MkyHnly's VC SL/E Complete Restoration Project

[MkyHnly]

G'day Guys,

I am only a young guy but have always had an obsession with the early girls. My first car was a very clean VC L with a 202 but, only after 4 months of owning it, it was tragically taken clean out by a garbage truck driver who decided to not look where he was going



After that my parents decided it was best if I got something a bit larger and a bit 'safer' for a (technically second) car so I bought a VT S Pack and spent a lot of my time and money getting that roadworthy and looking neat.

Well over a year since my VC was taken away from me, I have recently come into a good job and decent money, so I decided to look for another VC to play with. Only then did I realise that these cars seem hard to come by these days, and most of them are getting expensive too.

After weeks of looking and countless k's travelled to view cars, I finally stumbled across this car via Gumtree and brought it home on the weekend.

It is:

1980 VC SL/E
Original 253 Blue V8
3 Speed Trimatic Auto
Dark Blue single colour all over the body

Everything on this car is 100% stock (except for the tape deck in place of the AM/FM radio). Car comes with all SL/E bits in fantastic condition (including full sized spare SL/E wheel).

My plans for the car include stripping everything down and replacing everything with modern products (new bushes, suspension, brakes), restore and work the motor (just to get a nice exhaust note out of it - not chasing HP), complete respray in the original colour, tinted windows, re-trim interior. Will basically look like a brand new stock car.

I have a set of VR Clubsport wheels that will live on the car while cruising, however will get the SL/E wheels restored and keep them for the stock look.

This will be a huge project, planning on doing majority of it in my garage with my mates, and will share every bit of it on here (so keep a look out).

Heres some pics, enjoy.

[machone]

sorry to see the first car go mate but Im glad you got yourself another...keep us all updated on how shes going and send in more pics lol

[bogan_vk]

looks like a good project keep the pics coming as you progress ,shame bout the red vc looked to be a nice clean car.

[MkyHnly]

after two weeks, have a bit of an update:

cleaned up the car a bit and put the VR 17inch Clubsport wheels on it. looks a bit neater than the original SLE wheels, although i am keeping them and getting them fixed up to keep the original look.



What do you guys think? It sits like a monster truck at the moment haha

I also have some new springs (King Super Lows for the front and King Ultra Lows for the rear) which will go in next weekend when the shocks arrive. Looking at getting Monroe GT Sport shocks, any thoughts?


And yeah it was a real shame when that car went, I don't think I would find another car quite like it. The previous owner was distraught when they heard the news, thats how much it had been looked after.

Any ideas or comments?

Cheers guys

[ari666]

sorry man, dont like the wheels at all. but thats just me and its your car.

[MkyHnly]

its funny, these wheels get mixed opinions, some love it and some just plain hate them. i had a similar set on my red one... i love the dish that the rims have, if you look down the side of the car from the back i reckon it makes these early girls look tough. once its a bit lowered, i may change my mind and get something else, or even put the originals back on, but for now, love these VRs

cheers

[VK SL 3800]

It will be a nice car once finished, i like the look of the VR clubby wheels was considering them for my vk, good to get a complete one too.

I remember the thread on the original red one, such a shame to see such a well looked after commodore written off but thats life.
Keep the updates coming!

[MkyHnly]

It will be a nice car once finished, i like the look of the VR clubby wheels was considering them for my vk, good to get a complete one too.

I remember the thread on the original red one, such a shame to see such a well looked after commodore written off but thats life.
Keep the updates coming!

Thanks mate, it was a very sad day for a lot of people when the red one went ah well, got a new toy. And the updates will keep coming! Unfortunately not a lot of work will be done to it during the week due to lack of sunlight, but hoping to put these shockers in it on the weekend as well as the springs:

MONROE GT LOWERED F&R SHOCKS VC VB VH HOLDEN COMMODORE | eBay

Have people had any experience with them and are they good?

Cheers

[brinz96VS]

doesnt look too bad considering age.
will be great to see this cleaned up.

[ari666]

I remember the thread on the original red one, such a shame to see such a well looked after commodore written off but thats life.

yeah me too sad day.

and yeah OP, i have monroe GT's on mine. mine are the shortened shocks to suit lowered springs. havnt had a problem with them, but i have to say the rebound is pretty loose. was hoping for something a little bit stiffer for mine, but nevertheless they still do the job.

