Finally, a car I actually want!

[Fourzer0]

Howdy,

I'm fair new on here – second topic so far.. the other one was about what car to purchase (VS, VR, VT etc etc)! Anyway, Hi - live in Balgowlah (near Manly) and love these forums!

I'm looking at purchasing a VT v6 (I'm a green P plater).

I finally found a black VT S!! Mmm, anyway, it's got an LPG conversion (dual fuel). Main reason I wanted a VT was because they're newer, look more ... me... and the missus approves. Oh, and it's a Holden not a ricer!!

I'm coming from a 4x4 background, and these VTs are very nice to drive. The added fuel economy is a bonus! Mind you I've blown away a few rice burners with my 4x4 but that's another story (and quite weird too.. more like luck than anything else).

Anyway, a few questions if anyone would please be so kind to answer them: (And by a few I mean a bunch!). Hopefully answers to these will help other people in their searches.

1. Does LPG sound different than petrol when idling / driving? Not sure why it matters, I'm just curious and love to know the technical ins and outs.
2. Is LPG really more cost effective? i.e. like the diff between petrol/diesel (as diesel has higher maintenance costs etc!!). I've seen around some forums that LPG requires a bit more maintenance (doesn't scare me..) but is it bad for your engine?
3. How many KMs do you think I can get per tank on a dual fuel VT? I know it'd probably depend on how many Liters the gas tank is, but if anyone has a VT on dual fuel could you please post up some stats? I know an LPGer uses 1.4 times (pulled that number out of my rear or something!) more gas than petrol cars use petrol? Is that correct.. ?
4. Are LPG engines hard to modify compared to pure petrol engines?
5. Is/are the throttle body / injectors / spark plugs different in the LPG converted car? What else is / may be different?
6. What problems/common faults should I look out for when doing the inspection? Any ideas/comments/heads ups would be much appreciated!
7. BMWs run slightly larger wheels/tyres on the back - do you think that is a good idea for commodores? I reckon it'd look mad (just a tiny bit bigger than the fronts)
8. Does the roof sag in the VTs like they do in the VRs ? (If you know what I'm talking about)
9. Is it easy to pull out the rear seats and the ... what would I call it.. rear firewall (seperates the boot from the back seats?) and then have it so I can easily put them back in? (I want the sedan shape while being able to use it a bit like a wagon.. long story). I'm very technical minded and would love to do this somehow.
10.Is it easy to put two cb / AM radios on the top of the dash, and put two antennas on the body somewhere? Prefer on top.
11. How hard / easy is it to take the back tail wing wannabe-F1-car rear Spoiler off? Any resale value for a black one ?
12. Is it easy to put a dual battery system in the engine bay of a VT's V6 NA?
13. Has anyone on here put big spotties on the roof racks? If so, got any pics / tips (for wiring spaces etc?
14. What type of stats have you been able to get out of your car while driving? i.e. Are you able to purchase an on board calculator (like my 4x4 has) which tells you how many Kms to go until you're empty, your average fuel consumption (L per 100kms), Kms until service, etc etc? How hard is it to pull those stats from the car's computer if it's possible? I use a Garmin Nuvi 310 GPS and it gives me a bunch of stats.. but.. anyway.
15. How sore are your eyes for reading up to here?

Thanks!! When I get my new (used) VT, I'll post some pics and keep you updated on the mods.

'Weird' (as in not the usual exhaust, CAI, etc etc) mods will include:

1. Some of my old camouflage for a roof lining (looks better than you think)
2. Scrims on the dash / seats
3. Auscam covered seats
4. CB radios on dash with a bunch of other stats/controls
5. Fridge in the back
6. Four spotties up on some roof racks
7. A large reversing light to blind people driving on my butt (ford drivers!)
5. Switches/buttons for random things (like the fridge in the back, spotties, missus' vibrating chair (that's an idea....hmm!!)
6. Vibrating chair for the missus.. so she can..uh.... in case I need to .. uh.. can't figure out a non-sexual reason for it. Sorry!
7. Red colored LEDs for interior lights (doesn't disable night vision / looks wicked).
8. Hand held spotlight for spotting rice burners (when they switch off their fullysik neons maaaaaaaate!)
9. Switch located somewhere weird so I have to switch that on before I can turn the engine on. MwahaHahAhAhA!!
10. Another switch to enable all the other switches to be able to be used (stops the missus from playing with the switches thus blowing the lights or the fridge! Trust me it happened once.
11. Some sort of anti-rice burner sticker or something - piss them off a bit more.
12. Somehow make the whole inside of the car waterproof (did it to my 4x4) so I can just hose the inside of it down if required (I love having the ability to be drenched in water / vomit / blood and be able to drive home without being pissed off even more that my trim is wet/dirty/etc.
13. Lucky 13!

- Fourzer0 out.

 

[djvsa]

gee dont hold back with the questions! hahhaha, just kidding dude

 

[BURK_POP]

1. Does LPG sound different than petrol when idling / driving?

to me it sounds cleaner im scared to admit it but i had a xei think falcon on dual fual and it was quieter on gas then petrol and it drives better but **** it sticks lol

 

[BURK_POP]

Are LPG engines hard to modify compared to pure petrol engines?

id ont think so just if u mod make sure there mod for both sorts

 

[JD]

dual fuel engines are harder to modify in a sense because if you tune for petrol, lpg will suffer and vice versa so in comparision to a straight petrol car its harder to have good gains without sacrificing a fuel.

 

[accentstencil]

Hosing down the inside of the car will not be possible without doing damage to many things. I don't think you could waterproof it sufficiently.

