My 96' VS II Wagon.

[Kieranj]

Hey guys, Just a small build thread of my first rig, trying to keep it updated of pretty much everything that goes on with it.
Year: 1996
Series: VS II
km's: 152,000 (When inherited)
Colour: c061 Sherbrooke green

Current Mods/replaced:
-LPG conversion
-Stereo (Sony Head unit, 2 sony 6.5" front, 2 sony 6" back, Kicker Dual Comp 12" sub, Pioneer 800w monoblock amp.)
-Green or White LED Parkers (varies)
-Green Interior dome light
-Cargo Barrier removed
-VT SS Wheels (4x Toyo Teo Plus tyres)
-Bonnet respray
-Clear side blinker covers.
-New tail lights (tinted with niteshades)
-painted engine cover
-NGK spark plug replacement
-NGK silicone ignition leads (LPG compatible)
-OEM OTR V6 Cold Air Induction (larger cutout)
-Redback STR two muffler 2.5" catback exhaust
-Thermo Fan Switch Kit
-Blue diamond chrome exhaust tip
-Black Mesh in all grilles
-Colour Coded mirrors/mounts
-Hoodlining re-upholstered
-HRT Floormats
-New radiator/Replaced AC button/Full service (Ryco oil filter, Penrite HPR GAS 10, coolant flush, all the usuals)

Mods planned
-Slimline plate (front)
-New windscreen
-darker window tint
-Lowered springs (superlows?) / (possibly adjustable panhard rod and strut brace?)
-Hi Flo panel filter
-New headlight globes, 4500K or so?

Stock as a rock


back quarter panel ripped off


Shocking bonnet paint.


Engine Bay before converted to LPG, running dual fuel.


Engine Bay after conversion, didn't notice a huge difference apart from a couple of hoses and fuses.


Boot before:


Boot today: Lpg tank visible and cage stripped. Stupid spare wheel mount on wheel arch.


Cheapy job of putting the panel back on, few screw in the trolley strips and a brace on the back (not my preference but dad did it without me knowing), cracks are still around the reflector.


With VT SS wheels next to it, hopefully will be going on soon enough (5 just sitting in the garage waiting to go on)


The ass enddd


UPDATE:
Raised the boot floor and screwed in all panels = boot floor now flat again.


Put on the VT SS Wheels (and green interior light)




green parkers for a bit of fun


sitting in a mates driveway, looks lowered, hopefully it will be soon.


Bit of an update: Had a smash couple of months ago, only going to worry about guard, not bumper. new indicator and headlight protectors will be replaced when panel gets fixed. Also next is the Roof lining re-upholstery, then hopefully loweerrrr!


can see in this one a painted fuse box cover (got bored), nice new reliable battery and NGK ignition leads set and spark plugs, As well as OEM Cold air induction with a larger cutout


couple of side views, clearly still too high.




quick interior shot


got the new guard on and sprayed in, also got mirrors done in to match the car and black mesh put in all grilles (hard to notice).


also decided to change to some white LED parkers, new headlight globes coming soon


Cheers, KJ.

[Kieranj]

Basic sound system in yesterday, and tinted tail lights, niteshades a must for P's!

[brad3394]

Not a bad start man, the body and paint doesn't look too good, but by the sounds of it your going to fix it up.

nite shades are always a must for a p plater :P

future mods sound good, maybe lower her abit too?

the dual fuel is a great idea, because they chew fuel!

[Kieranj]

Yeh cheers mate, you're not wrong about the body and paint, pretty bad but I can't be too picky for a first car, especially since it cost me nothing. I dont know about what I'll do in terms of fixing up the body. Definately get a bit of paint work done soon. I suppose I should (bog?) that crack at the back so it can get sprayed too but I dont know much about that.

Yeh I'll probably go light on with the nite shades just to not attract too much attention, cause even then they could do me for other things, It's pretty much a hoon-by-association car isn't it

I was thinking about lowering her although as I said I'm not working yet and I dont know if it will be worth it for a year or two before I upgrade to something newer. And the dual fuel was dads choice, I'm pretty happy with it, although having to raise the floor to get it flat again was annoying. And We're taking it back today to the gas guy cause it's ridiculously slow to fill up there has to be something wrong with it for 2 weeks old. Anyone know anything about that?

[elmaso]

fair wagon man, paint pisses me off when the clear peels, pretty good start though!

[Kieranj]

Cheers mate, it is annoying ay.

So my green LED parker bulbs came in the mail today, just some cheapies off eBay, quick question though - Can anyone tell me if the parker globes are on whilst the headlights are on? If so theres no point putting them in cause my headlights will be green and defectable. (Yes I know green parkers are defectable anyway- but if they are only on in park mode then you shouldn't get caught).

[Kieranj]

Put the green parkers in today and they don't really affect the headlights apart from a small green light, makes them look better imo.

[Kieranj]

Guys, anyone have any advice on bogging or fixing that crack before I get the bonnet painted so I can get it painted also? Whats best?

And I was also thinking about putting some chrome window surrounds on and chrome in the trolley bar? groove? thing. Whats the best way of getting onto that?

[Kieranj]

changes that were in this post are now gone

[Kieranj]

quick update, put the vt ss wheels on and raised the boot floor over the lpg tank, and green dome light.
Talk to me here guys!

