[MISTKAL] - 94 VR Acclaim - Daily Driven Junkheap

[Mistikal]

Name: Andy
Model: 94 VR Series 1 Acclaim
Colour: Dirty
Bodykit: Does a bullbar count?
Engine Type: Buick 3.8L V6
Engine Mods: Lots of rattles (rear balance shaft bearing is gone)
Power: Not even enough to spin on wet grass
Exhaust: 2.5" press-bent cat-back
Gearbox: 4L60E Slushbox
Diff: IRS 3.08:1
Brakes: Standard
Suspension: Standard
Wheels/Tyres: 18" WH Grange Wheels, 235/40/18 Maxxis tyres.
Interior: VS3 "Greg Norman Edition" Statesman Seats and Door Cards, Level 3 cluster upgrade, Calais-spec roof lining complete with interior light and courtesy lights.
Other Mods: Hail dents (roof only, bonnet and bootlid replaced)
Stereo: Alpine CD/iPod head unit, 6.5" Alpine Type-R Splits/etc (front), 6" Focal Splits/etc (rear), Rampage 1000w Monoblock Amp + 12" Orion 1200w Sub
Build Period: July 2010
Cost: Cheap!

So far, the to-do list is as follows:

• Research an cheap/easy way to fix the rear balance shaft bearing - CBF binning motor.
• Straighten out rear drivers quarter panel, and paint.
• Fit replacement drivers door - current is dented.
• Fit new rear section of exhaust to shut it up (purchased).
• Replace F&R Struts with VT+ FE2 Struts and FE2 Springs
• Tint.

List of to-do items that are done:

• Fixed power steering leak (hose from pump to rack was split).
• New plugs/leads/oil/filter.
• Replaced the exhaust.
• Replaced serpentine belt.
• Replaced drivers seat rail.
• Pinned up existing roof lining with 300 thumb-tacs.
• Replaced the rear bumper - mounts had snapped off
• Replaced roof lining - no more 300 thumb-tacs for me!
• Air-con regassed.
• Replaced radiator.
• Fitted replacement fuel tank + pump.
• Fitted new bootlid and bonnet.
• Fitted replacement steering wheel + airbag.
• Fitted new front rotors and pads, and new rear pads.
• Installed new Front + Rear Statesman Seats.

This is the new daily hack. Don't like driving the WH to work and to the shops every day as I park in public carparks a fair bit... WH is copping too many dents. Picked this up dirt cheap off Gumtree. Needs a few things fixed, but other than that, seems to be a decent car!

Previous owners have done p/steering rack, starter motor, radiator, rear main seal, water pump and a few other things over the course of it's life.



Old pic - on 18" VE SS Wheels

Old pic - on 15" VR Calais Wheels

Old pic - how it was purchased

Old pic - how it was purchased

Old pic - how it was purchased

[BIG DYL]

chill vr on ya

[VL_5SPEED]

probably the best hub caps ever! ive been looking for a set for a long time. And im not joking!

[VX EXEC 3.8]

Nice car, looks in good condition for its age.

[Mistikal]

Yeah the photos make it look a million bucks haha. It's got around 25-30 hail dents in it, rear bumper is held on with Tek screws, not to mention that there are heaps of patches over the car where it's been touched up with Bunnings $3.00 Spray Paint

Popped a tranny cooler line today, not impressed. Time to chuck on something half decent.

[Mistikal]

UHF Radio is in, Alpine Headunit is in, front splits/crossovers/tweeters are in, HID's are in, spotties are on... few more things.

Get a new tranny cooler sitting on the back seat, fitting that next weekend. Also getting a Level 3 dash upgrade soon Also found some springs laying in the garage, might chuck them in too... see, the bug has bitten!!

[Mistikal]

Few major updates...

1) LPG is now GONE. All that is left of the system is a brass line still bolted under the car but cut at the transmission tunnel and at the diff, the filler cap and the little LPG tags on the rego plates During the removal of the LPG, we worked out why it was using water........

2) Worked out why it was using water - corroded heater tap! Turns out that it's got the V8 heater tap setup, and when we were removing the cooling/heater hoses for the LPG, we found that the heater tap had completely corroded thru. Replaced it, no longer using water!!

