Long Gone Now
Ryan's VB Daily/Project
Introduction: Razzacaine
Hey all, my real name is Ryan. Im currently a 2nd year uni student studying psychology and philosophy, and work part-time at a supermarket. Ive always loved cars, my love affair started with exotics such as ferraris, lamborghinis etc as I was growing up and then moved on to jap cars such as skylines. Since then I have seen the light and now love a good bit of muscle and have really taken a liking to the early commodores (mainly due to Chrissos immaculate vb!). Besides cars, I love martial arts, movies and music.
My previous car history to date, in order, has consisted of a 1994 Daihatsu Charade (learnt to drive it in), a 1980 Mazda RX7 S1 12A (was falling apart), a 1997 Holden Commodore VS V6 and now a 1979 Holden Commodore VB V8.
Introduction: VB
So the story goes that one night I was up late and was bored on my laptop so I decided to hop on ebay. I was just having a look at what cars where up for sale and I came across a clean looking VB. The owner was selling it as his wife wanted something newer and automatic. Three days later the swap for my old VS was done and I found myself driving home in a nice clean VB!
Once I got it home I had a good look over the VB and it has to be said that the car is in amazing condition. The interior is extremely clean and is nearly all original. Besides a couple of small cracks in the dash pad and a couple of easy to repair rips in the leather seats seam, the interior is spotless. Even more amazing is the exterior of the car as there is only a few small spots of surface rust and no structural rust anywhere. And to think it originally called Tassie home!
Mechanically the VB was in excellent condition with recently overhauled brakes and suspension, and a nice healthy engine and gearbox. However the car was suffering from a power steering fluid leak, idled rough and was experiencing run-on when shutting down the engine. I will get these issues sorted asap so that the car has a clean bill of health and modification can begin! The only other issue I wish to sort out is to put a quieter exhaust on the car as the current one is simply too loud for a daily driven car even though it sounds amazing!
The plan for the VB is to keep it reasonably original appearance wise but with some cosmetic enhancements to make it look a bit cleaner and sharper. With the interior, again I aim to keep it relatively standard but with a few modern creature comforts thrown in. Mechanically I want to get the car completely overhauled to modern standards and putting out some decent power, not monstrous amounts, but enough to keep me entertained! The car is going to be my daily driver come project car and will also hopefully be a bit of a long-term investment as these early birds are just going to get rarer and increase in value!
Now for some more information on the car currently (i.e. as purchased) and my future plans for it. Progress will unfortunately be slow in this space due to a massive lack of funds at current, however this gives me plenty of time to plan out what I want to accomplish with the VB.
Current Condition
Model: 1979 Holden Commodore VB SL
Colour: Tan Brown
Bodykit: None
Exterior Mods: None
Engine: rebuilt Black 308 from a VK
Engine Mods: Cam, Roller Rockers
Power: Untested
Exhaust: Extractors, Muffler, 2.5” Piping etc
Gearbox: M20
Diff: Standard
Brakes: Standard But Rebuilt
Suspension: Pedders Shocks, Kings Springs
Wheels/Tyres: 16" VS SS Mags
Interior: Standard
Stereo: Kenwood Headunit and 6" Speakers in Parcel Shelf
Future Aim
Model: 1979 Holden Commodore VB SL
Colour: VS Cherry Black
Bodykit: VH SS
Exterior Mods: Clear Indicators, 30% Window Tint, LED Lights, White Ventian Blinds, New Chroming, Drop Tank
Engine: 355ci or LS1
Engine Mods: Depends on Engine Choice
Power: Dont Have a Figure in Mind Yet
Exhaust: Extractors, 2.5” Piping, Sports Muffler
Gearbox: T5 or T56 Depending on Engine Choice
Diff: 9” with 4.11 Gears
Brakes: VT Front Brake Upgrade, Standard Rears
Suspension: Keep Current Suspension
Wheels/Tyres: Something Period Correct
Interior: Standard with Power Windows, Alarm, Remote Central Locking, Air Conditioning
Stereo: Kenwood Headunit and 6" Speakers in Parcel Shelf and 4” Speakers in the Kick Panels
Last Words
Hope you guys like the car and enjoy the progress, even if it is slow! Ill be asking plenty of questions throughout the build so feel free to give me some advice and any suggestions you come up with. Cheers!
Last edited by RazzaCaine; 27-10-2010 at 10:32 PM.
