[OLD GMH] VB 173ci 4 Speed – Now V8 + Auto, FR18s, Detailed bay etc

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

Well, thought I would post up a thread here to continue on from SC seeing as that place is pretty much dead these days. The SC thread contains pretty much everything up to date but I may work on possibly bringing it across to here.

Link to old thread: http://forum.streetcommodores.com.au/showthread.php?t=8573615

The car is an ’80 VB Commodore, was a completely stock car with a 173 and 4 speed but is now a V8 and auto with a completely detailed engine bay plus a few new additions. Plans are to cruise and have a bit of fun with a full respray and some more work on the cards eventually.

Startup vid with new motor: http://vid903.photobucket.com/albums/ac236/69ZL1/VB%20Commodore/IMG_2631_zpsamoijro6.mp4

Currently finishing off the exhaust, still have to sort the brakes and rest of the suspension, cut a hole in the bonnet and a few other small things and that will be almost complete for this stage.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by  OLD GMH.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by  OLD GMH.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by  OLD GMH.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by  OLD GMH.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by  OLD GMH.

[KroozerParticipant Forbes, NSW91 VN SS View build HERE Member since: February 19, 2015 Posts: 336]

How you going mate Are you trying to get that picture to work?

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

Ha ha ha how could you tell? :P Been pissing me off all morning trying to get the thing to show up.

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

Stuff it, the picture is going here instead lol. Taken a few weeks back with FR18s I bought for it. Excuse how dusty and dirty it is. Been sitting in the shed for a while and needs a good wash when I start taking it out again.

[ajvx01Participant adelaideVC 308 taxi bt1 wanna be! View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 102]

Like I’ve said before on sc, great car and great work! Feel free to do my bay next haha.

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

ajvx01 wrote:

Like I’ve said before on sc, great car and great work! Feel free to do my bay next haha.

Ha ha ha so much work to do it! And this was only a stock respray… no smoothing or cutting anything. Learnt a whole lot for next time though.

Finished welding the exhaust over the weekend including the H pipe and got it on the car just to start it and see how it sounds… Sounds awesome… throaty, deep and aggressive, no sign of thong slapping lol. Just have to sandblast and paint it now and that will be it for the exhaust. May make a start on dropping the front suspension out for springs/brake work tomorrow.

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

Alright looking for a bit of help. Does anyone have spares of the pictured parts in good condition or know if they are reproduced. My searches so far say they aren’t reproduced so I am pretty much looking for mint second hand parts. Any help would be appreciated.

[VS 5.0Participant Perth WAVE SSV Z Series M6 View build HERE Member since: March 31, 2015 Posts: 118]

Just had a quick flick through your SC thread. Great work !!

[ajvx01Participant adelaideVC 308 taxi bt1 wanna be! View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 102]

I’m running a vk low rise console and I looks the same to me re those parts.. Have you tried comparing vk to vc parts? Vks seem to get more parts support than our yellow vc toys!

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

VS 5.0 wrote:

Just had a quick flick through your SC thread. Great work !!

Cheers man. It’s been a long road but I’m literally 2 or so weeks away from the first drive with the new combo.

ajvx01 wrote:

I’m running a vk low rise console and I looks the same to me re those parts.. Have you tried comparing vk to vc parts? Vks seem to get more parts support than our yellow vc toys!

Legend! Was able to find the selector indicator but no luck on the selector (window?). May repair mine and leave it be. Nothing some super glue can’t fix lol.

[DarrenParticipant Toowoomba Qld82 VH SS Commodore 89 Yamaha FZR1000 View build HERE Member since: March 4, 2015 Posts: 33]

there’s a few clear plastic restoration products you can buy that might sort out the yellowing and fine scratches from the gear indicator

Something like this ?
http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g12310-plastx-clear-plastic-cleaner-polish/

[NickVRParticipant AdelaideVR V8 Exec, VR SS, VF Redline Reserve View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 264]

Never used this but have been told this is pretty good stuff.

[Narva*2010Participant Narva*2010VC Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 5, 2015 Posts: 87]

I painted my flexible t-bar slide.  Comes up like new.  Not much can be done about gear indicator and it’s hard to find good ones

 

[EJ DUDEParticipant Perth1963 EJ Special View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 39]

2000wet and polish. If that doesn’t work, not much can be done :(

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

NickVR wrote:

Never used this but have been told this is pretty good stuff. 