 

[vtsuperchargedboy]

14. What type of stats have you been able to get out of your car while driving? i.e. Are you able to purchase an on board calculator (like my 4x4 has) which tells you how many Kms to go until you're empty, your average fuel consumption (L per 100kms), Kms until service, etc etc? How hard is it to pull those stats from the car's computer if it's possible? I use a Garmin Nuvi 310 GPS and it gives me a bunch of stats.. but.. anyway.

theres a computer in the dash and it tells you how many kms till empty, not the others though, but it does have a service reminder every 10000kms which can get annoying lol

 

[GMMAD]

thats going to be one butt ugly vt ,why didnt you just keep the 4x4

 

[angelo.vs]

'Weird' (as in not the usual exhaust, CAI, etc etc) mods will include:

7. A large reversing light to blind people driving on my butt (ford drivers!)
6. Vibrating chair for the missus.. so she can..uh.... in case I need to .. uh.. can't figure out a non-sexual reason for it. Sorry!
8. Hand held spotlight for spotting rice burners (when they switch off their fullysik neons maaaaaaaate!)
11. Some sort of anti-rice burner sticker or something - piss them off a bit more.
12. Somehow make the whole inside of the car waterproof (did it to my 4x4) so I can just hose the inside of it down if required (I love having the ability to be drenched in water / vomit / blood and be able to drive home without being pissed off even more that my trim is wet/dirty/etc.

- Fourzer0 out.

You're not serious are you?

7. Hope you can defend yourself against guns/knifes/axes/sharp objects as a result of pissing the hell out of people.
6. Is she really that horny?
8. See #7.
11. Im not sure if they will get pissed or they will piss themselves laughing at you. No offence but with all the mods in your car, I dont think you would be able to out run an Excel
12. Glad wrap?


Somehow I think you should stick with the 4wd. No point in buying a VT S (bodykit etc) if you are going to make it function and look like a 4wd. You may as well get a standard executive to be able to save a few $$$.

 

[Fourzer0]

gee dont hold back with the questions! hahhaha, just kidding dude

What can I say - I like to type and talk about cars - is that not why we are here? On to the questions and answers (and wow were there some weird answers)!!

1. Does LPG sound different than petrol when idling / driving?

to me it sounds cleaner im scared to admit it but i had a xei think falcon on dual fual and it was quieter on gas then petrol and it drives better but ****
it sticks lol

It sounds cleaner? Right, okay - I guess the higher octane would do that? Thanks for the info!!

Are LPG engines hard to modify compared to pure petrol engines?

id ont think so just if u mod make sure there mod for both sorts

Okay well I guess I can mod around it, as it's all pretty much the same principle.

dual fuel engines are harder to modify in a sense because if you tune for petrol, lpg will suffer and vice versa so in comparision to a straight petrol car its harder to have good gains without sacrificing a fuel.

Excellent - I love the truth! I'd love to tune this to LPG and see how she goes.. won't be running petrol too much (unless I need to clean out the engine once a week or what ever)

Hosing down the inside of the car will not be possible without doing damage to many things. I don't think you could waterproof it sufficiently.

Hmm, we'll have to see about that. I'm sure I can insulate everything properly as everyone said that about my 4x4. I'll probably do a tutorial on it in the future, even though this Angelo fello might have a bit of a cry.

theres a computer in the dash and it tells you how many kms till empty, not the others though, but it does have a service reminder every 10000kms which can get annoying lol

Ah-ha! Thank you superchargedboy, that should give me some things to go off .. maybe I can take a computer out of another car and mod that to suck some more info! I know you can calculate fuel consumption by how much air comes into the engine but that isn't terribly accurate I don't think.. hmm.

thats going to be one butt ugly vt ,why didnt you just keep the 4x4

The 4x4 got boring. It's so easy to mod the 4x4 with these things - I want to try something different. I've seen a mad commodore jacked up to the sky with mud terrain tyres, a front diff and a transfer case - man was it a project! See below for more info.

You're not serious are you?

Uh, yeah, that's the point mate.

7. Hope you can defend yourself against guns/knifes/axes/sharp objects as a result of pissing the hell out of people.

You must not have ever driven a 4x4 mate. You'd be surprised how many people get pissed off at you. Especially if you drive like me! That's life buddy, get some tough skin and deal with it - I have!

6. Is she really that horny?

I think the question is - do you laugh? Think about it.

8. See #7.

Copy that Angelo, viewing number 7 now. Stand by......

Angelo copy?

Angelo? Ah, must have lost him.. too bad.

11. Im not sure if they will get pissed or they will piss themselves laughing at you. No offence but with all the mods in your car, I dont think you would be able to out run an Excel

Sorry, how many engine mods did I list? Yea, nice one mate. Assumptions are the mother of all ####-ups. Same goes for your typos - "fully sik!!".

12. Glad wrap?

Now there's an idea! Wait, I've got a bit more money than a few bob to spend on this car mate - any other smart (read: Original) ideas? I think it can be done.

Somehow I think you should stick with the 4wd. No point in buying a VT S (bodykit etc) if you are going to make it function and look like a 4wd. You may as well get a standard executive to be able to save a few $$$.

Saving a few $$$ is not what this project is about. Sorry mate, a little imagination doesn't hurt!

What the idea is here, is to make something truly different and not something you boys are used to. Be scared, yes, but try not to be jealous that I'm doing some (weird/unusual to yourself) things to this VT. I prefer function over form, so what ever you guys see doesn't bother me at all. Bodykit is being given to a mate who wants it - just helping someone out! Long story, don't assume you know what's going on.

This VT looks like a nice new project to screw around with, as I've got some money to spend on it and screw it around. If you don't like it, well sorry but you're going to see her on the streets.

Don't let your mind wander Angelo - it's too small to be let out on its own mate.

Any other ideas / suggestions?

Fourzer0