My NZ VN V6

[immortality]

My ride,

1989 s1 VN executive
V6, 5spd

Mods:
LSD with 3.45:1 gears
SV3800 tune
Coby headers and 2.5" exhaust (without cat)
V8 65mm TB, modified butterfly and shaft
shielded K&N POD with CAI and thermal wrapped intake
Exhaust heat shield
polished aluminium rocker covers
thermo Fan override switch (how to: How to fit thermo fan bypass switch - Just Commodores)
82 degree thermostat
strut brace (borrowed from the V8 as it's off the road)
Various nolathane bushes etc
O2 sensor
VT SS rims with 235/45/17's
Superlows all round with KYB shocks
oil filter relocation kit with oil temp and oil pressure
speedo corrector kit (my howto: Install a speedo corrector kit VN/VP)
Momo steering wheel

Future mods:
Nitrous coming soon




i've added the o2 sensor to the list of mods cause the NZ commies were tuned for leaded fuel. now that i've got the o2 sensor working i'm going to be running a slightly mod'd SV3800 tune. up till now most of my efforts have been on reducing intake temps to increase economy

it's run a best time of 15.8 on the G-tech (competition with firmware 4.03 update) with only a K&N panel filter at the time and standard zorst with rattly baffles (muffler) and some wheel spin.

when i bought her, there was only 65,000km on the clock, single owner. it's been in the family for about 4 years now and it's currently got 119,970 on it now.

power and torque are up about 8hp and 10 ft-lbs with the mod's to the intake, actual 1/4 mile times are consistently better by .1 although i haven't bettered my PB this has been on the 14" wheels with less traction and i've just noticed that i've been changing gear at the 1/4 mile mark so holding 3rd gear should see a small gain there. the original power runs were done at midnight in winter conditions so it woulda been good air also where today it was just before lunch and much warmer etc. doing the xhaust and tune should make a good improvement also

update:

since fitting the new 2.5" exhaust and finally getting rid of that rattly muffler the Gtech shows an improvement of 10rwkw and 19.5nm of torque. with the LSD and gears i've now run a BP of 15.2 sec @92mph and 6.918 0-60mph that should drop with revised shift points and better traction as i'm currently running on my old 14" wheels. here comes the 14's hopefully

[alexp36]

Nice VN mate, pretty low ks too.
Must go pretty well with the manual behind it. I saw some manual conversion kits on Trademe for the VR a while back, but they were a bit pricey for me, so I'll be sticking with the auto for now.
What part of Auckland are you in?

[immortality]

manurewa, most wreckers are charging about 2k for everything you need to do a conversion. your better of watching tradme and trade&exchange for a someone selling a damaged vechile etc. you'll get a good deal that way. last month i missed a s2 VN manual, redg on hold cause it needed some work for $500. mines lookinga bit sad at the mo, got the standard 14" factory wheels on at the mo and the paint looks crappy cause i parked it under the native tree at home and the little red flowery thingsies left red stains on the paint. bugger

[alexp36]

yeah, you're probably right - these ones I saw were a complete kit, all secondhand bits, but it was a company that puts together everything you need, right down to the centre console, pedal box, even the starter motor. Might have been about $2700 thereabouts.
Pity about the paint - hopefully it'll come out with a cut and polish.

[immortality]

Originally Posted by alexp36

yeah, you're probably right - these ones I saw were a complete kit, all secondhand bits, but it was a company that puts together everything you need, right down to the centre console, pedal box, even the starter motor. Might have been about $2700 thereabouts.
Pity about the paint - hopefully it'll come out with a cut and polish.

yeah, i'm going to try meguiars clay bar first. if that doesn't work then it's be a polish with a cutting compound

[nathans1987]

looks in pritty good condand only 65,000k when bought it!! i like them wheels. you live near the ocean? you dont have to run a cat in NZ?? can you still get leaded fuel, it probably made more power than the aussie ones on leaded.

[immortality]

Originally Posted by nathans1987

looks in pritty good condand only 65,000k when bought it!! i like them wheels. you live near the ocean? you dont have to run a cat in NZ?? can you still get leaded fuel, it probably made more power than the aussie ones on leaded.

yeah, i can drive from the east coast to the west coat in under an hour here in auckland. thats right no cats here until the VS and then people use to take em off. thats not legal anymore now but. ithink it was still 125kw unfortunatly, but they got rid of leaded fuel a few years ago now(except for AVGAS, which i use in the V8, but there is a big fine for that) hoping to get more go out of it with the SV3800 tune, especialy since i don't have a cat to restrict things

[immortality]

looks like i just found an LSD diff for my VN and maybe some fe2 suspension and V8 brakes also. probably free or maybe a couple box's beer etc

[calais_cruzin]

I like ur heat sheild you made for the pod, is there a top peice that goes ova the pod to seal it and make it so it draws air thru the pipe to the sheilded area?
Or is it just left how its shown?

Its a very good job, i would have it like that if i didnt have my cai already on.

Would have been cheaper too.

And damm low km's i aint seen a VN with that low kms, unless it is a show car.

You got ur self one that will last for ages.

[immortality]

Originally Posted by calais_cruzin

I like ur heat sheild you made for the pod, is there a top peice that goes ova the pod to seal it and make it so it draws air thru the pipe to the sheilded area?
Or is it just left how its shown?

Its a very good job, i would have it like that if i didnt have my cai already on.

Would have been cheaper too.

And damm low km's i aint seen a VN with that low kms, unless it is a show car.

You got ur self one that will last for ages.

cheers,

the heat shield goes right up to the bonnet, in some places it actually leaves a line in the hood lining. i'm looking for some rubber edging at the mo so that i can cut it back a little and use the rubber strip to seal it fully etc, also around the bottom where it sits against the gaurd as well. the idea of using the VN-VR intake duct for a CAI goes to surfwagon, there are lots of poeple who have used PVC piping but the duct is the perfect length and i've just addapted it to the heat shield etc. i'm considering a second CAI at the mo by cutting a hole through the base and ducting pipe from the front bar so you sorta get a ram air effect. she's starting to need a bit of work now, suspension bushes etc but i'll slowly work my way through it all, should be good for many more years i hope.

[calais_cruzin]

Yeah once u get sum rubber sleeve to go over the edge to seal it up it will be very good.

Atleast you took the time to make a proper shield for the pod not just take off the box n wack it on.

Yeah suspention on vn's are crap, especailly when they are lowered, i replaced my rear bush'es 2 times in 3yrs, and there not cheap or a easy job.

Good luck with it all

[immortality]

looks like i'll have an LSD soon then it's going to be time to get a burner and do myself a decent tune for the old girl