MOST Holden and Ford disputes revolve around red and blue, however Bruce Potter has a choice to make between purple or aqua when it comes to his 1971 Holden Torana LC S model.
Mr Potter said the Ford Purple Velvet paintwork was not his cup of tea and he planned to splash the car’s exterior in Taormina sea blue instead – similar to that used by Holden scarcely with its factory LC production.
While the vehicle was white when rolled off the assembly line, Mr Potter said the previous owner painted the Torona purple.
“It is not my style for whatever reason, but I have not changed it yet,” he said.
“I want to paint it Taormina as its just a really pretty colour and is also a factory Torana shade.
“The purple has grown on me and my daughter Maddy is most against the change, but I do not want to keep it as is.”
Steadily working on the vehicle over the years, Mr Potter said the car had been modified slightly.
“I purchased the motor from Bendigo and went over on a day trip to pick it up with the trailer and brought it back home,” he said.
“We have changed it from automatic to a manual, redone the brakes, steering is all reconditioned and everything else which needed to be done has been.
“Tonkins Mount Gambier installed a stereo and speakers which sounds crystal clear and are loud enough to drown any old car rattles out.”
Mr Potter said whenever the car left the garage it drew attention from people passing by.
“Everywhere I take it, people want to open up the bonnet and open the doors so they can see,” he said.
“If we go down to the supermarket or down the street, I am always being asked by people to take photos of it.”
Mr Potter said his children and their friends learnt to drive in the car when it was originally an automatic.
“It is a hobby to share I think and all cars are different,” he said.
“I bought it mainly for the kids because it really was not my thing.
“It has sat in the shed for most of the time we have had it and do not really use it that often.”
Also the owner of an LJ Torana, Mr Potter said he knew the difference between the two models due to a few giveaways.
“The dash on the LC is different with its ash tray,” he said.
“The chrome finish – which is actually aluminium – comes around the sides and the tail lights go straight through and wrap around the car.
“There is not much room to install a radio, so when you do install one they have to go under the dash.”
Mr Potter said the car had a XU-1 dash and he eventually wanted to reupholster the car’s interior.
“I also want to take its fuel tank out and install a larger capacity tank which would mean there would not be much boot space,” he said.
“These are only around 30L so you can not even get to Tailem Bend on it.
“It also has a XU-1 style muffler and an after-market spoiler which people have installed to a lot of their Toranas, whether it be a two-door or a four-door.”
Mr Potter said there were few original S models left because everyone had “hacked” and modified them.
“I was going to sell it and I have actually had a couple of people look at it at it, but I have decided to keep it for now,” he said.
Make and model: 1971 Holden Torana LC S
Transmission: Four-speed gearbox and standard differential
Engine: 202 with triple SU carburetors
Wheels: Sprintmaster wheels with 185/60/13 front and 235/50/13 rear tyres
