Well it's been awhile in the works but my project torana is starting to finally take some shape. I've had the car now for almost two years. It started as a 253 with an auzzie four speed, and stayed this way for about a year, but it was toooo slow and kept breaking so I took it off the road. Got it painted in ford blueprint, put a droptank in, re-trimed the interior, added a stereo and im now at the stage of putting a decent motor in. The decision wasn't hard when i found an already dismantled rb30et with a set of hypatec - ceramic coated pistons, crow cam and rebuild kit for next to nothing and the rebuild started. I got the heads ported and some crow valve springs to match. As the pistons are thirty thou over i got the block match bored and decked to bump the compression up slightly. I have just accquired an air reasearch t04b and custom exhaust manifold which i believe has been based on a nizpro design and looks great however im still trying to figure out if it will fit in the bay ... should be sorted out soon though. So what do yous think of the project so far? The reason for this post is that im at the stage of sorting out a gearbox and was wondering how good an n/a jatco auto (rebuilt, with a stall and shiftkit) would go behind this kind of an engine if it was putting out about 250-300hp. The reason for asking this is that i've got access to a free n/a jatco auto which would help with the project as im on a uni budget. I'm also interested in plenums. I have heard that jdcustom plenums are good but not 100% sure... What do yous reckonmend? Paul (MR30L) is going to post some pics of the progress that is being in made on the car and a few other random pics .... THANKS PAUL!!! Dean

Forgot to mention that it also has a nine inch rear end with a 3.9 ratio which will be welded up before it hits the street, and also that in the pics it's still got the standard turbo manifold and turbo. cheers, Dean

very nice project, dam wish i could do the same but LJ torana Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

not bad, not bad at all!!!

fark dude what haven't you painted blue?! Looks mad, great idea, would turn some heads hearing an LX spooling up I bet. Maybe you should put some white in the engine bay to contrast with the blue, like your wheels do? Love it.

Man, very nice. With the n/a jatco auto, do a search, there will be heaps of info on em. I'm going from a RB30ET to a 253 with 304 internals in my VL. Just wondering what ya did with your Aussie 4SPD? Most importantly have you still got it and do you want to sell it? Thats if its in good condition.

Quote: Originally Posted by VLT_RB30 Man, very nice. With the n/a jatco auto, do a search, there will be heaps of info on em. I'm going from a RB30ET to a 253 with 304 internals in my VL. Just wondering what ya did with your Aussie 4SPD? Most importantly have you still got it and do you want to sell it? Thats if its in good condition. huhhhh??? what u mean a 3253 with 308 internals?? they had a completely different sized bore. The torana looks AWESOME but i think ur selling yourself short with the build up... dunno much about hypertecs but i doubt they're anything tough, u need forgies coz i guarantee the power bug will bite u and when u want to upgrade them pistons will be your weakest link. U could be the next cgmfly Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Oldgold: the white wheels aren't going to be used when it's finished i've got a nice set of hotwires that have shined up really well and i eventually wanna put a set of 19 inch vx gts mags on it, but that's along way off. I'm going to do speedflow fittings in the engine bay with braided lines, so hopefully that will contrast well enough. VLT_RB30: Funny you should mention the 4 speed ... As i've got two, both are in good condition one is even painted the same colour as my car... also got a heavy duty rpm clutch which has never been used. I wanna get rid of them so if you pay for frieght i'll sell em both to you for $400 and thrown in the clutch. Sinister: the only reason i put the pistons in was because they were there. They are simply turbo pistons with a ceramic coating on the top, which i think is meant to distrbute heat more evenly over the top of the piston, helping to prevent burning holes in them. I've already got another block sitting at home which I plan on doing a forged bottom end for, got another two years of uni left though ... So i might leave it til after that. Has anyone got some information on plenums, and whats good and whats not? Thanks again guys, and I hope to post some pictures on the turbo and manifold asap. Dean

Nice work Dean should lookd and go sweet when its done. Good on ya!! and good luck!!

god, cant believe it, I have a ford bluprint Torana hatch as well, and it too has a rb30det in it as well, and is up to about the same stage as yours. I have some pics if you want to see, dont know how to post them up though. mine runs a 2 speed powerglide, forged pistons ported head, homebuilt custom manifold and 600 hp garett roller bearing, am yet to make a plenum, I love your ride, would be good to c pics of yours as you progress.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sinister huhhhh??? what u mean a 3253 with 308 internals?? they had a completely different sized bore. 3253??? WTF? The 308 and 253 are both the same blocks. I have a 253 that will have a 304 (3.025 stroke) crank, 304 rods and 304 + 60 pistons fitted. Of course the block will be machined to make em fit. I was just going to 308 +40. But the 304 came out with a better crank. Man if I had the cash I would buy both, but xmas, rebuild ect. How about just 1 complete? No probs with frieght, Northline freight should be close to you?

Quote: Originally Posted by VLT_RB30 3253??? WTF? The 308 and 253 are both the same blocks. I have a 253 that will have a 304 (3.025 stroke) crank, 304 rods and 304 + 60 pistons fitted. Of course the block will be machined to make em fit. I was just going to 308 +40. But the 304 came out with a better crank. Man if I had the cash I would buy both, but xmas, rebuild ect. How about just 1 complete? No probs with frieght, Northline freight should be close to you? obviously 3253 was a typo and ummm... the blocks are as identical as camiras and vl executives (close, but not exactly same) 253 blocks have almost a centermetre smaller bore, which in motor measurements is a hell of a lot. So you'd have to bore out your 253 a ****load to get the 304 pistons in... and then why would u bother ?? u still have a dirty old 80s or even 70s block that needs prob has a bellhousing for a weak trimatic or something. Go with a 304 block mate... rb30 boys and v8s dont go together Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

VLT_RB30, why dont you just buy a 308? seems to be a lot less ****ing around......

Sinister is correct. The Blocks are different.

man i love it. its exactley what i was gunna do to my slr. but i sold it. long live the mighty torana

haha your user name always made me think ex torana! now i know i was right!

So guys what do you think about the n/a auto behind my engine ... How long will it last? what do i need to do to make it stronger? Has anyone got an n/a auto behind an rb30et? Someone must have some information on plenums!!! anything at all!!! Does anyone have a secondhand jdcustom plenum for sale? I've read up on them abit and they sound like they are pretty good. What are other peoples opinions? VLT_RB30: You can have one box for 250 with the clutch and shifter, also will you need a bellhousing? ... you organise freight and i'll drop it off, how does that sound ... let me know??? Blue_vl_t: Send your pics to [email removed] and he'll post em up for you (thanks paul) ... Can't wait to see what it looks like !!! Dean

here are the pics Dean. you guys are geerin me up to buy a LJ 2 door hehehehe, Dean dont u think that turbo is small hehehehehehe (personal jk) Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

cheers MR 30L, id love to know how to post pics etc, The torana has a 9" diff 4.11 gears and spool, two speed powerglide, balanced bottom end, shotpeened rods, wiseco forgies, 8.0:1 compression ratio, ported head, 036 injectors, Haltec e6x, custom homebuilt manifold (not finished yet) garett gt30 600hp roller bearing, 600x300x100 bar and plate cooler, vl turbo brakes and booster. obviosly its not finished yet, want a large external wastegate if anyone has one. cheers