[MkyHnly]

yeah me too sad day.

and yeah OP, i have monroe GT's on mine. mine are the shortened shocks to suit lowered springs. havnt had a problem with them, but i have to say the rebound is pretty loose. was hoping for something a little bit stiffer for mine, but nevertheless they still do the job.

thanks ari666 i ordered them today, hopefully will get them before friday to be installed friday morning with the help of my mate jesse_lankey will definitely let you guys know with pictures when they are in.

doesnt look too bad considering age.
will be great to see this cleaned up.

thanks brinz, you should drop round one time to have a closer look. love your calais mate

cheers

[MkyHnly]

Also, I planned to buy new plates for the car that have the original number plate combination on it that came from factory, however after looking online for the combination VicRoads tells me that the combination is taken

So I went to check online once again to see what car the plates are attached to, but no results were found when I put the combination in. I was really set on getting this combination too. Any suggestions?

Cheers

[MkyHnly]

got these in the mail today:



going in either friday morning or on the weekend

cheers guys

[VBRED]

Looks good. The Blue is a good factory colour. I have gone for the same suspension package in my VK.

[MkyHnly]

gday VBRED, thanks mate i like the colour too, going to keep it that colour, just going to get it re-sprayed. i spent a lot of time reading up on your thread, it has been a bit of an inspiration


well here is the update -

after a lot of swear words, cuts, bruises, and two days... myself and my mate jesse_lankey managed to get the suspension done. man it was an absolute bastard to try and do! but it is now all done, and here are the end results:



really happy with the result, just tucks the tyre in the rear so will need to get the guards rolled, but stoked with how it sits unfortunately it isnt registered so i havent had the chance to properly drive it... but cant wait til I finally can

let me know what you think,

cheers

[VK SL 3800]

Looks good, actually it looks cleaner overall then before too.

[jesse_lankey]

still needs a s**tload of work for a roady you should start buying new bushes for the front end and just bits and peices to get it to reasonable condition, also need an adjustable panhard rod

[Jonno]

noiice mate

[brinz96VS]

looks nice man, and yeah ill have to come past and see it at some stage.
hope you dont have to raise it to pass the roadworthy.
+1 for new suspension bushes, replace every single one if you can.

[ari666]

ok, so at that height those wheels have definiatly grown on me

[SL/ENUT]

Pity those VB SL/E leather seats are a bit RS. Nice car though

[VBRED]

No part of the car is to be less than 100mm obove ground. If you can drive it over a house brick on edge it will pass. Keep your eye on Imlachs Centre Road, Clayton wreckers. They always have at least 6 early girls. Some are very clean. Never seen an SLE though.

[chrisso 82]

Hey mate nice ride sits well now looks good !!!!!! Heres a bit of a heads up i just replaced all the bushes in the front end of my VB.. I found out that for your lower control arms (K frame,z bar,lower ball joint)bushes dont replace with new bushes buy the whole control arm from PEDDERS for only $125 each side and they come complete new bushes and ball joint + a2yr warranty no matter what!!!!!! Ifound out the hard way ...SH#t C#$p Oh well........

[VBRED]

Same except I am using Nolathane ones. Can't be ####ed cleaning the old ones up repainting them and pressing the old bushes and ball joints out and pressing new ones in.

[MkyHnly]

Pity those VB SL/E leather seats are a bit RS. Nice car though

are they VB SL/E seats or VC SL/E seats? as far as I know the car is 100% factory? and forgive me by asking, but what is RS?

No part of the car is to be less than 100mm obove ground. If you can drive it over a house brick on edge it will pass. Keep your eye on Imlachs Centre Road, Clayton wreckers. They always have at least 6 early girls. Some are very clean. Never seen an SLE though.

Yeah I have checked and it seems to be alright at the 100mm height, but i will do the brick trick just to be sure, thanks for the advice. And thats awesome to know about that, not too far away from me, see whether I can just get a new front bumper off an early girl there.

Hey mate nice ride sits well now looks good !!!!!! Heres a bit of a heads up i just replaced all the bushes in the front end of my VB.. I found out that for your lower control arms (K frame,z bar,lower ball joint)bushes dont replace with new bushes buy the whole control arm from PEDDERS for only $125 each side and they come complete new bushes and ball joint + a2yr warranty no matter what!!!!!! Ifound out the hard way ...SH#t C#$p Oh well.........

gday chrisso, have been reading through your thread - your car is wild! well done on it mate! and thanks for the advice - i will definitely do that. want to freshen it all up, may as well just get a whole new control arm.


well it has been about 2 weeks since i touched the car, ive been sick for the better half of those two weeks. went to move it today to get it out of the way of the trailer and the battery didnt have enough charge in it to turn over had to push it down the driveway. if the weather is still as good as it has been during the week i want to get the garage all sorted out and buy a trickle charger just to keep it charged enough to move it every now and then.

well, thats my news, thanks for all the advice and the comments!