I just had a thought(fantasy?) when I replied to a thread on the Hemi6pak forum. Should MMA had looked into developing the old Chrysler Hemi engine for the Magna? As it was a 70's designed engine I assume it wouldn't have taken much to bring it up to scratch for unleaded and maybe even OHC and EFI. A Hemi powered 1st gen would have been a rocket and might have finally turned touring car racing into a proper three way competition as the 5.0V8 never stood a chance against the 265 and the Ford sixes ...well.

I still reckon the 1st gen could also have done well if it a 2ltr V6 or simalar small capacity V6.

I still reckon the 1st gen could also have done well if it a 2ltr V6 or simalar small capacity V6.

i understand the want for a V6 but going backwards in capacity that far would not really make much of a difference.

i understand the want for a V6 but going backwards in capacity that far would not really make much of a difference.
Well I can't see a 3.5 fitting in the engine bay and the V6 out of the FTO might be a better option. Smaller capacity but just as much grunt. Plus the 1st gens are pretty light so don't need to much power.
And I was saying they could have introduced a V6 when the designed the car.

what? That V6 from the FTO couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding. Terrible engine

as it was i think that the magna was their first attempt at a family FWD sedan so at best it was a smart move to stick with the reliable old astron. I personally feel that with most car manafacturers have made terrible mistakes when releasing a new model onto the car market while trying to make to many changes along with new body styling. One that really stands out for was the XD model ford falcon, yeah sure they were completely different shape but there were so many problems with it that were later on fixed with the XE and then the even better XF.

whent the tn came out, the Astron II had more power and better fuel economy than the holden 202 and the ford 250 X flow.

i remember seeing a sigma with with a genuine mitsubishi sticker in the window

"australia's most powerful 4"

pretty sure the magna motor would have had very similar specs?

maybe that was for the sigma turbo? haha those things are a suprising fun car to pedal around

The Japs, US and possibly NZ had the 6G72 3.0L V6 in their equivalent galant-sigma which is what our 1st gen was based on. We had to widen the body to fit a wider I4 engine (compared to the V6). See here (http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2974203).

The asstron and SOHC 12V are actually already hemi engines.
Yeah the XD handles like a bucket of crap with the leafs in the back, XE has full springs, actually quite a decent ride for an almost 30 year old car. rest of it sucks though

']The asstron and SOHC 12V are actually already hemi engines.
Yeah the XD handles like a bucket of crap with the leafs in the back, XE has full springs, actually quite a decent ride for an almost 30 year old car. rest of it sucks though

don't tell Gav that... he'll have a sticker on his car that says "Hemi powered 1st Gen" and we'll never hear the end of it...

I just had a thought(fantasy?) when I replied to a thread on the Hemi6pak forum. Should MMA had looked into developing the old Chrysler Hemi engine for the Magna? As it was a 70's designed engine I assume it wouldn't have taken much to bring it up to scratch for unleaded and maybe even OHC and EFI. A Hemi powered 1st gen would have been a rocket and might have finally turned touring car racing into a proper three way competition as the 5.0V8 never stood a chance against the 265 and the Ford sixes ...well.


I know what you mean,I had a hot HEMI 265 in a VJ ute. Wish the Magna blasted off like that did. really lumpy idle,sounded like a Cessna.:think:

what? That V6 from the FTO couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding. Terrible engine

One of the best sounding engines i've heard though.

I dont think the v8 would ever be suited to a magna.

All the best engines built in Australia came out of Lonsdale. :D

']The asstron and SOHC 12V are actually already hemi engines.
Yeah the XD handles like a bucket of crap with the leafs in the back, XE has full springs, actually quite a decent ride for an almost 30 year old car. rest of it sucks though

I remember a friend was driving her dads XD 3.3 and I had the Pacer coupe loaded with people in both cars I was following her and we were coming down olivers hill when she lost it. The back end just gave out and in front of me was red ford sideways, but she knew not to brake and took her foot off the accelerator and straightened up no drama.... had room air and stuff ..... but it was just a TAXI.

All the best engines built in Australia came out of Lonsdale. :D

Right on. :cool:

The Astron is in fact a Hemi and was branded as such in the American markets for Chrysler as the "HEMI 2.6".

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/7136/forgottenhemiwg2.th.jpg (http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/7136/forgottenhemiwg2.jpg)

As for the claim "Australia's most powerful 4" on the Sigma, it's true.


During the Sigma years, the NA Astron 2.6 was Australia's most powerful 4 cylinder at the time. It was putting out about 73kW where quite a few other 4 cylinders were barely clearing the 60kW figures.

By the time it was fitted in the First Gen Magna TN it was developing 85kW of power. The term "Challenging the Power of a Six" was coined up by Mitsubishi as the Holden Straight 6 in the 1985 VK Commodore was developing a close 86kW. A minor difference, Mitsubishi could stay true to those claims until the VK was replaced by the 114kW Straight-6 VL.

When it was finally decommissioned in the TS Magna, the 4G54 Astron II was developing 102kW of power on 95RON and 98kW on 91RON.

A minor difference, Mitsubishi could stay true to those claims until the VK was replaced by the 114kW Straight-6 VL.

When it was finally decommissioned in the TS Magna, the 4G54 Astron II was developing 102kW of power on 95RON and 98kW on 91RON.

this means 2 things 1: the only way holden was able to get more reliable power out of an engine was to buy japanese ones, namely the RB30 and 2: there are going to be more people wanting to put 2nd gen motors in their 1st gens now hahaha