VZ SS Thunder - WILDVZ

[wild_vz]

Hey everyone and welcome to my Build thread. Long time lurker, first time poster!

Quick backstory of how the Thunder came to be:


I started back in the day with a VS Equipe, thinking it was the ducks nuts! Since then, I went through a few more Holdens, a VX S pac from VicPol. I was getting bored of the 6's and made the jump into turbo manual space, with a 06 WRX:

Then my dilemma hit with taking a mildly modified WRX to QLD Raceway, to quite quickly find out that turbo XR6's and V8's mop the straights over a 4cyl.

So then came the birthday present of 2018 - my 2006 VZ SS Thunder:

First thing off the rank was peeling the painted wheels back and redoing them with a bit higher shine.

It turned out the rims where chrome underneath but scratched as hell. I polished up the lips enough to be decent and painted the insert black again.

Next was the interior, I wasn't a fan of the silver, so dismantled the interior and resprayed the dash facia, center console and fitted up a double din unit with a slimline sub behind the driver's seat, and amp on the rear shelf, and send my console parts down to Bendigo LED conversions (IIFC) of Facebook, who switched all the green led's out for blue, and sorted me out with a colour changing cluster ( needle changes from blue to red as speed goes above 120, and RPM goes above 4000.)

The next thing off the rank was to get it sounding like a V8. I went at the time with the empire performance 3" engine back ute package, with high flow cats. Got it fitted up at a Midas service centre, where 2 exhaust studs were snapped (common)

Later in the year, finally got out to its first entrant of Power Cruise:

Next off the to do list was upgrading the seats, as the driver's seat has the typical side tear. I did a seat exchange through Carman's Auto trimmers, who hooked me up with the Coulson seats, and a retrimmed console lid!

To match the suede on the seats, I then sourced some Calais parts, and fitted up the suede side panels to the center console, and the under steering wheel panel (fuse cover) and glovebox (it's not purple, it was just a night photo so the flash wasn't playing nice!)

 

[wild_vz]

Future Mod plans:

Mods to come:

Plates - Plates have been ordered and are due to be put on either after paint, or the engine build, so WILDVZ is not almost stock haha!

Wheels & Tyres - Ordered Walky Wheels to change up the black, and tires were fitted yesterday! It came with 20's that are 245/30/R20 all around, and measurements look like a +38 offset with rear guards rolled.

My Walkys are 20's still, with 8.5" on the front and 245/35/R20 (went 35 sidewalls to match the larger width of the rear for rolling diameter) and a +43 offset, and the rear is a 9/5" rim, with 275/30/R20 tires, and a +45 offset.

Fitting them up this weekend to see or not see, how likely the Ute is to be mini tubbed

Suspension - I've ordered MCA Pro Drag Front coil overs which will be a 4-5 week build time from scratch.
Once Rear wheels are test fitted over the weekend, I'll be ordering a Castlemaine Rod Shop 9" and 4 link kit. This depends on if the wheels fit / mini tubs, as the diff can be made to length. I'll be sourcing a Trutrac center, and going for 3:45 gears, as they are taller than the stick 3.08, But will slightly lower the RPM's if I need to hit the highway every now and again to get up to QR.

Transmission - Currently have a 1250fwhp TH400 in the works from Geartorque. This is mainly why the diff gears won't be 3.91s or 4.11's as the three speed will rev it guts out running 3 gears and 4.11's

Wiring - TBC

Tail shaft - TBC

Torque Converter - TBC

Cam - Looking at the Texas Speed Stage 4 LS cam, or a decent size as it is driven on weekends/track only, no daily duties, but once confirmed then the torque converter will be ordered to suit.

Heads - Looking at Brodix heads but TBC.

Engine Build - Will be looking at a full build using a Dart LS Next block as a base and will be built for decent N/A gains, but with provisions that bottom end parts won't need to be clearance out for a blower in the future.

Tune - Current tune is from Power torque in Brendale, QLD, and runs 247rwkw. New tuner will probably depend on who the engine builder prefers.

Paint - Needs a respray as the hard lid, roof bonnet, and C pillars have peeling. Currently only received one quote for close door, same colour for 16.5k so will continue hunting.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Fantastic write up. Good work dropping who did the various bits.
When you had Bendigo LED conversions do the work, did you do it as exchange or send your bits over and they send your bits back?
Also did you have to send the shifter indicator over? I say that because some of the parts have the green coating on them to make the light green.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The exhaust, twin 3”? Or twin 1.5”?

 

[Fu Manchu]

Those seats are really nice.

 

[wild_vz]

Fantastic write up. Good work dropping who did the various bits.
When you had Bendigo LED conversions do the work, did you do it as exchange or send your bits over and they send your bits back?
Also did you have to send the shifter indicator over? I say that because some of the parts have the green coating on them to make the light green.

Thanks mate! Figured it would be good to capture the build, as there are a decent amount of things in the works!

They were on exchange, so I popped the climate part, steering wheel controls, pwr switch, window switches, and the cluster out and sent them all down.

For the shifter I just ordered a blue led and switched myself, and sourced a clear part from ebay if i recall as mine was scratched up etc.

For reference for all as it was in 2020, but this was the prices:

Cluster $135 (yes, morphing needles can be done for revs and speed)

Climate control $35

Steering wheel buttons $25

PWR button $10

Postage is roughly $20 each way, I would just need them here for 1 day.

Top work, quick turn around, and 0 have blown to date!

 

[wild_vz]

Those seats are really nice.

Yeah man love em!

Here is a pic from now:

 

[wild_vz]

The exhaust, twin 3”? Or twin 1.5”?

Twin 3" mate! Not too droney either, but It hangs quite low which is my only gripe! However the extractors, cats and exhaust was shipped to door for like $1300!

 

[wild_vz]

Had a crack today and got the fronts in!

Had to trim the inner guard and raise the coilovers slightly as i went from a 30 sidewall to a 35, but i wanted slightly more tyre for a bit better ride quality and it will now match as close as can be to the 275's on the back to keep the rolling dia the same!

This is the bit of the inner guard that rubbed on full lock. I test fitted by raising both sides and going lock to lock, lowering each time, but a quick snip sorted it out!

This was my height for the coilovers Between each of the collars.

Sits about 110-120mm of the ground as there was 1-2 fingers above my tin, and I believe the old coke can test is 100mm!

 

[Fu Manchu]

I saw a version of those wheels on a VE ute. Same profile but stepped in a bit. They were CNC’d and looked like some of the nicest wheels I’ve seen on a VE.