[Dum*P*ster]

clean :P Hope ya fix up the roof lineing and make her all sexy !!

[Kieranj]

Cheers mate, I will most definately be getting the rooflining fixed (I would attempt it myself but I dont want to snap any clips or stuff it up). Next mod is dye my faded reflectors, tint my taillights down with the niteshades, and get the rooflining fixed.

[Dum*P*ster]

Here in QLD it's fairly cheap to get the rooflining fixed, 150-190 mark.
As for Reflectors, try you're local Wreckers..Always good stuff in there..

Also! Post up the pics of you're tinting process, i'd be keen to see !

[Kieranj]

See even thats asking too much in my books, for quite a simple job. I've read the good how-to write up but I'm still iffy about breaking clips etc..
And I was going to replace the reflectors but with my back bumber being cracked changing them over might be pointless, The lens dye will probably go on quite easy and I won't have to swap anything.

As for the tinting, I'm thinking just a very light wet sand (I've read up around 2000grit) is ideal, then 1 or 2 light coats, not going down too much as I wish to keep the distinguished light segments, and probably 1 clear. Although I did notice the right reverse cover is darker than the left, clearly a different plastic, Strange cause I don't think its ever been damaged or replaced :S I might have to go heavier on the left one.

[Kieranj]

bit of an update, painted my faded reflectors with lens dye to bring them up, put clear indicators on the sides, took the roof racks off, took off the roof strips to give them a quick coat of export matte black, not really fussed with them. Also filled the crack in the rear with a product called reofill, fibreglass reinforced body filler, shocking stuff to work with, dont even know if its the right product I just wanted to have a crack cause it went in for the bonnet respray so it will get painted aswell.

Next question is to get a brighter/whiter headlight, Whats a good way? I've read HID kits are pointless unless done properly but can be expensive, but to use too highly powered globes will fry your wiring, so whats a safe way to just get a nicer light? Would something like this work fine?
Xenon Headlight Bulb Holden Commodore VS Sedan 95 96 97 | eBay

[GothicKidd]

Next question is to get a brighter/whiter headlight, Whats a good way? I've read HID kits are pointless unless done properly but can be expensive, but to use too highly powered globes will fry your wiring, so whats a safe way to just get a nicer light? Would something like this work fine?
Xenon Headlight Bulb Holden Commodore VS Sedan 95 96 97 | eBay

I bought a set of ebay once.. biggest mistake out. Had the blue tint.. and all it did was shine a blue light with highbeam. they were crap! though these ones could be different..just my 2c. Ive got normal h3 100w's and they are bright.
had 100/90w headlights + 100w Highbeams in for the last year and havnt fried the wiring..

[Bizmark]

You can get phillips or narva halogen globes which will shine white rather than off white/yellow, think they are also brighter than the OEM items.

[Kieranj]

I've read that navra plus 50's are a good choice or phillips blue vision, similar globes and price, around $50 i think. I don't want a blue light, just a crisp white light. For the VS its H4 headlights and H3 highbeams isn't it? In a stock 60/55w? And the legal kelvin is around 4300K or something. I might look in to some globes for a white light. Have to wait about a week to get it back from paint work and then have to wait for dad to buy some tyres for it. Should be ready for my license though.

[Kieranj]

bonnet respray is done, came up nicely, 4 new toyo teo plus tyres on and Its looking a lot better than stock with the vt ss wheels finally on for good. New pair of tail lights coming in the mail, will nite shade them down and chuck them on. Don't really trust myself with fixing the hood lining as I would probably break clips or something so I'm looking in to getting that re-upholstered soon. Also looking in to exhaust systems, maybe a used catback I can get cheap would be good for it. Going for my license in 2 days so I'm getting pumped. Colour coded the engine cover to sherbrooke green with scarlet red lettering and chucked her back on, looks nice. Lost my phone last week on schoolies though so I'll update some pictures next week.

[Dum*P*ster]

Pix! ! ! @!

[Kieranj]

pics added to OP

[Aussie Revhead]

looks nice keep it up

[DAKSTER]

Next question is to get a brighter/whiter headlight, Whats a good way? I've read HID kits are pointless unless done properly but can be expensive, but to use too highly powered globes will fry your wiring, so whats a safe way to just get a nicer light? Would something like this work fine?
Xenon Headlight Bulb Holden Commodore VS Sedan 95 96 97 | eBay

You could go HID but there are issues.. firstly they are illegal and stand out like dogs balls, and secondly to avoid blinding people you have to adjust them away from the centre of the road so much that it becomes pointless doing.

Buy some modern crystal headlights like These, totally legal, look good and will transform your lights. Add a set of Philips extreme vision globes and you will have the best lights you can legally have.

Need more info on lights, there is a bunch of info about HIDS, various lights and globes etc that I have been trying out in my VS, and pix of what they look like - just troll through my ride till you find it. I've tried em all lol

Nice car, keep up the good work

[VS_Pete_1]

Done some nice work mate.

[Kieranj]

thanks guys,
bit of an update: a cracked air filter box was causing backfires and blowing the vacuum hose off the engine, so chucked in one from pick-a-part, backfires have stopped, too easy. Now I have a huge crack up the top of the windscreen in the passenger corner, looks like im up for a new windscreen, and maybe a couple of seatbelts for the back seats.