My Ride VXII Berlina LS1

[hwy747]

Well I figured it was about time I actually posted up my car in the "my ride" section, so here it is so far ...

Name: Iain
Model: VX Series II Berlina
Year: 2002
Colour: Delft Blue

Engine Type: LS1 5.7L
Engine Mods: Mafless tune, pod filter (for now), removed engine cover
Diff: Stock
Exhaust: X-force cat back system

Brakes: Stock for now
Suspension: FE2 for now
Wheels/Tyres: 17" VT SS

Interior: 03 WH Caprice leather and woodgrain
Stereo: VT Exec headunit with AUX plug (running an iRiver through it) otherwise stock speakers

Build Period: Purchased Sept 09 and gradually began straight away

MOD LIST:
-Dark window tint
-Exhaust
-FE2
-VT SS Wheels (for now)
-POD Filter (for now)
-VXII Calais black headlights
-VX Calais chrome rear strip
-Complete 2003 WH Caprice leather woodgrain/leather interior including seats, door trims, steering wheel, auto shifter, chrome door handles etc
-Mafless tune


Future Mods:
-OTRCAI (my priority now)
-Dash lighting work done by Phreddy
-VX Clubsport bodykit (front bar and spoiler sitting in garage waiting for the rest of the kit to pop up on ebay or something similar)
-Re-spray (when kit fitted)
-HSV badging
-VX Clubsport 18" wheels
-Lowered suspension and shocks (slightly)
-Side engine covers (on order)
-Would love it to be manual ... but that is a long time away!!

I was unable to get the "attachments" to work so I just put them in via photobucket!! Apologies in advance! Apparently there was a missing security token or something...

[hwy747]

Some night pictures taken tonight.... I think I worked out the attachment thing too!

[Lumps of cheese]

To be honest, i'd leave the kit off. Put your 18's on and lower it a bit and it'll look tops.

[RUNANC]

Why Would you put HSV Badges and kit if it aint a HSV?
Leave it how it just change the wheels

[Matty-346]

do not put hsv badges on it lmao not sure what is worse Chev or hsv badges on a holden... I would just take the badges off personally if you were going to do anything to them...
I would lower it put some 19's on and leave the Berlina/Calais kit on, if you did this not only would ur car look better but by saving money on the 'fullysic' bodykit you could get a nice set of 19's and some decent tires..!

[GILLO]

Definitely leave the kit off, stay away from the HSV badges, and attack that front grill of yours with some paint stripper, strip off that black paint and it will look a lot better.

Chrome grill on vt: this is how to do it cheap..

HOW TO: chrome your vx calais/berlina grill (lots of pics)

And take that HSV thing of your number plate too. And yeh OTRCAI

[Sphinx]

neat berlina. pod filter has gotta go! OTRCAI mandatory! lol

[skinnaa]

nice car, love the interior. It seems as though you have had the rear seat retrimmed to fit perfectly? (meaning the seatbelt holes and the 1 inch gap from the seat to the door trim) ??

[anvlson1]

Looks sweet man, have u tinted the head lights or something? they look different

[hwy747]

Looks sweet man, have u tinted the head lights or something? they look different

Headlights of a VXII Calais! They had the black surround on them similar to the SS.

[VYMAD]

Nice ride, I'd leave the FE2 though. IMO doesn't need to bottom out on every driveway/speed bump.

[hwy747]

Update 5/4/10
Alloy OTRCAI - check
Side Engine covers - check
Dash lighting conversion from Phreddy - check
POD Filter in the trash - CHECK!!!

As for the kit and badging that no one here seems to like....my opinion.... I always liked the VX Clubsport, so by the time I am finished it will be a damn good looking replica/clone without the insurance premiums that come with "HSV" built cars. Everyone has opinion, that is mine. If you don't agree, thats fine, but it isn't your car sooo

Anyhoo ... here are some pictures of where I am at now ....

[NVMYVT]

mate this thing is sweet, love the idea of the stato seats, might have to nab that one, as for the bodykit, it's like you said each to their own and it aint their own car

any updates, you done the kit yet?

[hwy747]

Hey thanks mate, I am pretty happy with how the interior has come together! The seats are so much more comfortable than the standard Berlina seats! The bodykit....well I have it all pieced together now, just have to get it sprayed and fitted. I have gradually gotten the pieces for the kit one by one, ended up paying a few hundred $$ for a full genuine kit over the past few months. Much cheaper way of doing it!

[Macca86]

Nice ride man! I love love love the dash light conversion Ive seen a few cars on this forum had done like you have. How much was the conversion? Would def be interested in getting that done to my SS...

[hwy747]

Nice ride man! I love love love the dash light conversion Ive seen a few cars on this forum had done like you have. How much was the conversion? Would def be interested in getting that done to my SS...

To be honest mine was a fair bit more expensive than yours would be because I have the 3 window dash and climate control screen etc. My suggestion would be to check out the website from the dude who did it for me. He is based at Penrith and does an awesome job. Have a look at the link below, Greg's (Phreddy) contact details are on the website. Welcome to ASR Audio & Electronics Home Page

[Macca86]

Ahh ok. Sweet. Thanks for the link man. Ill def be putting some money away to get that done

[tigass]

How hard was it to setup the WH front seats in your car ?

[VS_Wagon_Baby]

Really nice car mate, the wh interior is awesome, was it much stuffing around with the back seat? And were the back door trims a perfect fit or did you have to modify them?

Oh yeah, slaaaammmmm her on some rims

[hwy747]

How hard was it to setup the WH front seats in your car ?

I had to get an auto sparky to wire it up! Unfortunately the drivers side seat is from a Caprice with the memory so the plug and wiring is completely different. To get power to the passengers seat, I spliced into the power for the drivers seat and run wires under the carpet. That was the easy part! Other than the wiring, they just bolt straight in!

Really nice car mate, the wh interior is awesome, was it much stuffing around with the back seat? And were the back door trims a perfect fit or did you have to modify them?

Oh yeah, slaaaammmmm her on some rims

Thanks dude. The back seat needed to be retrimmed at the side to cover the holes for the seatbelt and increase the size of the side slightly to reach the sides. As for the rear door trims, they are identical. They did have additional trim pieces that fit in the WH between the edge of the door and the rear seat which I just didn't use so they got binned!!

[tigass]

Do you know if you can tell if the seats have the memory function? Also with the wires being different, was it still hard to wire up?

I'm only asking cuz I just bought myself a whole WH interior and don't know if it's a statesman or caprice

[hwy747]

There should be two wires on the seat, one for the side airbag and one for the power. If the power one is ALMOST a square shape with two pins on the inside (and roughly the same size as the airbag one), then it will fit straight away without having to get it rewired, however if the plug is a lot larger then it will have to be rewired. Do the seats have 1 2 3 on the side of it for the memory settings? If not you should be ok. For someone who knows what they are doing with auto electrics, it isn't too hard!

Make sure you post some pics up when you get it in!

[VT97CALAIS]

is that iam747 plate a mockup you did on photoshop?

[hwy747]

Nah mate, that is the plates on it.

[hwy747]

August '10 update.

Car has now been lowered 2 inches in the rear and 1 1/2 inches in the front so it now sits level. Massive improvement on looks and handling over the FE2's!! Hoping to get the kit fitted soon (all sitting in my garage waiting for the funds to spray and fit it)

Also starting to toy with the idea of a manual conversion ......