Jwaye's VS SII Ute

[jwaye2]

Model:
1997 VS Commodore Ute Series II

Colour:
- Blackish? lol

Bodykit:
- Standard kit

Engine Type:
- V6 ecotec mostly stock.
- Recent top end rebuild

Exhaust:
- Stock headers and 'Y' piece into 2 1/2" S/S exhaust w/o rear resonator

Fuel System:
- Standard

Gearbox:
- 5sp Getrag (could do with a rebuild)

Diff:
- Standard Non LSD

Wheels:
- 17' alloys (unsure of brand)
- 235/45/17 Federal 595's

Suspension:
- Standard springs and shocks
- All round new Nolathane suspension bushes

Brakes:
- Standard breaks but all round new pads and rotors

Stereo:
- Sony head unit
- 2x 6" Sony speakers in the doors
- 2x 6x9" Kenwoods behind seats
- 2x Amps mounted to rear wall
- 12" OA subwoofer mounted between seats

Interior:
- New grey carpet to replace worn old carpet
- Dash/door trims and other interior panels painted black
- Centre console painted purple (cluster surround not done yet)
- Blue LED lights in cluster and all switches
- Level 3 Gauge cluster installed (Need to get patch loom for LCD screens)
- Blue LED lights behind seats

Futures Mods:
- L67 motor currently being built
- Respray
- Full lowered suspension thinking just SL
- Genuine VS Clubsport front bar (already got just needs to be painted)
- Retrim door cards to match console (currently in progress)
- Custom fibreglass sub box (currently in progress)
- Custom fibreglass speaker pods to fit factory map pockets (currently in progress)
- Pacemaker extractors (already got them, will install when L67 is in and get new exhaust made up)
- LSD Rear diff
- Rebuild gearbox (will do when L67 is ready)

Current Issues:
- Serious need of a respray
- Cant get speedo to work
- Some vibration at approx 100mh/h (hoping wheel alignment and balance will fix this)
- Rear main seal leak (not worried about this as new engine will fix that )

Cars Story:
Brought the car a couple years ago for $500 as a cheap run around as my VZ had a prang and couldnt drive it. It had some serious fuel problems, Dodgiest fibreglass hsv replica front bar that ive ever seen and alot of worn out suspension bushes and a smashed rear window. First thing i did was remove complete fuel system and clean it all out, ran quite nicely after that and a good service. Been doing little things one at a time like replacing bushes, front bumper, uni joints, some wiring, headlights and tail lights so she looks pretty good now (apart from paint job). A while ago had some overheating problems and found out that my head gasket had a small leak. lucky i found it before any damage was done. Did a full top end rebuild and she now runs like a dream.

Pics:
Still a while after i brought it but the earliest ones i could find

 

[Froggz]

Looks good mate and the plans for it sound like they would be awesome.
I love the vs utes.
Keen to see more pics

 

[jwaye2]

As they saying goes pictures speak more than words... or something like that :\

This is from was when i rebuilt the top end. Also did water pump at some point there too.

I actually couldnt believe how clean the engine was inside. Obviously i cleaned the head surface but i didnt touch the area where the balance shaft is at all and look how clean it still it.

Started raining and i got bored so while i waited i decided to paint a couple thing to see how they would turn out. Actually looked pretty good.

After i got a brand new genuine front bumper to replace that fibreglass crap. Some LED strips as Daytime Running Lights (makes a huge different at daytime and night). Ugly 3 spoke rims that the car came with. Faded paint really shows in this one.

 

[VS_Pete]

Engine was nice and clean.
Good luck with it.

 

[Froggz]

That is real nice and clean inside the engine, I know when I opened my old ute up it was black,
How is the sub mounted between the seats any interior pics?

 

[jwaye2]

That is real nice and clean inside the engine, I know when I opened my old ute up it was black,
How is the sub mounted between the seats any interior pics?

Sub box is just sitting on the little shelf under the window with a couple screws up through the bottom to hold it in place. Not ideal but it will do till i finish the New sub box im making. Dont have any pics of interior before i changed anything but it was stock and we all know what the stock grey interior look like.

Sub box that im making. Doesnt look like much now but with this shape it will sit perfectly on that shelf.

 

[jwaye2]

This is all still quite a while ago im trying to skim through the progress quickly but ive been busy. Im working towards more recent pics. Ill try post some more tonight. Kinda wanna skip to where its at now cause i love how it looks but that would defeat the purpose of a build thread lol

 

[jwaye2]

Ok so another update. I got all new brakes front and rear and decided to paint them, partly cause it was raining and i was bored and partly cause the calipers really needed a touch up. Got these 17" alloys, not the best looking set but got them for $200 due to a few scratches on them. Brought some expensive Federal 595's to go on them.

Also some pics of when i painted my dash black.

 

[Froggz]

Looks neat, and you can always throw. Teaser photos of how it's sits now to what it looked like before

 

[jwaye2]

Looks neat, and you can always throw. Teaser photos of how it's sits now to what it looked like before

Alright you got me. Here is a teaser

Paint still looks like **** but you can see a couple cosmetic changes