LS1/T56 Inside. The Bogan Boat.

[Hooffenstein HD]

Decided to buy something fun. Couldn't be bothered doing an LS swap, so just went out and bought something factory LS powered.

It's a VU Commodore SS ute.

This is how I bought it.



Specs Revised August 2016.
Standard LS1
25% Powerbond under drive kit
ARP crank bolt
Pacemaker Tri Y style headers
3" De Filippo twin exhaust
CAI. Will eventually switch to OTR and MAFless
T56 trans
Rip Shifter
Puck Clutch
4.11 Full Spool(NOT mini spool) BW M80 diff.
Tuffmounts Billet diff mount.

Front Suspension -
Kings KHFL-22HHD and Koni Red shocks.
Progressive 300-500 lb/in

Rear Suspension -
KHRL-46HHD with Koni Red.
Progressive 600-1000lb/in
Nolathane subframe bushes
Super Pro trailing arm bushes.

17x8 +33 Racing Dynamics wheels.

Not sure that I want to daily it because it chews through fuel and I'll probably lose my license. The plan is to clean it up and throw the bare essentials at it to make it into a reliable enough car for drift practice.

[2mAn]

I knew I was getting baited with the title. Love these things though, and your next pic needs to be a burnout

[Hooffenstein HD]

I assure you there will be lots of tyre smoke once I sort out the axle tramp issue.

The VU ute is built on the same chassis as the VX Commodore and V2 Monaro(Pontiac GTO for North America), so it has a semi trailing arm IRS not unlike the E30's. The centre diff mount is a known weak point so I've bought a Nolathane 49156 press in bush which fills the voids in the stock bushing for some additional rigidity. If it doesn't do the trick, big bore Bilsteins and stiffer springs are on the cards.

[Hooffenstein HD]

This car has been both the most fun but also the most problematic car I've ever owned.

Issues so far.

Coolant leak between water pump and block. Got a new water pump.
MAF wiring was broken.
Suspected faulty MAF. That's a good excuse for OTR intake and MAFless tune.
Rear main seal leaking heavily.
Clunking in rear which is getting worse. Hoping it's only axles/CV because they're cheap and easy to replace.
Tri Y style headers cracked before oxygen sensor. Check engine light, sluggish poor running and heavy fuel usage. Swapped on a good condition set of Tri Y's.
PCV hose broken in half. New PCV hose.
Hand brake doesn't work at all. Have a new handbrake shoe kit for it to install when I have the time.

[lukeADE335i]

Ouch - sounds like it could make your e30 addiction seem cheap!

Been contemplating a VF V8 wagon for the daily... maybe one to miss

[Hooffenstein HD]

Ouch - sounds like it could make your e30 addiction seem cheap!

Been contemplating a VF V8 wagon for the daily... maybe one to miss

The VF will be great if you get a manual. Almost every morning, the courier that delivers our stock orders has one or two automatic transmissions on his truck for Metro Holden. They must be having some issues if they're going through so many.

I think I was a little unlucky and bought a well used ute. It will be pretty solid once I get it sorted and there's really not much left that I want to do.

[lukeADE335i]

Unfortunately the VF wagons only come in auto... might have to think about a VE manual if I'm going to go for it.

[bangn]

I sell more cruze and captiva gearboxes than anything.. the occasional V6 VE gearbox.
Not so many VF boxes yet.

Manual boxes always seem to be pretty trouble free however.

Get a vz ss wagon.. WAAAAY better quality car than a VE.

[lukeADE335i]

I've never liked the interior on the VE much - the plastics + fit and finish are pretty nasty.

VZ could be a good option (more room in the back too!)

[lambo]

gimme

[Hooffenstein HD]

Just installed solid subframe and trailing arm bushes and swapped the too low and soft Pedders rear springs for Kings KHRL-46HHD. The HHD are the extra heavy duty rear spring with a progressive rate of 600-1000lb/in.

Sits a little higher, axle tramp is pretty much entirely gone and the towbar doesn't dig trenches on acceleration.




Next on the agenda is to replace the wheels with something a bit better. The Holden wheels are 18x8 +48. Temporarily installed my 17x8 +33 Racing dynamics wheels but I'm really after something around 17x8 +20. Maybe E39 style 66.




INB4 "MOW YOUR OVERGROWN BOGAN YARD". Lawn is now mowed and looking fresh AF.

[Hooffenstein HD]

Having so much fun in this car that I've been spending too much on it. The power steering pump was noisy and knocking at full lock. Instead of just changing pump and fixing the leak I went a bit overboard.

Latest parts haul.

Recon power steering pump
New fluid Reservoir
Recon steering rack
Superpro steering rack mount bush
Powerbond 25% underdrive pulley kit
ARP harmonic balancer bolt
Koni red adjustable shocks front and rear. Set to max stiff.
Stiffest off the shelf King Springs KHFL 22HHD and KHRL46HHD
Tuff Mounts billet diff mount
New OE spec front brakes
Good condition used axles


Diff Mount.


Now I have blown the diff up clutch kicking and sliding it around. So I need to decide what I want to do with the car. Throw a diff in and sell, or keep it as a track only car because it's too thirsty on fuel.


If I keep it, I'll be going, mini spool and 4.11's, hydraulic handbrake, fixed back bucket seat and Momo steering wheel.

If I sell it, I'll have an LS itch I'll need to scratch and I'm not sure but I think my E36 328i might just be too nice to bastardize.

[bangn]

pretty typical the issues you're having for that car tho if it hasnt been maintained, everytime I see VT-VZ's come through the workshop its the same shit

all the bushes and hoses will be shagged and poss radiator
rack and pump with be shagged
strut mounts and bearings and sway links will need doing
caster rod bushes
ps cooler hoses
coolant, oils ect..
tailshaft couplings/bearing

once its had all that done will be a nicer car to have. Pretty reliable plant and gearbox if its not hammered to an inch of life every time you drive it.

cant say ive killed a diff in one or even felt an iffy one in these cars, altho it sounded like it was dying when you purchased it and you just finished it off.

but yeh my last VX I purchased needed dollars throwing at it so it didnt drive like a 500 dollar VT, but once I did it was so nice to drive. One of those cars I regret selling purely based on that.

[Hooffenstein HD]

Pretty reliable plant and gearbox if its not hammered to an inch of life every time you drive it.

cant say ive killed a diff in one or even felt an iffy one in these cars, altho it sounded like it was dying when you purchased it and you just finished it off.

This might be the problem.

Wondering if it's just the 3.9's, maybe the cheaper gears don't take the abuse as well?

my last VX I purchased needed dollars throwing at it so it didnt drive like a 500 dollar VT, but once I did it was so nice to drive. One of those cars I regret selling purely based on that.

This ones getting pretty decent actually. Rides real good with the Konis and Kings. Seems to go a little better with the under drive kit and the engine is nice and quiet without the sound from the dying power steering pump.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Do the typical Aussie thing and turbo it to like 1300hp and just shred tires with it haha.