VR Senator with LSx454

[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 week end.  Put a new set of rear tyres on there, decided that the Federal 595’s are the best choice, given a few stabs of the fun pedal seems to bring out the tread theft fairy….

So me and a few friends are traveling over to the Bendigo swap meet in a few weeks so we decided to do a bit of a tune up on his trailer, so the hoist made all that easy.  His son is 11 and I treta him like a nephew, he really likes mechanical things, so I have already taught him some CAD skills (which his is ace at), and we gave him a go at the trailer stuff, one day I reckon he will be a very good mechanical engineer.

He is also keen as to know how to use my lathe so we spent a few hours making up a canon barrel.   I spent a lot of time going through the safety stuff, but shit we had a great time.

Then Sat night my son came up and stayed over so Sunday morning we went for a cruise and given how well its running I thought it time to give him a drive.  He really enjoyed it even though we never really pulled tthe trigger.  A few pics for posterity…

 

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

Good on ya for passing on some of your skill to the young fella. I bet he loved it.

 

Saw the vid on FB of your son driving the Senator. By the look of concentration on his face , you could only imagine what was going through his head at the time.

[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]

We laughed at that. He was/is a very good race driver, so cool late in the video to see him put his “race face”  on.   Agreed so nice to pass on some knowledge to the youngsters.

[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]

So I have booked in to the Pedders around the corner get the rear trailing arm bushes changed out to get rid of the negative camber, hopefully with the wheels stood up properly might have a half a shot at some traction. Also going to get the front alignment/camber/caster adjusted to more race spec to see if we cant dial in a little more turn in and front end bight.

Yes I know its getting someone else to do the work not myself.  But I sort of feel like this sort of “grunt” work I have done enough of.  I built with all fully adjustable suspension so that’s where the fun was/is.  Now I just plan on picking and choosing the jobs I do myself (yes soft I know!!)

I will say its nice now being able to play and tweak the little things to try and get it just like I want it.

Anyhow will post up after the week end how much better/worse it feels

[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]

Driven not hidden, didnt miss a beat

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

Looks like it’s running warm 

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

How much of that 250k speedo could be attained I wonder………..

[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:

Looks like it’s running warm

  As if you can trust a Holden temp gauge anyways, at best its an indicator….

[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]

sands vs wrote:

How much of that 250k speedo could be attained I wonder………..

One day i hope to find out

[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]

Very cool to see the old girl op up on fb in the states

[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 drive into work today, but I am not sure if you buggers have put the mockers on me talking about the temp gauge before.  Seemed to do some funky stuff on the way in.  Randomly fluctuating between a qtr and just over half way on the gauge, its never done that before  And didn’t seem to correlate with being stopped in traffic or whatever.  Not sure if its the gauge, sender or something actually happening.  Cant really see how or why the actual temp would be fluctuating though.  Might have to see if I can hook up an external gauge and see whats actually happening if it doesn’t settle down.  The good news is apart form that it really is running unreal.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 11 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[jlssParticipant tasvr ss View build HERE Member since: May 7, 2015 Posts: 155]

Ha ha. More excuses to spend more time in the shed. Lol. Nice work i brought my girl into work today too. Niceish day in hobart.

[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]

True, any excuse.  Never been to Tassy yet, its no my wish list though!

[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]

Took the boys for a small run at lunch.  Videos pretty ordinary but who says an LS cant sound tuff.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 11 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[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]

Turns out a guy just up the road is into making custom 1/18 scale cars. So managed finally to score myself a VS GTS Biante model on evilBay, and plan on having some fun 3D printing the parts to turn it into a baby replica HSV454. So far have played around with a scale model of the injection with some success, but today decide to have some fun trying to make replica wheels. I reckon they have turned out pretty good. Not sanded or painted yet, now to do the 8″ front

• This reply was modified 7 years, 11 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[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]

Well back from a 4 week holiday, then straight into my daughters wedding, been a hectic few weeks!

Saturday fired her up after almost 8 weeks, started first time, running perfect.  Took it for about an hours drive, no issues, fries tyres at will, puts a smile on my dial, life’s good..

Anyhow, now I have been driving it for a while, time to start playing with it a little.  First thing I want to play around with is some sort of CAI, and also getting under bonnet temps down.  Have been thinking a lot about it, and have come up with something I want to work through at least to see how it turns out.  Basically my idea is to make two open topped plenums that sit bolted to each bank of itb’s.  My idea is then to have corresponding big ass rectangular holes in the bonnet, with some sort of custom one off pair of grills to try and retain the clean lines of the bonnet.  If possible I want to source and mount and incorporate rectangular filter elements to the underside of the bonnet, that way at a show or whatever when I lift the bonnet all the ugly craps goes up out of view.  Anyhow, been playing around on the CAD and started dummying up some parts on the 3D printer.  I plan on doing it all myself, so lets see how it goes.

[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]

Well, not sure anyone loves me anymore, not much commentary going on!!

So this is what I sort of have in mind.

To be able to make it on my printer I had to make it in sections, so this is the design concept.  The parts will be bonded together.

Having some issues perfecting it on the printer, bear in mind it takes 10/11 hours to print one pice, holefuly will get on top of that soon, then i can see how I go.

And in another good note, hoping I may have scored a bonnet for a carton..

[BLOWNVSParticipant WAVS MALOO VR BT1 project car BF MK II XR6T View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 47]

Great work as always Gary. I look forward to seeing how you come up with the filters incorporated into the bonnet.

[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]

I think there may be a couple of guys on here in the auto parts game.  So I would like to find an off the shelf filter element to use.

The inside of the CAI measure approx 420mm x 120mm.  If I could find something maybe around 30mm thick.

Not sure if maybe there are any 4 cylinder cars that have a filter box mounted along the intakes.  Anyone got any ideas?

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

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Looking good Gary. If you head to the Ryco site you look for filters by dimensions. Those dimensions I looked up but no luck unfortunately.</p>

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