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

VF SSVredline S1 or S2 supercharged

AKKY

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
25
Reaction score
3
Points
3
Age
37
Location
Campbelltown
Members Ride
VE SS
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to get an opinion on which of the 2 would be better as a daily and occasional drag car? I’m about to purchase my first V8 after only ever owning modified Jap cars only dilemma is are the series 2 really a much better base than the 1?
I was planning to put a supercharger on straight away and get supporting mods and thought HEY! I could buy the S1 save some coin and get wheels and breaks as well, but after some heavy reading everyone seems to favor the LS3 motor in the S2.
So if anyone has built a supercharged S1 and hasn’t regretted it and wished they did it with an S2 I would love to hear about it.
 

Forg

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
6,199
Reaction score
4,185
Points
113
Location
Sydney
Members Ride
Regal Peackock VF SS-V Redline Wagoon
The cylinder deactivation hardware in the Series 1 is a potential future weak point, but apart from that, if you’re replacing the cam & retuning then really the only difference between the S1 and S2 engines is around 3% extra cubic capacity.

The Series 2 suspension works better, but for drag use suspension is irrelevant. Same with the difference between S1 & S2 brakes. Stock S1 wheels are lighter.
 

AKKY

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
25
Reaction score
3
Points
3
Age
37
Location
Campbelltown
Members Ride
VE SS
Thanks Forg for the quick reply, so basically paying the extra money for the extra 3% isn't really worth it? If that's the case I might spend less on the S1 and go ahead with the plan to supercharge it and buy the supporting mods.
Any place in Sydney you can recommend?
 

Forg

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
6,199
Reaction score
4,185
Points
113
Location
Sydney
Members Ride
Regal Peackock VF SS-V Redline Wagoon
Not really, because I have no first-hand experience really.

I kinda/sorta know a couple of the Castle Hill Exhaust guys, they seem like decent people, and their Tribe says they’re really good. But there are Tribes following other tuners that reckon Castle Hill Exhaust are icky.

If it were me, I’d go to The Rev Doctor at Hornsby, but that’s basically as far as it’s possible to get from your place and still be in Sydney. :)
 

426Cuda

SUBLIME!
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
4,181
Reaction score
3,015
Points
113
Location
Wagga Wagga
Members Ride
VF Redline Sedan - A6 Spitfire MSE...
If you'll be chasing that last HP & 100th of a second, the S2 is the much better option. Hands down, the LS3 is a more performance oriented engine. Straight out of the box. Larger capacity, lighter valves, no DOD, higher compression ratio. It can be easily converted to E85, and VVT if you like.
The L77 does come with larger injectors I think and IIRC a higher volume fuel pump.
The LS3 will cost less to mod and will always be more powerful with the same mods.
The diff ratio is lower in the S2. It comes with Brembos front and rear which is a bonus. The S2 is a nicer drive generally too.
Both are really nice cars and will do the job. But, the bottom line is, the S2 is a better base for your application. Any application really. Unless fuel economy is critical for long haul trips, where the S1 is the winner. It's purely a question of cost.
 

AKKY

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
25
Reaction score
3
Points
3
Age
37
Location
Campbelltown
Members Ride
VE SS
Thanks Cuda, really appreciate that informative break down. After reading that, it kinda makes it hard to go against what you're
saying as I know the S2 LS3 was always the way to go but obviously thought I'd cheap out and use the S1 as a base.
But again like with what you said after looking at places to upgrade looking at the S1 v S2 comparison, the S2 always finished
with more Kw's with the same mods over the S1. So you paid the same with the same parts in and got more out of the S2.
Guess I'll source an S2 :)

If you'll be chasing that last HP & 100th of a second, the S2 is the much better option. Hands down, the LS3 is a more performance oriented engine. Straight out of the box. Larger capacity, lighter valves, no DOD, higher compression ratio. It can be easily converted to E85, and VVT if you like.
The L77 does come with larger injectors I think and IIRC a higher volume fuel pump.
The LS3 will cost less to mod and will always be more powerful with the same mods.
The diff ratio is lower in the S2. It comes with Brembos front and rear which is a bonus. The S2 is a nicer drive generally too.
Both are really nice cars and will do the job. But, the bottom line is, the S2 is a better base for your application. Any application really. Unless fuel economy is critical for long haul trips, where the S1 is the winner. It's purely a question of cost.
 

Forg

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
6,199
Reaction score
4,185
Points
113
Location
Sydney
Members Ride
Regal Peackock VF SS-V Redline Wagoon
Can I then make your decision harder again? :)

What 426Cuda said is 100% correct, and I definitely agree with all of it; but I'll highlight the "chasing the last hp and 100th of a second" part, because there's a cost to all of this. I should have prolly said that in my poast above. The point being that the $20k cost difference between a VF SSVR and VF2 SSVR buys you a lot of extra performancey add-on stuff. I personally think you'd need to be spending a pretty large amount of money before you got to the crossover-point where the VF2 needed $20k less spent on it to achieve the same performance as the L77, if both are supercharged.

