Basic VS race car build

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Started this thread on street commodores but obviously that forum circling the drain so thought i’d put it up here.

Basically bought a car for $400 of a young guy. Had a hard life. Doesn’t matter too much. Idea is cheap and cheerful to a degree and initially all stuff will be bolt on/off.

Bought bunch of stuff that’s slowly going on. BC RAcing coilovers for front with 10kg springs, rear and koni yellows and i’ll be ordering custom springs. Diff is a rebuilt live axle with a mini spool and 3.7 gears for now. Got adjustable radius rods, adjustable strut tops and adjustable rear upper arms.

Idea for driveline was a basic ls1/t56 setup. Bought a running long motor for $400, bought intake and all basic stuff plus some 60lbs injectors with the idea of running e85. Engine swap is on the backburner though while we looking at building. Idea really is get all suspension and brakes done and shaken down first.

Tyres i bought some 265/35R18 AD08R and just need to order some wheels. Thinking 18×10 around +25 offset.

Final details i guess are brakes. Got stoptech calipers with custom caliper brackets. They were originally fitted to 355mm two piece rotors but they are pretty pricey so i’ll be using 330x32mm HSV rotors instead. Much cheaper and readily available.

Pics in no particular order

Already have stage two development plans in mind but really need to get it running first.

[4sythParticipant Central Coast NSW\'79 VB SL/E (weekend cruiser) \'04 VY SS (family hack) View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 26]

What category are you planning to race in?

 

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by  4syth.

They can have my V8 when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

It’ll just be timed super sprint days through Skylines Australia with a few mates at the local tracks ie Winton/Sandown/PI. Nothing competitive. Just a bit of fun and bit of speed without getting out of hand is the plan.

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

Phire aka Gmfan wrote:

It’ll just be timed super sprint days through Skylines Australia with a few mates at the local tracks ie Winton/Sandown/PI. Nothing competitive. Just a bit of fun and bit of speed without getting out of hand is the plan.

Will be following this with interest, hope you keep it updated!

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Slow progress is my only problem. Took time off work and then spent precious days fixing gf’s car. I’ll keep it updated but wont be anywhere near as impressive as your build ij. Wish i had fabrication skills. Would be fantastic to try out some of my ideas without spending thousands for someone else to do it. Job now is keep imagination under control and just get the thing running. Had diff built 12+ months ago and havent even tested it yet.

 

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

If there’s anything I can help with just ask!

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Be very keen to hear how you go… I’ve been doing a few track days in my VS Senator (see threads in sig). Brakes have been my biggest drama… spoke to one bloke who has VS race car and he says he has 330mm 6 piston PBR calipers on front with 4 piston PBR on back (says still fit under 17in just)…. I just spent $2k upgrading from 290mm single to 330mm twin piston, and I should have gone more pistons… Will upgrade the rear to slotted vented rotor (DBA T3) and bin solid rotor before next track day.

Some of my brake dramas are in here – http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

Def recommend Hankook RS3 tyres, price and wear wise.

I’m stuck in the headlights of what is the next upgrade… more power, rip shifter (manual), race pedals, bigger wheels (10in), bigger brakes… car new paint too :(

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Got a mate with a BMW coupe that should be close to my ‘race’ weight and he only runs single piston front calipers on 320mm ish front and similar rears and hasn’t had any issues with brakes so far. I think front brakes will be fine but have to see how the solids rear rotors handle heat. Next upgrade from there for me would be VN group a style rears or modifying hand brake and running some vented vt-vz rears.

RS3 are definitely a common track day tyre for value/performance.

Still haven’t found time to get the other radius rod in. Tricky job that requires couple of set of hands so hopefully can get it in tomorrow and then car will be ready to set down and tighten everything up. Be a big moment when brakes can finally get fitted and bled.

 

[LF24Participant Ipswich- \'99 ls1 Holden VS ute - \'02 HSV Maloo R8 View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 57]

Hey mate what are your thoughts on the suspension concepts strut tops and radius rods? Also are your running VS lcas or later model lcas?

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Suspension concept gear looks reasonably good. Camber tops allow a heap of camber/caster. With radius rods shortened 10mm from stock or whatever the instructions suggested and camber tops at max caster i can’t imagine my front bumper staying on. May have to extend the radius rods at bit.