Hey mate you have joined the Old School Parade ha ha cant wait to see some pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
..stay N/A..
sounds sweet. Can't wait to see some pictures
Long Gone Now
pictures will be up shortly. im going to take a load as soon as i get a chance. im going to be taking the vb to the mechanic this afternoon to get the power steering leak sussed out. *fingers crossed* hopefully it will be a cheap fix and i wont need a reco rack otherwise im going to be broke =( ill keep you all posted
captain halfajob
run-on as in:Originally Posted by RazzaCaine
a. it will continue to run indefinately after you have switched it off unless you stall it?
b. it continues to run, cough maybe splutter a bit after you switch it off?
anyways, great score, cant wait to se pics
Long Gone Now
as is b. but ive gotten into the habit of stalling it as i switch it off to prevent the run on. i have my suspicions that it is due to the car being filled with a tank of 91 and not 98. im going to fill it up with a tank of 98 in a day or two once i have emptied it and see if the issue goes away. actually, changed my mind, ill probably empty the tank out tonight and put some 98 in it =) haha! if the problem still persists then im going to get the ignition off diode checked out because it may be tired and need replacing.run-on as in:
a. it will continue to run indefinately after you have switched it off unless you stall it?
b. it continues to run, cough maybe splutter a bit after you switch it off?
anyways, great score, cant wait to se pics
in other news, just got back from a power steering and transmission specialist. we got the vb up on the hoist and had a good suss of the underbody of the car. there wasnt a single patch of rust anywhere! to make it even more remarkable, the cars originally from tassie! how there is no rust is beyond me! ive managed to accidentally stumble across a gem. with regards to the power steering the issue has been put down to the lines as they are leaking quite badly. unfortunately i cant get it fixed next week as the mechanic is booked out until next thursday but i can still drive the vb as long as i top up the fluid every day to prevent the pump from croaking.
im going to try to get some photos up tomorrow but they will most likely be up on thursday as i have a nice big break between lectures at uni so ill probably go for a drive with a few people and take some snaps.
Long Gone Now
ok so here are some pictures! i apologise for the poor quality, they are taken from the ebay listing i saw the car on originally. as stated in the previous post, ill take some better ones on thursday
captain halfajob
run on (as in: B) is mostly caused by fouled plugs, fouled cylinder heads (from carbon buildup) or bad timing. first thing to do is take out a plug, take a pic and post it up
carby condition may also be a factor, but nevertheless run-on is reallllly bad for your engine, so best sort it out asap.
Hey mate checked out the pics you scored a good one there mate!!!!!!!!!!! the interior was pretty much the same as mine when i bought it HA HA HA poo brown !!!!!!!!!!!
GREAT STARTIN POINT MATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Long Gone Now
the guy i bought it from said he had just changed the leads and plugs but i do need to check this. he also said the motor had been rebuilt about 20,000kms ago so hopefully carbon build up shouldnt be an issue. he unfortunately didnt have the paperwork to back up his claims but he had been honest with me about the cars down falls and what he said about the suspension and brakes being overhauled recently is clearly evident in their condition. he was also a really nice guy so im inclined to believe him that the motor was rebuilt. he did that the carby could use a tune as the idle is a tad lower than what it should be, but the idle is really only a problem when the motor is stone cold, i.e. at the crack of dawn. when the motors warm it idles fine, at about 850rpm but when its cold it idles at about 450 - 500 rpm until it has warmed up. im going to get it tuned and have the diode checked out, it should be a simple fix. i want to get it fixed over the next week or so as i dont want my engine to go pop! thanks for all the useful information and wise words, its much appreciated and its people like you that make me love these forums =)run on (as in: B) is mostly caused by fouled plugs, fouled cylinder heads (from carbon buildup) or bad timing. first thing to do is take out a plug, take a pic and post it up
carby condition may also be a factor, but nevertheless run-on is reallllly bad for your engine, so best sort it out asap.
thanks mate, im undecided whether i like the stock interior or not. im a huge fan of the leather and the interior itself but cant decide if i like the colour or not. i guess it will have to grow on me haha! one thing i do hate about it though is the steering wheel and the horrible aftermarket gearknob and shifter boot it has in it currently
captain halfajob
alloy fin rocker covers? hmm, wonder what is below them. probably something nice i would imagine.
p.s. bigger carb is not necessary, you probably got a quaddy under there, take it to someone who knows how to tune them.
Long Gone Now
beats me haha, im still trying to learn all the mechanical stuff, bit by bit. all he told me is that it has had a rebuild with a bigger cam, ratio rockers etc. i want to get some one to have a look at it and tell me the specs and tune it up. i know the cam isnt too big as it only has a hint of lump in the idle but it sounds pretty bad ass at 4000rpm. going to have to try to get a sound clip of it at some point. might have to get a dyno tune at some stage as well as i really have no idea what sort of power its putting out.
