Project Peanut - Budget Build VT Berlina

[dr364]

Hi all,

First post here on JC, I'd like to post up my VT which I bought as a daily driver/budget project car, pretty much stock as a rock. The reason why it's called Project Peanut is that the aim of this build is to pretty much pay peanuts for mods ;-)

I bought it for $1k without rego or roadworthy, and had to spend another $1k to get it to pass roady, so it owes me $2k so far excluding rego. It was already in decent condition, but needed mainly suspension bushes and a replacement front strut which was over half of the cost to get roady.
Now that it's on the road, let the mods begin!!!

Car: 1998 VT Berlina
Colour: Capricorn Green (C137)
Engine: Ecojet V6
Engine Mods: K&N air filter, extra intake hose to under radiator
Power: Nothing special
Exhaust: Pacemaker extractors, dual VY SS cats custom fit, HSV VT dual 2.25" exhaust
Gearbox: Stock 4L60E
Diff: Stock 3.08 single pegger
Brakes: Stock
Suspension: (Front) Monroe GT Sport struts, Pedders 6412 springs (Rear) Pedders SportsRyder short bore shocks, Pedders 6419 springs (Other) Factory VY strut brace
Wheels/Tyres: 20" VE Supersports machined to fit, Achilles 245/30 tyres
Interior: VY SS seats and door trims, satin door handles and air vents, VY leather steering wheel, leather console lid
Stereo: Kenwood head unit, Hertz 6.5" front splits, Pioneer 6" rear door speakers, Hertz 6.5" parcel shelf speakers, JVC 4 x 65WRMS amp, Pioneer 2 x 60WRMS amp, Jensen 200WRMS amp, Fusion 12" sub in form fit enclosure
Other Mods: Genuine Monaro headlights, chrome door surrounds
Cost so far: About $7k

 

[dr364]

And this is the weekender - cammed and stalled VE SS ute :-D

 

[dr364]

So I did a bit of shopping over the weekend just gone Went around half of Melbourne picking up these bits and pieces. So I ended up with:

Barely-used K&N filter: $50
VT Series II tail lights: $40
Pre-loved MACE memcal: $70
Brand new Kenwood head unit: $130



I slotted the K&N filter straight in, and then attacked the standard V6 intake mouth with a dremel



At some stage I think Holden changed these intakes to have a slightly bigger mouth... It's a bit rough atm but I will smooth it out at some stage later on.

I bought the head unit mainly because of the rear USB - I plan to put a USB mount in the glovebox with which I can plug a thumb drive in with all my music, so it is all hidden and out of the way. I'll probably install it in a couple of weeks once I get a few other things.

With the memcal, it's a tune to suit the larger throttle body so I'll keep this one on ice until I get one

 

[dr364]

OK, so a long overdue update... I've been doing (and buying) a number of things buy haven't been bothered to post them up.

First thing I did after the past post was to install the series2 tail lights. Much nicer look than the old orange indicators:

Then, the clear indicators (that I got off eBay for $20):

I spent a few $ getting new headlight globes and LED parkers and reverse lights (all eBay jobbies). Not bad, but in hindsight the headlight globes aren't that powerful and in the future I'll probably change them for some extended vision Philips or Narva ones.
At least for the parkers and reverse globes, you can tell the difference at night:

I then did an oil and filter change on her, and I tell you what, the oil must not have been changed for some time, because it was as black as anything! Some Penrite 15W40 and a new filter, and you could tell the difference of how much nicer the negine sounds now.

I also took the opportunity while Supercheap had sales on spark plugs and leads a little while back, to purchase some new ones. $89 later and I had some Bosch platinum spark plugs and Bosch motorsport leads. The same must be said on the spark plugs as of the oil, because the tips were all also black as anything:

Now all the basic mechanical stuff was done, I shifted my attention to stocking up on some mod bits; in preparation for when I get the time and money to actually install them, I decided if any stuff I want ever comes up at a good price, I will just buy it. Some eBay and gumtree trawling later I ended up with some exhaust bits - twin cats of a VY SS and a twin 2.25" HSV exhaust, all for the princely sum of $81:

I know most single 2.5" catbacks sound like ar*e so I wanted to go twin, just for sh*ts and giggles. No idea what it will sound like, or affect performance, but once I get extractors I'll take the lot to an exhaust shop, do whatever fabricating they have to do and see what it's like afterwards. I fully expect I'll be chopping and changing mufflers later on.

Also got these barely used Pedders SL springs for $140:

Then, when a set of VY SS seats and door trims came up for a steal at just $250, I couldn't let it pass! A couple of hours of a Saturday resulted in the seats in (the door trims will wait until I upgrade the speakers). They were in good condition (just needed a clean) and I also got the satin handles and door vents as well!

And just in the last two weekends, I installed my new headunit and three sets of RCA's for the amps I'll eventually run. All nicely tucked underneath the centre console and carpet, I used a coat hanger to pull them through

 

[kangavxss]

Wow $1000 is a steal. Can't get anything close to that here in SA for that money..Will be good with all the extra goodies.
Very nice ute..How does she behave with the mods? Fun I bet! I know the difference solid mods and the right cam can make..always wake up a car..

 

[dr364]

Thanks. The ute drives very well with the mods. Mid size cam and 2800 stall, I think they're very well matched and still has very good manners on the road. Made 324rwkW on a conservative dyno when all the work was done 3.5 years ago, and hasn't missed a beat since. Doesn't get out much, but yes it is fun and an enjoyable experience anytime I do get it out of the garage

 

[Zseries]

Looking forward to seeing more.
I too have just picked up a $1000 peanut.
01 VX Lumina.
Granny spec.
Few k's but nothing that i cant deal with.

Ill be sure to post when i get it underway.

 

[dr364]

Productive day, fuelling my new addiction of self serve wrecking... $140 later...

Also picked this up at Pick a Part last week for $15. Plans are to clean it up and give it a polish on the outside, maybe port a little inside.

It will then go nicely with this 69mm throttle body I picked up for $130 B-)

 

[dr364]

Looking forward to seeing more.
I too have just picked up a $1000 peanut.
01 VX Lumina.
Granny spec.
Few k's but nothing that i cant deal with.

Ill be sure to post when i get it underway.

Good stuff, for the price they are a pretty good base for a nice cruiser

 

[_R_J_K_]

It will then go nicely with this 69mm throttle body I picked up for $130 B-)

Many people find that when they put this on they just end up with idle problems unless they've had it tuned with the T/B.