Sam's VN Lexxxcen LS1 T56

[savage1987]

This is my little project

I've owned the car since 3.1.2006 and it has well over 500,000km behind it by now. It's on its 3rd engine, 3rd gearbox, 4th diff and 4th interior .. not because anything broke (except for two diffs), mainly because I couldn't leave it alone and didn't make up my mind early enough about what I wanted to end up with.

1989 VN series 1 (Lexcen)

Here are some photos from a couple of years ago:

a couple of pics that some people generously drew up

shot of the old twin sway bar setup (I since removed this, it was a bit rough and clunky)

and a quick snap of where it lived for pretty much the whole motor swap

Interior and stereo:
Alpine head unit
Alpine 4" front speakers
Alpine Type S 6" rear speakers
Small Clarion 2ch amp
2xCPU cooling fans for head unit
Mulberry interior (interior number four)
New cream coloured roof lining
Momo Corse steering wheel
VP Calais parcel shelf, speakers under stock grilles
VN Calais L3 instrument cluster and trip computer
All sound deadener stripped from floors and boot
5" tacho w/shift light
Fuses/relays hidden behind kick panel
Isolator switch
Battery relocated to boot

Exterior:
VZ R8 19x8"s
Letterbox grille
Clear front indicators
35% tint
Electric antenna

Motor:
LS1 (VX series) 5.7L
MAFless tune
CAE tri-Y extractors, dual cats, twin 3"
Powerbond 25% underdrive balancer

Suspension and driveline:
T56 6 speed manual gearbox
GMM Ripshifter
Shortened and rebuilt tailshaft from the old T700 auto
King superlow springs
Koni adjustable shocks (red)
Noltec adjustable strut tops
HD sway bar link pins
Whiteline strut brace
VY HSV 330mm front brakes
VY V6 quick-fill master cylinder, VS V6 booster & reservoir
Braided brake lines front and rear
Mal Wood pedal box with under-dash clutch master cylinder
Harrop Truetrac 3.9:1 LSD


The 5.7L when I picked it up:

It's now in and working fine. Plenty of loose ends to tidy up after the swap, this is an ongoing process for now.



Best ET with the V6 was 15.762, with the LS1 I have run a 13.216@107mph. I'm sure there's more in it yet.

Sam

 

[RVN 355]

wheres the pics man? sounds like a nice cruiser and very good mods

 

[HoldenMan7]

Used to have a thread on this before JC had its little server mishap a few months ago...

Anyway, this is my little project number 1 I've owned the car since ++++ and she's got a little over 420,000km on the clock.

1989 VN V6 series 1 (Lexcen, but let's not mention that)

Interior and stereo:
Blue interior neons
Alpine head unit
Alpine 4" front speakers
Alpine Type S 6x9 rear speakers
Clarion 12" sub and amp setup
2xCPU cooling fans for head unit
Calais velour seats front and back
VY SS pedals
Cream roof lining
Interior conversion from VN brown to VN grey (in progress)

Exterior:
Arctic Blue headlights and high-beams
Clear front indicators (Lexcen ones were orange)
Power aerial
VX Clubsport bodykit (no spoiler) - not painted yet
17" VT SS rims

Motor:
Installed the s2 bellmouth
2.5" cat-back exhaust
K&N panel filter

Suspension and driveline:
King SLs
Koni adjustable shocks
Adjustable strut tops


There's plenty of work to go, hopefully when I'm done it'll be one of Perth's nicest VNs. After university I'm planning to rebuild with some boost. Not sure on any specific details yet.

I hope you like it
Sam

Hey Mate

Sounds like a good little project, you got any pics mate ??

 

[savage1987]

Yeah I have a few, I'll have to find them though. Might just have to get some new ones..
I'll warn you though, with the unpainted bodykit and a 2 colour interior it's not pretty

 

[savage1987]

Finally got some pics up, just took some new ones. Sorry they've been a while coming.

Hope you like it

Sam

 

[nicko]

nice ride mate :thumbsup: jst need to get the kit sprayed, or re spray the car

 

[calaiscruzer]

Looks like its got alot of potential, i had a vx kit until recently..
I reckon you should spray your car black, would look mean as.
Got interior pics, i wana see those VY SS pedals.

 

[vn calais manual]

may i ask why you installed the belmouth.

 

[savage1987]

Looks like its got alot of potential, i had a vx kit until recently..
I reckon you should spray your car black, would look mean as.
Got interior pics, i wana see those VY SS pedals.

None yet mate, it's kinda half brown half blue and grey combo.... yuk. Halfway through the world's longest conversion. I'll take some if you like though VY SS pedals should have been standard on all VN onwards Commodores though, they look awesome. I needed something better looking under my interior neons

may i ask why you installed the belmouth.

You certainly may... Thought I'd try it for $5, couldn't really go too far wrong, I figured if I didn't like it I'd tear it out and throw it in the bin. $5, no great loss. Anyway, I put it in with the 2 gaskets and it improved the idle, and there was no loss of power. Not noticeable anyway. I like it with the bellmouth, so it's staying there The reason they were designed in the first place was to stop 2 of the cylinders from leaning out and another 2 from running rich ... the car had 425000km behind it so anything I could do better for the motor... you get the picture.

Sam

 

[wrx884]

look like a nice lil project u got there goin man how u doin the body kit 2 tone or just 1?