Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

[savage1987]

This is my little project











I've owned the car since 3.1.2006 and it has well over 500,000km behind it by now. It's on its 3rd engine, 3rd gearbox, 4th diff and 4th interior .. not because anything broke (except for two diffs), mainly because I couldn't leave it alone and didn't make up my mind early enough about what I wanted to end up with.

1989 VN series 1 (Lexcen)

Here are some photos from a couple of years ago:














a couple of pics that some people generously drew up








shot of the old twin sway bar setup (I since removed this, it was a bit rough and clunky)



and a quick snap of where it lived for pretty much the whole motor swap




Interior and stereo:
Alpine head unit
Alpine 4" front speakers
Alpine Type S 6" rear speakers
Small Clarion 2ch amp
2xCPU cooling fans for head unit
Mulberry interior (interior number four)
New cream coloured roof lining
Momo Corse steering wheel
VP Calais parcel shelf, speakers under stock grilles
VN Calais L3 instrument cluster and trip computer
All sound deadener stripped from floors and boot
5" tacho w/shift light
Fuses/relays hidden behind kick panel
Isolator switch
Battery relocated to boot

Exterior:
VZ R8 19x8"s
Letterbox grille
Clear front indicators
35% tint
Electric antenna

Motor:
LS1 (VX series) 5.7L
MAFless tune
CAE tri-Y extractors, dual cats, twin 3"
Powerbond 25% underdrive balancer

Suspension and driveline:
T56 6 speed manual gearbox
GMM Ripshifter
Shortened and rebuilt tailshaft from the old T700 auto
King superlow springs
Koni adjustable shocks (red)
Noltec adjustable strut tops
HD sway bar link pins
Whiteline strut brace
VY HSV 330mm front brakes
VY V6 quick-fill master cylinder, VS V6 booster & reservoir
Braided brake lines front and rear
Mal Wood pedal box with under-dash clutch master cylinder
Harrop Truetrac 3.9:1 LSD


The 5.7L when I picked it up:


It's now in and working fine. Plenty of loose ends to tidy up after the swap, this is an ongoing process for now.



Best ET with the V6 was 15.762, with the LS1 I have run a 13.216@107mph. I'm sure there's more in it yet.

Sam

[RVN 355]

wheres the pics man? sounds like a nice cruiser and very good mods

[HoldenMan7]

Used to have a thread on this before JC had its little server mishap a few months ago...

Anyway, this is my little project number 1 I've owned the car since ++++ and she's got a little over 420,000km on the clock.

1989 VN V6 series 1 (Lexcen, but let's not mention that)

Interior and stereo:
Blue interior neons
Alpine head unit
Alpine 4" front speakers
Alpine Type S 6x9 rear speakers
Clarion 12" sub and amp setup
2xCPU cooling fans for head unit
Calais velour seats front and back
VY SS pedals
Cream roof lining
Interior conversion from VN brown to VN grey (in progress)

Exterior:
Arctic Blue headlights and high-beams
Clear front indicators (Lexcen ones were orange)
Power aerial
VX Clubsport bodykit (no spoiler) - not painted yet
17" VT SS rims

Motor:
Installed the s2 bellmouth
2.5" cat-back exhaust
K&N panel filter

Suspension and driveline:
King SLs
Koni adjustable shocks
Adjustable strut tops


There's plenty of work to go, hopefully when I'm done it'll be one of Perth's nicest VNs. After university I'm planning to rebuild with some boost. Not sure on any specific details yet.

I hope you like it
Sam

Hey Mate

Sounds like a good little project, you got any pics mate ??

[savage1987]

Yeah I have a few, I'll have to find them though. Might just have to get some new ones..
I'll warn you though, with the unpainted bodykit and a 2 colour interior it's not pretty

[savage1987]

Finally got some pics up, just took some new ones. Sorry they've been a while coming.

Hope you like it

Sam

[nicko]

nice ride mate jst need to get the kit sprayed, or re spray the car

[calaiscruzer]

Looks like its got alot of potential, i had a vx kit until recently..
I reckon you should spray your car black, would look mean as.
Got interior pics, i wana see those VY SS pedals.

[vn calais manual]

may i ask why you installed the belmouth.

