My Build idea, and questions I need to answer.

[Aussie Muscle]

O.K, so after talking last night to the Minister Of Finance (the missus, for those who are unsure), this is now how the build process MAY work out. This is mainly a father & son build, but i'm sure the missus and my daughter will be there helping along the way. This will be my last build, and my forever car, so once I go, it'll be left to the kids.

VEHICLE: VR-VS Commodore Sedan
ENGINE: LS1 or LS2. This will either be stroked, or turbo (big single or twin)
Haltech E2500 ECU
Custom air intake (depending on which direction we take)
Other stuff
GEARBOX: Auto TH400. This will be built pretty tough to handle street use as well as strip.
Converter, will go off what the transmisson builder recommends.
B&M shifter
DIFF: Probably be shortened and fabricated 9" LSD, Billet axles. Start with 3.25 and see how it goes.
BODY: Will be stock looking
Skinned inside Bonnet
Shaved front radiator support, and custom cover plate
Door handles will be shaved, with custom one off items made and fitted.
Shaved and smoothed engine bay, door jams, inside doors.
Shaved Aerial hole.
Shaved Bonnet, washer jets relocated
Smoothed door skins (still not quite sold on this though)
Smoothed off front rails, and boxed.
Mini tubbed rear end.
'S' Boot lip/spoiler (maybe)
Power Windows
SUSPENSION:
Coil overs front and rear
Bolt in 4 link rear end, with adjustable panhard rod.
All suspension and steering components, smoothed and painted.
INTERIOR:
All parts being trimmed will be done in Leatherette, the parts not trimmed will be painted same colour to match.
Carbon fibre dash insert, console and centre surround
Retrimmed and shaped front seats
Convert to 2 seat rear seat
Retrimmed steering steering wheel
Haltech IQ3 dash display
WHEELS:
Boyd Coddington wheels 'Crown Jewel' 18x7 on front, 18x10 on rear
BRAKES:
HSV Clubsport Calipars, rebuilt and painted the same colour as the car
COLOUR:
Bare metal respray, inside and out.
Custom mix.

Now, The biggest question is, Can I run the car without BCM units etc?

The whole car will have wiring changes, mainly to lengthen it, so it will all be hidden, but wanted to run stand alone ECU, and if I can get away with running the car without needing coded keys to start it etc, be far less of a headache, but if it needs to stay, it'll have to stay

Sorry for the very long post. I will start an actual build thread and website once I get a car, and get started, so I can share everything with everyone, and any issues I come across

 

[losh1971]

Why no BCM? If you run with a BCM you don't have to have a coded key. Just get security disabled. There would be a way around it but with a VR it controls a fair amount of electronics and if you remove it you would need to find an alternative means of controlling them, such as individual modules. Guess it comes down to how may features you want. What are your thoughts on controlling various things like windows and central locking instead of having a BCM? You could have wind up windows but TBH the VR is a shocking design and if they are not in good cond, some parts that affect the windows proper function can not be bought new anymore.

 

[VS 5.0]

Smoothed door skins

Can you please expand on this ?

Agree with @losh1971 on the BCM.

 

[_R_J_K_]

Might sound like a dumb question, but are you hoping for this to be streetable? Like what are you hoping for the car to be used for? It sounded like you had a plan for rego from your other thread?

 

[hiker]

Hi Aussie Muscle I can tell you it would be much cheaper to draw all your cash out of the bank ,pile it up on the lounge room carpet, and set fire to it . I know this sounds a bit tough so it could be a wiser idea to maybe seek out a nearly completed project and take it from there.I have some personal experience of this , Cheers Hiker.

 

[losh1971]

Yeah I'd have to say that pretty much any VR/VS is gonna be worn out. Everything will need replacing just to get it up to scratch before the modding occurs. But having said that it sounds like the OP would know what he is in for giving he is proposing some pretty technical work/upgrades.

