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  1. VN_Luke

    Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

    On the bright side, you will end up with the fastest turbocharged zebra around.
  2. VN_Luke

    Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

    I think you should all race.... first one to finish their build wins.
  3. VN_Luke

    my 66' impala hardtop :)

    Ari: Here's how I got to the values you needed (just because it might come in handy for someone in future) You're using a VN/VP speedo setup... so I presumed it's out of a standard one of them. A VN electric speed sensor thingie gives 10 pulses per revolution. A VN ECU is calibrated to take...
  4. VN_Luke

    Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

    I'm still around to help out :) - wiring it should be easy enough! There's a cut-loom of wires hanging behind the glovebox to hook your ECU up to, and that's pretty much all you need! They're all labelled (and if the labels have fallen off, I've got a spreadsheet somewhere) +12v ign, battery...
  5. VN_Luke

    Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

    This LS1 VN has always been a favourite of mine! - I'm going to be equally happy watching this thread progress as I was updating my own :) - but without the cuts on my hands, empty wallet, or sleepless nights lol! I'm so happy that it's going to good and capable hands! as well as eager to see...
  6. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    hmmmmmm...... well, it IS insured..... but it would probably buff right out :p
  7. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    So, after some serious deliberation.... I've decided that I need to cut this project from my life :) On the very first post of this many-year build, I said "I'm aiming for something powerful enough to scare me" - Well... I feel I've accomplished that a few times with this car now :). - It's a...
  8. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    tee hee! - quick checkin while doing some work... no progress on the VN :( - that's on the backburner again for a little while... but I did get to play with a 'vette for a bit! ... the Commo is certainly much more of a handful (fun) to drive and feels significantly faster...... but there's...
  9. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    who told you? :p Been driving around lots... tune is getting better and better with each drive. Almost driving factory-like now! Clutch keeps getting a bit sticky and needs constant re-lubrication of the pivot pin and bit where the hydraulic stick thinggie engages the fork - I'll have to...
  10. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Hey guys, quick update.... Been driving this thing around a fair bit.. even to work/gym/shops and such :) - bit of a bitch in traffic with dat clutch.... got a buuuunch of data logs and some killer analysis software that have been helping me with the tuning along the way. Have gone up to a...
  11. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Dyno done!.... Nothing blew up, caught fire, leaked, or escaped!! The setup WORKS! - it sounds & feels healthy - great success Made 285rwkw first time out on the dyno. Running 21-ish PSI AFR's are a bit rich, it's using a bit too much supercharger (charger makes 17PSI of HOT air if left to...
  12. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Well - I found my vac leak - turns out one of the boost control solenoids was plumbed up backwards, bleeding air out from/into the intake manifold. On the up side, the inlet is pressure tested to 50+psi, and I'm happy with the fact I can actually remove the manifold/supercharger/etc assembly...
  13. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    for anyone who cares - this is the leak testing process - add some soapy water in a spray bottle = fun bubbles where leaks are at!
  14. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    alllriight, update time! After a while of not doing anything, I'm on a mission to get this thing finished, driving and out and about!! Soo.. it's been a few days worth of fixing up all the "little" things that I needed the car running to realise they needed doing: - vac leaks on intake manifold...
  15. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    yo - yeah no major updates... To be honest, I only saw the car for the first time in like 4 weeks last night! - on the up side, she started up pretty much right away after 4 weeks sitting there - that's fun!... I've got a lot of stuff on for the next 3-4 weeks, so unlikely to get any work done...
  16. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Been bussyyy with other stuff - but she's clean now :) Have free'd myself up on the Fri night/Saturday to put a good ol' fashioned big night and day into it to tie up some loose ends!
  17. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    So i did a few small things today, got the wideband onto her and got it to idle a bit more steadily etc. Went for a few joy-rides, got a bit of courage up to give it a squirt - we're going to get along juuust fiiine. I also ran into the common problem of the GRA throttle blowing open under a...
  18. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Been busy with other stuff for a while - but finally got some time to work on the car again... Took her for her maiden voyage to the servo last night and filled up with LPG :) - Drives real nice (considering no wheel alignment/etc) - brakes great - we're talking big toe lock-ups haha... - the...
  19. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Well, she starts and runs! that's a good thing! - aside from tuning, I have two issues to fix: - Drivebelt carnage. belt slip, and a misalignment somewhere. - I kind of expected it but wanted to see for sure. I'll need to find some fat idler pulleys with small diamater. The misalignment looks...
  20. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    it's certainly cranking! gotta re-fab the gas vapour feed for the GRA throttle coz the wheel arch gets in the way of the current one. Might make up a stainless bottom rad hose to neaten that area up a little while I got the TIG out. still gotta fill up the fluids, bleed the brakes, clutch...
  21. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Yeah I plan on doing any future work myself.... it's definitely not the kind of car to have if you need to send it off to a mechanic if something plays up :) It's a total bitch to work on anything when the engine is in the bay - just because everything is so crammed together and hidden away...
  22. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Progress! - glass installed - loom(s) finished and tested and fitted - everything polished up and cleaned etc - pipework & pulley machined as necessary, etc - engine installed!! So now I have to fit the gearbox, tailshaft, interior trims etc... and hook up all the...
  23. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Hey mate, Yep just running a gas research throttle. It was a reasonably easy decision considering the state of the alternatives at the time... Vapour injection had issues with finding suitable size injectors, and once you got past that issue, there'd be a problem with tank pressure. On a cold...
  24. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    ^^ haha, unlikely ;) - it will be *REALLY* nice to have some more time to devote to other hobbies/pursuits though! Another late night last night. - Got some Mondeo thermo fans mounted and wired up! - they fit like a glove and wiring all works good - Polished up the rocker cover, air filter...
  25. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Spent a pretty epic weekend on the car, with lots of work through until 4-5am... pretty damn determined to be driving this thing around in time for Christmas! -Engine is now almost fully assembled - gaskets and sealant everywhere, all the dust/crap cleared out of manifolds/pipes/etc...
  26. VN_Luke

