53 replies to this topic

[Ice]

41 years not a bad run for the Commodore brand
ive driven a few in my time owned a couple but the one i remember most was a mates ex BT 1 VK cop car
this thing was extremely fast for a 5 litre whatever they did to the suspension just worked on country roads
never forget those days

[yel327]

Those V5H 308 and 304 did go well. They were basically a lower compression L34 engine but with a bigger camshaft. Probably had a better flowing exhaust too.

[hanra]

I remember my first boss got a VT SS just before Xmas in 1997. It had the 304 in it before it went to the LS1? Pretty sure if had a 6spd manual. 

 

Used to squat with the IRS. 

[Ice]

Those V5H 308 and 304 did go well. They were basically a lower compression L34 engine but with a bigger camshaft. Probably had a better flowing exhaust too.

Off the line rev it to about 6 grand and drop the clutch this thing would light up the rear tyres with ease Byron
i kid you not

[Statler]

Just had a little think about how many Commonwhores i've had.

Still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

[yel327]

Off the line rev it to about 6 grand and drop the clutch this thing would light up the rear tyres with ease Byron
i kid you not

That’s what they were like. Driving a normal one vs the ones with the B cast heads was like chalk and cheese. Shows you what an L34 would have been like if they fitted the HJ cam to it. This engine in a HDT with the better exhaust only just dynoed less at the rear wheels than a HT-HG GTS350 manual by about 10-15hp. If you ever got the chance to drive a HJ engined SLR5000 or early LX SS 5L with an aftermarket exhaust it would have driven similar to those V5 H Commodores.

[RallyRed]

Attention...if your First name or Surname starts with A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Y or Z...you will be contacted shortly regarding your opportunity to be Managing Director of Holden.
Your indication that you are breathing, makes you eligible and a prime candidate.

[hanra]

https://www.whichcar...ove-with-holden

[claysummers]

It’s better this way. Writing was on the wall for the local industry thanks to the global economic trend. China will have us by the scrote before long if something isn’t done. Meantime the Holden marque isn’t being sullied with Asia-trash badge engineering. It ended for me with pushrod six in the VK, but was already in its death throes when macpherson struts came along.

People wanted globalisation. Cheap imports etc. the tide is turning. Look at USA and brexit. We are all blind and get led from one extreme to the other by those in control, and I’m not talking about the apparent leadership.

End rant.


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[Redslur]

I agree ^^^

[LJ RB30]

Ditto ^^^

[Shiney005]

Who wanted globalization in the first place? We are a nation who can be self sufficient if we want to be, and yet here I am sending bluegum chips to Korea so they can turn them into paper, so we can buy it back and wipe our arses with it.  Who wants globalization? The bloody greenies in Tasmania who opposed the Gunns pulp mill for a start. 

[skap]

Time for the mighty VN's to start shining

[yel327]

They already are. Try buying a VN Group A or even a HSV enhanced VN SS.

 

Owning one of each factory high performance race car would be nice: HK GTS327, HT GTS350, LC XU1, LJ XU1, LH SLR5000 L34, VK Group A, VL Group A, VL Group A SS and VN Group A.

Edited by yel327, 13 December 2019 - 02:30 PM.

[YELLAcakeu308]

Ice
11 Dec 2019

41 years not a bad run for the Commodore brand
ive driven a few in my time owned a couple but the one i remember most was a mates ex BT 1 VK cop car
this thing was extremely fast for a 5 litre whatever they did to the suspension just worked on country roads
never forget those days "

Gene, the old man once told me a story of driving a mates 5L VK in the 80s,
on open speed limited road up ere.
he did't know it a 5th gear until an hour out of darwin.
said it was one of the coolest things his driven.

[lakeside]

Time for the mighty VN's to start shining

Have to be the worst model commodore ever built. Those early v6’s shook the cars apart. A friend who has bought a lot of new HSV’s and still remember standing there looking at his brand new GST-R when he said, that Group A sitting there drives like a focking tractor. 

[Ice]

Yes VN were terrible worst shape than the Camira and thats saying something

[S pack]

Have to be the worst model commodore ever built. Those early v6’s shook the cars apart. A friend who has bought a lot of new HSV’s and still remember standing there looking at his brand new GST-R when he said, that Group A sitting there drives like a focking tractor. 

The good old GST-R.    That wasn't the engine, that was just the govt shaking every last cent out of the sales tax on it.

[Shiney005]

There would have been a bit of Luxury Car Tax on the VS big banana as well I suppose. Nothing says luxury like a chook roost bolted to the boot lid.

[skap]

You blokes have no taste

[claysummers]

The VNs did well on the track at the time as I recall. They were relatively light, being plonked on a VL floor pan, hence falling to bits rapidly. XF Ford was the same in that they were so flimsy and light and consequently had relatively good economy. Only ford I’ve ever owned and it used a litre of oil every 1000km. Perfectly normal apparently. Never again.


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Edited by claysummers, 15 December 2019 - 02:58 PM.

[Redslur]

Go the might VP...

[Statler]

When our turbo Calais started leaking out of the 4th failed fuel injector ( @ $280 ea ) i threw my hands in the air & bought a VN SS to replace it.
The timing was right because I was getting low on spare alternators & starter motors.

The SS was just a basic shitter. The only option it had was the bigger fuel tank , but atleast it was a manual . Someone had spent good coin upgrading the suspension & tickling up the 304. It handled well with a ton of oversteer but enough grunt to correct it.
My kids used to borrow it on weekends to ; as i found out later ; go race Skylines . lol

Probably had it for 3+ years . Flogged the crap out of it & sold it for what i paid.

The new owner was going to use it as a mine runner . I didn't know at the time that his licence was suspended . I think we know how this ends . lol
He had the paint touched up & bolted on a set of stupidly big wheels. Anyway ..... he's ready for the maiden blast out to site , fills the tank with premium & parks the car his steep driveway & grabs some sleep , ready for the 4am shuffle .
Goes outside to put on his boots & notices a very strong fuel smell . Grabs a torch & finds that his drains are full of fresh premium. Kinda glad he wasn't a smoker.

As it turns out , at some point before we bought it ,a standard fuel tank had found it's way into the car , but they didn't change the straps. The tank had been moving around until it wore completely through the top.

After 'ol m8 was caught he on-sold it to a young guy. 2 days later he blew the engine & wanted his money back .
It got a bit hairy until a couple of boys in blue knocked on his door with video evidence of 'him' doing mad donuts in various locations . lol
The kid never got his money back . I think instead he got a holiday & enough fines to make Policemans Ball a raving success .

The SS did have some good points though . Every single time i drove it , i used to think ..... How good would this driveline be in the Torana ?
When it came time to power Purple my mind was already made.  VNSS009.jpg   80.51K   1 downloads  VNSS003.jpg   74.09K   1 downloads

[yel327]

Even better: “how good would this driveline be in a WB commercial”. Remember the last of these sold into 1985. VN V8 came out in 1989, just on 4 years later. GMH almost kept that range going and would have been a logical fitment.

[lakeside]

Go the might VP...

Uglier than the VN but maybe a better model