[savage1987]

Looks like its got alot of potential, i had a vx kit until recently..
I reckon you should spray your car black, would look mean as.
Got interior pics, i wana see those VY SS pedals.

None yet mate, it's kinda half brown half blue and grey combo.... yuk. Halfway through the world's longest conversion. I'll take some if you like though VY SS pedals should have been standard on all VN onwards Commodores though, they look awesome. I needed something better looking under my interior neons

may i ask why you installed the belmouth.

You certainly may... Thought I'd try it for $5, couldn't really go too far wrong, I figured if I didn't like it I'd tear it out and throw it in the bin. $5, no great loss. Anyway, I put it in with the 2 gaskets and it improved the idle, and there was no loss of power. Not noticeable anyway. I like it with the bellmouth, so it's staying there The reason they were designed in the first place was to stop 2 of the cylinders from leaning out and another 2 from running rich ... the car had 425000km behind it so anything I could do better for the motor... you get the picture.

Sam

[wrx884]

look like a nice lil project u got there goin man how u doin the body kit 2 tone or just 1?

[savage1987]

One colour. Initially just white; the paint on the rest of the car is in near perfect condition. I detail for a living and the guys that work with me say it's the best factory VN paint they've ever seen. Another cut and polish should work wonders on the factory paintwork once the rest is sprayed white.

I do have a quoted $280 worth of fibreglass work to get everything lined up perfectly before painting so it will be like this for a while. My 5L seems to be getting all the attention lately.....

I'm thinking of eventually respraying the whole car in a gunmetal grey (black would be great but takes far too much maintenance) like the one on the VEs, or a BMW grey maybe. Ford also have a good one on their BA or BF XR Falcons. Gunmetal metallic with dark charcoal highlights. I think it'd look understated and classy, with the right set of wheels of course..

Thanks for the comments guys, makes me feel a bit better about the old girl It is easy to get a little bit down when a project just seems to drag on forever.
Sam

[Bz Kn33z]

check redbook and it sez S1 come out with more torqe because it didnt have bell mouth.

[savage1987]

Yeah i know, but it's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make. This car never gets full throttle any more, she's just a cruiser. I'm not too big on thrashing my cars nowadays... Basic intake and exhaust modifications mean the factory power figures don't really apply any more anyway.

Point taken though, and well spotted, I hadn't thought to look. Still, it's not a dyno car... Like I said you'll never notice the loss of power or torque but you will notice the smoother idle.

Sam


.......................


Just a thought.... I might see about getting 20% tint on this car depending on how my VR goes. I have every intention of tinting the VR to 20% as soon as I've done the rear tyres. $280 of fibreglass work and the VN will be ready for paint..... It's so close, yet so far away. Sucks so many other things to do first...


.......................


It's now 11pm and I've just finished putting my car back together, complete with my freshly machined front brake rotors All the shuddering and vibration that used to accompany any sort of braking is gone altogether. As a bonus, since I did all the removal and installation myself, giving the mechanic the rotors and not the whole car, it only cost me $20.

Best $20 I've spent in a long time, braking is no longer scary.

Sam


.......................


Automatic is getting torn down and completely rebuilt tomorrow by Alfred Cove Automatics in Myaree with a small shift kit included. Hopefully it's a nicer drive afterwards

Update #1: Picking the car up tomorrow, I hope there's a difference
At least I don't need to worry about the gearbox any time soon!!


Update #2: Gearbox rebuild has made a massive difference to how the car drives. Definitely worth doing. Next thing to sort out is this damn bodykit!


............................


SAAS steering wheel installed yesterday, made a world of difference to the interior. No more brown Lexcen wheel!!

In fact, apart from the build plate, that's the last mark of Toyota in the whole car gone, unless you count the Lexcen instrument cluster.. which nobody can tell at a glance anyway

Have to do the instal of the wheel again though, boss kit is on a bit crooked to allow the wheel to be aligned properly and as a result the indicators don't self-cancel quite as they should.

edit: it's been a while since, can't be bothered. Just turning off the indicators when they're not wanted isn't too hard


.........................


I have a transmission cooler on the way for this car, should be on within a week hopefully. Mechanic (Jarad, Street Torque Automotive) is ordering the biggest one he can find (within reason). This should look after my freshly rebuilt auto a bit better!!

