VK Rebuild

[VKCrazy]

Gday All,
I currently have a VK Berlina in very good condition, loving VK's and deciding that I dont want to sell it I am looking at doing it up myself. Would probably like to go down the line of a worked 308 or possibly 350 in it and to totally redo the body/running gear/interior - basically the lot. My only problem is that I have never done remotely like this before (work in IT in the Navy). It would be greatly appreciated if anyone could point me in the direction of any good online guides or books or any information on where to start and where to go from there, basically any information that I can get my hands on would be terrific.

Anyways, thanks in advance for your help,

Matt

[vkberlina]

My Site is just what you need

[craigvk]

If I was doing it, I'd take the motor and trans out for starters. Replace components like the diff and propeller shaft, do all the necessary things for the V8.

Replace all the bushes under the car. Take the interior out and respray the car. Replace the interior carpet and in the boot.

Are you sure you want to do this? It will cost heaps of $$$$.

Go for a black rebuilt 308. Bore it bigger and get big valves and pistons put in. Get a performance cam put in and performance valve springs.

[VKCrazy]

Thanks muchly for that fellas, that website is excellent. Yeah the $$$ not so much of a problem, but its not going to be quick, probably a couple of years.

Thanks again for your help,

[craigvk]

I spent $2500 on my VK and I just touched the surface.

[Shifty1]

I spent $2500 on my VK and I just touched the surface.

Sorry.. i dont recall reading it anywhere.. but what did you do to your vk?

[craigvk]

Reading what anywhere?


Bushes.
Shocks.
Carb.
Gas mixer.
Cruise control.
Tyres.
Belts.
Alarm.
CD player.
Speakers.
Amp.
Lots of wire.
Hoses.
Some interior trim bits.
Uni joint.
Transmission service kit & fluid.
Oil & filter.
Workshop manuals.
Roadworthy & reg.

The list goes on...

[VKCrazy]

yeah cool mate, budgeted for about 20-25k over the next 18months-2 years. Will see how it goes, you will no doubt be hearing from me alot hehe

[vkberlina]

Doing my VK myself, buying parts at trade prices the complete rebuild will owe me around $25-30k on the road. Things like wheels & tires I already owned, but this covers engine rebuild,exhaust, gearbox rebuild, diff rebuild, suspension, brakes, interior, stereo, respray.

My project was going to take 6 weeks, 2 years & 4 days its still going but its nearly there now

good luck with the build.

cheers
Scott

[Goon]

25-30k Is everything brand new vkberlina ? cause wow that's allot.

I could only see myself spending just 10k at the most.

[vkberlina]

Yeah thats pretty much everything brand new, even down to alot of nuts, bolts & washers. A fair bit was spent on the donk giving it a freshen up and a kick in the you know where, plus a new starter motor, alternator, powersteer pump. Exhaust headers plus ceramic coating them and part of the exhaust.
Trimming the car will be expensive by the time I get enough material. One fabric I purchased for the seats was $185/m!!!
Im not going to go through the entire build list but no expense has been spared or compimise been made.

cheers
Scott

[craigvk]

Did you get a gear reduction starter motor? My cousin bought one for his Cobra but I have forgotten how they are different from normal starters.

[vkberlina]

No I didnt require a gear reduction one. A Gear reduction starter motor basically changed the gear ratio to allow the engine to be cranked easier of a high compression engine.

[craigvk]

Ahhh thanks for that. I remember my cousin telling me now. He has a 351 with 302 heads for higher compression. They only cost about 200 bucks and normal ones about 160 bucks. The problem is I think they can't be recoed. They are sealed I think.

[vkberlina]

Sorry to thread hyjack but...

Gear reduction starter motor is simply a starter motor with a gear reduction on it so it spins slower but has alot more mechanical "torque" for the want of a better word to turn over a high compression engine.

Attached is an image of one.

They are just like a normal starter & can be rebuilt, theres just more parts

[craigvk]

My cousin's one is sealed I think.

[synoptica]

Are you sure you want to do this? It will cost heaps of $$$$.

I tend to disagree, do things the right way and you can do stuff relatively cheaply. I've done most of my interior now for next to nothing - about $120 for new carpets, same again for new rooflining, $50 for seat covers (no way I'd pay to have them reupholstered) and quite a few tins of vinyl dye have the interior looking pretty damn good.

My paint cost around $800 (will be around $1200 total when I'm done) - and the engine's only going to cost me around $600.

I'll still have spent way more than I should have ever on the car - but I know I've gotten it cheap by doing as much as possible myself

[craigvk]

A lot of the stuff I got was discounted for sales and every 2 dollars and 10 dollars adds up big time. I have a list a page long of everything I bought and most of it was small items. I couldn't have done much cheaper if at all.

[craigvk]

Sorry.. i dont recall reading it anywhere.. but what did you do to your vk?

I think I know what you mean now. I got my car off my brother last year when he went out and bought a new Astra. I spent 8 months on and off up at my cousins farm doing lots of work to get it on the road, safe and roadworthy as well as adding some groovy bits like a Cd player. I think I made about 4 2 week trips up there (Northern Vic). Good experience. Learnt lots of farm tips and heaps about cars.