VF Random chat thread

[Moph]

Fitted a Narva Explora 14" light bar using a number plate bracket to my VF Series I Calais V wagon (v6) and am stumped when it comes to getting the switch wire into the cabin. There are two chunky booted grommets down low near the steering column but they're neither easy to access nor is there much room for another cable - and seemingly that's it? Can't find anything on the passenger side behind the glovebox.

I ran the wire to the front passenger door opening via the guard tonight hoping to sneak it in via the door grommet, but popping the grommet boot revealed there's no room for an extra cable (it's all plugs under the grommet boot). Am currently thinking about drilling a new grommet hole just under the door grommet ... any better way before I break out the drill?

 

[Steve Bowden]

So I drive a 2014 VF Calais 6.0, which I bought new at a nice price when I was working for the dealership.
Did a lot of highway miles when it was young, and clocked 140,000 a while back. So I thought I’d upgrade, and spied a series II SSV Redline manual, low k’s , $44,000 at local dealers. Figured I’d be up for changeover in the mid $20k area.

The missus says Do It! So I head to the dealers...sold an hour ago!
and to rub salt into the wound, I see it locally too often.

so I decided to spend a few hard-earned and spruce up the calais. It needed new wheels anyway, because the OEM ones had been balanced, rolled and repaired so much they were beyond saving. So a new set of Avantis, black, all round. Yeah, yeah, I could have done better, but this is townsville and they were in stock, and I was heading off on a 1000klm trip.
After seeing them on the car, I got the bug...ordered black side vents, black grille, black front and rear badges.
Also ordered 3” deFilipo headers and a full 3” Manta pipe set....which because of Covid, took 4 months to arrive!

and I couldnt stop halfway, so on went an SS-Inductions Growler airbox, full Dyno tune, bright yellow calipers.

And here we are, around $7k later and I’m really happy with the result.

265 RWKW; which is roughly 318KW the way that Holden would have measured and marketed it. 25% increase over factory.
Goes hard, sounds fantastic.

 

[MaxCommie689]

black side vents, black grille, black front and rear badges.

Great outcome. Black on silver looks fab. Mind sharing info about where you sourced the grill from?

 

[Steve Bowden]

Thanks. On eBay. Australian supplier. Wasn’t cheap, $450 with freight. I think it was down to one left (so they say!) which made me act. Alternative was to have OEM grille removed and sprayed...probs more expensive than the new one, cos it was pretty chipped and would have required a bit of labour

 

[Steve Bowden]

I’ve ordered genuine “317” badge for rear boot. Will get that, plus the rear calais badge “smoked”.... as well as the head and tail lights, and chrome around the DRLs smoked too.
will be quite unique, and I will keep it for years...it’s my daily driver but I’ll buy a run-aboutin the next 12 months and garage the Calais for weekends

 

[MaxCommie689]

Thanks. On eBay. Australian supplier. Wasn’t cheap, $450 with freight. I think it was down to one left (so they say!) which made me act. Alternative was to have OEM grille removed and sprayed...probs more expensive than the new one, cos it was pretty chipped and would have required a bit of labour

So this is the Director front grille. I had seen that ad - but thought the price was a bit too steep. Plus my car is a V6, so sticking a grille with LS3 badge would be weird.

 

[KING46Calais V]

So this is the Director front grille. I had seen that ad - but thought the price was a bit too steep. Plus my car is a V6, so sticking a grille with LS3 badge would be weird.

the badge is actually a sticker and is about 100 bucks extra

 

[MaxCommie689]

the badge is actually a sticker and is about 100 bucks extra

Yes it is. But I think the grille has a cutout/ indent to place that badge. So without the badge it will look incomplete and with the badge I'll look like an idiot.

 

[KING46Calais V]

Yes it is. But I think the grille has a cutout/ indent to place that badge. So without the badge it will look incomplete and with the badge I'll look like an idiot.

nope, no indent. it's simply a very expensive sticker that sticks on the grille. it's not a badge like the SS have.
Holden would not have made another mould for a grille with a run of around 500 when they were already tight for money. hence the standard calais grille in another colour.

 

[Steve Bowden]

That’s correct, no indent, no badge. Just a piano-black Calais grille.