VXeu
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2020
- Messages
- 29
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- Age
- 39
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- Europe
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Hi there!
I'm in Europe and I have been a fan of Australian muscle cars for the longest time. I just like how driver focused and simple they are.
So I of course love Commodores.
I'm a huge fan of HSV. I would love to drive a HSV here in Europe. It would definitely be a plus over the dime a dozen M5s and AMGs. Here they are pretty common. They are also complex, hard to run, expensive everything and I'm truly bored of them.
So for the longest time I have been trying to devise a way to get my hands on a HSV. My favorite HSV is the VX Clubsport or GTS. Hence why I'm posting in this section. I just like the styling so much. I think both the VT and VX have aged so gracefully. I like the cleaner lines. So a VX Clubsport or GTS would be perfect! Would love to go on road trips around Europe eating up M5s.
But after thinking long and hard, I think this will never happen. Because as far as I can tell, there were never any LHD VX HSV made.
I have gone as far as thinking of importing a VX HSV from Australia and seeing if I could find a crashed Pontiac GTO in the U.S. and trying to buy the LHD bits to convert a VX HSV to LHD. But I think that would get crazy expensive and might not even be possible. I read something about the firewall being different and glued to the car.
So the next best thing might be a VX Commodore where I could upgrade it to HSV as close as I could from here. For that there are sources. I could buy a Chevy Luminas SS from Middle East. Or even a Commodore from Brazil, where I found out they imported VX cars and sold as Chevrolet Omegas.
But this way I would sure have mods ahead to get close to a VX HSV.
The ones from Brazil were the V6s only and all automatic. So I would only go that route if I couldn't find a Lumina SS in the Middle East, which seems difficult. Very easy to find VY cars and later there. Don't see many VX. But in Brazil I found several VX.
But even the Lumina SS I have only found automatics. Not sure if they ever got manuals there but seems rare, if they did. I can't find a single Lumina of any year model with a manual there.
So at a minimum, I would be looking at a transmission swap. Or transmission + LS swap if going with a Brazilian car.
Many here who I have spoken to don't understand it. Why not just buy a M5 or AMG? Or even just a Chevy SS or Pontiac G8 from the U.S. if I so want a Holden. Or just do with 2 doors and put up with driving a RHD car in LHD traffic and buy a Monaro from the UK, if I so want a third generation Commodore. But I really love the VX HSV 4 door saloons. I also don't think it would cost as much as a Chevy SS imported here. The Monaro is great but this is to be my daily driver and I want a 4 door.
So I would like to ask you, who have the privilege of having these cars widely available in your backyard, am I totally off base here? Or what I'm proposing is feasible? I know with money all is possible. But I'm not some eccentric millionaire.
And if feasible, what would be the simplest or most affordable way to a LHD "HSV" VX car, based on your experience with these cars? Transmission swap no problem? V8 swap? All maintaining the traction control and other electronics?
I guess the body kit for the looks is easy to find. I found several sources on Ebay Australia for example. No idea if the shipping will be killing though.
If the mechanic upgrades and looks upgrade is doable, I guess the hardest part will be the interior. I doubt I would ever be able to upgrade to an HSV interior from here. But I could live with that, since a HSV VX LHD never existed.
It would be great to hear your opinions.
Thanks for reading through.
I'm in Europe and I have been a fan of Australian muscle cars for the longest time. I just like how driver focused and simple they are.
So I of course love Commodores.
I'm a huge fan of HSV. I would love to drive a HSV here in Europe. It would definitely be a plus over the dime a dozen M5s and AMGs. Here they are pretty common. They are also complex, hard to run, expensive everything and I'm truly bored of them.
So for the longest time I have been trying to devise a way to get my hands on a HSV. My favorite HSV is the VX Clubsport or GTS. Hence why I'm posting in this section. I just like the styling so much. I think both the VT and VX have aged so gracefully. I like the cleaner lines. So a VX Clubsport or GTS would be perfect! Would love to go on road trips around Europe eating up M5s.
But after thinking long and hard, I think this will never happen. Because as far as I can tell, there were never any LHD VX HSV made.
I have gone as far as thinking of importing a VX HSV from Australia and seeing if I could find a crashed Pontiac GTO in the U.S. and trying to buy the LHD bits to convert a VX HSV to LHD. But I think that would get crazy expensive and might not even be possible. I read something about the firewall being different and glued to the car.
So the next best thing might be a VX Commodore where I could upgrade it to HSV as close as I could from here. For that there are sources. I could buy a Chevy Luminas SS from Middle East. Or even a Commodore from Brazil, where I found out they imported VX cars and sold as Chevrolet Omegas.
But this way I would sure have mods ahead to get close to a VX HSV.
The ones from Brazil were the V6s only and all automatic. So I would only go that route if I couldn't find a Lumina SS in the Middle East, which seems difficult. Very easy to find VY cars and later there. Don't see many VX. But in Brazil I found several VX.
But even the Lumina SS I have only found automatics. Not sure if they ever got manuals there but seems rare, if they did. I can't find a single Lumina of any year model with a manual there.
So at a minimum, I would be looking at a transmission swap. Or transmission + LS swap if going with a Brazilian car.
Many here who I have spoken to don't understand it. Why not just buy a M5 or AMG? Or even just a Chevy SS or Pontiac G8 from the U.S. if I so want a Holden. Or just do with 2 doors and put up with driving a RHD car in LHD traffic and buy a Monaro from the UK, if I so want a third generation Commodore. But I really love the VX HSV 4 door saloons. I also don't think it would cost as much as a Chevy SS imported here. The Monaro is great but this is to be my daily driver and I want a 4 door.
So I would like to ask you, who have the privilege of having these cars widely available in your backyard, am I totally off base here? Or what I'm proposing is feasible? I know with money all is possible. But I'm not some eccentric millionaire.
And if feasible, what would be the simplest or most affordable way to a LHD "HSV" VX car, based on your experience with these cars? Transmission swap no problem? V8 swap? All maintaining the traction control and other electronics?
I guess the body kit for the looks is easy to find. I found several sources on Ebay Australia for example. No idea if the shipping will be killing though.
If the mechanic upgrades and looks upgrade is doable, I guess the hardest part will be the interior. I doubt I would ever be able to upgrade to an HSV interior from here. But I could live with that, since a HSV VX LHD never existed.
It would be great to hear your opinions.
Thanks for reading through.