VP Commodore Query

[Spencigator]

Hey Everyone.
I just brought home my first car, that had been sitting in my father work shed for 4yrs whilst waiting for me. Now i'm ready to start work on it and am weighing up a few options.

My goal;
As I am about to be a P plater, i cant have anything bigger than a 6, so.. i want the biggest 6 i can get legally.
And i DEFINATELY want a manual.
My car, is a Holden 1972(i think) Holden HQ Premier..

I spoke to a guy, who is selling a VP Commodore V6 3.8L(unsure of how many K's but said it works fine) with 5Spd Manual gearbox (called a T5)
with computer, wood grain steering wheel, wiring, cables,clutch, pedals, tail shaft.
The guy wants $500 for the whole thing. (how much he wants for it is not the concern here though)
As i have just about that much, i can pretty much obtain this straight away.

I obviously want to put the Engine and Gearbox into my HQ.
Im just worried about what the VP 6cyls. motors are like? are they reliable? made well?
and the T5? is it a good gearbox?
I know it depends on what the condition is in, but i want to know wether they were made well and designed well to begin with.

[_R_J_K_]

There are many 3800 engines running around with 300,000+ on the clock easy without rebuild. They are pretty much almost bullet proof.

V6 Conversions makes a kit for this conversion - Untitled Document

[StockoVRWagz]

Remember, once it goes in you need it engineered = $$$ and you'd need better brakes = $$$ plus all the other stuff you'd need to do. It's not as easy just to chuck a V6 in and off you go. I hope I'm not coming across as a c*nt.

Though if you do bet that VP, you'd easily double your money stripping it and selling it for parts.

[StockoVRWagz]

Actually, check this out

[skruba]

it would be a very strong set up for a hq tho as said above its not just a motor transplant

[Morton]

A HQ Prem weighs about the same as a VP Exec, so you're not going to gain any power/weight. It'll go a lot harder than a 202 though If I were you, I'd keep the 202 in the HQ and just enjoy it as it is Save a few dollars, and drop in a nice 350 chev when you turn 21

[levymetal]

then engines themselves are good. in fact they are built so well that you'll have a REALLY hard time getting more power out of it than stock . the downside to this is that they really aren't that powerful or fast, and if you're looking to upgrade the motor i guess you're not the type of person who will live with mediocre. you'll end up ripping the 3800 out and putting something else in anyway, however at the loss of a few thousand $$$ on the 3800 conversion (the conversion kit is $1400 alone). i really don't think the 3800 will even give you the slightest smile at all. although the 202 is slower, it sounds better anyway

that way you can saving pennies for this:

[Morton]

levy, do you mind if I borrow that engine? Have you got a spare lying around perhaps? You know, just to borrow. For a little.

[levymetal]

morton, i have a spare one in my shed for you. come over at 4pm and we can chuck it in your HQ

[Morton]

pm me your address, I'm bolting skateboards to the HQ as we speak, preparing to flat-tow it to somerville.

[greenfoam]

Morton and Levy and on the money. Spend a couple hundred on the 202 to make it worth Driving while you are on your P's but whatever you do don't put a V6 in it. It's going to cost you more time and money than you expect and that money and it is MUCH better off saving for a chev for when you finish your P's. So much better off that it's not worth considering anything else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5uGZ...eature=related

Also the Chev can go in without any engineering, the V6 can't it's all alot of money for a silly little engine, when you have one of the biggest engine bays ever been made, you may as ell make use of it

[Morton]

It may seem like a long wait, but if you buy an old 350 chev now, stick it up on an engine stand, and start slowly learning to reubild it over the next couple of years, and modifying it, it'll keep you nicely occupied and give you something to talk about

Then the day you get your full license, take a couple of weeks off work and pull the HQ off the road for the conversion - by then you'll have EVERYTHING you need, and it'll all be mint! Drop all the new goodies in, and enjoy your horsepower + oldschool V8 growl

[greenfoam]

The best thing about the Chev is that it's had so much development time and money thrown at it over the last 50 years, that you can just buy now your way into a reliable 500 horse power quite easily these days, you can do the same with the Holden V8 but the Chev is cheaper

[Spencigator]

Well.. its a 179 in the HQ atm. Not a 202.
The 500$ deal, isnt a whole car. Its just a bunch of stuff.

Ok, so, say i dont put a VP motor/GB in..
Whats some alternatives.
The 179 is a temporary solution.
I have a 186 that I could put into it.
But what are some ideas or things i could do for those?

[Morton]

202s are almost free these days. I've had three efi202s offered to me for free since I got my HQ. Pick one up, and chuck the 186 heads on there. If you're really keen to burn some money, you could fuel inject it - otherwise just throw away the points dizzy and replace it with a proper elect dizzy from a blue 202.

[Spencigator]

I have heard that the 202s arent such a great engine, in comparison to the 179 or 186..
I never said i was looking for one either.
SO yeah... whats some options for the 186?

[Morton]

I guess you could go triples if you've got the money to throw around - they're one of the better ways to modify an old Holden 6, but you've got to have a spare 2 grand laying around that you don't know what to do with Especially if you plan to cam it, you want three small carbs as opposed to a big holley - you'll just lose vacuum down low, and the car will be gutless to 3000rpm.