Project Commodore

[NPreston]

For anyone interested here is a photo of my project 18 months in the making part time of course. My aim was to take the car as far as I could and still be able to get it registered, makes it much easier for tuning etc and it is only a 10 minute drive to the local hill climb. Has a 3.8 Buick and T5. I went with the V6 over a V8 becuase the car has been built primarily for hill climbs and street sprints running in the 3000-4000cc class. In theory the V6 should be better balanced without the extra weight of the V8 hanging over the front. It is fully complied and was registered last Monday. Just over 100kgs has been stripped from the interior and with a near full tank of fuel it weighed in at 1150kgs. Wheels are 17"x8" running "R" spec semi slicks. Not the greatest thing to drive on the road but hopefully should be good on the track.

[vk.jonno]

looks good bro

[TY318]

not bad i wouldnt mind getting another car and doing this well mostly the uphill climbs i dont think i would do it with my car incase i come off the edge hahaha

[Lamo]

Nice. Anymore info/pics on the conversion?

[50LTRv8]

Looks good man, do you have any pics/comments of the build process?

[NPreston]

I've more photos here I'll see how I go posting them. The engine has high compression pistons with the block milled to get correct height, balance shaft removed and fully balanced, double row timing chain, lightened flywheel, billet Tighe camshaft, 70mm throttle body, Mitsubishi Magna injectors, upgraded Pierburg EFI pump, headers, mandrel bent 2 1/2" exhaust with one muffler, $2000 spent on cylinder heads, all ports matched including the throttle body, Haltech computer and running 10.5:1 compression. Clutch is a solid centre job clamping pressure is 2400 pounds if I remember correctly, I know it's heavy. Rear axle is VL turbo 4 pinion lsd 3.45:1 with billet axles. Suspension is Just Commodore with King springs Koni sport adjustable shocks, camber adjustable strut tops and poly bushed all round. Vt brakes, 25mm master cylinder. Battery in the passenger footwell rear lhs.. Interior is just painted metal. The car is registered as a two seater only. Build cost around $17,000 so far.

[Lamo]

Hold on to your hats boys - here comes 37 pics of this very cool Commodore!

[Lamo]

Initial preparation, worst jobs of the whole project were cleaning the bitumen off the floor and transmission tunnel and painting the interior. My nostrils were stuck together despite wearing paper masks, also my eyelashes stuck together requiring delicate application of turps to seperate them. There was a total of 16kgs of bitumen in the car. Before and after shots of the engine bay.
Steering is VL power steering and the cross member is from a VS, cheaper to run power steer than buy an idler pulley to delete the power steering pump. Be an advantage with 225 "R" spec tyres.

[Lamo]

Engine and additional wiring harness required. Radiator is a VN V8 Fenix aluminium unit modified to fit the VC. Bottom locationg pins had to be moved and I had to block off the bottom outlet and move it up 75mm. VT calipers and rotors.
Standard air inlet as required by Qld Tpt along with a standard unmodified engine and computer, oh yeah it's standard just runs a little rough.

[Lamo]

Radiator in situ.
Optima fully sealed Absorbed Glass Matt battery, no hydrogen gas when charging. Battery wiring with isolator.
One of two adaptors for my cold air intake. Original inlet is blocked off. Intake is under the front bumper which on a Lexus is the highest air pressure point apart from immediately in front of the windscreen, stumbled upon that little gem by accident, I guess it would apply to the Commodore as well as they are both 3 box cars. Bottom photo is the air intake sensor that I moved from the rear of the inlet manifold and placed in the air intake itself. On the dyno before I moved the sensor the air intake temp was higher than the water temp.

[Lamo]

Off to the painter.
Fresh from the paint shop, waiting for a new front screen and refit the rear screen. Everything was removed from the car as far as trim goes, Bailey channels all glass and trim etc. I was going to fabricate front bumperettes but the engineer said it would be frowned upon as a pedestrian hazard, apparently the rest of the car is not a hazard. Windows in back doors are plastic (not legal). Note the luxury interior. Sparco race seat is not legal, no ADR approval although FIA approved.

[Lamo]

Finished CAI.
Swiss cheese back door, windows are glued in place,all winding mechanism removed as ai arm rest. Tuned by BPS just to back up my claim for the dyno sheet.

First hill climb will be at Mt. Cotton on 30-31 October assuming I get a start as I am not a series registered competitor and they get preference. I reckon I will get in as the club has not allocated my race number to anybody else. First street sprint will be Oakey Sprints 20-21 November followed by another hill climb early December and then it all shuts down till next year. Be good to use these events as a shakedown for next year. Previously I campaigned our only car a 2001 Saab coupe 2 litre turbo with 300 horsepower (248@ the wheels), bit of a handful front wheel drive with an open diff. This should be quicker with no turbo lag, more power and torque below 4000rpm than the Saab and 250kgs lighter with bigger brakes.

[Lamo]

Here's the Saab. I used to cop a lot of flack about it being my wife's car, they shut up pretty quickly though. Ran it through 2007-2008 then I started on the Commodore. My wife used to drive it every day.

[Lamo]

All above posts are fron NPreston - I just uploaded the images.

Thanks for the info Noel.

[ari666]

alllllll of that effort and still just 216HP.

why didnt you go V8?

[NPreston]

Hold on to your hats boys - here comes 37 pics of this very cool Commodore!

Thanks for that Lamo, appreciate it.

[NPreston]

alllllll of that effort and still just 216HP.

why didnt you go V8?

I didn't want a V8 because it wouldn't fit into the 3000-4000cc class in which I wish to compete. Look at what you have done to your V8 and my V6 is more powerful. I also expect better weight distribution and therefore it should handle and stop better. The camshaft used was selected because of it's torque characteristics, torque is what I need for getting up the hill and pulling out of right angle corners at street sprints.

[Lamo]

Geez. I'd be happy with 200rwhp in a series one Commodore.

I think you have done really well, Noel.

[NPreston]

Geez. I'd be happy with 200rwhp in a series one Commodore.

I think you have done really well, Noel.

I guess I will have some idea after the 30-31 October as to how well I've done Liam, but thank you.

[VBRED]

Mate

Mine started out with a VR 3800 but then I went L67 supercharged. Mine is with the T5 and VN rear diff and all engineered. Now a lot of fun with a lot of potential.

Pete

[NPreston]

Pete,
I will be staying naturally aspirated as a 3800 becomes a 6450cc when CAMS applies their multiplication factor and 6000cc is CAMS limit. You can compete in Formula libre against open wheelers if you want.

Noel.

[calais24/7]

Any idea how much that is in kw? Goodluck with it to mate.

[NPreston]

It is 161.3 kws and 350nm of torque.

[ari666]

Look at what you have done to your V8 and my V6 is more powerful.

lol, my v8 is a bad example

does look pretty sweet though.

[50LTRv8]

Thanks for all the pics man, that is a sweet ride Wish I had you skills for my projects