VN Luke's VN

[stocky]

nice work with the interior. any plans on adapting the centre console to suit manual?

[VN_Luke]

nice work with the interior. any plans on adapting the centre console to suit manual?

cheers
yup there's plans - luckily it's one of the last things i have to do for this epic conversion - so i'm playing ignorant about how i'm going to do it just for now - when i get closer i'll worry then.

[SquishyShoes]

Is there any VN left in your car? Kidding, awesome ride mate, this thing is going to be even more awesome than it was a few pages back.

[savage1987]

Luke you're an inspiration. I think I'll go the opposite way to you with interior though, I'm not really inspired to do all that work for a heavier car, and I plan to race mine later on

I will listen eagerly and hopefully learn and remember all the details you care to give of your body strengthening and rattle proofing, that part I am definitely interested in!!

Congrats and keep up the good work
Sam

[VN_Luke]

Luke you're an inspiration. I think I'll go the opposite way to you with interior though, I'm not really inspired to do all that work for a heavier car, and I plan to race mine later on

I will listen eagerly and hopefully learn and remember all the details you care to give of your body strengthening and rattle proofing, that part I am definitely interested in!!

Congrats and keep up the good work
Sam

Cheers mate, thanks for the kind words!!

Yeah at one stage a while ago I was interested in the lightest possible car - but at this stage, the weight would only really be of benefit for drag racing & drifting.

Seeing as this car is more of a 'street car', as oppsed to a 'race car', and I drive it around town a whole lot more than I do at events - I've opted to go for the heavier, but more luxury spec interior.

As it is at the moment - on the best tyres I can find, I still can't use 3/4 throttle or more in 1st or 2nd without completely blazing the tyres. The only time it seems to more-or-less hook up in 2nd @ full throttle is when I have 4 blokes in the car lol. - and because of the added traction, the car actually goes faster than if it's just me!

So anyway - the point is - I don't think I'll notice the extra 20-30kg around town at all. The only time I will is at the drags - but that's why people invented smaller blower pulleys, and bigger turbo housings - I reckon there's another 20-30rwkw in it just with those two changes.

I'll be sure to take heaps of photos of the strengthening/seam welding process - To be honest i'm a bit nervous about the operation as it's quite a serious task - but I just need to harden up and start ripping stuff out I think lol.

[VN_Luke]

ok - got a final plan really

Only going to weld the firewall for the time being - the rest of the body welding can be done when she finally gets a coat of paint

As part of this 'freshen up' I'm going to drop in a smaller supercharger pulley and a larger turbo housing to bump the power curve up all the way over

A new clutch is also going in - a twin place this time!

in the interim; here's some progress pics

[Morton]

Why did you leave the firewall on the corner of Cain Road and Steele Street? Shouldn't you have taken it home with you?

[Pub247]

god doesnt take you long i've been thinking about mine for 3 months and havent pulled it out yet

[azkwazere]

God i love watching this project....

Epic jobs ahead man, should be awesome though!

1 Question, What diff are you using atm?

You were riding the lokka centre orignally but were unhappy with the backlash, i remember you speaking of a plans to change to a detroit locker style centre, did this happen? or have you gone back to spool town?

I can see you winning some awards when this is all done man... top stuff.

aZk.

[VN_Luke]

1 Question, What diff are you using atm

Spool - until Harrop hurries up and releases the true trac to suit the BW diff. - then i'll get around to building a tuff diff with unbreakable* axles. The true trac is like a mechanical LSD - with no components to wear out. It distributes torque via helical gears. - quite an interesting setup!

*results may vary.

I can see you winning some awards when this is all done man... top stuff.\

haha yer - "Most faded paint"


Anyways - I got the firewall out tonight! - I got a bit excited and pulled it before even pulling out the motor - I'm getting a bit better at removing the firewalls, too (not that it's really a necessary life skill or anything to be proud of )

Clutch should be arriving mid next week - twin plate with lightened flywheel - I really hope that this one works well with the combo!

Other than that, here's some more progress pics.

(yes i am terrified that the firewall is out - but once the new one is welded in i'll be right - and after seeing how sloppily they are installed from the factory, i reckon I could do a better job anyway haha)

[azkwazere]

Spool - until Harrop hurries up and releases the true trac to suit the BW diff. - then i'll get around to building a tuff diff with unbreakable* axles. The true trac is like a mechanical LSD - with no components to wear out. It distributes torque via helical gears. - quite an interesting setup!

