If you get the VIN off a car I can get it looked up.
If you get the VIN off a car I can get it looked up.
The one I'm looking to buy is a 1973, we know it's was a V8 and a TH 400 but does make it a 350 motor?
Original TH400 yes as 308 had trimatic. 1973 compliance should have M41 on the body tag.
Yeah, when did Holden cast the 1st Turbo pattern 308's? I thought it was around '75, which means any T400 compliance plate on a HQ would indicate a 350.
Vans.... This is the 2nd time round the block, 40 years later! talk about turning back the clock!
The blocks are the same as a 4spd block, just drilled differently. The first ones were around 3/73 from memory, cast for F5000 use. Later ones were cast for L34. The first ones drilled in TH pattern will be for the first 308's with TH400, probably actually on HQ's in Engineering. The first production HJ's with 308 TH400 will be circa July-August 1974.
Essentially yes, M41 on a HQ means a 350, but you'll only find it on Statesman, Statesman Deville, LS, GTS and Kingswood sedan (XW8 - GTS 350 sedan). I'm pretty sure all the "specials" identified with 350's in them that aren't supposed to were early body plates (no mechanical options on them).
Yeah, of course they were the same block, my lapse of concentration there.
But what I meant, (and you answered it for me) was when did we see the turbo 400 as the 308 auto trans? I wasn't aware of any HQ's with turbo 400 behind a 308, I thought it was HJ that introduced them. But I guess I'm just using brochures and manuals (which were printed pre-production) for this info.
I have in my vast collection of workshop manuals, the HQ turbo 400 supplement and although I haven't looked at it for a long time, I think it was defined as the auto for the 350 only. I'll try to dig it out and confirm this.
I suppose Holden was having problems with 308's killing trimatics in HQ's, so had to do something mid series. A good move, the turbo 400 is a great fit behind a 308 if you want an auto.
Vans.... This is the 2nd time round the block, 40 years later! talk about turning back the clock!
You won't find a HQ 308 with TH400, as I said maybe only an Engineering hack used to make sure it all fitted and worked. As far as I am aware a HQ TH400 sits in the same spot behind a 350 as it does in a HJ so most of the bits would be designed anyway (unlike a HK-HG where 253/308 and 350 see their boxes move due to the longer 350).
I think you'll find the HQ trimatic was at its limit behind a HQ 308, and with the significant extra power and torque in a HJ 308 the trimatic was not up to scratch. HJ was designed for a 400 too so most stuff would have been ready as well.
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