But having said that, I'd probably talk to the performance workshop of your choice before making that decision. You'll be pissed off if that bloody Forg bloke told you that you only need to spend an extra $2k on a $20k-cheaper to get the same performance as out of a modded VF2 ... and the workshop tells you L77's are unavoidably stuffed due to the wingleboggerdy actuator ball-pein valves being inadequate. On teh other hand you'd be pissed off if you spend the $20k extra on an LS3 and the workshop tells you you could've got the same performance out of an L77 by spemnding just an extra $2k with them.
 

AKKY

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
25
Reaction score
3
Points
3
Age
37
Location
Campbelltown
Members Ride
VE SS
♂️ Well that sure did put a halt into my search haha, more information that also makes sense.
I think before anything I'm going to be following your advice and seek out and speak to my builder of choice and see what they have to say since they will be building the damn thing.


Can I then make your decision harder again? :)

What 426Cuda said is 100% correct, and I definitely agree with all of it; but I'll highlight the "chasing the last hp and 100th of a second" part, because there's a cost to all of this. I should have prolly said that in my poast above. The point being that the $20k cost difference between a VF SSVR and VF2 SSVR buys you a lot of extra performancey add-on stuff. I personally think you'd need to be spending a pretty large amount of money before you got to the crossover-point where the VF2 needed $20k less spent on it to achieve the same performance as the L77, if both are supercharged.

But having said that, I'd probably talk to the performance workshop of your choice before making that decision. You'll be pissed off if that bloody Forg bloke told you that you only need to spend an extra $2k on a $20k-cheaper to get the same performance as out of a modded VF2 ... and the workshop tells you L77's are unavoidably stuffed due to the wingleboggerdy actuator ball-pein valves being inadequate. On teh other hand you'd be pissed off if you spend the $20k extra on an LS3 and the workshop tells you you could've got the same performance out of an L77 by spemnding just an extra $2k with them.
 

daves8

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
1,014
Reaction score
340
Points
83
Age
43
Location
Sydney
Members Ride
2015 VF Calais V 6.0 | 2013 VF Calais V V6 Wagon
My 2 cents..... if you are going to spend $20k on a blower / supporting mods I would do it on a series 1 base, due to the significant price difference. You could almost do your mods with the actual price difference if you shop smart in terms of both actual purchase and the mods.

for me I would do series 1. If you are flush with cash, and don’t mind do series 2.
 

426Cuda

SUBLIME!
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
4,181
Reaction score
3,015
Points
113
Location
Wagga Wagga
Members Ride
VF Redline Sedan - A6 Spitfire MSE...
Can I then make your decision harder again? :)

What 426Cuda said is 100% correct, and I definitely agree with all of it; but I'll highlight the "chasing the last hp and 100th of a second" part, because there's a cost to all of this. I should have prolly said that in my poast above. The point being that the $20k cost difference between a VF SSVR and VF2 SSVR buys you a lot of extra performancey add-on stuff. I personally think you'd need to be spending a pretty large amount of money before you got to the crossover-point where the VF2 needed $20k less spent on it to achieve the same performance as the L77, if both are supercharged.

But having said that, I'd probably talk to the performance workshop of your choice before making that decision. You'll be pissed off if that bloody Forg bloke told you that you only need to spend an extra $2k on a $20k-cheaper to get the same performance as out of a modded VF2 ... and the workshop tells you L77's are unavoidably stuffed due to the wingleboggerdy actuator ball-pein valves being inadequate. On the other hand you'd be pissed off if you spend the $20k extra on an LS3 and the workshop tells you you could've got the same performance out of an L77 by spending just an extra $2k with them.
Yep and i agree with this ^ too Forg old boy. Except that the only real wingleboggerdy is the AFM lifters and even that is arguable.Which will be binned anyway. So, hypothetically if old AKKY's total budget is capped at say $60 -$80 gorillas then the VF L77 may be the better choice. Allowing for a full rebuild, stroker kit, heasds, nitrous, stall converter, smaller wheels with drag tyres etc to all be on the shopping list. It's a hamburger with the lot. Proper Aussie burger too. None of this Big Mac crap. Budda bing budda boom. Lights out. Like I said, it's a question of $.
@AKKY, Forg is right. Talk to your engine builder. Also read more, drive both cars, decide what you want from the car and how much you can afford or are willing to spend in attaing that. In other words, work to your budget

Realistically, what is your budget?

If I were in this situation I'd be grabbing an ex highway patrol from the auctions. A VF2 fpr the price of a VF. That's ~ a level playing field re cost, and there will always be one clear winner in that scenario.
 
Top