Tiny bit of progress. Car back on the ground with all suspension in. Only thing i still need to sort is the rear springs. I greased up the rear caliper slides and but i’m starting to think that i should soak the visible parts of the caliper in vinegar and give them a bit of paint because they really will look rubbish visible. I’ll order rear rotors and pads so that i can assemble rear brakes.

Slight change in direction means the ls1 won’t be going in yet, if at all. Bought a t5 to put in it to begin with and researching t56 conversion for the L36. Looks reasonably straight forward. Mate has a gearbox i could probably use so it’ll just be a matter of the other bits and pieces. I’m intending that the ecotec will seem some mild boost. To get the ls in and running will still cost me thousands which i can’t spare currently.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

How did I miss this, great stuff, +1 for keeping the thread updated, looking forward to following this

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

So several severe delays. My custom caliper brackets are ALL wrong. Caliper mounted to far out radially to suit the rotor size, offset to far so caliper body basically rubs on back side of the rotor. Such a pain in the ass. Dropped them off and it was agreed they were no good when i showed him. Now he has to package them and send them off to company he contracted work out to. Got to send him photos i took as well. Also rear brake lines seem way to short but being told by supplier they’re fine. Resizing pics and i’ll put some up. So pissed right now.

[Anonymous View build HERE Member since: January 1, 1970 Posts: 0]

And this is the reason I do as much as I can myself… HATE when Vendors screw up…

[sands vsParticipant vs commodore View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 619]

Phire aka Gmfan wrote:

. Also rear brake lines seem way to short but being told by supplier they’re fine. Resizing pics and i’ll put some up.

 

They are idiots thing is they shouldnt safely be under that much tension, if they break and the brake fails they would want to have a really good think about being liable. They need to be able to move and cant have no travel.  Them saying that if its any longer they will foul on wheel come on, mine is a full adr complaint kit and you can see the length difference and they dont foul.

Put up the pics of mine too as comparison to show or want me too?

 

YOURS

 

 

 

MINE

 

 

 

Anonymous wrote:

And this is the reason I do as much as I can myself… HATE when Vendors screw up…

 

Exactly mate…

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by  sands vs.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by  sands vs.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by  sands vs.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by  sands vs.

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Radial mount wrong

Offset wrong

Off-side

 

Near-side

and then the lines as Ryan posted. Safebrake on ebay say that’s fine and how it should be. 

 

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Thats a bummer mate.  I feel for ya, such a pisser when your all fired up then get that let down feeling when you realise its not what you paid for.

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

The brake lines suck but if that were all I’d be happy. The caliper brackets were a massive investment of time and money and were supposedly test fitted before i collected them and was assured they were good. They were just short of $1600 for mounting brackets when they were never supposed to be that much and took months to make. Once they were produced and they had my calipers and rotors, i couldn’t walk away. Now they’re useless and still without front brakes. I’m hoping it gets sorted but at this point I’d just take a refund and walk away.

[cava454Moderator 93 VR BT1 View build HERE Member since: February 20, 2015 Posts: 2 390]

Why didn’t u just get a known brand set of brakes that bolt directly to a Holden??

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

Already had them is only reason. They were on my daily with 355x32mm 2 piece rotors. For the track though I’d be harder on rotors so idea was to go from US $700 rotor rings  (plus freight) to a more economical 330mm HSV rotor which RDA do for around $230. The 355mm rotor is much lighter than the 330mm and will cope with heat much better too but for such a basic build they’re over the top. $1000 on brackets works out cheap in comparison. Even the $1600 I’ll make back after couple sets of rotors but frustrating that after all that they don’t even fit. Stoptech are a much better caliper than anything Holden or HSV have used too.

[Phire aka GmfanParticipant VictoriaVT LS1 Wagon View build HERE Member since: March 3, 2015 Posts: 105]

So not really anything happening. Still trying to get these brackets sorted. Hoping to hear back tomorrow. Spoke to consumer affairs to see where i stand and was told for major defect the choice between refund/replacement is mine not the suppliers for I’ve made it clear i want to cut my losses and get my money back. Hoping some c5 calipers will turn up at decent price and I’ll put those on for now since i already have rotors for them.

Longer rear brake lines came today so I’ll look at those tomorrow.

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