by Bubul by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

Holden Torana A9X- blue chrome by Bubul by lachlan cameron, on Flickr

Edited August 30, 2020 by Lox Lego

[HUWI]

Very cool build!

I like this car, but in germany it's known as Opel Ascona and the biggest engine was a 1.9L R4.

[chlego]

As always, an impressive build. I love the way you did the engine details, tho I am not a fan of chromed pieces... (but that's my opinion, I know a lot of other people like it)

[MinusAndy]

This is my favourite of your cars so far. I love how you have put that subtle curve in the roofline.

[TechnicFan3006]

I’m honored to have been a part of this project. Lachlan absolutely nailed the design brief and came up with this masterpiece. I can’t thank him enough for the hours of work that have gone into designing this car, the great quality pictures and videos. 
As already mention, a big shout out to @fwartstckr for a great job on the sticker kit and Eva at Bubul Chrome for all the chrome items. 
This will show the world that Aussies also have some pretty cool muscle cars ?

Edited August 31, 2020 by TechnicFan3006
Wrong word

[HUWI]

8 hours ago, TechnicFan3006 said:

This will show the world that Aussies also have some pretty cool muscle cars ?

The Aussies have many interesting concepts, like a UTE. I like the Insignia UTE and wonder why i can't get it in Germany. Crazy markets...

So the Holden Torana is the same as the Opel Ascona, but with an engine.

 

I'd like to have the logos from Holden for my insignia, the germans fake their Opel only with Vauxhaul logos, because you can't get the Holdens here.

[Gray Gear]

I like the overfenders, they flow really well with the rest of the car.

[Pvdb]

I like it.  Looks great and some really nice details.  I like the front bonnet shaping especially.  

[LegoHoops]

With Autumn arriving along with some wet weather, it was time to have a crack @Lox Lego ‘s Torana A9X, with a few of my own mods.

Holden and Ford have always butted heads in New Zealand and Australian motorsport, as a kid October signalled the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama - a day in the front of the TV watching the Holden vs Ford. Bathurst during the 70’s the Holden Torana was pretty dominant at the hands of Peter Brock.

Also in mid 70’s our local neighbourhood was populated with few Holden Sunbirds (a 4 door family sedan the same shape as the Torana), but there were a couple of hot Holden Torana SL/R 5000 (Sedan) with a 5-Litre V8s - these must have been heavily taxed by the NZ Government at the time due to the ‘Oil Crisis’ by being over 2.7 Litres or maybe it was their choice of colour - Purple/Black Graphics & Lime/Black Graphics.

I used a couple of Torana images to work from, one of just the shell to firm up the front ends general shape - headlights, grille, indicator lights and brake ducts. The colour of choice like images was a combination colourway of orange and black - Papaya Orange being a standard Holden colour at the time, like those famous Kiwi McLarens.

One thing that was ionic with Holdens at the time was the shape of the front bumper, wedge-shaped grille and headlights - my dad had a Holden Kingswood ute with similar lines. Drawing on these details I wanted to reflect them in my Torana. The first thing was to build the main chassis structure and re-shape the front end and bonnet.

Fortunately a Bricklink seller 200km south of us had parted out five McLaren F1 cars, that proved to be a worthy, but expensive source of orange. Maybe red would have been cheaper option, but the last four builds have been red - another in the works is red too.

Then along came Cyclone Gabrielle on Valentine’s Day and halted everything - the only essential freight coming in was by NH90 and Black Hawk helicopters. Gabrielle had also taken out three intercity bridges, closed the State Highway north, a lot of infrastructure damage (power & data) and reduced work hours for a month. 

April - Freight services have resumed, but only using Bricklink sellers to the south from quicker deliveries. Due to the lack of 5 x 7 Liftarm Frames in Black in NZ, I had ordered a few expensive Orange ones to get me going while I waited for a Bricklink order from Australia to arrive. This was a blessing in disguise as it highlighted the Orange bodywork behind the grille much like the actual car in a few areas. I tried to get the spoiler under the bumper to look right, I ended up reducing the front part of the chassis by two studs to flatten its shape.

I removed two 3 x 11 panels from the sides of the bonnet, adding one across the front along with new Lego small panels. The bonnet scoop has also been revised removing four of the flex-axles and making the sides of the scoop more vertical like the original car.

The seats are an awesome build with the fore and aft adjustments and seat tilt, just added Light Bluish Grey ‘racing-stripes’.

Under the bonnet a brake master cylinder straddles the steering axle, a water reservoir, radiator with hose, battery and leads.

The rear bumper has been lifted a couple of studs to similar height lines as the front and shape contours to the rear bodywork. Tailgate lock - printed can lid. Those Lego #13 & #14 panels have leaped in price! Ended buying a second hand 42007 motorcycle for the two panels - revealing mint panels under the decals.

I also wanted to have the ‘Drop-Tank’, long straight exhaust pipes, revised taillights (with black trim through the centre) and the classic Aunger Louvre across the rear window - a stylish auto accessory that quickly became a must have with car enthusiasts in the 70’s. The addition of the rear louvre obscures the manually operated actuator from being seen as well and ‘Putting a bit of Lamborghini style on your fastback’ (Aunger’s Advertisement). The small printed Bugatti panel symbolic of the Aunger Oval. 

I enjoyed the build and expanding on @Lox Lego ‘s original Torana A9X - finished in off with a set of OZ Racing centre caps. A great addition to the rest of the fleet. Just waiting for a few printed tiles and get the ‘SS’ decals made for orange.

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by LegoHoops
Text

[2ndgen]

I really like this, especially with the chrome wheels. The fenders is the only thing I'm not sure on. But I couldn't do anything near this nice, so really I shouldn't say anything but praise. 

Oh......and I hope there is a spot, under the hood, for the special black box. Whoes to say it didn't work........

[brickless_kiwi]

I don't know where to start.

I always felt loxlego front looked very 1965 ford mustang that had been stripped for the track. 

This is such a more truer to life or localized. ( the good old 100 litre drop tank )

The Orange is amazing.. pricey. But still there are not many cars you could pull this off..

Brought back a lot of great memories. Thank you... 

[langko]

@LegoHoops orange looks awesome! Love all your modifications, especially at the front the car looks a lot cleaner now. It’s always cool to see models of cars like this, it’s something different from all the super/hypercar models. I like it a lot.