Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Tuff 83 vh sle

TUFF*83

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
36
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
1983 VH SLE 308
Hello to all, thought I would share my pride and joy. Purchased as a partially completed project. It began life as a dew mint green 253 auto sle. The car was already in pretty good shape for its age, the interior was mint and although the original paint has faded there is no rust and no major panel beating required. So, the entire drive line was reefed out and was replaced with new goodies along with everything else mechanical wise throughout the car. She has been off the road since the build started over 3 years ago. I have just recently finished off all the nitty gritty things that were left to do and got her street registered here in SA. Took her through the inspection centre with no problems at all :cool:

Name: Matt
Model: 1983 VH SLE
Plates: TUFF*83 ordered
Colour: Dew mint green (Soon to be resprayed, engine bay already done)
Engine: New 308 Block cleaned, main tunnels line honed, bored & honed, balanced. Black VK 308 heads machined, VN oversized valves, all ACL bearings, gaskets and 30 thou pistons, ARP rod bolts, Crane adjustable roller rockers, Crane cch304a camshaft, VN sump, 3 core radiator with 16" thermo, standard manifold match ported, Holley 650dp carb on a 1" spacer, running 10.5 compression
Fuel system: Nothing special, just a high volume mechanical pump
Ignition: ICE 7amp 2 step street/race
Exhaust: HM competition headers, twin 2.5” merging into 3"
Power: Motor still running in, will put on a dyno after first oil change
Drive Train: Re-built trimatic (stage 2 standard), 3500rpm stall convertor, re-built 3.36 ratio LSD diff
Wheels/Tyres: 19x8.5 Genuine HSV Senator rims wrapped in 245/35 rears, 235/35 fronts (rubber is nothing special)
Suspension: KMac strut tops, King Spring super lows and Pedders Sports Ryders all round, Pedders 27mm front sway bar, 20mm rear sway bar, adjustable panhard rod, new bushes/arms/steering rack etc throughout
Brakes: Reco'd callipers & discs front and rear
Future Plans: Full re-spray and new rubbers. A few fixes to the interior and a custom instrument cluster (Autometer of course!). A different set of wheels (Im after Simmons FR18s or Centreline Convo Pros)

KH6FC9-Resized640x480.jpg
R58R7L-Resized640x480vv.jpg
IMG_1190.jpg
2image-1.jpg
IMG_1189.jpg

Thanks for looking, I'll keep more photos coming as the work progresses!
 
Last edited:

mr j-man

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
1,115
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
GC
Members Ride
VH SL/E 355
Hey mate sounds like you got a good build there! The motor sounds like it will be pretty strong...theres one thing that grabbed my attention and that was the diff gears and the cam combination its possibly a little bit mismatched...but she'll still be a balltearer that's for sure.
 

TUFF*83

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
36
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
1983 VH SLE 308
Hey mate sounds like you got a good build there! The motor sounds like it will be pretty strong...theres one thing that grabbed my attention and that was the diff gears and the cam combination its possibly a little bit mismatched...but she'll still be a balltearer that's for sure.

Cheers mr j-man.

Yeah I know, to be honest that diff was just in great nick for good price.

Id love to throw 3.55s and a harrop centre in the same diff, however I am finding 10 bolt salisbury 3.55 gears hard to find these days!
 

mr j-man

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
1,115
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
GC
Members Ride
VH SL/E 355
yeah they are, by no means will it hold you back that's for sure.
Try ring around some diff shops, youll probably find a shop will have some stashed away that haven't been used for years.

One of the members on here has a set of 355's to sell, he asked if I was interested in the them a little while back when I was chasing a set... its "383 Hatch"
 
Last edited:

VS 5.0

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
8,009
Reaction score
14,333
Points
113
Location
Perth WA
Members Ride
VE SSV Z Series M6
Nice car TUFF. Do you have any interior pics ?
 

TUFF*83

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
36
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
1983 VH SLE 308
Thanks mate, I'll give him a go. I did find one bloke who was selling a set however he wants $650! Can you believe it, daylight robbery haha.

Cheers VS, I'll certainly get some up when I find time!
 

mr j-man

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
1,115
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
GC
Members Ride
VH SL/E 355
its "383 Hatch"... I edited the above!
 

TUFF*83

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
36
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
1983 VH SLE 308
Thanks for positive comments fellas and thanks again j man, got onto 383hatch so it could be a win!
 

TUFF*83

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
36
Location
Adelaide
Members Ride
1983 VH SLE 308
A bit of an update.

Found myself a set of 3.55 gears for the 10 bolter and also picked up a brand spanking new Torque Power dual plane high rise manifold for $700!

I plan on getting it match ported and then fitting it up with a new carby (possibly a Holley street HP 650/750).

If anyone reads this and knows of others that have had success with this sort of combo please let me know :)
 
Top