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UC Specifications
The UC series followed the LX and was the last of the Torana line. Major changes were made to the front sheet metal, grille, headlights, tail lights and interior. The big news on the mechanical front was the dropping of all V8s and sports orientated models. RTS received even further refinement and the car's chassis was lightened in some areas to improve the power to weight ratio. This could be done because the additional strength was no longer required with the demise of the V8s. The interior was upgrades with revised seating, resulting in increased legroom, a more modern dash and a HX type multi function column stalk switch for windscreen wipers and washers, headlight dimmer, flasher and blinkers.

Other improvements included more aerodynamic styling with improved, larger rectangular headlights, a larger fuel tank and the option of four wheel disk brakes.

The new Holden 10 bolt 'small Salibury' differential made its debut in the UC series, replacing the old banjo type. The change to Salisbury differential meant the introduction of a new rear floor panel pressing to cater for the repositioned upper trailing arms (as fitted to the LX A9X).

The new optional rear disc brakes were similar in design to the A9X and HZ units, but were smaller in diameter to suit the 13 inch road wheels. Another worthwhile improvement was the new central, floor mounted handbrake fitted between the two front bucket seats. Only the bench seated Torana six cylinder retained the underdash pedal operated park brake from the previous LH and LX series.

The attractive new dash fascia had the heater / demister (or optional air conditioner) controls in the centre, above the air outlets. The instruments were upgraded to include a temperature gauge on all models. An optional instrument cluster was made available, which included gauges for fuel, temperature, oil and volts as well as a speedo and a tacho with a small clock mounted within the arc of the tacho.

Four speed manual transmissions were standard on all models except the Torana S six cylinder which came with a three speed column shifted manual gearbox. The Torana six cylinder range consisted simply of the S sedan, the SL sedan and the SL hatchback. The Deluxe package was optional on both SLs and included a tinted band laminated windscreen, tinted side and rear glass, intermittent windscreen wiper control, AM radio / cassette tape player, cloth seat inserts, full instrument cluster and front and rear bumper over riders.

The Sunbird lineup was increased to include the Sunbird sedan and hatch, Sunbird SL sedan and hatch and, later in 1978, the Sunbird SL/E sedan and hatch. In mid 1979, the Sunbird Deluxe sedan was released (no hatch was offered).

The four cylinder 1900 Opel engine and the six cylinder engine range were basically as for LX with minor improvements. However, late in 1978, the Opel powerplant gave way to the GM-H designed four cylinder Starfire engine. It was released simultaneously with the Sunbird SL/E and was based on the 2.85 litre (173) six cylinder Holden Red motor with two fewer cylinders, a new shorter crankshaft, a newly designed cylinder head and a two barrel Rochester Varajet carburetor. It was the first four cylinder engine designed and built in Australia.

As the UC series was phased out, its place in the market was filled first by various versions of the Commodore and later by the JB Camira.

