Rods 97 Berlina SII

**MR.HG** · 12-12-2010, 12:00 PM

Bought this off a workmate for $800 unreg after he put it up a gutter

(p/s rack shattered)had to fix a few minor things to get it on the road IE: Hazard light switch, air bag steering wheel centre (horn worn through)and the brakes were shot.

My 1997 VS Berlina Series 2

Odometer - 263,000

Colour - Masai Mica

Engine&Engine Mods - Ecotec V6, SS OTR CAI, 69MM throttle body,

Gearbox - factory 4spd auto, stage 2 shift kitted

Diff - Standard 3:08 live axle

Suspension - Pedders HD lowered front struts& rear shocks,super low King Springs all round, Curved link pin kit, all nolathane rubbers front&rear

Exhaust - geenie heat coated blue tune length extractors 2 1/2 inch single system, high flow muffler, hi-flow cat, chrome twin tip

Wheels - 18 Inch RJR- Fate, kenda- Kaiser 235's,custom Holden center caps

Interior - Standard Berlina interior, all electrics pwr windows/mirrors,dark tint, cruise control, climate control

Tunes - kenwood MP3 head unit (needs upgrade) Pioneer 300 wt 80RMS splitters in front, MTX 6x9 4-way 300 wt 65 RMS on the parcel shelf, MTX Thunder amp powering MTX 12 inch 400 wt sub in custom space saving boot box, Kenwood 4ch 750wt powering front&rears

Future Mods: Plenum spacer and manfold insulater, cam & headwork, port match and polish,to suit turbo 10-15 psi, rollers, oversize injectors, manual conversion, body kit& paint original colour,

open to tips and suggetions

s

**MR.HG** · 30-12-2010, 12:09 PM

here she is

**MR.HG** · 30-12-2010, 12:46 PM

**Trayner** · 31-12-2010, 10:15 AM

Looks pretty good mate , the wheels suit it well . going to lower it anytime soon? . ANd that engine bay looks smicko nice and clean :P

**MR.HG** · 31-12-2010, 10:41 AM

yea was happy with the wheels, good buy, i want to lower it more (its already lowered) but i barely get in the horrific driveway i have atm, maybe when i move i might lower it(depending on the driveway) and the engine bay i like to keep clean, helps when things spring a leak and makes it easier to source the problem. she gets washed once a week and polished every 3 months.paint is very sunbaked so im lookin for a respray soon and i love the current colour....def one of the nicest reds out there, contemplating a body kit too but i really dont want to lose the chrome moulding in the bumpers

**MR.HG** · 02-01-2011, 10:29 AM

ok ive decided to get an SS kit, the driving lights-front&rear bumper lips-side skirts and boot spoiler. also want to ditch the gay altezzas in exchange for the clear altezza to try and match the boot garnish. still not sure if i want to paint it or not(the garnish that is)..... trying to piece this together before the respray in mid march. so if anyone has these altezza clear style lights(not the ones i already have) and any SS kit pieces lying around let me know. also i want the clear brake light(is it LED?) that goes in the rear wing. any help would be greatly appreciated...feel free to comment or post your own ideas

**elmaso** · 07-01-2011, 09:41 AM

nice ride man, i think calais/ berlina lights would be better (the have clear indicators) and the boot spoiler would make it look better then one with the LED's in it.

like this one 1997 VS SII S-Pack but with SS front bar.

**MR.HG** · 07-01-2011, 10:06 AM

thanks elmaso! that rear lip looks way more classy than a spoiler

i like the original tail lights but the red (brake light) fades here in Queensland, so i was thinking to avoid that just buy the ones professionally faded...i might get both and swap em around a bit after the kit goes on to see which set suits it better. i also want to color code the door handles and the replacement drivers mirror.

i can get the bezels for the bumper from holden for $21 each and the fog lamps fully assembled with mount glass bulb and wiring and all for $60 each, thats what you mean right? your not referring to the clubsport front bar are ya?

**elmaso** · 07-01-2011, 11:43 AM

na not the clubsport bar, just the class SS bar (http://ssv.com.au/productimages.php?prod=2438&img=4013)

oh and i always thought painting the garnish can sometimes make it look like the lexan rear IMO.

