VR Calais

[HGsurf]

I got hold of a VR Calais that needed a little bit of TLC.
The gearbox wouldn't go into 1st, headliner has dropped, stereo doesn't behave & the electric aerial won't go up.
It's a 1 owner with 192000km (got all the papers/log books as well), all the electrics work & the A/C is freezing, tinted windows, sports exhaust, 17" VY mags etc.
It got a cut & polish today & new brake pads fitted, this week I'll get the headliner done then off for a road worthy and by end of week I hope to get it registered.

[HGsurf]

Dropped the auto pan yesterday and replaced the 1st 2nd solenoid, fill it up with Dex111 and it is all fixed .
Replaced the standard stereo with a rippa that has usb, memory card & MP3 disc and wired in the electric aerial, works a treat now.
Got hold of a mint VS calais hood liner today too so I'll try to fit it tomorrow after work.
Then its ready for a roadworthy.

[HGsurf]

Fitted the hood liner today and gave the interior a good clean.
Calais is ready for a roadworthy now....

[vscalaishsv]

an other nice clean calais. nice work

[nathanVY]

nice work fixing her up mate! win about the solenoids, could've been much worse.

welcome to the calais club

[HGsurf]

Thanks guys, It is a nice car and drives awesome too.
I'm not the one who will be driving it, I've fixed it up for my daughter.
nathanVS it looks like I've made a twin to yours, have you lowered the VS as I'm thinking the rear needs to come down a tad (it sits high).

[nathanVY]

yeah I've lowered mine but I'm forever changing my suspension setup as I'm not 100% happy with it yet. Lovells Lows in the front and super lows in the back is really good combo so I've heard, the lovells springs tend to be less bouncier and the lovells low height is just a tad lower than king lows.

Having low in the front should let you keep most of your suspension travel. If you were just going to lower the rear and leave front standard I'd almost not bother, then you would just have camber wear but the car wouldn't even be low lol.

[vscalaishsv]

your daughter is one lucky girl.

here is a link to my vs calais. you can see it at standard hight and on page 3 is where i lowered it. it got king spring sl in front and ssl in rear. if your going to lower it front and rear spend a bit more coin and get new struts and shocks it will be worth it!
and if you do lower it in the rear you MUST put a camber kit in it, other wise you will wear the insides of the tyres very quickly and the rest of the tyre will look like new

patrick vs calais

[nathanVY]

hey patrick, is yours within legal height with ssl in the rear? I'm putting that in the rear of mine in the next few days if its too low i'll have to go SL in the rear instead.

shortened shocks and struts are well well worth it.


Depends how far you go, I've got lovells sport low in the back of mine atm and the camber wear is pretty minimal.

[vscalaishsv]

hey patrick, is yours within legal height with ssl in the rear? I'm putting that in the rear of mine in the next few days if its too low i'll have to go SL in the rear instead.

shortened shocks and struts are well well worth it.


Depends how far you go, I've got lovells sport low in the back of mine atm and the camber wear is pretty minimal.

um dont know i haven messured it. but cops down here in tassie arnt that picky when it comes to low cars, as long as it dont sit lower then mine.

it all so depends on hoe you drive when it comes to the camber kit. if ya take off slowly it shouldnt wear much off but iff you take off quick and the back end squats down alot then it will scrubb the tyres out quicker, if you put ssl in the rear of yours i would put a camber/toe kit through it. ya will be saving your self some money in the future.

[nathanVY]

yeah with SSL if i like the height i won't delay getting a camber kit. but with lows in the back its hardly worth it, tyres are cheaper lol.

[vscalaishsv]

thats true but in the long term tyres will cost way more and that money is better off on go fast bits. with low all you need is a comber kit and not the toe kit it might be expencive to fit but then you wont need to buy tyres all the time

sorry for the thread steal HGsurf

[nathanVY]

* gives thread back *

[HGsurf]

That's cool guys as I learned some good info, So I need to get lows for the front & super lows for the back as well as a camber kit.

[HGsurf]

Just had a look on Ebay and saw this REAR TOE / CAMBER KIT FOR THE REAR OF IRS COMMODORE .. (eBay item 300360554514 end time 19-Dec-10 20:42:47 AEDST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats
is this the kit you guys have ? and is it a good price ?

[nathanVY]

There's Kmac camber kits on eBay for about300 I've heard they're really good

[vscalaishsv]

i brought nolathane and they was aboud 180 bucks. i think any kit will be good its all depends on what ya can afford

[HGsurf]

Got a set of Monroe lowered struts &lows (Lovells front) & superlow (Lovells rear) with lowered monroe shocks as well ordered a set of Kmac adjustable camber kit.
I'll get it rego'd first then put the suspension in.

Got a permit on the Calais too so took it for a drive to test the gearbox and went to book it in for a roadworthy today (Monday it's in) and I rekon the daughter has got herself a rippa Calais, it drives awesome on the road and the grouse thing is all the electrics are perfect.
Got some good comments on how mint is too.

[vscalaishsv]

by the sounds of it you dont want to give the car to your daughter now lol

[HGsurf]

it's a clean car but I get a kick seeing my kids driving nice street car's, I did up a VS wagon for my son earlier this year and it's good to see them appreciate & look after the car's.

Next in the garage is the Mrs' VS wagon, it's already lowered on a set of 18's but its a plain white acclaim with 160000km (we bought it new).
I picked up a Calais interior with wood grain inserts and it might get a new paint scheme too over Xmas.

[vscalaishsv]

nice your kids are lucky. wish my dad would do that for me if i asked him he would tell me to piss off lol

[nathanVY]

wow yeah, +1 for being an awesome dad lol

[HGsurf]

HaHa yeah but they still call me an ass

Calais went in for a roady today and all it needs is 1 tire to be changed and change the caster bush's (they are done now) so all I need is a 17" tire and we are ready for Sat rego time.

[vscalaishsv]

HaHa yeah but they still call me an ass

.

and thats when ya dont do things for them for a while lol

[HGsurf]

WooHoo the Calais is Registered and in the hands of my daughter .
We went for a good drive on Saturday and it is a pearler of a ride..... She is one happy camper.
Tonight the new suspension goes in and i'll throw a few pics on here also fitted the Calais interior in the mrs' VS wagon (still doing the rear seat though) and it has come up awesome.




Put a leather conditioner on the interior and it has come up like new.


And here's the next project that will be started after Xmas.. 95 series2 Berlina, all electrics work, mechanicals are mint it has 203000km, Lovells SL suspension, adjustable camber kit installed and near new 17" wheels & tires.