How to fit a Torana frontend (LH, LX, UC)

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Mon May 18, 2009 12:19 pm

This is basically what is needed to fit a Torrie frontend to an EK for anyone that may be considering it. It is not the easiest job but is worth the effort. I have not put measurements on because I beleive it should be built to suit the car exactly and due to "accidents etc" each car may vary slightly. Main thing to double check is the placement of the EK mounts to make sure the wheel base is not altered.

First thing is to discuss this with your engineer!

This is torana front as it came out of the Torana:

Knotch out the frame, make sure it is cut level and square:

Add the supports at the end:

Add a strip brace here:

Tack on the EK mounts and trial fit BEFORE drilling holes and welding:

Make the supports for the rear Outrigger mounts:

Mounts for the outrigger:

Weld on the chassis doubler plate:

I knotched out this area to make it possible to adjust the frontend alignment without going "STIR CRAZY"!!

Make the engine mounts (I used 75 x 50 x 4 RHS)

This section of the mount is notched to clear the Rack and Pinion input shaft:

Full prefit prior to paint:

Fit all the new bushes:

Finally bolt it in:

Hope this helps someone.

Devilrod · Post by **Devilrod** » Mon May 18, 2009 12:25 pm

Sticky time!!!!

Sure will help.

NoMAD · Post by **NoMAD** » Mon May 18, 2009 1:00 pm

yeah nice...

good article V8EK4US, definetly come in handy to somebody at some point...

cheers
NoMAD

FB MAD · Post by **FB MAD** » Mon May 18, 2009 1:55 pm

Excellent how to there

.

Definately has to be a sticky on this one.

Thommo · Post by **Thommo** » Mon May 18, 2009 7:03 pm

Great work Gary

Thanks for taking the time to post this up

vintageholden · Post by **vintageholden** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:56 am

anymore detail please

leadsled_van · Post by **leadsled_van** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:12 pm

does the car sit lower with the torana front in it?

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:54 am

leadsled_van wrote:does the car sit lower with the torana front in it?

Yes it does. The finished ride height on the EK is the Torana frontend with standard height SLR5000 springs and HZ stubs. The EK now has 1750km on the clock so the springs have settle abit more since the Nationals...... Here are some pics of the final ride height:

leadsled_van · Post by **leadsled_van** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:39 pm

very tough sedan,
what size are your rims, are the HZ stubs a straight swap for the torana ones and do they give it a 1" drop?
do you find your steering pretty heavy with the torana rack?
sorry for the questions, i have a LH front in my van and find the steering really heavy compared to an FJ i had fitted with Rod Shop rack. I plan to fit HQ stubs, my van already has HQ disks but won't take 14" rims because they hit on the top wishbone.

mrs ratbox · Post by **mrs ratbox** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:02 am

if it has HQ discs it should have HQ stubs or H/KTG unless it has some sort of adapter, strange that the steering is heavy is it definately a torana front or a torana rack adapted to a HR front

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:40 am

leadsled_van wrote:very tough sedan,
what size are your rims, are the HZ stubs a straight swap for the torana ones and do they give it a 1" drop?
do you find your steering pretty heavy with the torana rack?
sorry for the questions, i have a LH front in my van and find the steering really heavy compared to an FJ i had fitted with Rod Shop rack. I plan to fit HQ stubs, my van already has HQ disks but won't take 14" rims because they hit on the top wishbone.

Thanks leadsled_van,

Rims: 15x6 front with 205/60/15 tyres, 15x10 rear with 295/50/15 tyres.
HJ-HZ stubs drop the front 1" (that is why I used them).
Steering is great, no complaints at all and no bump steer.

leadsled_van · Post by **leadsled_van** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:15 pm

hey ratbox, its a LH torana front with same rack, i had a shortened (hadfield) torana rack fitted to a HR front in my FJ ute and it was really light. I'm not 100% sure on the stub axles, i was told they were Torana, they won't take a 14" rim because it will hit the top control arm, if it had a stub axle 1" lower it looks like a 14" HQ rim would fit

thanks for the info V8EK4us,

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:50 pm

leadsled_van wrote:hey ratbox, its a LH torana front with same rack, i had a shortened (hadfield) torana rack fitted to a HR front in my FJ ute and it was really light. I'm not 100% sure on the stub axles, i was told they were Torana, they won't take a 14" rim because it will hit the top control arm, if it had a stub axle 1" lower it looks like a 14" HQ rim would fit

thanks for the info V8EK4us,

I can get a 14" HQ rim off a mate and test it if you want

BTW: it has P76 Discs (modified) not HQ discs.

leadsled_van · Post by **leadsled_van** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:19 pm

yeah that would be great, otherwise can you see how close the rims you have are to the top wishbone? mine has 15" chasers with only about 1/2" in height between the rim and top ball joint. that was looking at it on a hoist so maybe hard to tell otherwise. would appreciate if you could let me know, it could save me buying the HQ stubs.
thanks

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:50 pm

leadsled_van wrote:yeah that would be great, otherwise can you see how close the rims you have are to the top wishbone? mine has 15" chasers with only about 1/2" in height between the rim and top ball joint. that was looking at it on a hoist so maybe hard to tell otherwise. would appreciate if you could let me know, it could save me buying the HQ stubs.
thanks

Will get a stock 14" HQ rim and check it for you....... will have it done by the end of the weekend.