Narva*2010 wrote:

I painted my flexible t-bar slide. Comes up like new. Not much can be done about gear indicator and it’s hard to find good ones

Darren wrote:

there’s a few clear plastic restoration products you can buy that might sort out the yellowing and fine scratches from the gear indicator Something like this ? http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g12310-plastx-clear-plastic-cleaner-polish/

EJ DUDE wrote:

2000wet and polish. If that doesn’t work, not much can be done :(

Cheers for all the advice guys. If the lead on the selector indicator doesn’t come through I will be sure to try out all of the above and hopefully get something presentable. The selector window insert is actually presentable (photo makes it look bad) it’s just broken at the bottom and when in park you can see the shifter mechanism below. I will have to try glue it back together and hope that works.

Anyway, what’s happening with the car: Well I only got a bit of time to do stuff today but there really isn’t that much left anyway. Stripped down the front bumper today and will straighten that up on Tuesday plus sand blast/paint the brackets etc and take it to get rechromed by midweek. Still need to sort out the PCV/Catch can situation, just waiting for it to be delivered. Only other thing is to cut a hole in the bonnet and get that back on. Will then give it a good detail and take it for a test drive. I am thinking the converter may have to come out before I get too far to make way for a histall but am holding off on that until I go for a test drive. Hoping to make the Cars and Coffee on the 24th of May… Fingers crossed…

[Wogan01Participant Perth79 VB SL View build HERE Member since: April 19, 2015 Posts: 16]

Hey mate,

just read through WHOLE build and great detail in the posts/pics! Sounds killah too.

Going to keep watching thread, sorry if you said it already but is there much more to come in terms of future plans? Done an awesome job so far and hopefully see you cruising in Perth sometime!!

Cheers

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by  Wogan01.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by  Wogan01.

~~R.I.P VT SS S1 9C1 ~~
...:::::VB 253 SL on the road to being a street cruiser:::::...

[OLD GMHParticipant PerthVB Commodore View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 29]

Wogan01 wrote:

Hey mate, just read through WHOLE build and great detail in the posts/pics! Sounds killah too. Going to keep watching thread, sorry if you said it already but is there much more to come in terms of future plans? Done an awesome job so far and hopefully see you cruising in Perth sometime!! Cheers

Cheers man. I have been thinking for a while that it would be good to get some first gens together in Perth for a cruise. May look at setting something up in the not too far future! Definitely got a lot more in store. I am thinking next thing I want to sort out is a good rear end setup. Haven’t gone through the finer details but I am thinking along the lines of mini tubs (to the rail)/shortened diff to suit/etc. After that I want to take it back to bare metal and do the panel and paint, fix the tiny amount of rust it has and get it looking mint. I will also swap the motor out eventually, maybe at the same point that I do the body work, as I have already started gathering parts for a 355 build. For now though, I am just happy to enjoy it, you may see the rear end setup by the end of this year though, not sure yet. These things are never finished :D

[VS 5.0Participant Perth WAVE SSV Z Series M6 View build HERE Member since: March 31, 2015 Posts: 118]

OLD GMH wrote:

Hoping to make the Cars and Coffee on the 24th of May… Fingers crossed…

I’ll keep an eye for it !

[Wogan01Participant Perth79 VB SL View build HERE Member since: April 19, 2015 Posts: 16]

OLD GMH wrote:

Cheers man. I have been thinking for a while that it would be good to get some first gens together in Perth for a cruise. May look at setting something up in the not too far future! Definitely got a lot more in store. I am thinking next thing I want to sort out is a good rear end setup. Haven’t gone through the finer details but I am thinking along the lines of mini tubs (to the rail)/shortened diff to suit/etc. After that I want to take it back to bare metal and do the panel and paint, fix the tiny amount of rust it has and get it looking mint. I will also swap the motor out eventually, maybe at the same point that I do the body work, as I have already started gathering parts for a 355 build. For now though, I am just happy to enjoy it, you may see the rear end setup by the end of this year though, not sure yet. These things are never finished :D

Ok that sounds great, remember to keep us posted about the cruise. With the rear end, the 3.55:1 must be pretty lively compared to my 2.78:1. How do you think you will be going about taking it back to bare metal ? That’s probably 1st thing on my to do list. Again let me say it’s great to see how far you’ve come with this car and I hope you enjoy it for a long time to come.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by  Wogan01.

~~R.I.P VT SS S1 9C1 ~~
...:::::VB 253 SL on the road to being a street cruiser:::::...

[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]

OLD GMH wrote:

These things are never finished :D

never a truer word spoken…..

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