    Vn v6 turbo

    Big fan of this car! Props on all the nice work & attention to detail.
  27. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Alright update time... - Engine loom just about done! (just gotta hook up those firewall connectors).. - All plumbing and tread tapping for various sensors/wastegates/boost control solenoids/etc etc all done - sorted out plug leads for the custom coil packs... - got all my gaskets etc that...
  28. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    orrriiite.... so the blower now fits with 10+mm room. Thanks to Ari for hooking me up with some cheap machining. The flange for the manifold has been machined on more of an angle so that the blower comes down. I'm also using a 3.2" pulley instead of the original 3.7" pulley I was going to. On...
  29. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Just using stock rubber VL mounts. 10mm is allegedly the minimum for engineering. The engine torques in such a way that the charger will be pulling away from the bonnet when getting up it. Trouble might be with the pulley nicking the hood when backing off harshly, or bouncing off limiter etc...
  30. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    So I trial fitted the engine (hopefully for the last time!) - but.. sh!t on a stick.. the front of the blower pulley *just* nicks the hood.. I'll have to get the face of the intake manifold that bolts to the head machined on more of an angle, and run a smaller pulley, which, all in all, should...
  31. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Pub, the face needs a tiny bit of machining anyways - I think I'll just get some 14mm welsh plugs for the time being and hammer/locktite 'em in... the thought of using them down the track did occur to me :) - plus you can't see them once the coils are in! Things are progressing, done some...
  32. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    - intake manifold all welded - drive belt arrangement and pulleys sorted (well except for one thing) - welded up a oil return for vac pump alternator in sump - welded in flexis for dump pipe and o2 sensor bungs etc - got all my water/air/etc/ fittings - will need to fit these up next - etc. To...
  33. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Welded up the main plenum section to the runners! - learnt that gloves are real handy when working with aluminium :) Smoothened the welds on the inside - not perfect, unfortunately, but "good enough" for me to be happy with it. For now, anyway. My water pump pulley also arrived! 8 ribs of...
  34. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Damn right I have the itch!! I want to spend the summer enjoying this thing :D (amongst other things!) Tonight's mission was to smoothen the cast marks out of the inside of the runners... what a pain in the arse that was :) Still have to finish them off with some fine stuff - I don't think...
  35. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Well, CBF waiting for the LPG converter bracketry to get laser cut, so I made it entirely out of love! (and hand cut 6mm aluminium) - I gotta say, never really worked much with ally before, but it's real easy on the tooling! 6 hours later.. there was this :) - all pretty tight like a tiger to...
  36. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Trial fitting - it's all pretty tight!! I'm trying to keep everything as close to the engine as possible to stop it all sprawling out over the engine bay :) Now just need to get a whole bunch of stuff laser cut (manifold caps, charger plate, charger idler/alternator mount, LPG converter mount...
  37. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    The comments are flattering gents - but let's not forget... at the end of the day, it's just a VN Commodore!! by the way - does anyone happen to know a good/cheap polisher in melb? :)
  38. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Weeee... - "bigger" cam/lifter combo is in - turbo oil/water lines done (except for one water line!) - pressure pack reco done on the motor, along with a few gaskets here and there :) - cleaned up all the bolt ons - all threads and bolts etc cleaned up - power steering pump mounted and hose run...
  39. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Yeah full on hours, but it's a good way to make progress. I can sleep when I'm dead :) Definitely looking fwd to finally driving this thing!! I've just ordered a bunch of small bits and pieces (electrical connectors, sensor bungs, wires, some exhaust flexi, etc) - man all the little stuff adds...
  40. VN_Luke

    VN Luke's VN

    Quick one... managed 40+ hours on the car over the weekend! - (who needs sleep, right?) - Dump-pipe-back exhaust is now 100% done, with all hangers, etc - see pic! - Remote starter solenoid in boot etc all hooked up - Drew up a new water pump pulley (still needs machining - see below) - STILL...
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