3) Haven't done the inlet manifold gaskets - not going to. Current plan is to wait and find a decent recon'd motor, and slap the gaskets onto that. I've also got rocker-cover gaskets to do too.

4) New wheels. Took the steelies, they're now in the shed, didn't want to waste good tread when I got a full set of VR Calais wheels with over 60% tread left given to me

5) Fitted an alloy roo-bar. My old Rallye 2000 spotties didn't fit, so on the hunt for something decent that will fit. I'm pretty sure that the bar is slightly bent, so might get the snatch strap out and tie it to a tree, see if I can GENTLY bend it straight again.

Auto box hasn't really given me grief again, thou I'm not overly happy with it. Still looking to do manual conversion in the near future.

Need to get the air-con fixed pronto too!!

Oh yeah, we got bored and put the car on the dyno

Anyway, on with the pictures!!

[Mistikal]

OK!

Haven't updated this in quite some time.

New wheels - VE SV6 18" Rims, bore honed out and tyres to suit. Using Ford Focus wheel nuts (larger acorn).

VR Calais seats installed - picked them up for next to nothing as the back-part of the rear seat was missing.

Level 3 Dash Cluster installed - quite an easy job actually, just need to know how to solder and have patience!

Air con has been regassed - lovely and COLD!

Replaced the tail lights, no more faded reflectors.

Stereo is now all installed, except for the 4ch amp for the speakers. Alot more pleasant to listen to now

Fixed a few other things, such as the accelerator cable which snapped yesterday, new radiator, new thermostat, new pads, new bootlid, Berlina interior light, and other misc stuff.

[GothicKidd]

Looks nice man; Rims suit it heaps.. Not a fan of the roo-bar / bull-bar .. is that stock height? :O

[Mistikal]

Yep stock height.

Bullbar serves a purpose, has already proven itself a few times

[GothicKidd]

Ah wow O.o that sits like almost same height as mine lowered. D:
haha; i really cant talk so dont worry bout that.. Fair enough matey

[Mistikal]

Haha I'm told that alot - however, it's only that "low" because it's still got all the standard suspension and it's done AT LEAST half-a-million k's

[Trayner]

looks mad with the bullbar haha , grandpa spec

[Mistikal]

New bonnet and bootlid fitted today - been sitting in the garage for ages, just didn't have the motivation to fit them.

VS Calais Rear Seat is out, was ROOTED - fitted a VS Acclaim rear seat for now, nice and clean

Replaced all the door cards with VS Acclaim Items - not a mark on them

First post updated.

[calais24/7]

Dont suppose you have the old tailights still?

[Mistikal]

I've still got a pair the same as what is in the car, except the reflectors have started to fade. They're not the same ones as linked in the top post, reflectors are still somewhat red whereas they'd completely faded.

Paid $70 for the pair that I have now, how does $40 and you pay postage for the old ones sound? Shoot me a PM instead if you like.

[calais24/7]

I't wont let me pm you Im only actually after the l/h one. And im not fussed if the reflector is faded or not. So yeah pm me a price if you like and shipping should be 10-15

[Mistikal]

Hmmm... shoot me an email instead mate.

mistikal @ gmail . com

I'm only willing to sell them as a pair thou, the other one would be useless to me by itself.

[Mistikal]

Picked up a complete set of front and rear VS Statesman part-leather seats the other day, with door cards too. They're all a little dirty and worn, but a damn good clean and some leather treatment and should be good to go.

Finally got my hands on a new airbag, no more ripped plastic for me.

Also got a replacement leather-wrapped steering wheel from a VS Calais, no more bendy wheel!

Friend managed to rip my perfect roof lining the other week when putting his new front seats on the back seat, so had to go get a replacement cause it was really starting to shit me - managed to find an unmarked Calais roof lining with holes for the rear courtesy lights, albeit it with one light missing. Now on the hunt for a light.

New drivers door is ready go to on - just need to change the window reg over and give it a quick polish (covered in minor scratches).

My bunky is quickly becoming my good car!

[Mistikal]

New temporary rims... swapped the VE wheels for these!

They will eventually make their way to the WH instead, and the R8 wheels will go onto this.