Vh ss

[smallsz]

Stock standard Oct 1983 VH SS 308 4 speed.

Here's my recently purchased VH. I'd been casually looking for a VH SS for a little while, and didn't want something thats been through 30 pair of hands, but what choice is there at the end of the day when your looking for a 25+ yro car. I then came across this advertised in the paper. A country car owned by a farmer who's had it sitting in his shed for the past 15yrs doing nothing. He's the 3rd owner who bought it off his next door farming neighbour. He recon'd the engine 12 months ago with the intent of doing the car up but lost interest. Did 400kms on the new engine before selling. Nothings been changed on the car, original steeering wheel, mags, radio and speakers.

Interior has a few wear areas and paint is rust specked in places and one rust spot in rear.

I'll post up picks of how it looked when i got it til now after a good clean.

Heres the engine before a wash, the car after a wash, and the dusty/dirty interior before a clean. Original 80's smoke blue tint.

[smallsz]

After a paint clean by hand. Example of the rust specks on front left guard. Bonnet and roof covered with same stuff.

Forgot to mention that the original log book and owners manual came with it. Also the original radio/cassette manual and aircon manual, and other reciepts.

[smallsz]

Engine after a degrease, and spotty roof. Using a cutting compound and my hands, cut back the paint on the roof, bonnet and guards, which got rid of all the rust spots. Took me a few days, sore hands and blistered fingers.

[smallsz]

After the cut and polish. New window tint.

[smallsz]

Would post more pics but wont let me. Two new headlights and indicators as the originals were rusted out. Still to repaint black trim around windows, fix the rust spot, replace original suspension, maybe exhaust and headers but its already got a good heavy note.

Windows have dried watermarks on them from over the years which doesnt come off through washing. Giving them a rub with the cutting compound gets rid of them, and doesnt scatch. Hard work tho. Maybe when my sore fingers go away.

Enjoy.

[TrikkBen]

Didn't think there ever was a VH SS???????

[HSV802]

Awesome car almost looks like a different car from when you picked it up!! VH and Vr i reckon are the best Commodores ever. Good luck with everything on it.

Did this have the factory twin exhaust or single?

[v8commy]

sick car mate good work

they came out with twin exhuast stroked 253 4 speed 355 lsd there a good car

[shiftySLE]

VH SS + Good resto = Tidy Sum. This will be worth a fair bit once you chase up all the bit and pieces, kep us updated on how it goes, seems like your getting right into it already.

[Trav001]

looks good and I agree with HSV802, VH's tho many of my peers think they re ugly, I think theyre awesome, as my 1st car was 1 n i still have it and its currently being done up in to a brock rep, easy to find parts for and great cars, you got a great one there

[tripple]

what did you pay for it?

[GetToDaChopa]

Holly sh** tyres with white writing on them, did it come with the car or did you buy them?

BTW car looks great

[greenfoam]

Nice machine , I'm sure they never came with a radio/tape tho. Must have been optioned up?. These were what Holden used to get a shell into group c that season

[smallsz]

Cheers fellas. A mate had a white VH Grp 3 back in the day that was a ball tearer, and since then always liked the VH's. Was thinking of chucking on a Grp 3 kit, but would be a shame to spoil it seeing as its so original. Its got a single pipe.

Did my research long before - yeah these were the homologation packs that Holden had to sell a certain number of before the VH could be raced in a specific group. The base SS was pretty basic but could be factory up-spec'd as usual. Theres the original reciept for the aircon from the dealership dated prior to purchase. The radio/cassette manual is circa the same era, and they must've been an option coz looking at old advertising material HDT OFFICIAL WEBSITE - VH GROUP 2 - VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS theres no radio at all. 253 was standard and the 308 was an option. It says factory twin system on the advertising, but the picture shows a single system. Maybe the twin was for the 253 and a single for the 308? Mates Grp 3 was stock original and had a single system...but then again, it had been thru the HDT parts bin.

Ha, the Eagers came on the car. The rears needed replacing, and yes, you can still get them from Bridgestone. But who knows for how much longer. Interestingly, the year of manufacture on the tyres that came on the car was 1991, and on the spare, 1987. Theyre 235/60/14's.

Hope to keep it for a long time. Will post more pix when this lets me. Thanks for the comments and will keep posted in future..

[Mr. Brightside]

Looks pretty original. White ones are rarer than the red ones too.

[Jezmont]

This is an unreal machine!! Cant get much more original than that either. Sick car bud
__________________________________________________ ____
RED HOT SS

[smallsz]

Thanks!

In the paint shop at the moment getting a little tidy up. Will post up when i get it back.

Pinion seal on the rear axle started leaking the other day, just for something different

[v8commy]

hey mate what ya pay for it?

[smallsz]

6.5

Theres a couple on carpoint.com....going for 13, but with retrimmed interiors and new paint

[v8commy]

you got a good one for 6500 and you got a white one to all the other ones for that price are red and rooted

[smallsz]

All these recent posts of VH SS's has inspired me to take some more pics of mine this w'end - after a slight paint touch up.

Only gets out on w'ends and turns a few heads.

Had to delete a few pics from this thread unfort.

[GetToDaChopa]

Still looks great. Maybe lower it a tiny bit, just a small amount, like an inch

[red_vb]

awesome looks so clean and straight. i love the old school bridgestones my mister has them on his torrie. a polish makes all the difference sometimes.

[Darren_L]

that's fairly much how I first bought my SS.
It was a 4.2 though with the twin system. Mine also had the original cheviot wheels and I've got the owners manual too.

Looks really good mate, good to find a 5L version. I'm surprised you could get the rust spots to come off so well. I would have thought they were coming through from under the paint, but it appears you have managed to get the majority of them off.

Hang onto it, I certainly have no plans on parting ways with mine.

[smallsz]

Ha yeah lowering a tad is certainly on my mind, my bike, garage door for the house and the like are funneling my $$ in other directions tho.

Yeah the Bridgie Eagers are good for it. Dont know how much longer they'll be around tho, especially 14's. They certainly dont look like 235's from behind.

I was surprised the spots came off too. Thought it woulda needed a full on repaint but it came up surprisingly well. I want to hang onto it. A bit of me tells me to get rid of it while everythings good before it turns into a money pit..

Thanks guys