Mike's 1998 VT (The Old Girl)

[MikeCuzzy]

Model: VT Commodore Executive
Build Date: March 1998
Colour: Heron White
Engine:3.8L Ecotec V6
Gearbox: GM Hydramatic 4L60-E 4-speed Automatic Transmission
Diff: Stock
Exhaust: Stock
Brakes: Stock
Suspension: Stock
Wheels/Tyres: Genuine GM Holden 15 inch stockies :P
Interior: Stock

Future plans...

Retirement, got my VE now, this will be left be from now on. I'll take some pics of what she looks like cleaned up.

Full Service - DONE
Replace stock stereo system -DONE
Replace headlights - DONE
New Tyres - DONE
Polish up the plenum - DONE
Debadge (except for the Holden badges) - DONE

Hi all, this is my Dad’s old Commodore, bought off him for $500. She has 451,000km on the clock, on the original power train. I've now finished TAFE, and all my moneys are going straight to the old girl. Very quickly I had to get a new set of tyres, service, insurance and rego was due end of October - hence they were keen to not pay for these :P Right now I am putting money aside for rego, and then I can plan for the rebuild.

I'd appreciate ideas, opinions, or comments in general- still trying to learn about all this

[1dvsbstd]

Your car looks good man.. I hope you put effort into this.. Look at the POS i started with.. its making a come back.. this one definally has potential

[MikeCuzzy]

Update: Car debadged, came up really good, cut/polish does wondrous things!

Excuse the quality, it's from my mobile.

[Jonesy484]

nice tidy car man, get some s2 lights, berlina/ calais garnish (with the lights in them), some nice 18/19's lower it, maybe at a later stage but some ss lips on it

[MikeCuzzy]

nice tidy car man, get some s2 lights, berlina/ calais garnish (with the lights in them), some nice 18/19's lower it, maybe at a later stage but some ss lips on it

Yeah basically my thinking, possible exception of lower it. Not a great idea where I live, though I do want FE2 suspension on it, I think that'll do me.

[Jonesy484]

go king spring L's its just a tad lower

[MikeCuzzy]

What are they like performance wise, any noticeable difference from FE2?

[Jonesy484]

i don't think so they just are a little lower and look cooler

[MikeCuzzy]

I've got a mate who's got a lowered VU, on KS L's I think, might ask him how it goes. Either way, I'll be getting off the stock suspension soon, or boat suspension as I call it. You would not believe how closely the handling is to my Dad's old boat.

[Jonesy484]

Haha i wouldn't know lol, mine came with stock fe2's

[GEN3RATD]

FE2's arent that great lol, they dont handle hardcore and they are pretty high.
Kings Lows would be a better choice, would get away with Kings SL's i reckon.

[MikeCuzzy]

I'll weigh my options when I get there, as I said, student money (at least for the next month or 2). But when the time comes, I'm thinking FE2 or Lows, I don't want it too low though, just personal preference.

[MikeCuzzy]

UPDATE:

Picked up the new headunit today, it's a Sony, I know some people have had troubles with them, but all the products I've gotten from them have always been great.



Finished plenum:

[vx-lnickels]

nice car mate first thing id be doing is changing the rear garnish to vx exec or vx calais. reckon some big black rims on it would look tuf, in regards to the springs, i live on a dirt road off a dirt road in the country where theres more potholes then driveways, i had a similar attitude with not wanting to go to low, my vx is lowered with pedders touring springs which is slightly higher then superlows. i never have trouble with it on the roads and never grazes, i do regret not going for the king ssl's!
so dont make same mistake as me.

[MikeCuzzy]

Thanks mate, and yes the garnish is on my list, as I have to replace the tail lights anyway, do you know about the wiring looms? I.e. getting the reverse lights on my VT into the vx tailight or is a new loom required? As I would prefer a plain VX garnish as appose to the Calais one - just personal preference.

[Jonesy484]

i've never had an issue with my sony headunit

[MikeCuzzy]

i've never had an issue with my sony headunit

I'm glad My mates were trying to get me to get a Kenwood or Alpine, but I've always like Sony. And got a good deal on this one too, so I'm very happy! So much better than the Eurovox, I mean CD's are whole new thing to me lol.

[MikeCuzzy]

Alright, little update:

I put a new set of tyres as the current set were bald, at least it'll give me the time to wait for the rims I want to show up (VT S-pac, yes dull, but I really like them). She's had a decent sized service, currently I am putting coin aside for the rego. I have installed a new window regulator as my last one was broken (thanks to accentstencil for giving me the ones out of his old car, much appreciated).
Now, I need advice guys, so I'm gonna need to either rebuild or buy a new engine/gearbox/diff at some point. So looking for experience here, what do we think a) rebuild my current engine or b) buy a crate engine and dump it in. And with the gearbox, new one? Or is it worth rebuilding (it is an auto). I know the financially sensible option is to buy a new car but... well I don't want to. So this is just an expensive hobby

Thanks, I'll post up some new pics soon, she's cleaned up well for an old car!
Mike.

[MikeCuzzy]

Alright another update.

My radiator died, damn thing was only 2 years old, but oh well.

I've replaced driver and passenger side door handles, window regulator (again), window wiper assembly, wiper blades, bought new genuine holden floor mats, new headlights.

Next on the list:

* Power Steering rack
* Drivers Seat
* Drivers side door stop.
* Rear Shocks.
* Gearbox issues to be fixed.

Will probably give her a polish when all this rain ##### off.

[MikeCuzzy]

As it stands, it looks like I'll probably be letting her die with some dignity. A complete resto is gonna cost the earth, and she won't be the Old Girl anymore, don't know if I am keen on gutting my car to keep it alive. She's had a very, very long life. And I can feel her falling apart around me...

So any suggestions, I'd like a VT/VX upper model, probably S or Acclaim.