#Holden Hurricane Concept

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1969 Holden Hurricane Concept

1969 Holden Hurricane Concept

1969 Holden Hurricane Concept

1969 Holden Hurricane Concept

1969 Holden Hurricane Concept

Holden has gone back to the future, restoring its very first concept car - the 1969 Holden Hurricane Concept.

The futuristic research vehicle described as an experiment "to study design trend, propulsion systems and other long range developments" has been restored to its former glory as a labour of love by a dedicated group of Holden designers and engineers.

Code named RD 001; the Holden Hurricane is a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, two-seater sports car which incorporates a remarkable array of innovative features and technology, much of it way ahead of its time.

Features such as electronic digital instrument displays, station-seeking radio, automatic temperature control air conditioning, rear vision camera and an automated route finder were all showcased in this ground-breaking vehicle 42 years ago. Many of these technologies have only recently made their way into mass production, demonstrating Holden's remarkable foresight into both design and engineering technology.

The Holden Hurricane stole headlines and dropped jaws nationwide when it debuted at the 1969 Melbourne Motor Show.

Michael Simcoe, Executive Director GMIO Design, said it was fantastic to see such a significant vehicle restored.

"At Holden we have always prided ourselves on our ability to look into the future through our concept cars," Mr Simcoe said.

"It's amazing to think that the features we take for granted today were born out of creative minds over 40 years ago."

As its code name suggests, the RD 001 was the first product of the GMH Research and Development organisation, staffed by a small squad of engineers working in conjunction with the Advance Styling Group at the Fishermans Bend Technical Centre in the 1960s.

The team that designed and built the original Holden Hurricane employed some advanced technologies and techniques when it came to the powertrain. Powered by an experimental 4.2-litre (253 cubic inch) V8, this engine was a precursor to the Holden V8 engine program which entered production in late 1969.

The Holden Hurricane's V8 engine featured many advanced design components such as the four-barrel carburettor - a feature which wouldn't be seen on a production 253ci Holden V8 until the late 1970s. The end result was approximately 262hp (193kW), a towering power output in 1969 and one that ensured the Holden Hurricane had the go to match its show.

But perhaps the two most innovative features were the "Pathfinder" route guidance system and the rear-view camera.

The "Pathfinder", essentially a pre-GPS navigation system, relied on a system of magnets embedded at intersections along the road network to guide the driver along the desired route. A dash-mounted panel informed the driver of which turn to take by illuminating different arrows, as well as sounding a warning buzzer.

The rear-view camera was also a ground-breaking innovation.

Engineers using a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system with a camera mounted in the rear bumper feeding vision to a small black-and-white TV mounted in the centre console.

Former Holden Chief Studio Engineer Rick Martin led the modern-day Hurricane team in researching the vehicle's components, systems and history in order to restore it.

"There are some genuinely remarkable ideas and technology in the Hurricane," said Mr Martin.

"From the automatic air-conditioning and magnet-based guidance system, to the inertia-reel seat belts and metallic paint, this was a car that was genuinely ahead of its time.

"The hand-picked team of engineers and designers who built the original Holden Hurricane worked in strict secrecy and began Holden's now proud tradition of ground-breaking concept cars."

RD 001 stands just 990mm high and has no doors in the conventional sense. A hydraulically-powered canopy opens upwards and forward over the front wheels, combined with twin "astronaut type" power-elevating seats which rise up and pivot forward, along with the steering column for ease of access. Occupants are then lowered to a semi-reclining position before the roof closes over them.

The wind tunnel-tested fibreglass body consists of three segments; the canopy, the engine hood and body shell and was finished in an experimental aluminium flake-based metallic orange paint.

Safety innovations included a foam-lined fuel tank, integrated roll-over bar, digital instrument readouts, ignition safety locks, interior padding and a fire warning system.

The project to restore RD 001 began in 2006 and has been a genuine labour of love for some very dedicated Holden employees. The entire restoration process has been driven primarily by volunteer labour from Holden designers and engineers in their spare time.

But the Hurricane first entered Holden Design in less than immaculate condition. RD 001 had a residency in a trade school where apprentices practised their welding on the priceless concept.

After being returned to Holden in 2006, the Hurricane restoration project has taken many thousands of painstaking man hours to lovingly restore RD 001 to concourse condition.

Holden's Manager for Creative Hard Modelling, Paul Clarke, has been largely responsible for managing the restoration of RD 001. He ensured as many of the original parts as possible have been used or remade using modern techniques to 1969 specification, in order to preserve the authenticity of this hugely important Holden.

"The entire team has done a fantastic job in bringing this beautiful concept back to life," Mr Clarke said.

"The talent we have within the Holden organisation is simply outstanding. Every time we take on a project I'm constantly amazed by the passion and talent in this company, making it a genuine pleasure to work on these projects.

"The Hurricane plays a crucial role in Holden's story and the company has such a great sense of history and heritage that it was very important to bring RD 001 back to life. It's been a challenging but incredibly rewarding process."

