VK CALAIS 333 pack, LS1

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

TUFGMH wrote:

Heron SSV wrote:

I love how clean this is. Wonder if you could stick an L98 in one under the same regs…. they would fall within the 20% capacity requirements, just.

A guy up that way is currently doing an LS3 conversion into a VH, but the engineer will be involved.

 

It’d be interesting to see what it costs to go through engineering. I’m in the early stages on sticking a LS into my VK, and figuring out the costs is a pain.

[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]

Heron SSV wrote:

I’m in the early stages on sticking a LS into my VK, and figuring out the costs is a pain.

Do you mean the costs of the engineering alone, or the costs of the conversion?

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

Mainly the engineering costs. It seems that the mods essential to get a full engineering certificate can vary depending on what engineer you go to. Take yours for example, he was genuinely helpful in getting it passed and would listen to your reasoning about what you had done and why you’d done it so that the whole car was basically improved to safely handle the engine swap, whereas others wouldn’t even look at a swap of that kind. So the engineer can greatly affect both the cost of parts used (what parts are required), plus the work done by the engineer himself, depending on who you go to.

 

Conversion costs vary mainly cause of the hopes and dreams of the owner lol

 

Is there a thread on here for members to share their own experiences getting various mods passed? It’d be helpful to see what people have had to do to get a variety of mods actually fully roadworthy, not just a quick engine swap into an already rego’d car and hope they dont get caught

 

PS – sorry about the thread hijack…

[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]

Totally agree engineering depends so much on the engineers preference, as you say with mine Doug (the engineer) focused almost solely on the fact the car was thought through from front to back and was well engineered and safe, rather than meeting any particular rule or code.

Great idea re the engineering thread.  I have just renamed the “Engine Conversions” to “Engine Conversions & Engineering”  Love you to start a thread in there on what people have done, the experience they have had etc

Also sorry about the thread hijack!!

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

I’m just winging it. 

[RennoParticipant Adelaide, SAVN SS | VX SS View build HERE Member since: March 11, 2016 Posts: 119]

cava454 wrote:

I’m just winging it.

Amen to that! 

[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]

cava454 wrote:

I’m just winging it.

Well on a serious note I personally think that’s just dumb.  I mean sure, when the time comes it may just get passed, but what if it doesn’t?  Stuff spending years and thousand of $$’s building  a car to potentially find out at the end something fundamental is wrong that could have been easily sorted by a phone call.

[Heron SSVParticipant Central Coast NSW2009 Pajero Exceed 84 VK SL LS3 View build HERE Member since: May 5, 2015 Posts: 585]

I just like the thought of being able to cruise wherever I want without worrying about getting caught by the po po, like the OP can.

It’s also nice knowing if I’m involved in an accident, even if I’m not at fault, it’s less likely I’ll get screwed over by an insurance company, or potential law suits.

Enough doom and gloom though, let’s get back to the thread topic and bask in the glory of a nicely modified  VK 

[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]

Yea good point, so how is this sitting at the moment, whats next?

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

Heron SSV wrote:

I just like the thought of being able to cruise wherever I want without worrying about getting caught by the po po, like the OP can. It’s also nice knowing if I’m involved in an accident, even if I’m not at fault, it’s less likely I’ll get screwed over by an insurance company, or potential law suits. Enough doom and gloom though, let’s get back to the thread topic and bask in the glory of a nicely modified VK

engineer papers don’t mean anything to the police. They will still send u in for epa. If the engine is slightly modded, you won’t pass.

[TUFGMHParticipant SydneyVH SL/E & VK Calais LS1 View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 96]

It has been in an insurance claim, full comprehensively insured, rego papers have the engine number and capacity, full blue slip carried out, covered under the VSI regs when done. No worries in the slightest here ;)

[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]

Nice work, so whats the go from here, any more mods on the cards or just enjoy it for a while?

[TUFGMHParticipant SydneyVH SL/E & VK Calais LS1 View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 96]

VRSenator065 wrote:

Nice work, so whats the go from here, any more mods on the cards or just enjoy it for a while?

Have a 4000rpm lockup stall waiting on the shelf along with a new steering rack. Want to fit a baby cam while replacing the lifters which are starting to rattle when cold, something with lift in the 21′-22′ range. Just enough to take out the factory lag in response without being an all out ball tearer. It is my daily and does plenty of 500km+ trips, so need to act my age 

Here is my last cam:

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by  TUFGMH.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by  TUFGMH.

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

What I had would be perfect cam choice.

[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]

Idle sounds nice

[TUFGMHParticipant SydneyVH SL/E & VK Calais LS1 View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 96]

Joined some fellow forum members and another Commodore/Wayne Gardner fan ;)

[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]

Nice selection of cars right there!

[SSBKParticipant Pol1sh3Ride a Suzuki B-King Drive a VE SS View build HERE Member since: July 17, 2016 Posts: 19]

216 224 115 and .551 Crane Cam , nice idle lump without being too brassy

[TUFGMHParticipant SydneyVH SL/E & VK Calais LS1 View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 96]

I ended up with a VCM10 camshaft which is 225/225 .578″ @112.5 which is a little different to the usual low/high arrangement but should suit the direction the build is going lol. On a positive note, there seems to be more traction when needed in a straight line.

Also went a little sideways in that plan on a visit to Gear Exchange Smithfield :S

Fitted a new Street & Strip full spool and bearings etc to the Salisbury. Still running the 3.55:1 gears. Should do the job until funds permit a 3.7:1 BW78 with Tru Track and tailshaft rear ;)

 

[TUFGMHParticipant SydneyVH SL/E & VK Calais LS1 View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 96]

Progress on the cam and stall upgrade have been put back a little :(

 

 

My fault, sold the 19 inch Aero’s and put shitty but tread legal tyres on whilst the original wheels were being powdercoated. Buried the right foot in the wet to avoid another two car altercation and swapped ends across 4 lanes of the freeway at 90-100kmh. The cable fence in the median strip did its job.

 

Looks to be fairly superficial with very little aligning needing to be done. Most of the parts are sorted for repairs, so hopefully get the ball rolling soon. A big shout out to Tim/StupidFlanders for a replacement Calais taillight ;)

[Author]

Posts