Upgrade from VZ to VF

[RevNev]

My point is that you need to buy something that tingles your loins just looking at it, from every angle

I think my greater Holden "tingler moments" were VR from VN/VP and VY from VT/VX. The tingler aspect of VF along with the V8, is the last production of the iconic Holden brand.

What has surprised me is the number of Holden admiration comments this SV6 wagon gets from random people, young guys, old blokes and a couple of women!

 

[dassaur]

I think my greater Holden "tingler moments" were VR from VN/VP and VY from VT/VX. The tingler aspect of VF along with the V8, is the last production of the iconic Holden brand.

What has surprised me is the number of Holden admiration comments this SV6 wagon gets from random people, young guys, old blokes and a couple of women!

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What rear springs are you running on that again @RevNev ? I thought it was KHRL-152HDs but looks too high to be those?

 

[Ginger Beer]

well said. for me that would be something like an old mx-5 or an s15 or something small and light with an ls3 swap, but you can't buy that, you have to build it, bit of a long term goal for me

I use to run a naturally aspirated NB MX5 around Eastern Creek and Wakefield Park, it was a fun little car, but slow in the straights

You can get LS conversion kits from the US that are pretty much plug and play for them, at a cost....but unless you "know someone" it will never see registration

I have thought long and hard about doing a turbo K swap into a SW20 MR2 (I use to own a AW11 years ago), I just haven't been able to justify doing it, I wouldn't have much change out of $100k from where my initial planning costs were at to have it exactly how I wanted it, and registered

Maybe the Lotto ticket that the outlaws give me every Xmas might change things.....nope, I've never won more that $20 in the 20 years they have been giving me them

 

[Ginger Beer]

I think my greater Holden "tingler moments" were VR from VN/VP and VY from VT/VX. The tingler aspect of VF along with the V8, is the last production of the iconic Holden brand.

What has surprised me is the number of Holden admiration comments this SV6 wagon gets from random people, young guys, old blokes and a couple of women!

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That is a good looking wagon mate

 

[RevNev]

What rear springs are you running on that again @RevNev ? I thought it was KHRL-152HDs but looks too high to be those?

Yes, they're KHRL-152HDs and the ride height is 380mm centre of wheel to guard, exactly what King's chart specifies for that spring. Stock FE2 ride height front and rear was 405mm, overlander extreme!

Front springs are KHFL-151SL, ride height is 378mm

 

[RevNev]

I use to run a naturally aspirated NB MX5 around Eastern Creek and Wakefield Park, it was a fun little car, but slow in the straights

I did a lot of racing with RX-7's in the late 90's early 2000's in Improved Production and in a VR Commodore with 640hp flywheel, we struggled with the corner speed and braking performance of the Mazda's, smoke them in a straight line then end up shredding the Commodore rear tyres mid race. Both the RX-7 and MX-5 could maintain good consistent lap times on the track and used their tyres well.

 

[goose202]

I have a VX2 LS1 Calais and a VF1 L77 Calais.

Comparing the two:
The NVH of the VF is in a different league.
The 6 speed auto felt to me like it was changing gears all the time initially but better after a tune and the manual override and much smarter shifting calibration makes hills runs way more fun.
Exhaust and tune VX2 still felt a fair bit slower than the VF stock, and feels way slower now the VF is tuned. Expect the lower first gear gets it moving quicker.
Suspension is hard to compare because the VX has always been pretty low with Monroe GT shocks but the VF with stock springs and the Koni FSDs feels about as sharp, way way smoother and overall much more confidence inspiring on hills runs.
The longer wheelbase of the VF is certainly noticeable over the VX.

VX has a cool old 'analog' feel to it which is enjoyable. But the VF is just an overall nicer, faster car just as you'd expect.
There is a reason though I couldn't bring myself to sell the VX.

We also have a V6 VE S1 Calais in the family. I'm sure I'll fire some people up with this but in my opinion there's more difference between the VE and the VF than there is between the VX and the VE. My experience is that the VF feels significantly more refined than the VE.

 

[NJD-1992]

The build quality of the VE is far better than the VF and with the VF, some of the materials used are thin and easily breakable compared to the VE.

I don't see that as an improvement.

Anything in particular that makes you lean that way? Genuinely curious! Having owned a 2011 VE Equip and now a VF2 SV6, I find in almost every area the VF to be better build wise. I certainly notice the VF gets paint chips more often, but seems to only be on the bonnet, I still feel that's in part due to the aluminium vs. steel bonnet. Granted though the odd rattle and squeak one gets, I find the VF rattle sounds to be more of a hollow "tink!" vs the heavy "thunk!" on VE. Though I chalk that up again to weight loss being the main focus of VF

Recently went to the Holden Heritage Manufacturing Association display at HVO in the old cafeteria (Brilliant museum by ex employees) and they had many alignment/tolerance/fitment jigs for VF. One of the guys was explaining how they begun using these fitment jigs (Made in partnership with Honda, and the first of its kind in GM world at the time) for VE, then went to a higher tolerance level for VF.

Sometimes newer is good, Sometimes older is better, it all depends on the relationship between your optic nerve and loins

Youre right on the money there, all comes down to ones preference.

My passion was always for VF, and then VE. Wouldn't be able to tell you barely anything about earlier models! I remember reading the Motor article about the VE development and seeing the VE Launch ads on TV when I was in high school, and VF evolved that. To me personally, the VF design looks as great today as it did 10 years ago, and will still look fantastic in another 10 years

What has surprised me is the number of Holden admiration comments this SV6 wagon gets from random people, young guys, old blokes and a couple of women!

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It's a running gag in my street that everyone will see me either washing my VF, or having it apart working on it. Many always comment on its looks also, and are surprised it's a Holden. Looking back they did bugger all advertising that I can remember, and many people probably didn't even really know it by the end, outside of the enthusiasts.

What made me well chuffed, was a lady that lives up the street commented on how nice I keep the car and how great it looks. She owns two Ferraris, one of which is a 488 Spider, and an Aston Martin DB9

 

[kleanphil]

I think my greater Holden "tingler moments" were VR from VN/VP and VY from VT/VX. The tingler aspect of VF along with the V8, is the last production of the iconic Holden brand.

What has surprised me is the number of Holden admiration comments this SV6 wagon gets from random people, young guys, old blokes and a couple of women!

View attachment 259930

It is a nice-looking wagon , it's just those taillights need toning down a bit, HSV Taillights you can easily sell the original ones

 

[Forg]

It is a nice-looking wagon , it's just those taillights need toning down a bit, HSV Taillights you can easily sell the original ones

Nah, $2 spray-on tint was a 90’s thing. And if you want it … costs $2 rather than $695!