1981 Holden Commodore Wagon

Cheers.....Be good when she's done for sure, i'm in no rush though just cruise through it & do it right the 1st time. I'd say by the end of next summer she should be finished, as the photos show i'm a fair way through it all now

 

Well i went & picked up a Vl for parts a couple of weeks ago, had been sitting under trees for a year & not started so i just chucked it on the trailer & headed home with it. Stopped & got some gas for it on the way, got home & threw a battery in it & away she went. Mint runner, the thing looked like it was stuffed with all the black crap all over it from sitting under trees for so long. I decided to wash it it looked that bad lol, i should have taken some photos 1st but lets say you couldn't even see out of the windows it was that black. Funny thing was after washing it there's a bloody tidy wagon under all the crap, it's way to good to wreck so i'll be hanging onto it for a future project. Still needs more scrubbing but will come up well, it's in better nic than my previous daily. A few hundred spiders to clear out & she'll be sweet lol.....

 

If that dual exhaust manifold would fit onto a Chevy 250/292, imagine the torque increase. Can you get those new or do you have to go to a breaker yard to get one?
What carburetors were offered, as factory options?

 

Those twin branch manifolds are rare as hens teeth over here, were used on 1966 Holdens on a factory hotted up version. I was tempted to keep mine when i sold that old six but i cant see myself having another so i let it all go complete.......

 

Did the factory high-output versions use standard carburetors and camshafts?

 

The carburetor's used with those headers was a 2 barrell the same as they used on the later 4.2 litre V8's, they were a horrible carb though. The carb i swear by on any 6 is a properly jetted 32/36 dgv webber, they were the best for power responsiveness & even economy.....

 

No the standard was a single barrell stromburg carby, i think from memory the cam was hotted up a bit on these, they came out on the 186 cu engine.....

 

Strombergs are all side-draughts, as far as I know

 

It's been that long since i've worked on one of the old six's you might be right, i'll have to have a read for a refresher. The old memory isnt what it used to be, they were a single barrel downdraft carb. They worked ok on the 6's but didnt like going round corners in a hurry.....


Just checked & they were stromberg, heres a link to them http://holdenpaedia.oldholden.com/Stromberg_carby......

 

They were evidently Bendix patents manufactured by Stromberg. Here's a dual set-up. Whether the manifold is original or home-made is left up for grabs



Here, a GM Pontiac 6 of identicle displacement as the Chevies. I have no idea as to how many bits both engines share.
The standard issue was equipped with a Rochester 1-barrel and single exhaust manifold on both and the Quadra-Jet was an option on the OHC pontiac 6, as well as the dual exhaust:



Other ideas, here: http://sohcsix.yuku.com/reply/10325...nd-headers-250-ohc6-sprint-motor#.UX-ry6Lwmvk

 

That manifold is actually factory, i'm a tad rusty on the old six's. Those twin carbs actually came with the exhaust manifolds i had, the 2 barrel carb i had was on a later engine but still with the factory twin branch headers. Heres a write up on them http://holdenpaedia.oldholden.com/X2

 

They'd go quite well with the overhead cam i bet to......

 

I couldn't find the 2-barrel carb mentioned on that site. Was it also a Bendix or did they use the Rochester?

 

I'll find a link for info on them, they were a 2 barrel stromberg...... heres a link to a pic of 1 http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/holden/engines/auction-584197990.htm

Another pic i found, cant find much sites on them yet http://oldholden.com/ohfiles/WW_Stromberg-01.JPG

 

That opening looked familiar and my hunch came true.
That's another Bendix under license replica used by Chrysler Corporation in the States:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27230671@N03/sets/72157605384681951/detail/

You have your local content laws to thank for such inventiveness. Without that, you would have had to settle for boring 1 barrel Rochester, single exhaust 6 cylinders for your Holdens.
Had we have had the internet 40 years ago, there would be plenty of 194/250/292 series 6 cylinder Chevies equipped with Holden bits driving on American and Canadian roads today