*results may vary.



haha yer - "Most faded paint"


Anyways - I got the firewall out tonight! - I got a bit excited and pulled it before even pulling out the motor - I'm getting a bit better at removing the firewalls, too (not that it's really a necessary life skill or anything to be proud of )

Clutch should be arriving mid next week - twin plate with lightened flywheel - I really hope that this one works well with the combo!

Other than that, here's some more progress pics.

(yes i am terrified that the firewall is out - but once the new one is welded in i'll be right - and after seeing how sloppily they are installed from the factory, i reckon I could do a better job anyway haha)

Those last three pictures scare the shits out of me.... *it will come back together, it will come back together* (cries)

lol... are you sure there is no reason why its glued and not wealded?

aZk.

[VN_Luke]

Those last three pictures scare the shits out of me.... *it will come back together, it will come back together* (cries)

lol... are you sure there is no reason why its glued and not wealded?

aZk.

haha

well, I don't know for sure, but I've made an assumption:

to save costs on producing cars (and to be able to pump them out quicker) I imagine that the:

1. dash (exec|berlina|calais|etc)
2. pedalbox (auto|manual)
3. steering column (power|non power)
4. loom - incl. complete internal and external fuseboxes (exec|calais|berlina... etc)
5. Body tags, vin numbers etc (make|model|build number|options)

...are all fitted to the firewall completely separate to the shell of the car being made.

This firewall basically determines on what level car is going to be built - whether the shell is going to be a calais auto with all the features, or a manual exec with nothing.

This theory is semi proven by the fact that there is a 'cutout' on the firewall righit next to where the body loom goes through the firewall. - and the fact that every firewall is BLACK - regardless of car colour - the shell gets sprayed before the firewall goes in.

(interestingly enough, the engine loom goes through the actual BODY of the car - so v6/v8 must be determined when that gets put through somehow? - haven't thought about that too much.

anyway, continuing witih the story;

Once the dash & firewall assembly iis complete and ready to go with all the shizzle, a shell comes down the production line with glue all over where the firewall mates to the car, and a robot pushes/glues the dash into place - NEXT!

now the reason I imagine that's not nwelded into place, is that they probably didn't want to

1) fork out money for a massive spot welder that can go arouuuuuuund an entire dash
2) burn the plastics of the dash by spot welding after everything was there
3) increase production time by having a car inthe way of where you want the dash.
4) have a tightly coupled relationship between chassis/shell and luxury level/options

... that's my theory anyway

[delcowizzid]

so theres totally no spot welds that sounds dodgy as LOL.I built handa's once apon a time all the steel work was spot welded together then the whole chassis dipped in electrostatic corosion bath then baked then all sealant applied round all seams and tar mats installed and baked in an oven again then primered while still warm baked again then primer sanded sprayed baked and buffed then she was off to the assembly line for all the flash interior 300 cars a day

[VN_Luke]

so theres totally no spot welds that sounds dodgy as LOL.I built handa's once apon a time all the steel work was spot welded together then the whole chassis dipped in electrostatic corosion bath then baked then all sealant applied round all seams and tar mats installed and baked in an oven again then primered while still warm baked again then primer sanded sprayed baked and buffed then she was off to the assembly line for all the flash interior 300 cars a day

I think that's similar to what they'd to to the chassis of the commodore - however it seems that the firewall comes AFTER all of this is done. - there's paint under the glue where the firewall goes in, so i guess the firewall goes in as part of the interior fitout, or motor fitment or something - but it goes in BEFORE the doors go on, because there's two bolts holding the firewall in on either side in the door jams. - you can't get the bolt in once the door is on.

[greenfoam]

The last three pictures are indeed horrifying, but a good thing to see for anyone that's too scared to change a intake manifold gasket. It puts things in perspective

[davejones]

Hey luke, love the car, read about it all today very impressed... what 1/4 mile times did you get out of her at peak? was it much quicker than your vp? cheers

[f1tzy]

lol dont lean on your car or it will fold over

[VN_Luke]

lol dont lean on your car or it will fold over

That's why i kept the strut brace in place - however the towers don't seem to be wanting to push together (no tension on the brace) - no doubt a different story as soon as the car isn't on dead flat ground, or turning a corner. - I reckon it's more likely to bend every time i have it up on stands or changing a wheel

Hey luke, love the car, read about it all today very impressed... what 1/4 mile times did you get out of her at peak? was it much quicker than your vp? cheers

so far it's done a best of only 12.2 @ 120mph in 100% street trim. The limiting factors seem to be traction & driving at the moment I need to get down to heathcote/calder on a very quiet day and do run after run to learn to launch it, and speed up my shifts. (down to like .1-.2 sec lol) etc - but all in good time.