Since the debut of the Holden Hurricane Concept in 1969, Holden has continued to build a global reputation for envisioning and executing world-class concept vehicles. Holden is recognised globally within General Motors as a centre of excellence for concept vehicle and show car development and is one of only three GM design studios that is capable to design and build concept cars.

Michael Simcoe added that the Hurricane holds a particularly special place in Holden's history as it kick-started Holden's long love affair with concepts that has since seen the likes of the iconic GTR-X, Torana TT36, Coupe 60, the GMC Denali XT (which was requested specifically by GM for the North American market) and the award-winning Efijy.

Holden Hurricane Concept (1969)

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Holden Hurricane & GTR-X concepts, 1969/1970. The Hurricane was a test bed and promotional vehicle for Holden's new, domestically produced 253ci (4.2 litre) V8. The GTR-X is more complicated and was designed by Joe Schemansky and Phillip Zmood with the intention of series production based on the Holden Torana. The project was abandoned because GMH were concerned that the costs of making the car would be greater than what they could sell if it for in Australia's relatively small domestic market.

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Holden GM Hurricane Concept Car (Australie) 1969. - source Roland Richter.

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Holden Hurrican Concept Car

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1969 Holden Hurricane

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69 Holden Hurricane Concept

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Holden Hurricane (1969)

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69 Holden Hurricane Concept

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1969 Holden Hurricane Concept Car

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1969 Holden Hurricane

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Holden Hurricane Concept 1969

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1969 Holden Hurricane concept #holdenhurricane #holden #generalmotors #style #vintage #fashion #luxury #ridefastdrivesmooth #greaseandmoonshine https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ECIbhBjA-/?igshid=nda9limhdaxj

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Holden Hurricane Concept Car 1969. - Amazing Classic Cars.

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A 50-year old press release tells the story of one of the most amazing vehicles Holden has ever built.

The Hurricane, a one-off concept vehicle was designed and built in the late 1960s to exploit the possibilities of Holden’s ‘‘experimental’’ 253- and 308-inch V8s.

Unveiled in May 1969, the mid-engined, rear-wheel drive wedge-shaped coupe was designed using the latest wind tunnel technology and at 4115mm long and with a wheelbase of 2438mm — it stood just 100cm high.

    Finished in brilliant metallic orange and code-named the RD-001, the two-passenger research vehicle incorporated many advanced features.

Some of these have only recently found their way into today’s cars, such as a rear view camera and Pathfinder navigation system.

Unlike production 253s, the Hurricane’s 260bhp (194kW) V8 was equipped with a four-barrel carburettor, with the engine positioned forward of the rear axle.

All four forward gears had synchromesh and were operated by a console-mounted lever.

Hurricane sits on 15-inch wheels and tyres, 15×6 at the front and 15×8 at the back.

Operating on an entirely new principle, the oil cooled front disc brakes were completely free from fade.

Rear brakes were conventional 298mm diameter single piston discs.

The research and development section of the engineering department at Fishermen’s Bend designed the vehicle to study design trends, propulsion systems and other long range developments.

    Hurricane had no doors.

Instead the entire forward section of the canopy swung up and forward, combining with power operated elevator seats, to let passengers step nearly upright into the car at armchair height.

The steering column also pivoted upwards and forwards and both seats rose 25cm, making it easier to get in and out.

At a touch of a switch, occupants were lowered 25cm to a semi-reclining position beneath a roof that closed tight above them.

The fibreglass body was finished in what was then an experimental aluminium flake-based metallic orange.

The passenger compartment was designed as a cockpit with twin ‘‘astronaut-type’’ contour seats trimmed in black vinyl.

The seat belts were fully retractable reel types that automatically locked into position, ensuring correct tension.

The two ‘‘astronaut’’ seats were fixed and constructed as one unit, with back rests that extended to provide full head restraint.

The foot pedals and tilt-telescopic steering were fully adjustable, giving the driver complete choice over his control position.

The controls were designed to allow the driver to concentrate maximum attention on the road, with a digital tacho and speedo for instant feedback.

Control buttons for head and parking lights, interior lights and instrument panel dimmer switch were in the roof panel that also contained a loop antenna.

Rear vision was provided by closed circuit television.

A small television camera with a wide angle lens was installed at the rear of the car and the picture was transmitted to a screen in the console.

The Comfortron air conditioner incorporated automatic temperature control, allowing the driver to pre-set any desired temperature from 18C to 30C.

A major innovation was the Pathfinder, an automatic route indicator system.

Magnetic signals picked up from road senders were compared to a coded tape containing instructions for the shortest highway route to any destination on a freeway network.

The driver got advance notice of forthcoming turns from a panel in the centre of the dash.

A five-year restoration ended in 2011, with the newly restored Hurricane displayed for the first time at the Motorclassica classic car show in Melbourne.

  Hurricane #cars4start #concept #Holden #Hurricane A 50-year old press release tells the story of one of the most amazing vehicles Holden has ever built.

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1969 Holden Hurricane concept

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The gorgeous 1969 Holden Hurricane Concept car. Built by Holden Australia. 撸先生：看片神器，每日更新，高清流畅，无需翻墙，t.cn/EVvnoK4