Back in 1976, Holden had a problem. A Ford Falcon Coupe sized problem. Their L34 Toranas were getting whacked by XB Coupes on a regular basis, and they were desperate to hit back. However, if they wanted to put a new car on the track, they had to dodge the regulators. The solution? A performance package dubbed “A9X” for the hatchback SS and 4 door SL/R models. It featured wild arch flares, an aggressive front splitter, a ducktail spoiler and a total overhaul of the suspension geometry. The design was more efficient and combined with the L34’s potent engine on track, it went on to dominate the ATCC – winning the championship in ’78 and ’79. In 1979, Peter Brock and Jim Richards won “The Great Race” by a record 6 laps. Legacy cemented. Ford beaten. Unsurprisingly, the A9X inspired a litany of builds which I can’t help but love. This one, called the HHH (Triple H) LX, packs a serious punch and will definitely smack you down if you mess with it.
Funnily enough, this car is not named after a wrestler – it’s named after a business called Triple H Motors. The whole story is quite an emotional one. Adrian Haynes and his dad, Robert, both started working on the car together several years ago before Robert was diagnosed with rapid-onset dementia. This news, just 12 months after starting the build, was a blow but Robert wanted the project to continue anyway. Sadly, he died in 2020 and therefore wasn’t able to see the completed car. As a tribute to his father and his business Triple H Motors, Adrian called the paint colour HHH Rouge and boy oh boy is it a pretty colour. There’s no other word for it.
Looking in the engine bay, we see a billet intake system connected to two air filters and aluminium heads. The engine itself is an LS3 V8 pulled from a wrecked VE HSV Clubsport, with some extra internal mods to boost power from around 420 to 500 HP, whilst being connected to the stock gearbox from the VE. The bottom end hasn’t been touched at all, so nothing can possibly go wrong there! I tell you, this engine is a proper unit, even if it doesn’t lay down insane power numbers. Naturally aspirated power in an A9X style Torana is just what the doctor ordered.
As is soo often the case with these sort of builds, the brakes and the suspension are modern setups far detached from the original components. Coilovers all around, big disc brakes from Willwood and shock absorbers by Monroe that are specifically engineered for high-performance driving. Relatively speaking, the tyres are very wide indeed, properly filling those ridiculous arch flares. The big, deep dished chrome wheels don’t look too bad either and are more than necessary to fit the uprated brakes. Seeing the exposed rear tyres gives you an idea of just how much wider the car is compared to a regular, narrow-bodied LX Torana.
The A9X Toranas are proper Aussie muscle cars that have inspired many enthusiasts in the years since it first showed up. Real ones are extremely rare, with only 405 ever being built for the road and another 53 for race use. Luckily for us, there are plenty of A9X style body kits available to help you transform a Torana into an old-school racecar… given that you have an LX shell in good enough condition, a bunch of modern parts and a dedicated team of people to help you. Putting something like this together for your late dad takes some proper muscle. Well done Adrian.
DevMacCars 