Center cap - lion tail/no tail

**Rolla** · 03-06-2011, 10:10 PM

Cheers guys. Dad came home with 3 new old stock center caps, all with the tail. I have 3 new old stock ones sitting in the back of my sandman, ones i bought a few months ago but from memory I think they may not have any tail. I'll have to pull them out tomorrow and check. It's a good thing the guy didn't know what he was selling... :errf:

**jennie285** · 04-06-2011, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by rcknrlla

I have 3 new old stock ones sitting in the back of my sandman, ones i bought a few months ago but from memory I think they may not have any tail. I'll have to pull them out tomorrow and check.

I think you should send the three short tail ones to me, to go with the one short tail I have left after swapping the other one for a long tail....:P

**HQ SS** · 04-06-2011, 11:23 AM

Just a side note to this as I agree with Oz that the Start of HJ was the change over but
this was with the cars themselves as Holden was using the longtail on paperwork as far back 1971.
I have seen the long tail lion on paper work as early as the new HQ Kingswood advert that says copyright July 1971 so way before the cars themselves got the long tail lion.
I have just been talking to Norm Darwin on this subject as to when the lion changed in the Toranas.
I have March 1974 listed as when LH Toranas were introduced and October 1974 as when the HJ series were introduced so the date would have been part way into the LH series so if they received them sooner than the HJ's I am not sure.
My sons 26/7/74 completed Sydney built HQ has the short tailed lion on the steering wheel badge and I believe that it is still the factory fitted one.
If anyone can supply any information as to what lion the LH series Toranas used Norm would be greatly interested.
Cheers Paul.

**ozbox** · 04-06-2011, 11:41 AM

paul ive just sent a message to an l34 and lh expert to see if i can get an absolute answer on the 74 lh question...

**hqgts** · 04-06-2011, 05:24 PM

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GENUINE-H...item2eb5a34553

not cheap but where do you get them....

**HQ SS** · 17-06-2011, 10:43 PM

Sometimes they are cheaper you just have to wait for them.
Also if you have a look at this picture.
http://gallery.oldholden.com/HQ_SS/T...+caps.jpg.html
Has anyone else noticed this difference in the long tail caps as well
Cheers Paul.

**ozbox** · 17-06-2011, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by HQ SS

Sometimes they are cheaper you just have to wait for them.
Also if you have a look at this picture.
http://gallery.oldholden.com/HQ_SS/T...+caps.jpg.html
Has anyone else noticed this difference in the long tail caps as well
Cheers Paul.

paul...that cap on the left was a reproduction from the 90s ..also note the clips that hold it on arent the same shape...

**HQ SS** · 18-06-2011, 12:49 AM

Thanks Oz.
I suspected this might be the case and its good to have it confirmed.
Cheers Paul.

**ozbox** · 18-06-2011, 09:42 AM

paul,i know rares sold them but i dont know who made them as i wasnt much interested in that repro to genuine stuff differences back then...from memory the stickers were also slightly different....

just out of interest do you have any pics of the original 1971 gts centre caps?..basically first few months of production only...if not ill put some up.

**HQ SS** · 18-06-2011, 12:26 PM

I thought that the loins looked a little bit different when I looked at them last night
but I put it down to the bad lighting at the time.
No I don't have any pictures of the early ones.
I have been told about them but I have never seen one.
I would be interested to see just what they look like.
Cheers Paul.