Holden V8 engine
Encyclopedia
The Holden V8 is an overhead valve (OHV) V8 engine
which was produced by the Australian General Motors
subsidiary Holden
between 1969 and 2000. The engine was used initially in the Kingswood
and Monaro
model ranges; it was later utilised in the Torana
and Commodore
ranges. The final iteration, the HEC 5000i, was phased out upon the release of the VT II Commodore in 1999, which featured the Gen III V8 imported from the United States. The engine continued briefly in the VS III Commodore
utility which continued to be sold alongside the VT model until the new generation Holden Ute
(VU) debuted in 2000.
In addition to being Holden's mainstream performance engine throughout its production run, it was also a popular powerplant for kit cars and specials as well as for motorsport in Holden's efforts in the Australian Touring Car Championship
and the Bathurst 1000
right up until 1995. Australian company Repco
developed and built the Repco-Holden Formula 5000 engine for Formula 5000
and other racing applications using the block and head castings of the Holden 308 V8 as its basis. The engine featured many modifications including Lucas fuel injection and dual coil Bosch ignition and more than 150 special components designed by Repco. The lifter bore angle in the engine block is 45° from the block centerline.
ranges but the project ran behind schedule. The success of Ford Australia
's 289 ci V8 powered XR Falcon GT
- in particular the publicity that followed the cars success at the 1967 Gallaher 500
- saw the V8 added to the plans for the forthcoming coupe adaptation of the HK Kingswood, to be known as the Monaro
and the luxury version of the Kingswood, the Brougham
, and the utility panel vans. The engine was offered as part of the Kingswood/Monaro model ranges, alongside the 350 ci (5.7 L) Chevrolet Small-Block engine
throughout their combined lives which came to an end in 1980.
The engine also appeared from 1971 in the Statesman
range of large size luxury cars which Holden established as a separate marque, replacing the Holden badged Brougham. In 1974 the engines were added to the new larger LH Torana range and was offered as well on the LX model range, but not the final UC range which appeared in 1978.
Both engine capacities were offered on the first Commodores
which appeared in 1978. The 253 ci version was dropped in 1984 and was not offered in the VK
model range. At the same time the special editions modified by Holden's official after-market tuner, Holden Dealer Team
began introducing the 304 ci (4.9 L) version of the engine, created to slip underneath the 5000 cc engine capacity cut-off in Group A
touring car
regulations, allowing Commodore competitors to run at a lower competition weight.
Fuel injection replaced the carburettors initially on the VL Commodore SS Group A SV, again with Group A touring car racing in mind, this car produced by replacement after-market tuner Holden Special Vehicles
(HSV). While Group A disappeared after the VN
model range, the fuel injected 304 engine was offered in Commodores right up until the VS III Commodore
utility.
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
which was produced by the Australian General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
subsidiary Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
between 1969 and 2000. The engine was used initially in the Kingswood
Holden Kingswood
The Holden Kingswood is a full-size car that was manufactured by General Motors-Holden's, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors , from the beginning of the HK series in 1968 through to the conclusion of the WB series in 1984...
and Monaro
Holden Monaro
The Holden Monaro is an automobile that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005...
model ranges; it was later utilised in the Torana
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
and Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
ranges. The final iteration, the HEC 5000i, was phased out upon the release of the VT II Commodore in 1999, which featured the Gen III V8 imported from the United States. The engine continued briefly in the VS III Commodore
Holden VS Commodore
The Holden VS Commodore, released in 1995, was the ninth model of the Holden Commodore, a large car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. The VS Commodore served as a mechanical update of the second generation architecture, destined to assist sales before the all-new VT model...
utility which continued to be sold alongside the VT model until the new generation Holden Ute
Holden Ute
The Holden Ute is a coupe utility built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors, since 2000. Before then, Holden had marketed their Commodore-based utility models under the Holden Utility and Holden Commodore utility names, although the term “Holden Ute” was also used in their...
(VU) debuted in 2000.
