Vehicle identification VR Bt1 / SS

[Mechwun]

Hey guys, long time lurker first time poster. 20 years as a tech, Ive had this car for about 10 years, it was bought as an SS with VS Red stitched SS seats and door cards, GTS seats, wheels and Extra GTS FR & RR Bars, it was cheap and had just been resprayed so had no original SS body stickers. It was a bit of a mongrel but i couldnt pass it at the time. My intention was to rape some parts off it and return to OG with correct VR seats, cards etc. I sold the bars off the tow truck to a painter friend and it payed for the car so it was a winner from the beginner. Set of injectors and some new injector plugs and it was running lovely, drove it for a bit and parked it for 10 years. Here we are..


My question is about the BT1 tagging, is this legit for a factory SS vehicle? Is it an SS or a red striped no ss sticker BT1?
What are your opinions on history? is it a ex police vehicle? (idc what it is just want to know what it wouldve been when delivered)

How does everyone get the original purchase delivery information? Email customer care?

Thanks for the help, knowledge and resource

 

[NORTI]

it's a BT1. However a number of BT1s were SS based in the 90s. BT1 overrides the SS in ordering/building.

BT1 is government ordered, and to my knowledge the SS based BT1s were most for Highway/Police & not used by other Gov agency's. So probably safe bet its an ex Police car.

I have a VP BT1 with all of the SS trim, and the dash badge is SS. It had BT1 dash cluster, and the Calais interior light which is part of BT1. I think it even still had a bash plate on it when I got it. But when I bought it had some genuine + some aftermarket SS bodykit pieces and it had been stickered as SS.

again this was pretty common by dealers when selling the BT1, they were basically an SS, and so adding a decal kit made them move faster on the lot.

 

[Mechwun]

Thanks so much Norti. Really appreciate the insight and knowlege. This did come with an SS badged dash so would we assume it may have been delivered with SS seats and door cards but probably not body stickered if it was police delivered?

"again this was pretty common by dealers when selling the BT1, they were basically an SS, and so adding a decal kit made them move faster on the lot."

Do you mean after first original govt owner / orderer? Like they would be stickered for used car resale by dealers and thrown on the lot as a stickered bt1?

Any recomendations on obtaining og delivery information?

 

[NORTI]

Thanks so much Norti. Really appreciate the insight and knowlege. This did come with an SS badged dash so would we assume it may have been delivered with SS seats and door cards but probably not body stickered if it was police delivered?

"again this was pretty common by dealers when selling the BT1, they were basically an SS, and so adding a decal kit made them move faster on the lot."

Do you mean after first original govt owner / orderer? Like they would be stickered for used car resale by dealers and thrown on the lot as a stickered bt1?

Any recomendations on obtaining og delivery information?

Yes. SS trim etc, + BT1 parts (like the centre light & dash etc) so it gets the SS dash badge etc. On the outside no kit, no stickers and steel wheels usually. I think they retained spotlights sometimes? other times deleted. Someone else can correct me there as my 3 BT1s have all been molested before I owned them.

when they hit the used dealer lots later, they got mags, bodykits and decals to make them more appealing.

What does the book say? That's usually a good first start with the original owner info.

 

[VS 5.0]

My VS BT1 had SS seats and door trims, 25i interior with dual airbags but Executive dash badge.

It was a December 95 build that I bought in November 98. Had one owner before me after the cops.

Red bumper strip but the door strips were strange in that it had two on each side. Red strip and white painted strip below it. Double wrapping ?

Rear spoiler only. No front or rear lip or side skirts and no fog lights. I did add a front lip later.

VR SS / VS S 15 inch rims.

The build plate was essentially the same as yours except VS related data.

 

[Smitty]

.. a BT1 indicates the car is subject to a govt purchase order on Holden
so you can get Calais' or 'Executive' with BT1 plates or most in this case as usually, an SS marked as BT1

BT1 stamps may.. may not indicate a police vehicle, it could be an RTA/VicRoads/Roads Board
traffic vehicle, or even a Fire Service vehicle. The firey captains LUVV'd red V8 SS versions in Vic.

Depending on which government/which department meant the BT1 actual build could be different ...
Legend has it NSW hiway patrol guys hated the SS style seats with their bolsters and got Exec seats fitted
Vicpol guys insisted on the higher spec SS seats

 

[Mechwun]

Ok thanks alot for the input, really appreciated. This explains a few things such as lack of skirts and no evidence of previous fitment etc

No original books came with the car so no help on tracking purchase history there but this has helped alot confirming what i thought was an unfinished ss or wannabe gts is actually a bt1 govt vehicle of some sort

The vehicle has ABS but no cruise, a low bcm (assumed original) so im assuming this was delivered w/o cruise?

The intention was never to keep this long term, i had a ute at the same time and wanted to keep that, but sold it reluctantly. i went away and came home not thinking id keep the sedan but when i got back i honestly enjoyed tidying it up again. One of my kids likes it so i might try and lure him into the trade with it hanging around home.

Any input as to how i finish this car, is it wrong to sticker it as an SS?
I hate molested half correct **** tbh so im a bit torn as what to do

 

[VS 5.0]

Mine never had cruise.

is it wrong to sticker it as an SS?

Yes, IMHO.

 

[Mechwun]

Mine never had cruise.


Yes, IMHO.

Thank you, Agreed

 

[NORTI]

In some states people value BT1 over SS, in other states the SS is more desirable. It’s quite weird.

From the online collective the consensus is not to sticker it as SS if it’s not SS plated. But really it’s your car and you can do whatever the hell you like.

My VP has stayed stickered the whole time I’ve owned it and unless someone wants to check the build plate no one has questioned it.
It’s marked as project now so when reborn it won’t be stickered as an SS.