Long Gone Now
out of curiousity, what would be the causes for a??run-on as in:
a. it will continue to run indefinately after you have switched it off unless you stall it?
b. it continues to run, cough maybe splutter a bit after you switch it off?
anyways, great score, cant wait to se pics
Long Gone Now
not much of an update really but i emptied the fuel tank out today and filled it right up with some 98 and the run-on issue seems to have stopped and the idle is also now at a healthy rpm level so i suspect the previous owner had been filling it up on 91 to try to reduce fuel costs, hence the idle and run-on issues he was experiencing. *fingers crossed* hopefully these issues will not return anytime soon!
VK 308s that are stock have an idle control solenoid that drops the butterflys below idle when you turn off the key to help prevent run on.
Long Gone Now
yeah ive read about that in a couple of places. that was one of the first things i was going to get checked out by the mechanic but if the issue continues to remain absent then i will put it down as being due to the incorrect octane grade of fuel being used by the previous owner
captain halfajob
faulty ignition switch would be my first port of call.
Long Gone Now
thanks for that. well the issue seems to have disappeared for now! however it has now reappeared a couple of time. when i had 91 in the car it did it everytime without fail and would virtually start itself again! now with 98 in it, it will just cough & splutter a couple of times and then stop, however it has only done it a few times with the 98 in it.
Last edited by RazzaCaine; 30-10-2010 at 10:20 AM.
looks like you picked up a gem Ryan
as already suggested if that running on problem re-occurs, then get onto it. Pre-ignition is not a good thing. Wrong fuel or not, it shouldn't run on if the factory Quadrajet carb is still fitted. As somebody pointed out, there is a solendoid that closes the throttle off when the ignition is turned off ie engine won't run without air. My guess is either the previous owner has fitted an aftermarket carb like a Holley or the idle stop solenoid has buggered up (common) and the previous owner has adjusted the idle with the solenoid in the off position, so the throttles never fully close when the ignition is off.
Has it got a disc brake rear end ?
When are you going to fit the A/C
Looks like it's going to be a good project car, keep us updated
Long Gone Now
ill have to check the carby as i have no idea what it is, i havent had a look yet! he claimed that if i put on a bigger one than the current one would gainb 30-40kw... yeah right... so theres a good chance it could be the stock one. i think the ignition off solenoid is stuffed. its still doing occassionally now. with the 91 octane in the car it would do it everytime i stopped. since putting in 98 its done it 3 times out of about 10 so ill get it tuned over the next few weeks and get it sussed out. ill have a quick look at the throttle body later when i go back out to see if its still slightly open.looks like you picked up a gem Ryan
as already suggested if that running on problem re-occurs, then get onto it. Pre-ignition is not a good thing. Wrong fuel or not, it shouldn't run on if the factory Quadrajet carb is still fitted. As somebody pointed out, there is a solendoid that closes the throttle off when the ignition is turned off ie engine won't run without air. My guess is either the previous owner has fitted an aftermarket carb like a Holley or the idle stop solenoid has buggered up (common) and the previous owner has adjusted the idle with the solenoid in the off position, so the throttles never fully close when the ignition is off.
Has it got a disc brake rear end ?
When are you going to fit the A/C
Looks like it's going to be a good project car, keep us updated
it does indeed have a disc brake rear end =) all the suspension and braking components are only a couple of months old which is nice.
i have no idea when i will fit a/c it all depends on how expensive it will be and how hard it will be! i get the feeling that trying to find all the stock vb a/c components might be a bit hard so the easier, and probably more costly route will be to get aftermarket a/c installed.
so far it will be getting the power steering lines replaced on thursday and then it will be getting a tune and the run-on fixed. then it will be an alarm and i want to get some speakers installed in the front kick panels as it currently only has 6" speakers in the parcel shelf which cant compete with the v8 noise at the moment haha. after ive done those few things, we will just have to see where it goes
captain halfajob
im 99% sure its a quaddy, cos it has the metal fuel filter and fuel line going directly into the front, and the idle stop solenoid on the passenger side next to the fuel filter. if it was a holley the fuel lines would be going into the drivers side. its possible that its some obscure weird arse carb that looks very much like a quaddy, hence the 1% of uncertainty. dont bother with another carb, a quaddy is all you will ever need and then some more. its a little understood carby and suits the 308 perfectly when set-up properley. and the suggestion you will get an extra 40kw is rubbish. a quaddy meteres out less fuel than a holley in traffic and much more than a holley at WOT, so yeah. stick to it.
such a nice ride btw, your very lucky
little shamless self plug - how to rebuild/ modify quadrajets (also vac hose diagram) its pretty pic heavy, but written in basic english. just have a quick browse and if you want to have a shot at tuning it yourself, i will help as much as i can.
edit* actually, it would be really useful to me if you could get a nice big close-up pic of your carb without the air cleaner because it looks like the TVS is still connected, and i can add that to the above quaddy thread. thanks
totally agree with ari666 ^^
the quady is a great carb, better than a Holley for a street car. But yeah that solenoid has a habit of stuffing up. Instead of replacing it, most people just wind the plunger all the way out so the engine still idles without the solenoid being engaged.
as for the A/C.
you won't find an aftermarket evaporator case & heater box (the heater box & blower fan location is different to non A/C). So you will need to pull that part out of a VC. Problem is finding one that hasn't got a leaking evaporator. You can't replace the evaporator (well easily) as the box is sealed. Wreckers usually twist the A/C pipes coming out of the box too, because they don't use 2 spanners.....
