Lots of VB - VK questions (sorry guys lol)

Hey again everyone..

Well I've just got so many questions I'm curious about that I thought it would probably put them all into one place.. so where do I start with this thing?

1. VB vs VH front bumper bar, are they 100% interchangable?

2. Are the VK/VL mirrors easy to install into a VB-VH?

3. How easy/complicated is it to replace the dash cluster thing (with the speedo, tacho, volts etc.)?

4. VH front end onto a VB.. any drilling/cutting/fabrication involved or will it all just bolt straight on?

5. Would blue seats/door trims look weird in an otherwise tan interior in your opinion?

6. Electrical problem causing tail light indicators among others to do weird things (especially when the headlights are on, once causing a fuse to blow), would creating a new earth for the rear section of the loom fix this problem?

7. Probably going to be my first drivable roadworthy car and like anyone I don't want to have the thing stolen, any tips/advice on things to do to help combat this? Security plates in the doors? What are security plates? Am I crazy?

I'll bet there's more things I have wanted to ask but have forgot to include in here so if I add some later don't get mad lol..

Thanks in advance, any advice/tips are welcome!

1. VB and VH bumpers are interchangable.
2. VK mirrors are easy to fit. The VL ones are a slight different in the screw holes.
3. The dash can be easy. It only has a few screws. When you come up to do that, i have pics on how to take it all out.
4. Only need to change the guards and bonnent to VH/VK items. Everthing bolts in.
5. It won't look weird if you put seat covers on the seats. If you didn't put seat covers on it would look very weird IMO
6. How is the combination switch like?. That there can cause a heap of problems. Also clean up the the already earth spots.
7. uhhhh yeah what the hell are security plates?. Never heard of them. I don't know about rigging up a LED that flashes that would look like a imobliser?.

I hope this helps a bit
Cheers Damien

7. Security plates... otherwise known as "anti-theft plates" In some models from VH ( I think? maybe retro fitted lol) Standard in VK Calais (again I think? or maybe optional?) Standard in VL Calais, Standard in late 86+ VLs... Its a metal plate inside the doors covering the lock catches... held on by tabs up the top that grip over the window ledge & plate fills good part of the door over the locks & then a screw holds it in place. Stops thieves from sliding coathangers etc.. inside door & grabbing the door bars & poppin it open. Effective for that method of entry, however, door locks on VB-VL are really old & bad for allowing other methods of entry.


I would suggest some other cheap, visual deterants also. Like club locks & Solex locks (Any brand will do, doesnt have to be "Solex") I realise that these things can be bypassed, but so can alot of things if people are determind. I find that sometimes these small things can be enuf that would-bes just walk past to a "softer" target


D.

ok ppl are going to ask questions with my knowledge in this area lol but here goes


vb-vl commodore

hacksaw off the little nob/notch on ur ignition switch as a shifter put on this will start any commodore

replace the exterior door locks as the ones in there will be rooted and can most likely be turned with a pair of scissors, solex are **** just go to a key place with ur barrels and get them rebuilt with a unusual key pattern as nilly any commodore key will turn the standard ones

having said that if someone really wants ur car there just going to shove a screwdriver in there and pop the lock straight out so in my opinion welding this up and bogging it over nice touch up paint and install remote central locking is ur best idea

replace the standard door lock buttons inside as they have a knob on them and packing tape dose wonders u want some short ones that have a flush top so that the tape slips off when ever u try also keeping them latherd with armour oil will help too

but all in all thats only going to detur amaturs if u have a nice car i garuntee they will find a way to get it so a car alarm with an imobilizer is always a good idea

powerlite006 said:

ok ppl are going to ask questions with my knowledge in this area lol but here goes


vb-vl commodore

hacksaw off the little nob/notch on ur ignition switch as a shifter put on this will start any commodore

replace the exterior door locks as the ones in there will be rooted and can most likely be turned with a pair of scissors, solex are **** just go to a key place with ur barrels and get them rebuilt with a unusual key pattern as nilly any commodore key will turn the standard ones

having said that if someone really wants ur car there just going to shove a screwdriver in there and pop the lock straight out so in my opinion welding this up and bogging it over nice touch up paint and install remote central locking is ur best idea

replace the standard door lock buttons inside as they have a knob on them and packing tape dose wonders u want some short ones that have a flush top so that the tape slips off when ever u try also keeping them latherd with armour oil will help too

but all in all thats only going to detur amaturs if u have a nice car i garuntee they will find a way to get it so a car alarm with an imobilizer is always a good idea

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I was offering cheaper options, doesnt sound like everyone has the money to often go all out & do what your suggesting to their daily....

As for welding up locks & remote locking, that brings up all of its own problems... its been hashed out enuf on these forums so Im not goin into it.
I did state that "solex" locks really only work as a deterant, not fool proof by any means, however the biggest problem with them is when fitting them, too many done incorectly, Im not goin to post how easy it is to pop an incorrectly fitted solex lock However, having tried to get into my own car with properly fitted solex locks vs incorrectly fitted ones, there is a huge difference & definetly not easy.


I guess my best bets are a club lock, new locks (solex or new factory ones) immobiliser/alarm & INSURANCE!


