So they dropped the X2. X2 wasn't just the engine after all. It was a package of various other bits. It wasn't replaced by the 186S. The X2 engine ceased to exist along with the X2 car,not superseded. If you are not a HR nut it's hard to follow.Originally Posted by Dr Terry
A lot of HG Monaro's had a standard 186 fitted if they were automatic. I had a few mates with them back in the 70's and have a current member of my car club with one.
The late LC GTR did have a 2850 S. Not many were made, it was the transition motor coming up in the HQ and LJ (the 173/ 2850). The reason they did a short run of 2850 S was because they had simply run out of 161 blocks. To maintain continuity in the GTR range with the S motor, they simply upgraded the 173 to S specs with manifold, carby and headers. They didn't fit the X2 cam either, just ran the standard profile.
Apparently fitting the standard 202 (3300) was considered, but since the XU-1 only had a 186 (albeit a highly modified one) they waited until the LJ GTR to do it.
Trivia...... 5 LC SL Torana's (all manuals) were fitted with 2600S motors although it was not an option.
Vans.... This is the 2nd time round the block, 40 years later! talk about turning back the clock!
I'm not following your logic. Since 1970 when I owned my first car, I've owned many HD/HR Holdens including those with X2 & S engines.
The X2 wasn't a 'car' or a 'model' it was an engine option. As part of any option there was a package of unique (attached) bits that went along with it like the accelerator linkage etc. but outside of that there wasn't much to it. The extra gauges, the 3" manual trans tailshaft & the twin header pipe exhaust system simply carried over to the new 186S option package.
Dr Terry
The 186S was the standard engine for HK/T/G Monaro GTS, but the base Monaro had the two lesser engines (161 & 186) also available, the 161 being standard issue. I'm pretty certain that no GTS had a standard 186 engine when it left the factory. Also all of these had the 3-sp manual, 4-sp manual or Tri-Matic optional.
I'm not sure what you mean by "had a standard 186 fitted if they were automatic". Are you saying that you know of Monaro GTSs which have standard 186 engines fitted instead of the 186S, or do you mean that you could only get the standard 186 engine in a base Monaro if it was an auto ?
Dr Terry
Last edited by Dr Terry; 14-04-2015 at 08:52 AM.
Rob, the vast majority of 6cyl HG Monaros (0337 models) were 186 engines. It was Monaro GTS 6cyl (0737 models) that were 186S standard with no engine option available. The HG Monaro was standard with 161 HC but most were optioned with 186 HC, although there were 3 other optional 6cyl engines in that model (161 LC, 186 LC and 186S).
It wasn't just a short run of LC with a 173 in it, it was a considerable time. GMH didn't stockpile any 6cyl engines for HG and LC, they just used HQ spec engines from the start of HQ engine production (approx. 5/71 or thereabouts). V8 engines (253 and 308) were stockpiled for HG commercials (built until around 10/71) and for the South African SS. Which meant LC got the 173 and 173S plus the revised 138 and as far as I'm aware the revised 130 for export. The HG commercials got the 173 and 202 (in high and low comp) plus if they did exports at that time the revised 130 as well.
Where did the figure of 5 x 173S SL's come from? I have heard of dealers doing these but not GMH.
Oops - got distracted, and Dr Terry beat me to the punch!
Did the car optioned as an X2 continue with the single carb 186s engine?
Wasn't the X2 an optione that consisted of full instrumentation, X2 badging and a motor with twin carbs added to a HR/D car or commercial vehicle?
There was no X2 engine option once the 186S engine replaced it. Essentially they simply replaced 2 x 1 barrel carbs with a 2 barrel carb plus associated manifold, throttle linkage, air cleaner etc (and badging).
Got me confused. X2 was more than a engine option. It was dash and badges as well. The engine was just part of the X2 package surely. If you ordered an X2 they didn't just wheel you out a engine on a pallet did they. They gave you the rest of the car as well???
It was an engine option pure & simple. If you wanted an X2 or an S instead of the normal 149/161/179/186 engines in the HD/HR series you just ticked that box. Sure it included the extra gauges, tougher tailshaft for manuals & the all-important badges, but you could say the same about any other later engine option.
For example in HQ, if you ordered a 253 V8 instead of a 6-cyl, you got the disc brakes, bigger radiator, transmission & rear axles & of course the badges.
Take a look at a VL 3.0 Turbo, you got a tacho dash, bigger wheels, stronger trans, bigger front brakes, 4-pinion 31-spline rear axle, the list goes on.
In short, an engine option is just that, the option of fitting an upgraded engine with the necessary upgrades to the car so it becomes an option package.
Probably the most famous engine option package of all would be the L34. So great was the list of upgrades it virtually constituted a separate model.
The big myth about the HD/HR X2 & S is that they were a separate model, this is simply not true.
Dr Terry
L34 in HK would have been the same Terry, would have turned a 186S Opel 4spd into a GTS327.
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