Questions about a VE Maloo...

[Willie Ute]

That's an awesome write-up and a great looking Ute Willie. You've certainly done it justice and hopefully it brings as many smiles to your face as it has for many hundreds of thousands over here over a lot of years.

Thank you. Smiles is an understatement. It's more like OMG, look at what I'm driving! I believe I now know what it's like to drive a quarter million dollar supercar, and it's "just a ute!" I learned one thing very quickly. This thing is a rolling car show. I can't tell you how many times I get comments, get asked to pull over, or even followed home. This happens almost every time I take her out. If I need to be somewhere, I have to drive my Camry, haha....

Would be great if you could get over here one day, I hear the GTS-R Ute goes ok...

It's a dream for now, but it is Number 1 on my bucket list.

More please. GTS-R????? Never heard of this...

Now that's just rude. You would get one sent from here for way less than that

Exactly. In fact, I did...! But it was a very long journey that took about one year. Melbourne >> Brisbane >> Tacoma, Washington >> Los Angeles >> Tucson, Arizona.

haha, and the look when he sees you speed off past him..Do you plan on any performance upgrades?

Yep, he sees this:

Ummmm... the rear bar is a one-off part..... and so is the number plate. Ours are a different size and do not fit in the recessed area. I could conceivably bolt it on, but with only one bolt (looks super cheesy). So what I did was with a little computer magic, I took an image of my "legal" plate, stretched it one way, squeezed it another, while retaining the original aspect ratio of the text, then printing it and sticking it on a piece of aluminum sized as an Aussie plate. I also love the LS3 badge as this one does not exist on any vehicle here.

Performance upgrades? Of course! It currently has a airbox made by yours truly that mates to the bonnet, drawing air directly from the scoops.

Also full length headers, no cats, dual 3", one dual 3" in / 3" out Magnaflow muffler and J-tubes.

Willie

 

[tml678]

This thing is a rolling car show. I can't tell you how many times I get comments, get asked to pull over, or even followed home. This happens almost every time I take her out. If I need to be somewhere, I have to drive my Camry, haha....

see this is the reason why GM should have exported it to the states, but they were too stubborn, and it would have made yours less exclusive, so probably a bad idea anyway..

More please. GTS-R????? Never heard of this...

https://www.hsv.com.au/gtsrmaloo/

This was the last one produced by HSV, LSA equipped with all sorts of bits and pieces, BUT there was also this:

https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/the-secret-hsv-gtsr-maloo-w1s

They were a 'secret' run, LS9 equipped and sold/given to high level execs and a couple of people who had bought many HSV's over the years.. one just sold for over AUD$1 million.!

https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-news/hsv-gts-r-w1-maloo-sells-for-105-million-at-auction

Yep, he sees this:

and what a great sight it is

So what I did was with a little computer magic, I took an image of my "legal" plate, stretched it one way, squeezed it another, while retaining the original aspect ratio of the text, then printing it and sticking it on a piece of aluminum sized as an Aussie plate. I also love the LS3 badge as this one does not exist on any vehicle here.

I love how you've gone the 'extra mile' on this car to make it as authentic as possible. Have you had any issues with authorities noticing the different size?

Performance upgrades? Of course! It currently has a airbox made by yours truly that mates to the bonnet, drawing air directly from the scoops.

again, great to see your dedication to this. Plenty of tuning/performance options for that engine, especially stateside. that intake doesn't get smothered by the underside of the bonnet?

 

[figjam]

Rego plate '1 of 0' .
Could not get a better limited edition number. Luv it.

 

[lout]

congrats on your ute
we have a lot of USA cars here and the number plate size is different
our registration department now allows plates to be ordered in USA size
prior to this i have seen sign writers create number plates in USA size

 

[Willie Ute]

see this is the reason why GM should have exported it to the states, but they were too stubborn, and it would have made yours less exclusive, so probably a bad idea anyway..

I saw a video of the New York Auto Show in 2009, I believe.... introducing the "new" Pontiac G8 ST (for Sport Truck), and it was a VE ute. I believe there were plans on importing it for 2010, but 2009 end up being Pontiac's last year. So close, yet so far.

and what a great sight it is

He was most likely saying to himself, "What the heck was that?", because I just kept going...

I love how you've gone the 'extra mile' on this car to make it as authentic as possible. Have you had any issues with authorities noticing the different size?

I know it's all about the little details and paying attention to them. Yeah, I didn't HAVE to do this but it was the only way I could think of to keep the lines super clean. Is it legal? Technically no, because we are required to display the Dept of Transport issued plates, as it is everywhere in the world I presume. So, I suppose to be 100 percent "legal", I could tape my authentic DOT plate in view on my rear glass. That would make me technically legal. There's nothing that says I must affix it on the tailgate. And because my rear screen is tinted, even if I were to get pulled over, I could say, "Officer, it is in my rear window." But so far, I have not been questioned by anyone, much less the authorities. I do keep my original plate in the glove box though, as proof that it is my plate. This is a pic of my "real" plate and my "Arizona Aussie" plate (standard and slimline) >>

219619[/ATTACH]

It has a rubber surround that seals to the top plate, around the filter element. I've had no symptoms of suffocation or any driveability issues. My intake air temp is about 3 degrees C above ambient most of the time.

Rego plate '1 of 0' .
Could not get a better limited edition number. Luv it.

Thanks! Just happened to think this up one day and it stuck. I really could not use it there though, huh? I'd have to change it to 1 of Million +, haha...

Willie

 

[Willie Ute]

congrats on your ute
we have a lot of USA cars here and the number plate size is different
our registration department now allows plates to be ordered in USA size
prior to this i have seen sign writers create number plates in USA size

Thanks! It's really become a prize possession, something I never dreamed would happen. It's just a style that I fell in love with the moment I saw the first one on a video and said to myself, "Is it even remotely possible to own one here?" That's how it started for me, a four year quest.

If we were as smart as you, we might have such a program with our plates here..... but no, not a chance... so I took the initiative. So far, not one person has made mention of my "custom" sized plate, only the 1 of 0 text.....

Willie

 

[lmoengnr]

There was a Maloo at SEMA a couple of years ago, that attracted a lot of attention.

 

[Willie Ute]

Are there any rear spoilers for the Maloo hardlid? I'm not looking for a "wing", but more of a duck tail design. I have not come across any.

Willie

 

[mirrabucca]

On the "pulsating" high-level brake light, two possibilities:
1: There was a circuit modification available when high-level brake lights came out, that when you hit the brakes, the hign level lights would come on, blink once, and then come on solid. The idea was to get attention to the light/s. I dont think that's the case here, but it's worth mentioning.
2: The pulsating or flashing you have seen on some videos as just the LED lights strobing with the scan rate of the video. Similar to spoke wheels or aeroplane propellors look like they are stopped (or going backwards).
LED lights on cars are often designed to flash rather than come on solid. The flash rate is high enough for us humans to see it as a solid light, but as it's actually flashing, it uses less power (and the leds can be run "harder" without burning out).
Watch car ads on TV and you will sometimes see the LED lights look like they're flashing.