Also got a quote for a new rear window.. $330 installed. I need one before I get the car tinted.

Sam

[Bz Kn33z]

How meny Ks it stilling on now?

[savage1987]

lol not sure to be honest, odometer is about 30,000km out at a guess (wasn't working for about 12months) so somewhere around the 470,000km mark I think, maybe more. Still hasn't missed a beat.

I should also point out that the car has only broken down once in the 3 years I've owned it.. split the radiator doing donuts a couple of years ago and that doesn't count because I could still drive it home. Also seized a water pump just afterwards but I drove that home too; they are the only 2 serious problems I've had, and both were the direct result of silly driving

Sam

[Sami]

You need photos, new steering wheel looks hot as (believe it or not)

[Cogez]

lol @ VN... It's still a lexadore at heart man, i can tell :P

[savage1987]

you are...


.....................


Greenfoam's tuning skills will be applied to this car within the next month or so I think.. should wake her up a bit but I mainly want the better cruising economy. Cogez, you should get in contact with him and he can sort out your stupid Calais

Also, this afternoon I'm finally picking up the L67 CAI from Holden, I've decided to run a proper intake and not just the hacked up airbox I currently have. Cold air = good for an old motor.


.....................


VS cold air intake is in Quietened down the induction rasp a bit, which is what I was hoping for. Note: I did not install this part in the hunt for horsepower, that's the last thing she needs at 470,000km or whatever she's really done by now.. it's on there because cold air induction just makes everything work that little bit better.

Sam

[savage1987]

Couple of new pictures, just because I gave the car a quick tidy up and my fiancee Sami decided it was time to update
So.....

VP blue conversion is finally done on AT LEAST ONE DOOR!! Also, VY SS pedals as requested, calaiscruzer! Been a while coming, I know...


New steering wheel


Couple of new stickers...






And one to show off the fact that it's about the only VN left with 5 WORKING BRAKE LIGHTS!!




Hope you like them
Sam

[calaiscruzer]

And one to show off the fact that it's about the only VN left with 5 WORKING BRAKE LIGHTS!!

Whoa thats amazing! Must have been a rare option on that model.lol
My top right doesnt work, like most vn's..

Yeah looking good inside, i really like those pedals, they look tough
they suit the steering wheel also..
maybe just black out ur number plates in pics, safer that way incase some dick wants to lag on you..

[savage1987]

lag on me? lol speak west australian

meh who cares, it's nothing special really, just different sorts of standard stuff. If I thought it was worth attention I'd black them out lol

Sam

[wrx884]

good 2 see some more pics man looking good u takin this car on a cruise?

[savage1987]

Yeah it was out on the last SSC cruise, that one you couldn't make it to.. both my cars were there. It's also my fiancee's daily at the moment, mine is the 5L.

Calaiscruzer, yeah those brake/tail lights are something I'm so proud of.. 4 tail lights, 5 brake lights... 95% of the time at least. I think the bottom right one drops out with the sub sometimes, useless VN connections...
I have a plan though, I'm going to get myself a soldering iron and find a way to just solder the wires to the globe terminals. It'll mean I have to solder them out whenever one blows but it's worth it to know none of them will fail randomly.


Sam

[PaRaDoX]

Yeah it was out on the last SSC cruise, that one you couldn't make it to.. both my cars were there. It's also my fiancee's daily at the moment, mine is the 5L.

Calaiscruzer, yeah those brake/tail lights are something I'm so proud of.. 4 tail lights, 5 brake lights... 95% of the time at least. I think the bottom right one drops out with the sub sometimes, useless VN connections...
I have a plan though, I'm going to get myself a soldering iron and find a way to just solder the wires to the globe terminals. It'll mean I have to solder them out whenever one blows but it's worth it to know none of them will fail randomly.


Sam

nothing a good wiggle of the loom cant fix hehhehee

looks good mate, just needs to be painted now aye!

[savage1987]

yeah but my sub wiggles the looms and one or two of them intermittently drop out.. annoying as hell

Definitely getting closer to paintwork. I've said that at least a million times now, I'm starting to not even believe myself

Sam