opel commodore

[wesg77]

hi all , i am an commodore nut living in germany adn missing my old vh v8 in a real bad way but have noticed some rare 1979 - 1982 opel commodores on the rd here , about two in the last year , anyway have tracked one down for about 750$au its lefthand drive 2.5ltr 6cyl and looks the same but for the grill. what i would like to know is if the euro model can be converted to v8 like the aus one , but most likely with a chev engine because of costs.
All other stuff like v8 brakes suspension and engine mounts and all other bits and bobs i could import from home.
This is somthing i would really like to do and would welcome any sound advice.
Here is a pic of the 1981 commodore berlina.

[Smitty]

it can be done
but...!
the Opel front suspension is different....
so is the steering the struts the sway bars the k frame
the cooling system....
you will need a lot of parts for the front
and thats before you get into the drive train...
the diff and prop shaft are different... too

it can be done, but it is a brave man who....

[Torana]

Do you mean that 'Berlina' is not our name!!!??? And are they the basic steel wheels that we got on base models?

[SL/ENUT]

Well i was going to buy this old Opel and do it up but i was talked out of it.
But you would need a lot of money to replace a lot of stuff on this one.Look at the motor it needs to go!.As far as i know it still out at the wreakers looking a little sad.

[mixin]

Do you mean that 'Berlina' is not our name!!!??? And are they the basic steel wheels that we got on base models?

Yep, and yep.

You've gotta remember that Holden didn't really have the resources to handle an all-new model with the commitents they already had, and there was even less money in the mid 80s for them o spend on design & engineering changes.

Nearly everything about the design of the VB/VC was lifted directly from Germany (or the US for some items).
It wasn't until the VH the aussie's got to play with the styling - as little.

The extra window in the VK was also copied - from the 1977 opel senator..... who thought Leo Preuneu & Phil Zmood thought of that one during the VK redesign?

The VL is the most unique commodore world-wide, as no-one else had an equialent. GM europe went straight from their "VK" version (the last model of the "commodore B" rang) into the first model of the new model line up called the "commodore c"

The names "commodore A" refer to the early commodores we never saw here (early to mid 70s).
The "commodore B" was the same as our VB-VK.
The "commodore C" was the same as our VN-VP. The VR/VS was again unique to Oz styling wise as the europeans soldiered on with the same VN/VP shape but only minor cosmetic changes - not the huge front/rear sheetmetal changes the VR/VS got.

The major differences under the skin of the Aussie VB is the fact they got "proper" steering - a rack & pinion design that is far better than the old steering box on the opel.
The front strut towers are also a lot stronger on the aussie version.

When a mate of mine was looking into putting a 5L into a Monza like HDT did, he was told by the NSW rego authorities that the largest motor in that model was a 3L so he couldn't go to a 5L as it was over the capacity limit.
He argued that the car came to oz & got a 308 from the factory, but they then told him the Oz model is a lot stronger than the german monza it was based on (chassis wise).
I dunno how you'd go with the german authorities, but you may face a similar struggle.

[wesg77]

it can be done those were the words wanted to hear, yay, as i have got a few years left here a good slow commy project seems just like the thing to do. but looking at the list of possible imports is a little scary but there may be another opion as i was just reading that the "VK" senator came with a 5.4 liter yank 8 perhaps there is another way. i still want to bring some stuff in from aus though to make it as aussie as possible , i could also look into englands commodore for parts the "vauxhall viceroy" otherwise drive train stuff is easily obtained in the u.s


cheers
wez

love that grill.

[SL/ENUT]

Hmmm don't know about that wagon though.Looks like a Brock touch though!.
Well theres always a VB-VH getting wreaked here in OZ.But for how long though?

[wesg77]

now taht the yanks and the brits have got the monaro does anyone know if there will be a left hook version for europe most likley under the opel badge???
god i hope its not the ugly u.s version.

wes

[wesg77]

well ive gone and done it, a opel commy 2.5 liter for about 1000 bucks
now i just gotta figure out how to aussie it up new frntend brakes engine and box n diff and a crate moter from gm in the states and commodore stuff from oz i guess .
any advice on a good exporter or shipping mob or trusty wreckers who can arrange shipping.

[SL/ENUT]

Now what grille are you going to run on it?
http://www.commodoreshop.com.au/index1.htm
These here have a few good Commodore parts.

[wesg77]

dont know about grille yet it will depend whether or not i go all out on the exterior or have looking stock from out but race-hard under the skin. paint will be done though