[Calaber]

haha

well, I don't know for sure, but I've made an assumption:

to save costs on producing cars (and to be able to pump them out quicker) I imagine that the:

1. dash (exec|berlina|calais|etc)
2. pedalbox (auto|manual)
3. steering column (power|non power)
4. loom - incl. complete internal and external fuseboxes (exec|calais|berlina... etc)
5. Body tags, vin numbers etc (make|model|build number|options)

...are all fitted to the firewall completely separate to the shell of the car being made.

This firewall basically determines on what level car is going to be built - whether the shell is going to be a calais auto with all the features, or a manual exec with nothing.

This theory is semi proven by the fact that there is a 'cutout' on the firewall righit next to where the body loom goes through the firewall. - and the fact that every firewall is BLACK - regardless of car colour - the shell gets sprayed before the firewall goes in.

(interestingly enough, the engine loom goes through the actual BODY of the car - so v6/v8 must be determined when that gets put through somehow? - haven't thought about that too much.

anyway, continuing witih the story;

Once the dash & firewall assembly iis complete and ready to go with all the shizzle, a shell comes down the production line with glue all over where the firewall mates to the car, and a robot pushes/glues the dash into place - NEXT!

now the reason I imagine that's not nwelded into place, is that they probably didn't want to

1) fork out money for a massive spot welder that can go arouuuuuuund an entire dash
2) burn the plastics of the dash by spot welding after everything was there
3) increase production time by having a car inthe way of where you want the dash.
4) have a tightly coupled relationship between chassis/shell and luxury level/options

... that's my theory anyway

Hey Luke

You're very close to the money with your assumptions regarding installation of the firewall and dash assembly and being glued rather than welded.

The VN introduced the glued firewall concept as you would know. Holden techs reckoned that it would simplify assembly and ensure greater quality control if the entire instrument panel and firewall was assembled out of the car, paricularly in view of the variation of models and increasing complexity of the cars compared to previous models. This was outlined in the book "The VN Story" which I have - a very detailed and interesting read about the VN development.

If the dash had been assembled in the car as was the norm, it was thought that assembly would be very difficult for the production line workers. The bare panel sat on a special jig and the employees sat beside it assembling the entire sub assembly, then it was lifted by machine and placed very accurately into the body shell as it ran down the line.

[Troy5L]

have u thought about tubbing the vn and shortening the diff and running wider tyres to get more traction? might be worth it if you cant keep the thing pointin forward

[Pub247]

Hey Luke

You're very close to the money with your assumptions regarding installation of the firewall and dash assembly and being glued rather than welded.

The VN introduced the glued firewall concept as you would know. Holden techs reckoned that it would simplify assembly and ensure greater quality control if the entire instrument panel and firewall was assembled out of the car, paricularly in view of the variation of models and increasing complexity of the cars compared to previous models. This was outlined in the book "The VN Story" which I have - a very detailed and interesting read about the VN development.

If the dash had been assembled in the car as was the norm, it was thought that assembly would be very difficult for the production line workers. The bare panel sat on a special jig and the employees sat beside it assembling the entire sub assembly, then it was lifted by machine and placed very accurately into the body shell as it ran down the line.

All good points calaber i always figured it was a cost cutting measure as every model of previous commodore are spot welded. You see many vl's manage to get such big launches and good times without ever having many chaasis mods. i put alot lot of this down to the fact that although both vn and vl's are basically the same chassis the vl's have spot welded firewall's. I think it would greatly decrease the amount of twist in the chassis of the car.
I think glued firewalls are fine for your average commodore but something like luke's is not exactly average.
I pulled some of the glue off mines and its very elastic even after 20 years i think it allows quite alot of play in the front end of the car especially if it is as thick as luke said it was # 5mm at some points doesn sound like it fitted to precise to me

[delcowizzid]

probably the easy way to change the heater box LOL

[sv3800#055]

Nice ride man

Andrew

[VN_Luke]

engine's out, firewall is all prepped etc - still got heaps to do, but just a few photos

[Thomas1]

You belong in a mad house Luke!!! It scares me to look at those pics and it's not even my car . Goodluck with it, and keep the pics coming...