In addition to being Holden's mainstream performance engine throughout its production run, it was also a popular powerplant for kit cars and specials as well as for motorsport in Holden's efforts in the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
and the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
right up until 1995. Australian company Repco
Repco
Repco is an Australian automotive engineering company. Its name is an abbreviation of Replacement Parts Company and it is best known for spare parts and motor accessories....
developed and built the Repco-Holden Formula 5000 engine for Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
and other racing applications using the block and head castings of the Holden 308 V8 as its basis. The engine featured many modifications including Lucas fuel injection and dual coil Bosch ignition and more than 150 special components designed by Repco. The lifter bore angle in the engine block is 45° from the block centerline.
Applications
Initially offered in 253-cubic-inch (4.2 L) and 308 cubic inches (5.1 l) versions, the engines were intended to be offered on the 1968 HK versions of the new KingswoodHolden Kingswood
The Holden Kingswood is a full-size car that was manufactured by General Motors-Holden's, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors , from the beginning of the HK series in 1968 through to the conclusion of the WB series in 1984...
ranges but the project ran behind schedule. The success of Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
's 289 ci V8 powered XR Falcon GT
Ford Falcon GT
The Ford Falcon GT is an automobile which was produced by Ford Australia from 1967 to 1976 and 2003 to the present day with intermittent limited edition anniversary models offered in between. Since 2003 the car has been marketed as the FPV GT but FPV continue to release anniversary editions based...
- in particular the publicity that followed the cars success at the 1967 Gallaher 500
1967 Gallaher 500
The 1967 Gallaher 500 was the eighth running of the Bathurst 500 production car race. It was held on 1 October 1967 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. Cars competed in five classes based on purchase price of the vehicle.In a seminal moment for the race, the first Australian built...
- saw the V8 added to the plans for the forthcoming coupe adaptation of the HK Kingswood, to be known as the Monaro
Holden Monaro
The Holden Monaro is an automobile that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005...
and the luxury version of the Kingswood, the Brougham
Holden Brougham
The Holden Brougham is a large, luxury automobile which was produced by General Motors–Holden's in Australia between July 1968 and 1971.It was based on the mainstream Holden Premier of the same years, but with a lengthened rear body. The boot was simply extended by rather than increasing the ...
, and the utility panel vans. The engine was offered as part of the Kingswood/Monaro model ranges, alongside the 350 ci (5.7 L) Chevrolet Small-Block engine
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
throughout their combined lives which came to an end in 1980.
The engine also appeared from 1971 in the Statesman
Statesman (automobile)
Statesman was an automotive marque created in 1971 by General Motors Holden , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Statesman vehicles were sold through Holden dealerships, and were initially based on the mainstream Holden HQ station wagon platform, thereby providing more interior room and...
range of large size luxury cars which Holden established as a separate marque, replacing the Holden badged Brougham. In 1974 the engines were added to the new larger LH Torana range and was offered as well on the LX model range, but not the final UC range which appeared in 1978.
Both engine capacities were offered on the first Commodores
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
which appeared in 1978. The 253 ci version was dropped in 1984 and was not offered in the VK
Holden VK Commodore
The Holden VK Commodore was introduced in 1984 and replaced the VH. It was the first Commodore to have plastic bumpers and introduced rear quarter windows for a six-window design as opposed to the four-window design on previous Commodore models...
model range. At the same time the special editions modified by Holden's official after-market tuner, Holden Dealer Team
Holden Dealer Team
The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s...
began introducing the 304 ci (4.9 L) version of the engine, created to slip underneath the 5000 cc engine capacity cut-off in Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
regulations, allowing Commodore competitors to run at a lower competition weight.
Fuel injection replaced the carburettors initially on the VL Commodore SS Group A SV, again with Group A touring car racing in mind, this car produced by replacement after-market tuner Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles
Holden Special Vehicles is the officially designated performance vehicle partner of Australian automobile manufacturer Holden. Established in 1987 and based in Clayton, Victoria, the company modifies Holden models such as the Commodore, Caprice and Ute and markets them under the HSV brandname.-...
(HSV). While Group A disappeared after the VN
Holden VN Commodore
The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends...
model range, the fuel injected 304 engine was offered in Commodores right up until the VS III Commodore
Holden VS Commodore
The Holden VS Commodore, released in 1995, was the ninth model of the Holden Commodore, a large car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. The VS Commodore served as a mechanical update of the second generation architecture, destined to assist sales before the all-new VT model...
utility.