As for the engine bay, that's easy. Just grab a universal fit Sanden compressor (can buy them fairly cheap new) and use a VK or VL A/C bracket to mount it all to the engine. You can also buy universal fit condensors now that suit R134a. I bought one for mine, doesn't take much to fit. The rest is just piping, which can be made up by any A/C workshop.
Good to see you are getting a security system fitted straight up. Make sure it includes an engine immobiliser because these early models are one of the easiest cars to steal (shame on GMH!!)
Last edited by Darren_L; 31-10-2010 at 11:17 PM.
Long Gone Now
from what the previous owner told me, it should have the stock 308 carby which is the rochester quaddy i believe. i think i will follow your advice and keep it and will just get it set up properly. need to find someone local who knows what theyre doing with it. im just about to have a look at the thread you posted, i might have a go at it myself if im feeling confident. i do have a workshop manual so if i stuff it up i can just return it to the factory settings haha. ill get a photo of the carby for you tomorrow and post it up in this thread or pm it to you. i think the carby is actually dripping a lot bit of petrol at the moment... which isnt good. ill have a look tomorrow to see if the lines need tightening up. its not a big issue, its literally just a drop when i first fire it up.im 99% sure its a quaddy, cos it has the metal fuel filter and fuel line going directly into the front, and the idle stop solenoid on the passenger side next to the fuel filter. if it was a holley the fuel lines would be going into the drivers side. its possible that its some obscure weird arse carb that looks very much like a quaddy, hence the 1% of uncertainty. dont bother with another carb, a quaddy is all you will ever need and then some more. its a little understood carby and suits the 308 perfectly when set-up properley. and the suggestion you will get an extra 40kw is rubbish. a quaddy meteres out less fuel than a holley in traffic and much more than a holley at WOT, so yeah. stick to it.
such a nice ride btw, your very lucky
little shamless self plug - how to rebuild/ modify quadrajets (also vac hose diagram) its pretty pic heavy, but written in basic english. just have a quick browse and if you want to have a shot at tuning it yourself, i will help as much as i can.
edit* actually, it would be really useful to me if you could get a nice big close-up pic of your carb without the air cleaner because it looks like the TVS is still connected, and i can add that to the above quaddy thread. thanks
thanks for all the information/advice you have given me ari, i really appreciate it so thanks again
Long Gone Now
yeah im pretty sure the solenoid is the culprit. when i get it tuned ill let the tuner know so that they can replace it for me. i dont know whether to just get a carby tune up or whether to get a dyno tune as well. i have no idea how much power the car is putting out and i think it would be nice to have a base figure before i do anything to the car. im not expecting it to put out huge numbers, probably around 200hp if im lucky haha.
yeah i really dont know if/when i will go to the trouble of fitting a/c. the actual installation doesnt sound to hard but locating all the parts sounds hard and time consuming.
the security system im looking at getting fitted has the usual alarm siren and immobiliser, but also have glass break sensors, shock sensors, door/bonnet/boor open sensors and remote central locking. the kit is about $200 and then whatever installation costs will be. im not too good with electricals so i dont trust myself to install it haha. i can imagine the vb being very easy to break into. i wouldnt be suprised if you could pick the locks with a hair pin to be honest... my mum used to have classic minis when she was my age and she used to pick the locks with a hairpin whenever she locked the keys in it haha
Long Gone Now
got the power steering fixed today. basically the two power steering lines had slowly worn themselves out from rubbing against eachother and the engine oil sump. new lines were fitted and the leak is gone! the guy even charged me $75 less than the quoted price! result!
now i want to find someone in adelaide who knows what they are doing with the quadrajet so i can get it tuned properly and maybe get electronic ignition fitted up. if anyone knows someone in adelaide or wants to recommend someone please let me know as id love to hear it!
im also going to start looking into an alarm system next week. as this is my daily drive i want to make her secure from those thieving scumbags out there! i know a determined thief would take her anyway but at least an alarm system provides some sense of security as well as remote central locking which would be nice =)
Posting Permissions
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote