VX SS Commodore - My diary.

[Ginger Beer]

dropped the gears further to 3.08 to make it more drivable and less revvy. Even 3.4's were a little bit painful for daily driving (with the t-400). Do-able but I'd hate for a drive down the freeway on them.
Also had a plastic/rubber spacer(gasket) put on the supercharger to lower my air intake temp issues Removes the metal on metal conductivity of the engine. Dropped air intake temp by 20 degree's. created a follow on issue as it raised the supercharger by around 5mm and now the rear charger belt is rubbing on the firewall under power. Just going to take the charger off and gently (lol) hammer the firewall, enough for the clearance.

I massaged my firewall a little, about 5mm, and fitted a Group A bonnet buldge, no issues now with clearance, LOL

I tried lowering my K-Frame but hit tail shaft alignment issues so removed the spacers

The slight difference in the front tail shaft angle would chew out my centre bearing at high tail shaft speed

 

[Chuckmeister]

Thanks for the feedback GB, forums are a god send sometimes
There is a coach works around the corner from my mechanic. I think I'm going to check him out and see if I can get a subtle bonnet mod done. Maybe like a 2cm modification along the rear of the bonnet just for air flow. Or maybe put VZ guard flutes on and funnel the air through the sides.. I'll resist bonnet scoops for as long as I can.

 

[vc commodore]

VZ SS guard flutes don't have an opening in them....Have them fitted to my VC

 

[Ginger Beer]

Thanks for the feedback GB, forums are a god send sometimes
There is a coach works around the corner from my mechanic. I think I'm going to check him out and see if I can get a subtle bonnet mod done. Maybe like a 2cm modification along the rear of the bonnet just for air flow. Or maybe put VZ guard flutes on and funnel the air through the sides.. I'll resist bonnet scoops for as long as I can.

You don't want to open at the rear of the bonnet, where the bonnet meets the windshield becomes a high pressure zone, and while underbonnet heat would escape when stationary, air will be forced in when moving, this raises under bonnet pressure thus reducing the efficiency of the cooling stack

You may be able to just trim some of the bonnet bracing

The VN Group A buldge that I fitted to the VX is not a scoop, my issue with clearance was also the front of the blower at the throttle body

I did try a VK Group A scoop, but, because it pressurised under bonnet it actually caused the coolant temps to rise when cruising so I got a new bonnet and the VK one went "in the bin"

 

[Chuckmeister]

@Ginger Beer Do you have a build thread on this forum or elsewhere? I'm keen to read about your sufferings /lol

OK, so the mechanic has ordered in a couple brackets that will drop the engine mounts down 10mm. I'm assuming that I'll run into the same tailshaft issue's as dropping the frame?
Also putting in Tuff mounts to eliminate engine twist.
@vc commodore I haven't seen the back of these vents but are they modifiable to open them up?

 

[vc commodore]

@Ginger Beer Do you have a build thread on this forum or elsewhere? I'm keen to read about your sufferings /lol

OK, so the mechanic has ordered in a couple brackets that will drop the engine mounts down 10mm. I'm assuming that I'll run into the same tailshaft issue's as dropping the frame?
Also putting in Tuff mounts to eliminate engine twist.
@vc commodore I haven't seen the back of these vents but are they modifiable to open them up?

You might be able to remove the honeycombe section to open it up.....I can't remember if the indicator piece bolts through it....I can jack the car up and check it out if necessary....

 

[Ginger Beer]

@Ginger Beer Do you have a build thread on this forum or elsewhere? I'm keen to read about your sufferings /lol

OK, so the mechanic has ordered in a couple brackets that will drop the engine mounts down 10mm. I'm assuming that I'll run into the same tailshaft issue's as dropping the frame?
Also putting in Tuff mounts to eliminate engine twist.
@vc commodore I haven't seen the back of these vents but are they modifiable to open them up?

No build in here sorry mate, just alot of random posts in the "what did you do to your car today" thread

I have a build thread in another forum covering the SS, well, I have multiple build threads in the another forum, from multiple cars over the years, the SS thread covers multiple cars currently though, as it also includes my recent daily's, including the MX5, which is the funest daily I've had for years, even with it's only 120 kwatw

In saying that, I haven't posted anything about the SS for ages, as I consider it finished for what I want it for. i.e. a nice comfy reliable cruiser with more than enough power to get me into trouble cruising around

As for my suffering, mostly only from minor issues from me not complying with good engineering principles, like lowering the K-Frame and not thinking about how that effects the angle of the dangle on the centre bearing, or working out that whilst a PD blower makes great power, it also has issues with IAT just running the WTA intercooler that the HTV2300 comes with. That little gem wasn't really looked into enough on my part, and fitting a interchiller was the only real fix for reliable street-ability and back to back runs at the strip running a PD

I should, and do know better, but occasionally I think "let's just see if it works", which typically bites me on the arse

I would talk to a driveline joint about the effects of spacing out the K-Frame or lowering the engine (lower TUFF MOUNT engine mounts caused me clearance issues with my 1 7/8 4:1 headers hitting the K-Frame) in relation to correct tail shaft angles though if you plan on actually running the car hard and fast, like the drags, tail shaft harmonics start to get weird over 120 mph at the strip, you can bandaid it by spacing out the centre bearing, but, it isn't an optimal solution for high tail shaft speed

I used Hardy Spicer in Moorebank for information about it when they rebuilt my tailshaft

There's lots about tail shaft "black magic" and ensuring the correct angles in the googles if you can sieve through the rubbish

The PD LS1 with 500 hp in the SS is currently brilliant though, but, if I was ever to do it again I would probably go turbo for, it would have ended up being a lot cheaper, and another less mucking about

The best, and one of the cheaper mods has been the RaceTCS https://www.racetcs.com/ , it makes all that PD power from idle usable on 255/40 17 Hankook RS4 street tyres with a 0-100 kph in 3.9 seconds on the street (tested on a "private road")

 

[Ginger Beer]

For adding efficiency to the radiator stack, I added some composite sheet under the front bar, I don't know if there was meant to be any undertray there standard, but mine had just a big gapping hole

This alone lowered my temps greatly because the air didn't bypass the coolant stack and go straight under the car, all air going into the grill heads through the stack

 

[Fu Manchu]

View attachment 270700

You might be able to remove the honeycombe section to open it up.....I can't remember if the indicator piece bolts through it....I can jack the car up and check it out if necessary....

Those honeycomb bits would be a good candidate for a scan and 3D print of a small duct that clips in place of it.

I know a guy who might be able to do that but he would need the vent assembly sent to him to scan, print, refine design and get it fitting well. Then he sends it all back to you. Then he will sell them on eBay.

 

[Fu Manchu]

We have a Hardy Spicer here in Perth and they were a huge help for me. I work with a lady who used to work for a bearing company and she has a lot of time for the Perth Hardy Spicer team.