♥♦ GAMBLR ♣♠ VZ Calais

[GAMBLR]

After a long, tense 8 month wait, I'd finally settled on a car. Anyone who follows me on Facebook will know how frustrated I was getting, so it was a relief to finally make a decision and settle on it.

However, whilst getting the finance in order, the seller passed it onto someone else. So that idea went down the drain, and more frustration.

By miracle, the following weekend, my brother was cruising the net and found this one....

Presenting the new GAMBLR

Name: Who, me or the car?

Model: 2004 VZ Calais

Colour: Quicksilver

Body Work: Standard

Engine Type: 346ci LS1 V8 Gen3 FTW

Engine Mods: Vapour Injection LPG

Exhaust: X-Force twin 2.5" Stainless Steel cat-back

Gearbox: Standard Auto 4L60E

Diff: Standard LSD

Power: Yet to be dynoed

Wheels/Tyres: 17" VZ Calais wheels/18" Vault DeVille wheels

Suspension: FE2

Brakes: Standard

Interior: Black leather, Anthracite dash

Stereo: Blaupunkt factory system

Factory Options: Sunroof, factory in-dash GPS

Other Mods: Standard

Future Mods: Respectable suspension overhaul, 19's or 20's, stereo... all in good time though. Needs more poke too...

Thanks: Parents. Both for putting up with me and my b!tching non stop, and dad for coming to pick in up with me.
Also my brothers and best mates who helped give it a sweet detail cleaning over the Easter break. Too bad it rained on the drive home

Flew out of Adelaide on Wednesday morning, picked it up from Port Macquarie and drove the 2000 odd kilometres back to be home on Good Friday. Drove like a dream, handles well, drives like it should.

For those with keen eyes (or who can read), it is powered partially by BBQ fuel. It was a compromise when I bought a V8, especially when I'm doing so much travel, but the system has been designed to lose little to no power (5% if that I was told.) Also has a FlashLube injection system to help keep it running cooler.
Gets up to 500km to a tank of LPG on the highway, which is about 50L.

Pictures: Enjoy! I know I am









PS. The VS is getting slightly jealous...

[BT91WA]

You shud be extremely happy with that mate, its mint!

[NVN07]

very nice mate. nice buy!

[NickVR]

Looks good Damo.

[GAMBLR]

Thanks guys, over the moon about it. Well worth the wait and the trip to pick it up

[HoldrodeoLT]

whats involved in getting it SA registerd? i was lookign at a few cars in other states but was hesitant because of the possible hassle of re-registering?

[PaulSV6]

Great pickup up & with the V8.

[daz08]

im with ur vs, jealous. Ive always wanted this exact car. great buy

[GAMBLR]

Cheers guys

HoldenrodeoLT, as far as I'm aware its just taking in the registration papers for the car into Service SA and having them transfer the registration into oyur name and SA rego.

On some occasions (ie. if the car is unregistered) it will require a Tier 2 inspection at Regency/the local Police station. This is where they check the numbers physically on the car against the numbers registered on the database for the car, ensuring it hasn't been a victim of a 'chop shop'.
Here, if they suspect the car to be unroadworthy, they can request it to be sent over the pits for a full Tier 3 inspection, similar to having a defect cleared.

The car is registered until November under NSW rego, so I'm hoping that it can be transferred to SA rego... I can dream, can't I?

[levymetal]

nice car dude!

[GAMBLR]

Cheers buddy

[ducker85]

Looked tuff last night buddy, shes low now

[GAMBLR]

Cheers matey She's low alright. Enough to grab the coppers attention. Apparently having a full gas tank on FE2 suspension isn't permissable as to why it's so low... Gonna have to look into that, because I think it's total BS.

Yours looked the sex over the weekend, love the wheel choice gotta line em up and get some photos if your keen

[ducker85]

Im keen mate just ask your bro. i might be out saturday night

[hkswpn]

dude very nice buy.... a calais with roof is awesome. i realli wish i got that

[GAMBLR]

Im keen mate just ask your bro. i might be out saturday night

Awesome bro. Yeah I should be out most of the weekend, the plates go on Friday night when I get back so I'll be out showing it off :P Inbox me your number and I'll message ya at some stage

dude very nice buy.... a calais with roof is awesome. i realli wish i got that

Cheers buddy, the novelty of the roof won't wear off for a while The girls seem to love it as well haha

I do like the look of the Berlina tho man, very nice colour and wheels suit it

[boonga]

looks good mate nice colour on the lais's

[GAMBLR]

Cheers buddy, the colour has really grown on me and I reckon it looks classy. Much easier to keep clean as well, compared to the old beast

[showxpony]

Good pick up buddy! I have a calais but 190 alloytec, and i WISH it was LS1... if you get bored of the high fuel economy we can swap haha

[-mick-]

Seen it cruising around today, looks good mate!

[GAMBLR]

Good pick up buddy! I have a calais but 190 alloytec, and i WISH it was LS1... if you get bored of the high fuel economy we can swap haha

Cheers mate. I drove the V6 and I quite liked it, especially the torque and the 5 speed transmission. But when this come up, I had to take it.
Hate to tell ya though, there is no high fuel economy. The V8 gets similar fuel usage on the highway as to my old '6 and with the LPG, I get the power and cheap running costs :P Just to put salt in the wounds

Seen it cruising around today, looks good mate!

Thanks buddy, where abouts are you, Whyalla or Pirie?

[Matt02SS]

Hey man. Love your car. looks even better in person. Sunroof sets the whole thing off IMO.

Ps. Is your brother still selling the skyline?

[showxpony]

Cheers mate. I drove the V6 and I quite liked it, especially the torque and the 5 speed transmission. But when this come up, I had to take it.
Hate to tell ya though, there is no high fuel economy. The V8 gets similar fuel usage on the highway as to my old '6 and with the LPG, I get the power and cheap running costs :P Just to put salt in the wounds

Dont tell me that!! That's definately not what i want to hear... :P

But i justify it by being on my Ps still, so technically its 'illegal' to have a V8... Or at least that makes me feel better about having the 6 anyway haha.

I do admit the 6s go well for a 6, what did you notice between the 8 and 6 seeing you've driven them both?

[GAMBLR]

Dont tell me that!! That's definately not what i want to hear... :P

But i justify it by being on my Ps still, so technically its 'illegal' to have a V8... Or at least that makes me feel better about having the 6 anyway haha.

I do admit the 6s go well for a 6, what did you notice between the 8 and 6 seeing you've driven them both?

Fair enough justification I suppose. I love the LPG set up on it, makes it possible for me to run it everyday A VZ Calais on your P's in any form and you're doing well.

The V6 has a lot more torque off the line IMO, appears punchier, and the gearbox is smoother. Also runs more economically than a regular 6 because of the box's extra cog and different shift points. V6 is also a little easier to manouvre and steer. My guess is the V8 being a heavier engine makes a difference.

But the V8 does get up and move, sounds awesome and sits through corners a bit better. Well, to me it did anyway...

[GAMBLR]

Hey man. Love your car. looks even better in person. Sunroof sets the whole thing off IMO.

Ps. Is your brother still selling the skyline?

Cheers man, photos don't do it enough justice IMO. Plus it's been polished a few times now, starting to really come alive... The sunroof raised at the back makes it look tough for some reason.

Yeah, the Skyline is up for grabs matey, $14000 ono.