 

[Aussie Muscle]

@losh1971 To remove the BCM was just an idea, to limit the wiring etc. I'm not to worried if it needs to stay, I'll find a way to hide it anyway. I want power windows, so I'll need it to operate those etc.
@VS 5.0 Shaved door skins would be to fill in the swage lines through the middle of the doors and guards.
@_R_J_K_ The car will be street registered, engineered, and legal. The car will be used as a streeter and a drag car. The very first thing it'll be doing is Summernats, and maybe MotorEx
@hiker Thanks for your post, not offended, because I understand where you are coming from. I love the shape of a VR-VS, and it gives me something to work on with my Autisitc son, and hopefully teach him, how to use his hands, and to take pride in something he has done. To many, it'll be a waste of money and time, but that's not my reasons for doing it, It's going to be my last ever build, and the car I leave for my kids when I'm gone.

 

[losh1971]

I love the idea of father and son project. My old man when he was alive he wasn't like you mate and only cared about himself and the booze. I never got to have a son and I'm too old now. But my step daughter will have a BF one day and hopefully I will get to help him work on his car. I have most of the gear like you to do the work. Just need a young offsider to give me some inspiration. Well done mate, what you are planning is a real credit to you. Good thing is, the way you are doing the build you have time to wait for parts to come up cheap and they do if you are patient. I reckon you will find a few upgrade bits along the way from those who have realised the cost after they have started but changed their mind. I built my own house and did it over five years and it's surprising what you can pick up at a bargain if you're willing to wait.

 

[_R_J_K_]

@_R_J_K_ The car will be street registered, engineered, and legal. The car will be used as a streeter and a drag car. The very first thing it'll be doing is Summernats, and maybe MotorEx

First and foremost, the first thing to do then is to find an engineer sympathetic to you before you commit, and work with them throughout the process. There's no point in building the car only to find out that nobody will engineer it for you. Also ask for an estimate on what engineering costs for certain things will be to factor into your budget. Have a look at what NSW uses to engineer cars, pretty sure they also use the Vehicle Standards Bulletin.

The engineer will be particularly important if you actually go through with tubbing it because of the monocoque chassis. I'd look at trying to do this without tubbing it as it will be substantially easier. The VR/VS is capable of fitting 18x10 wheels with a guard roll and slight massaging provided the wheel offsets are on point. Basically cutting into the chassis makes things much trickier, this is something I'd really weigh up the pros and cons about.

The above also counts for the diff and 4-link kit as they seem to be a weld in, also specifically how/where your coilovers mount (this may be even more important than the tubs). You could also possibly get an FPV XR6T ute diff (they're an M86) and have and have it cut down and trailing arm tabs welded on to fit the stock mounting points. Bigger axles and a Harrop TrueTrac in the BW78 housing are also an option.

I can also see you want the Haltech dash, but apart from that why use a Haltech? The regular LS ECUs are more than capable. This is also important as I'm fairly certain it's a requirement you can't have a user tunable ECU (ignore the fact you can retune the stock one). The only thing that negates this is running LPG.

Which "HSV Clubsport" brakes are you going to use, VE/VF I assume? Because all of the VR/VS, regardless of V6/V8/regular HSV are them same.

Finally, if you're actually going to go through with this, why not get a 6.2L engineered? I'm kind of doubtful you will make it through engineering with a turbo as it never had one, particularly if the multiplier system is used in NSW. The factory HSV 5.7 215i engines may work in your favour though.

The other way to go about it is to just get the engine engineered as required, and then add your diff/ECU/turbo with the easy ability to return to its original engineered state.

I'm sure you've seen LSX454, but just in case you haven't - https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/vr-senator-with-lsx454.215828/

 

[afstruct]

Hi Aussie Muscle I can tell you it would be much cheaper to draw all your cash out of the bank ,pile it up on the lounge room carpet, and set fire to it . I know this sounds a bit tough so it could be a wiser idea to maybe seek out a nearly completed project and take it from there.I have some personal experience of this , Cheers Hiker.

Your right, I've said this before, doing up cars apart from a special few are money pits, ( in fact caring for said cars ,out of the ordinary maintenance is money down the drain) .

But , a big but , the special attachment with the project , the attachment with a project you've personally done transcends that ,especially if it's a father/ son project that you plan to keep forever
Not everything is about money and those projects are the truly special ones and then for the people involved truly priceless.