Rarest Holdens, special editions etc

[Smitty]

Not sure how true this is but a mate many years ago was telling me his old man had a VH SLE with a factory 327. Apparently Holden had a few lying around for a while and dropped them in some SLE's to use them up, somewhere around a dozen cars were made I think he said but again not sure how true it was.

doubtful.... very doubtful
last 327s GMH had went back to HK days... what? 'bout 15 years before VH?
no way GMH would fit engines sitting around for 15 years and
second ..a Chev in a Commo is a right PITA to fit even as a custom.
starter won't fit as it hits the steering, electrics all wrong, no mounts or brackets
for alternator, pwr steer and air con so all would need to be custom plus
there is no way a Commodore with a Chev would comply with
any ADRs or EPA requirements

 

[JMP]

I doubted it myself also but wouldn't say it wasn't possible. Holdens have for years done many things for the hell of it even without the knowledge of GM and I'm sure in the day if they wanted to fit some 327's in a VH they would have found a way to do it. If it was done it would have been purely for some high up people in Holdens to have something different and not for the everyday people like me or you. But again I still have my doubts.

 

[JRNZER]

doubtful.... very doubtful
last 327s GMH had went back to HK days... what? 'bout 15 years before VH?
no way GMH would fit engines sitting around for 15 years and
second ..a Chev in a Commo is a right PITA to fit even as a custom.
starter won't fit as it hits the steering, electrics all wrong, no mounts or brackets
for alternator, pwr steer and air con so all would need to be custom plus
there is no way a Commodore with a Chev would comply with
any ADRs or EPA requirements

I remember many years ago an old mate bought a vh with a 327 (not factory) and constantly had problems with it not starting, pretty sure they worked out that the starter motor was getting way too hot all the time.

 

[vc commodore]

I doubted it myself also but wouldn't say it wasn't possible. Holdens have for years done many things for the hell of it even without the knowledge of GM and I'm sure in the day if they wanted to fit some 327's in a VH they would have found a way to do it. If it was done it would have been purely for some high up people in Holdens to have something different and not for the everyday people like me or you. But again I still have my doubts.

Fitting a 15 year old engine into a newly built car I find highly unlikely Holden/HDT or alikes would have done, even for high up people

 

[Reaper]

Not sure how true this is but a mate many years ago was telling me his old man had a VH SLE with a factory 327. Apparently Holden had a few lying around for a while and dropped them in some SLE's to use them up, somewhere around a dozen cars were made I think he said but again not sure how true it was.

Not a hope in hell that was ever OE.

 

[Smitty]

I doubted it myself also but wouldn't say it wasn't possible. Holdens have for years done many things for the hell of it even without the knowledge of GM and I'm sure in the day if they wanted to fit some 327's in a VH they would have found a way to do it. If it was done it would have been purely for some high up people in Holdens to have something different and not for the everyday people like me or you. But again I still have my doubts.

.. there is an element of truth in that
GMH directors did have SL/Es with HDT engines, even I arranged a 308/M21 drop
into a VC L wagon (with twin exhaust FE2 HD rear axle etc) for my co car
but
it was all simply bolt in stuff. No mods allowed as the cars would not comply with ADRs
and the ADR and EPA test costs are horrendously expensive. A factory Chev 327 in a VH?

just didn't happen imo ...

 

[Reaper]

.. there is an element of truth in that
GMH directors did have SL/Es with HDT engines, even I arranged a 308/M21 drop
into a VC L wagon (with twin exhaust FE2 HD rear axle etc) for my co car
but
it was all simply bolt in stuff. No mods allowed as the cars would not comply with ADRs
and the ADR and EPA test costs are horrendously expensive. A factory Chev 327 in a VH?

just didn't happen imo ...

Had to have a bit of a laugh when it came to HDT and EPA compliance

 

[Smitty]

Had to have a bit of a laugh when it came to HDT and EPA compliance

no laughing matter. GMH could NOT put build plates covering compliance with ADRs
(which also incl EPA regs unless they actually did comply... and they did.) on factory Commos
They did the tests at LangLang. I used to watch them.. cold start thru 'desert' tests. As a result
the factory V5H and V7X hipo engines all complied...

What PGB and the HDT boys did afterthe cars left the factory... well that is another story.
A 5.6 or T5G equipped HDT had no compliance plate that I ever saw that
covered the engine or the box.

And that fact ultimately lead to the downfall of HDT with GMH walking away
from the agreement to supply HDT with cars. Brock insisted in building cars
(to wit the Director) that would never get anywhere meeting any ADR

 

[Reaper]

no laughing matter. GMH could NOT put build plates covering compliance with ADRs
(which also incl EPA regs unless they actually did comply... and they did.) on factory Commos
They did the tests at LangLang. I used to watch them.. cold start thru 'desert' tests. As a result
the factory V5H and V7X hipo engines all complied...

What PGB and the HDT boys did afterthe cars left the factory... well that is another story.
A 5.6 or T5G equipped HDT had no compliance plate that I ever saw that
covered the engine or the box.

And that fact ultimately lead to the downfall of HDT with GMH walking away
from the agreement to supply HDT with cars. Brock insisted in building cars
(to wit the Director) that would never get anywhere meeting any ADR

Oh totally hence the laugh. Heard stories from those working at HDT in the day about smashed out cats and all sorts of shenanigans in the VL's amongst others. The box of crystals was only part of it - I totally understand from a Holden point of view that you can't chuck a whole new rear end etc under a car with no crash testing what so ever. Many thought PB a god who could do no wrong. For a while I think he believed it himself.

 

[Hot-Rod]

The rarest of them all. Only ever 6 vehicles built, 2 road going 4 race going. The Holden Monaro 427C also known as the HRT 427....