Am I right in saying we cannot legally turbo the VF?

[daves8]

im a bit bored with my L77 calais, but love it’s looks, so initially thought of a head and cam package, but don’t want the rough idle, and big fuel for relatively minimal power gain (50kw)

Option 2would be a 2300 blower kit, which would retain stock idle and give me circa 100-120kw gain.

Is there a option 3 being turbo, or am I correct that I read somewhere it is illegal? A twin turbo L77 sounds cool (and stealth, with better economy than a blower)

Cheers

 

[someguy360]

It varies from state to state.
In SA you aren't allowed to modify the induction of a car (cam, intake, blower etc) from what was available from the factory unless you get it engineered to say it meets the same emissions etc.

You'd need to check what the NSW laws are which should be available online on the gov webpages.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

It is illegal if it was not factory option for the car. To make it legal you would need engineer's certificate....

 

[Forg]

For NSW you're allowed to engineer a force-fed engine in a 1100kg+ car if the engine is under 3x the car's weight.
So Commodore sedan is about 1800kg, max force-fed engine-size you can use is ~5.6L.

So ... to the letter of the law you're **** outta luck.

However the existence of what's considered to be the same car with the LSA fitted allows scope for engineers to argue that the factory already made something supercharged; I suspect this is how engineers are passing aftermarket supercharged non-HSV's (if they actually are!).
So while I don't think it'd be possible to be fitting turbos legally, I'd check with an engineer before totally saying it's not possible, it's likely to be a grey area.

If you're talking owner-certified; no way, no how, as Ron already said.

 

[Pyrex]

im a bit bored with my L77 calais, but love it’s looks, so initially thought of a head and cam package, but don’t want the rough idle, and big fuel for relatively minimal power gain (50kw)

Option 2would be a 2300 blower kit, which would retain stock idle and give me circa 100-120kw gain.

Is there a option 3 being turbo, or am I correct that I read somewhere it is illegal? A twin turbo L77 sounds cool (and stealth, with better economy than a blower)

Cheers

Its a real shame Pir4te is banned AGAIN , as I'm sure he could tell you exactly how to get your L77 to 650 hp and 880nm all while returning 7 litres per hundred Ks on E85.
And you could cop a lecture on how useless and unnecessary forced induction really is.
In all seriousness , check out Killa Boost manifolds on facebook , plenty of late model commies copping some turbo action.

 

[Pollushon]

Most states will accept a "suitable engineering certification report". The more insane the mods the more hoops and the more cost. Given you can road register a Koenigsegg in Australia anything is possible.

A blower up to 2.9 is pretty easy and cheap to get certified and passed on an older gen Commodore. I'm about 4 weeks off getting a cert. All that's left is a sealed intake. Final report will set me back 1.3k and the changes to get there about 1.5k. RTA will accept that report. That's only a baby Eaton M122.

Turbo could prove to be harder as a VF will have tight environmentals.

 

[PeteSS]

im a bit bored with my L77 calais, but love it’s looks, so initially thought of a head and cam package, but don’t want the rough idle, and big fuel for relatively minimal power gain (50kw)

Option 2would be a 2300 blower kit, which would retain stock idle and give me circa 100-120kw gain.

Is there a option 3 being turbo, or am I correct that I read somewhere it is illegal? A twin turbo L77 sounds cool (and stealth, with better economy than a blower)

Cheers

Go the blower, Dave. Though keep the stock cam.

As foe economy, even with the cam mine gets pretty good figures if you drive it sensibly.

 

[Forg]

Maybe the cheapest (including long term) way to get more grunt might be to trade up to a Senator?
Looks like a Gen-F would probably cost you $15k-$20k to trade up, admittedly for only an ~80kW power hike, but it'll hold it's value a bit better IMHO & be cheaper in the long run.

 

[revster]

Maybe the cheapest (including long term) way to get more grunt might be to trade up to a Senator?
Looks like a Gen-F would probably cost you $15k-$20k to trade up, admittedly for only an ~80kW power hike, but it'll hold it's value a bit better IMHO & be cheaper in the long run.

And you get a lot more than 80kW. A very different stronger motor in the LSA, oil trans and diff coolers, stronger driveline from trans right through to diff and shaftes etc.

 

[daves8]

Maybe the cheapest (including long term) way to get more grunt might be to trade up to a Senator?
Looks like a Gen-F would probably cost you $15k-$20k to trade up, admittedly for only an ~80kW power hike, but it'll hold it's value a bit better IMHO & be cheaper in the long run.

Not really. Series 1 trade would be $30k if I was lucky, LSA senators start at $70k used