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

Good to see a Torana on here ;)

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

sands vs wrote:

Shame to see that happen. So will you keep cruise control on the new one?

Yeah mate. It uses a VY module intergrated with the VK-VL column switch already. Just need to work out which buttons to use for set/accelerate/decelerate in a VH as I dont have the rubber pad like the VK.

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

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

It was a hard decision, that’s for sure. Pretty much all parts that weren’t being kept were sold or sold pending payment and pickup within 24hrs. The aim of keeping it a rolling and driving shell were met.

I kept the full driveline and associated hardware, brakes, steering and suspension, dash and engine wiring, shifter, pedal box, power windows and stereo. All hanging panels, glass, interior are gone. Registration has been cashed in, and I am just waiting for a neighbours hoist to free up so we can do the swap ;)

Here are the possible shells I have that will house it all ;)

Option one is an immaculate donor besides the paint. It is a factory 253, so no real pedigree either to upset the purists with if they see an LS1 under the hood.

Option two is a factory 5L/382 pack. The body needs a little more work than option 1 and most of the driveline is already built for it. I am happy to do an LS1 conversion if there are no irreversible body mods done to accommodate it and the original driveline stays for it if the desire arises to return it to standard.

I would daily no.1 if I had to, not option 2 due to the rarity.

The decision will be marked by a new thread shortly ;)

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

Had all replacement parts lined up but wasn’t prepared to swallow the paint and panel bill. The car will be stripped over the weekend and an SLE will be built up from it’s remains.

[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 ;)

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

No mucking around here lol.

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

Big fan of this shape in a nice shade. Looks great ;)

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

Nice work, good to see it surviving well.

I daily my VK Calais as well, and my wife sometimes has to “suffer” doing the same lol, and had nothing good to say except for the time she had to overtake and found the LS1 power handy. Air con is great in them if the car isn’t in the sun all day, suits me as I park in a basement at work.

Yours looks great, All issues seem easy fixed. It must have been garaged and washed regularly as the stock metallic acrylic comes off after a few years if treated bad.

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

Have idle revs increased? A dirty TPS or similar could have brought revs up enough to be over a soft gear selection.

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

Talking to a mate who has run 10’s with a Salisbury, the spider gears are the weakest link, a full spool will amend the weakest link to the axles. If they survive the transbrake and slicks, the next thing to let go will be the cap bolts holding the centre in. The centre will be left lying on the ground as proof. There are no gear sets between 3.55:1 and 4.44:1 currently.

With the current prices of VLT diffs at $1500(stock)-3000(tru-track, billet axles etc) depending on extent of mods, the logical option is to get a VN-VS diff (same diff but longer wheel to wheel) and have shortened to desired width or throw the 28 spline centre into a VL 6 housing with $895 billet axles thrown in. Gear sets can be had cheap in 3.9/4.11 etc from a Pintara.

9 inch gives you the ultimate and choice and parts availability with good pricing on many components. Beware of dodgy welding, cut and resplined axles. Also be wary of pinion angles, especially with a lowered car and a one piece tailshaft. Many rub on the tunnel.

[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]

The forum is as below ;) Probably not suited to most personalities. It is down to business, no mucking around which is hard for people like me who like banter lol.

http://www.fastlane.com.au/Forum/forum.aspx

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

Commonut is fairly active on another forum which seems to fit him nicely. He lives locally and has been helpful trading parts for knowledge lol. Not a bad bloke either.

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

My main gripe with JC is there seem to be no real experts in the areas I make queries who have experience, so a decent technical question gets zero response. That, and the allowance for members to ask the same questions over and over again (eg. Will VE SS wheels fit my VT Commy?) even though there is usually a thread 3 below theirs.

I have been a member of most forums for the past 13yrs, so I am at the point of pretty much knowing what I need to know and rarely need to make a query.

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

gtrboyy wrote:

It all helps…although one car of mine they couldnt start or move it so pr*cks stripped whatever they could in garage while I was away.Lost thousands in parts. Back in the day you’d hear crazy stories of several cars moved to get one they wanted,flat towed away or put on tilt-tray or dogs poisoned. Yeah vk brocks(?) & think vn hsv could get these security plates put in the doors covered inside linkages..usually ended up with totalled door skin.

Sounds like you live in Western Sydney mate lol. Seems like a case of when and not if up here.

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

New head deck looks great.

[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 ;)

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

Looks like an easy job to sort the bay ;) I will get back to you on the list of bits when I get time to find the back shed through the rain lol.

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

Once you take the side plate off in front of the filler and undo filler neck clamp and disconnect vent hose, it would be easy to drop the tank. Probably more work to empty a ute tray, pull out the liner just to get to the access panel lol ;)

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

vhman wrote:

TUF GMH, I used the VT-VZ canister as well, due to it being a nicer shape to mount. I was thinking to putting it under the car, or under one of the guards. But the engineer wanted it as high was it could be. so I ended up mounting it in the boot. pretty much straight above the filter. Still not quite through engineering yet, but the car is out of action for a while. Having a few cooling issues with the PWR radiator, I have sent it back and am awaiting an answer in regards to warranty. hopefully wont take to long. I miss driving it already

Cheers. Are you using one of the usual engineers like Ray Spence or John Wilson?

Mine fits neatly on the drivers side in front of the diff, no leaks or heavy smells so far fingers crossed.

The fuel tank isn’t the usual setup either. A mate who built the car went with a shortened VU SS setup in a long range tank.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by  TUFGMH.

[Author]

Posts