Macca's VX Senator Signature

[macca33]

Well, it has been a while and I reckon the thread is worth an update.

I ended up receiving a heap of gear from here and in the US and over the past 6 or 8 weeks, have been putting it all together in my garage. A few random shots of the work I've accomplished.


























And a short idle video




There were some trials and tribulations along the way, including pushrods being too long and hanging valves open, thus causing misfires, a cracked sump (getting replaced tomorrow) and a few other oopsie moments.

I had a great mate and Lxx engine guru - Jezza from HDTCQ - email me a base tune and after a few logging sessions and minor tweaks, it is almost 100% dialled-in, only requiring a few dyno pulls and checking of the AFRs with a wideband sensor to finish it off.

After all that, we now have a spec-sheet that looks a little bit like this:-



Model: HSV VX Senator 300
Build No: 0008 of 30 built.
Km's travelled: ~92000
Colour: HSV Racing Green
Bodykit: Exclusive Ian McCallum designed VX HSV Senator bodykit.
Wheels: 18" x 8" - 10-spoke Senator 300 alloys in Shadow Chrome
Engine: Callaway enhanced C4B - 5.7lt - 346ci, complete with ETP215cc heads @62cc (Engine SCR 10.99:1), Patriot Extreme dual valve-springs (.660" lift), FAST 36lb/hr injectors, Rollmaster double-row timing chain, SLP high volume oil pump, Morel link-bar lifters, Comp 215 / 223 .601" / .609" @111+3 LSL-lobed camshaft, Powerbond 25% underdrive harmonic balancer, ARP head-bolts and camshaft / camshaft retainer bolts, HPC-coated aluminium OTR, Elite Engineering CNC-machined billet Catch-can.
Gearbox: MM6 -T56 - 'Street' RipShift fitted and filled with Penrite Manual Gear Oil 70 (MGO70).
Diff: Stock Hydratrak 3.91:1 LSD differential.
Exhaust: DiFilippo st/st BLACK HPC-coated 1 3/4" 4-1 extractors, 3" metal 200cpl cats and DiFilippo twin 3" st/st cat-back.
Interior: HSV Senator 300 Unique 'Coulsen' Shale leather interior with high contrast Pewter highlights, 8-way electronic front seats.
Stereo: HSV / Eurovox 'Maestro' 260watt Premium car stereo system with 10-disc CD-stacker.
Suspension: Standard HSV 'Performance' suspension package - rear springs changed to Pedders Sports Ryder heady duty items and Nolathane bushes used throughout. Whiteline Strut-Brace.
Brakes: HSV / AP-Racing 'Ultimate' Package: 6-pot F 362mm & 4-pot rear 343mm.
Mods: Colour-coded Number Plates, Power Steering Cooler.
Future plans: Clarion stereo system, install my dual-zone climate control and change the BCM to enable the speed-sensitive power steering and twilight sentinel headlamps. Fit the Harrop True-Trac that is sitting in the shed (will get a proper mechanic to do this!)


I don't know what sort of power it is making, but it feels very strong on the street - pulling hard from 1500rpm right up to the rev-limiter, which I've set at 6700rpm. Shift-light chimes in at 6500rpm.

After much thought, I'll have to seek a replacement fro the front bar, as it has been damaged badly in a couple of places and had been 'MacGyver'ed' up fairly poorly. I fitted new wheel arch linings and new bar hanging brackets, which helped a heap - probably 90% now, where it was at about 40% earlier - but, I want a new one to make it 100%.

I had a lot of fun and learned a few things during the spanner-work and can safely say that I'm now fairly good at Head / Cam changes, brake changes and a few other car-related skills...lol.

Hopefully I'll get the final bits and pieces up to speed this week and then get to enjoy it!!!

cheers

[macca33]

It has been a while and PLENTY has happened, so it is time for a further update.

I'd mentioned earlier that I had to change over the climate control to the dual-zone type and install my stereo system - which isn't overly specced, but does the job for me - and that I had a few issue to iron out with the tuning.

Well, it has all been done and I took a few pics as I progressed through the various stages:-











I purchased all of the EFIlive tuning suite and a Wideband O2 sensor to do some of my own tuning and had been meaning to get to a dyno to ensure that the AFRs were right, but was sucked in to putting the car on the rollers at Autotechnique today. I was fairly happy with the output with the little 215 / 223 cam!


Dyno Sheet:-



cheers

[Sphinx]

solid numbers from a smallish cam.. nice work.

[1SIKR8]

Omg ..... I love your senator

you picked a great color haha am very jealous ATM you will have to be my best friend when I do my clubby up !!

I was either going to get a senator or Clubsport but a manual senator is a rare find and I guess I like the look of clubbys

Must say I reason a set of VX GTS rims would look great on it

Where did you get the strut brace from. ??