D.

i wasnt trying to be little u in anyway just offering a wider vary of the most common problems in breaking into commodores

and yes there is a correct and incorrect way of fitting solex locks but when u'v seen whole handle/locks busted out to get into a car they really do prove pointless

people arnt worried about damage they cause when stealing a car to "joy ride" best bet is to illimate the main entry points from amatures even if u do it slowly its all worth it in the end

Juzza, just a couple of cheap ways that may stop your car getting nicked.

1. Get a good club lock. ($30-$40)

2. Get a small padlock and put it on the gear-shifter between the handle and lever. Then you can't raise the lever to move it out of Park. ($5)

3. If you can be bothered, whenever you leave your car somewhere open the bonnet, unclip the distributor cap, remove the rotor, clip the distibutor cap back up, close the bonnet and put the rotor in your pocket! They can't nick you car unless they've got a tow truck or they happen to have a spare rotor in their pocket!(Like me) Removing the lead that runs from the coil to the distibutor will do the job too! (Costs nothing, Just time)

ALL fantastic advise guys!

1,4. I'll keep the front end of the VH inc bumper, bonnet, lights, grill and panels and hopefully one day when she gets painted it will be a bitsa car

2. VK Mirrors it is!

3. If I don't need to pull the whole dashboard apart I'm game to get the black one in there

5. I might be able to acquire my brothers VB SL/E seats in tan.. if I can I'll be super happy..

6. What's the combination switch and how can I check this out? I'll definately clean up all earthing points, might even solder them to some bare metal on the chassis lol

7. For security I'll look into the clublock, padlock, theft plates, cutting the knob off the ignition barrel, figuiring out how to install the immobiliser I built in school 2 years ago (and hiding it) and possibly getting VL (don't know what other models) inside door lock things (see attatched image lol would this even have a benefit?)..




Now I have a whole new set of question (again sorry )

8. I have some blue VH SL/E door trims, they have all kinds of empty holes in them (guessing power window switches and lock like the one in the picture), and stupidly we hacked small holes into the top of them so they would work with the top style door lock things.. would they be fixable, should I just leave them with holes in them? Would it be a smart idea to vinyl dye carpet on the things/vinyl dye them at all, they're blue after all lol

9. How easy is it to pull the entire dash apart (for dyeing) then putting it back together? Pics are welcome for this one (if I can get a nice colour I'll be wrapped)

10. Underneith the rear seats there's this weird kinda thick black foam stuff, hard to explain but it isn't even in VH SL/X so I'm thinking someone might have put that there? Would certainly aid in quietening something down or making something comfier lol.. would this have been factory or some guy just put it in there?

11. Is there anything I should know? (common faults, signs of things about to break etc.?) It's a VB Commodore with a reco blue 202ci engine.. I've made a thread here: http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/showthread.php?p=243329#post243329 if something doesn't look right on it can you let me know? (unroadworthy stuff)

Thanks again guys.. you're all bloody legends!

Yes.... yes they are LOL

Juzza said:

ALL fantastic advise guys!
6. What's the combination switch and how can I check this out? I'll definately clean up all earthing points, might even solder them to some bare metal on the chassis lol

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Combination switch is the bit you use for indicating, headlight dipping, windsheld wipers. Often they get a little wobbley and start causing stupid faults. If it wobbles to much its stuffed.

Juzza said:

Now I have a whole new set of question (again sorry )
8. I have some blue VH SL/E door trims, they have all kinds of empty holes in them (guessing power window switches and lock like the one in the picture), and stupidly we hacked small holes into the top of them so they would work with the top style door lock things.. would they be fixable, should I just leave them with holes in them? Would it be a smart idea to vinyl dye carpet on the things/vinyl dye them at all, they're blue after all lol.

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Hmmm its very hard to fix actually. You need to get a new bit of metal thats on the door trims that doesn't have the hole in it.
Also to use dye on dark fabric you can't go lighter, only go darker. I have tried this myself and now kicking myself cause it looked like crap

Juzza said:

9. How easy is it to pull the entire dash apart (for dyeing) then putting it back together? Pics are welcome for this one (if I can get a nice colour I'll be wrapped)

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The top part can be sparyed easy cause its vinyl. But the bottom of the dash is plastic so you need to get plastic primer. It is easy to pull the dash out, a bugger to put back in!
What colour do you want?. Satin Tan is not to bad, a little light on the colour though.

Juzza said:

10. Underneith the rear seats there's this weird kinda thick black foam stuff, hard to explain but it isn't even in VH SL/X so I'm thinking someone might have put that there? Would certainly aid in quietening something down or making something comfier lol.. would this have been factory or some guy just put it in there?

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some guy put that there. Sounds like its a sound proofing material. VB SL/E's had some sort of soundproofing/underlay from factory, only the top spec cars got them.

Juzza said:

11. Is there anything I should know? (common faults, signs of things about to break etc.?) It's a VB Commodore with a reco blue 202ci engine.. I've made a thread here: http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/showthread.php?p=243329#post243329 if something doesn't look right on it can you let me know? (unroadworthy stuff)
Thanks again guys.. you're all bloody legends

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Look at the floor, they can crack.
http://au.geocities.com/commodoretech/vbfaults.html
Have a look at that link, list the most common fualts with VBs

Cheers Damien