My S2 Berlina

[alien]

I reckon strut braces are worth it. Having driven cars with and without them. And they're fairly cheap anyways. Well, reasonably priced anyways. I'm looking at throwing one in my car in future when i can! When i get mine though i'll be getting the Holden one, was specifically designed just for the commodores.

When I get my P's I intend on not speeding or anything hoonish because:

- Tyres are damn expensive
- I'd like to hold onto my licence
- Gearbox repair doesn't seem to be on my to-do list and I intend on keeping it that way
- Parents would kill me if I did anything

Yea, i was like that too, luckily i havn't had to replace tyres on my car yet, and i'm really lucky i've still got my licence. Gearbox repair, im not really fussed knowing that i'll be going manual in future, but it's still doing strong :P And parents for me... well parent would absolutly crack it if my car was impounded or found i was speeding with no real excuse! :P But that doesn't stop me. Doesn't stop anyone. Go see a fatal collision and knock on the door and tell the parent their son/daughers not coming home. That works usually, but that's another whole debate thats been posted about before.

As for exhaust, if your not planning any performance mods, i'd probably stick with the single 2.5, but make it a good system. If you go the twin 2.25" with no mods planned anytime soon then you might loose some back pressure and reduce fuel econmy and power! Mind you, says me who's looking at dual 2.5's or at worst a 3" LOL

But looks nice!

[DUK13Y]

Ok. I might end up getting one down the track. Do I need to let insurance know about it?

I really intend on getting a shift kit and a trans cooler as well. That should prolong its life a bit... I hope

[alien]

If your not doing it all the time it should be fine. As long as the running gear is in good order.

As for taking it down the track and letting your insurance company know, i wouldn't, but that's just me, you really need to weigh up the pros and cons as to whether it's worth it. Are you fully comp or third party?

[DUK13Y]

lol.. by down the track I meant in the future . Probably wouldn't take it to a strip as it's bog standard and would get owned by everything.

I meant do I need to let my insurance know about getting the strut brace? I'm on full comp with AAMI.

[alien]

Actually, it's a good thing to let them know about mods like that, and tint, and alarms. Usually lowers the premium because it makes the vehicle safer (less likely to be broken into) or it means that you are looking after your vehicle, and also looking to make it safer (sturt brace fits in the last two).

[BullittSV6]

I got the the Holden strut brace on my VZ, it was $50 from the local parts desk with a set of nuts, that you order separately. On the VZ the bolts were already installed so there was no work needed apart from doing up the nuts.

I noticed the car was tighter through the corners, but it can make your car more tail happy. When I put the brace on, the next morning on the way to work, I went through a roundabout at about 50-60 like normal - the round abouts here are huge, and that is not an a joke either. Instead this time the front of the car didn't roll as much and was pretty tight and the tail was loose, which I didn't expect. A new set of tires fixed that problem! They were due for replacement.

[DUK13Y]

Thanks for that. Sounds like a must then. Improves the handling and may reduce my premium

[alien]

Reducing your premium is always a must! I know the pain with a P plater who was in an 'at fault' collision driving a supercharged VY. LOL, Premiums aint cheap! Most ridicoulous quote i got was just over $10k!! HIGHWAY ROBBERY, that was over one year from the collision too!

DUK13Y, just dont damage your car, whatever you do, it's a nice car!

[DUK13Y]

lol.. I don't plan too. Very selective of my parking spots and always wash about twice monthly. After the respray because of the hail damage it looks brand new. Does cost me more in cleaning supplies for it though. Want to keep it looking A1 all the time.

[DUK13Y]

Bit of an update. Completed the Calais/HSV lights conversion. Now I'm looking for the chrome bonnet strip and I'm thinking of getting the calais lower front spoiler.

Does this sound like a fair price and how much would painting this black cost??
GENUINE HBD VY BERLINA & CALAIS S 1 FRONT BAR LIP - eBay Body Kits, Exterior, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 08-Jun-09 09:05:25 AEST)

[Zeussy]

Hey DUK13Y, nice got it looking calais spec... got a pic for us? lol,

That seems to be fairly resonably priced hey, and if your painter still has some paint mixed up, it shouldnt be too much? as its only little, but he might try and sting you a bit, worth a phone call and check with him..

[BANKS]

Ay mate, as a guide it would be around 100, any more then that and your bein ripped. It will have to be primed as it's bare plastic. I he's still got some paint left like what josh said then it shouldn't be that expensive. If all else fails send it to me lol

[DUK13Y]

Hey DUK13Y, nice got it looking calais spec... got a pic for us? lol,

The only half decent pic I've got so far. I'll get more when the weather clears up after I give it a full wash.