MINOR FEATURES
  • Column shift manual and auto available on Torana six cylinder only.
  • Both types of four speed manual transmissions (Australian and Filipino) were used behind six cylinder engines.
  • All model manual transmissions used cable operated clutch.
  • Factory fitted air conditioning available on six cylinder cars only.
  • Dealer fitted GM-H accessory air conditioning now available across the range.
  • HZ type steering wheels used with unique horn pads.
  • SL/Es used HZ GTS three spoke steering wheel design, colour coded to interior.
  • All cars used 13 x 5.5 inch steel wheels and steel belted radial (except SL/E, 13 x 6 alloys).
  • Sunbird SL/E alloy wheels same style as TD Gemini SL/E.
  • QH headlights standard on all SLs and SL/Es.
  • White parking lights (no longer inside headlights) mounted with orange front blinkers at the outer edge of the headlights.
  • SL/Es had velour seat trim.
  • Steering rack mounted solidly (as in A9X), not rubber mounted as on previous cars.
  • Starfire 4 engine painted silver.
  • Six cylinder engines renamed 2.85 litre and 3.3 litre (previously 2850 and 3300).
DIMENSIONS
  • FUEL TANK ... ? ... ?
  • WHEELBASE ... 102.1 INCHES ... 2593 mm
  • TRACK (FRONT) ... 55.7 INCHES ... 1415 mm
  • TRACK (REAR) ... 54.4 INCHES ... 1382 mm
  • HEIGHT (SEDAN) ... 53.0 INCHES ... 1346 mm
  • HEIGHT (HATCH) ... 52.6 INCHES ... 1336 mm
  • WIDTH ... 67.1 INCHES ... 1704 mm
  • LENGTH ... 177.6 INCHES ... 4514 mm
PRODUCTION
  • DOMESTIC ... 46 495
  • EXPORT (WHOLE) ... 225
  • EXPORT (CKD) ... 6 288
  • TOTAL ... 53 008
ENGINE
COMP. RATIO OUTPUT ENG.NO. PREFIX
  • 1900 LC (OPEL EX.) 8.6 68 kW UA
  • 1900 HC (OPEL) 9.0 72 kW UA
  • 1900 (STARFIRE) 8.7 60 kW UN
  • 2.85 M 8.3 78 kW HE / XQE
  • 2.85 A 9.4 87 kW HD / XQD
  • 3.3 M 7.8 81 kW HM / XQM
  • 3.3 A 9.4 88 kW HL / XQL
TRANSMISSION
SPEED SHIFT POS OTHER
  • MC6 4 MAN FLOOR EXPORT
  • M15 3 MAN COL -
  • M20 4 MAN FLOOR AUST
  • M40 3 AUTO FLOOR / COL TRIMATIC
FINAL DRIVE
  • SMALL SALISBURY - 2.78, 3.08, 3.36, 3.90
  • LIMITED SLIP OPT
MODELS AND RELEASE DATES
MODEL SEDAN (OPT) HATCH (OPT) / RELEASED / AVAILABLE UNTIL / PRICE AT RELEASE
  • SUNBIRD 8UH69 8UH77 15 MAR 1978 SEDAN - SEP 1980 HATCH - MAY 1979 $5910 (HATCH)
  • SUNBIRD SL 8UH69 (V5V) 8UH77 (V5V) 15 MAR 1978 SEDAN - SEP 1980 HATCH - MAY 1979 -
  • SUNBIRD SL/E 8UH69 (A8J) 8UH77 (A8J) 4 MAR 1974 SEDAN - SEP 1980 HATCH - MAY 1979 -
  • SUNBIRD DELUXE 8UH69 (V7A) - 4 MAR 1974 LIMITED RUN - 1250 -
  • TORANA S 8UG69 - 15 MAR 1978 DEC 1979 -
  • TORANA SL 8UH69 (A9H) 8UH77 (A9H) 15 MAR 1978 DEC 1979 $6660 (SEDAN)
  • TORANA SL DELUXE 8UH69 (V5W) 8UH77 (V5W) 15 MAR 1978 JUL 1979 -
PAINT CODES
GMH DULON BERGER TYPE
  • CHARMOIS 1887 15950 1G009 SOLID
  • FLAMENCO RED 1926 30517 1F007 SOLID
  • JASMINE YELLOW 1927 30518 1D108 SOLID
  • MADEIRA RED 1928 30519 1F034 SOLID
  • OPALINE BLUE 1929 30520 1B074 SOLID
  • PALAIS WHITE 1930 30521 1J001 SOLID
  • PANAMA GREEN 1931 30522 1C002 SOLID
  • TUXEDO BLACK 2214 15991 SOLID
  • ULTRA BLUE 1932 30523 1B104 SOLID
  • VALENCIA ORANGE 1933 30524 1E028 SOLID
  • ANTELOPE 1894 15940 2G006 METALLIC
  • ATLANTIS BLUE 1934 30525 2B002 METALLIC
  • CARIBBEAN TURQUOISE 1935 30526 2B013 METALLIC
  • DYNASTY GOLD 1936 30527 2D004 METALLIC
  • PERSIAN SAND 1925 2G024 METALLIC
  • PERSIAN SAND MK II 30183 2G023 METALLIC
  • SADDLE TAN 30528 2G027 METALLIC
  • SUPER MINT 1938 30529 2C009 METALLIC
  • WINDSOR BLUE 1939 30530 2B023 METALLIC
TRIM CODES
GMH TRIM CODE TRIM CODE
  • CHARMOIS 60A * / 60B ** 17053 / 17214
  • BUCKSKIN 1G059 / 2051-P1
  • SLATE BLACK 18V * / 18X ***
  • TAN 67V * / 67Y ** 17057 / 17117