**MR.HG** · 07-01-2011, 01:57 PM

yeah mate! thats the look im after

except with the front lip also, but i want to keep the chrome berlina strip in the front bar so i will buy the bezels and lamps as well as the lip for the original bar i think.
i kinda like the colour and finish of the rear garnish hence i want to get the clear tail lights and nightshade em up to match, and i try not to look at lexans :P

Edit today i actually had a good look at a LEXCEN, they are fugly as...looks like a camry from the front and whats with those tail lights? ewww

**MR.HG** · 07-01-2011, 02:04 PM

i just thought i would share the thing i love most about my car.
i pull in the driveway at night, turn the car off pull the keys out and dont have to turn the lights off because as soon as i open the door they automatically turn off. i love this feature

**luke23** · 11-01-2011, 11:33 PM

haha yeah thats wierd about the live axle(you said in elmaso's thread) i thought all series II berlina's were fitted with irs, who knew haha
and i was thinking of painting my rear garnish black just as a small thing that might look good but yeah elmaso's right it will look like a lexan, but i seen a acclaim which was the same colour as your car and it had the whole tinted tail lights and garnish painted black which suited the car, the garnish painted my make a big differnce in the looks departments but its up to you

**MR.HG** · 12-01-2011, 09:21 AM

UPDATE :

Car is running sweet and driving awesome, she is now officially A1 mechanically after undergoing a major rebuild.
Interior:
serviced all the central locking mechanisms, replaced the power windows switchs, repaired the sag-at-the-back hoodlining, fixed drivers window(was sagging runner adjusted with a die grinder), just have a few lights in the cluster to replace. also adjusted the bonet catch so now it pops and closes sweetly(this took some mucking around)

Engine: New head gasket kit, heads machined, engine& gearbox mounts, aircon regass (ice cold now

), new cooling system from water pump to radiator, serviced (plugs oil&filter),new fuel pump & filter- just waiting on the chip from Brett_jjj

Suspension&Brakes: 4 wheel disc machine with new bendix pads, new curved link pin kit, sway bar mounts, new struts L&R, new upper control arm bushes (all in nolathane)

now i can start piecing together the SS kit and get her ready for paint

also started work on my baby..HG Brougham...should be in the panel shop by next week !!

**Bizmark** · 12-01-2011, 09:30 AM

Looks good. Was it a massive job to do the head gaskets?

**MR.HG** · 12-01-2011, 09:36 AM

Thanks Bizmark

heads arent a massive job, in comparison with a gearbox, the hard part of head gaskets is trying to remember where everything goes and hope the machining is good

**Verynice** · 14-01-2011, 08:04 PM

looks good man, i reckon set of calais tal lights and painted garnish would get it cranking!

and always been fond of MTX subs, how well does she hammer?

**MR.HG** · 14-01-2011, 08:26 PM

Thanks Verymuch Verynice

the sub shakes the side mirrors to the point you get a headache if you look into it too long...haha i dont think she is breathing too well so i might put a tube in just to get a little clarity back, the custom box sounds shit compared to the box it came with but a lot louder.

calais/berlina tail lights with a painted garnish are on the cards but i also want some smoked altezzas Holden VR VS Commodore Clear Altezza Tail Lights Pair (eBay item 380307135876 end time 11-Feb-11 11:07:40 AEDST) : Cars, Bikes, Boats smoked to match the garnish in its original finish....just to compare the 2 looks and see what tickles me more

**MR.HG** · 24-01-2011, 08:54 PM

grrr heater tap fml.....265000kms
on a positive note~ got the chip from brett_jjj and WOW its awesome!!!

**nathanVY** · 20-02-2011, 11:01 AM

hey how's the auto shift with brett_jjj's tune?

**MR.HG** · 20-02-2011, 11:17 AM

well the clunk into drive has gone...the revs actually come down before it engages now, i can hold 1st till it valve bounces but i have to back off a little for it to change into second apart from that its very smooth, and man....the responsiveness ive gaines is unbelievable....you barely go over 1/4 accelerator to get full power....any more and ur wasting fuel

**nathanVY** · 20-02-2011, 11:37 AM

yeah i've noticed that with my tune too! it's so good lol. does it shift hard into 2nd?

**MR.HG** · 20-02-2011, 06:48 PM

it shifts hard when you kick down into first and it chirps into second but not if ur just taking off normally

**nathanVY** · 20-02-2011, 09:55 PM

oh wow that's what i'm talking about!!! might have to sus a tune from brett

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