Ay mate, as a guide it would be around 100, any more then that and your bein ripped. It will have to be primed as it's bare plastic. I he's still got some paint left like what josh said then it shouldn't be that expensive. If all else fails send it to me lol

Thanks for the ballpark mate. We're good mates with our paint guy as we do all his electrical work in his shop and he does our car. I might give him a bell and work out what it would cost me.

Before:


After:

[PaulSV6]

Me likes

[CorZilla_91]

Chev badge is BAD!

[Zeussy]

Looks good mate...
Did you do that by pulling them apart like Banks was describing? not a bad DIY effort eyy,



Although it looks like we have another chev badge nazi...

[DUK13Y]

Yeah, I did what BANKS said almost to the letter apart from how long I put them in the oven for. I did it for 2-3min stints rather than the 5 like he suggested. No major difference there, just a bit more safety and a longer process. Turned out almost factory looking so I'm stoked with the result.

I'm over the Chev comments. Heaps of people have them and even if they didn't I wouldn't care. Preferably I'd like to debadge it completely but don't want to get holes filled and pay $300 for a respray of the boot just for a few personal opinions from people I haven't even met in person.

I'd be willing to pay someone a smaller fee than $300 to get it done if someone with experience wants to do it, but even then, it might look shit without other panels blended in. I don't know. Either way, for now it stays. Let all comments in it's regard die... please.

[Zeussy]

Ahh yeah, thats probly good to be safer - take a little bit longer, the first itme I heard about putting them in the oven, I was like WTF??? lol, but then realised it needed to happen because of the glue,

I will weld them up for you and skim it with bog to smooth it out, and even prime it for you, but thats about as far as I could comfortably go, my spray painting isnt that good, atleast on my own stuff, if I stuff it up, I can just do it again, but not someone elses!!! lol,

My mates cousin lives in sydney, and thats 'hopefully' who will be spraying my car, I haven't mentioned it to him yet, but he's a good spray painter, seen some of his work, top stuff.. Soo hopefully he will be able to help me out - teach me a few things, and i'll ask him how much to spray a bootlid..

Stock holden colours I dont think need to be blended, if they get a good enough colour match, but will ask him...

[DUK13Y]

I was just thinking, would i be able to get away with just filling the holes up, then mask off the surrounding area so only the 2 filled holes are shown, then using an airbrush, prime and paint some touch up paint and maybe some clear coat? Then polish for shine?

Long shot I know but for 2 tiny holes, would you notice it?

[Zeussy]

Yeah, you probly could do something like that ey,
Just bog up the holes, and keep the area to be painted as small as possible, a little primer, with it all masked up, and shoot a little acrylic black over it, get it mixed exactly the same, then follow on with some clear..

Follow that with a bit of a cut back, some cutting compound by hand, or even just a cut and polish...

Might be worth a try, as acrylic will blend into the original paint work easier..


But if your happy with the badge on the back for now, (i'd say you would be, can't see why not?) theres no rush to get it off... its YOUR car remember - you seem to have good attitude about it, so all's good!

[DUK13Y]

I have no problem with it on as I like how it makes the car stand out from the rest regardless of who likes it or not but I do like the smooth look of the debadged style. I might have a look at it but atm it looks like at least $85 worth of gear for 2 tiny holes.

el cheapo ebay Airbrush = $25
Bog = $15
primer = $10
Paint = $25
Clear coat = $10

I'm currently sourcing a chrome bonnet strip so when I get that, I'll have a Calais series 1 front end! If and when I get the lower spoiler, I'll have a calais series 2 front end! The calais has got to be one of the best designed cars holden has ever made.

[Archers]

i love the lights man i might have to do that myself

[DUK13Y]

i love the lights man i might have to do that myself

Cheers mate. I'm planning on modding my grill, getting the chrome bonnet strip and maybe getting the lower front spoiler from the calais to finish off the front end.

[Archers]

Cheers mate. I'm planning on modding my grill, getting the chrome bonnet strip and maybe getting the lower front spoiler from the calais to finish off the front end.

great man i want the front lip also but have only found vys not one for a vz exec, is the lights dull at all compared to before u painted them? as they are not as reflective?

[DUK13Y]

are the lights dull at all compared to before u painted them? as they are not as reflective?

Originally I thought the same thing but they are exactly the same as before. As long as you don't paint the tunnel like housing for the low beam (projector type lights), it shouldn't make a difference as the rest of the chrome surround is simply for show and does nothing.