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My New (?) Race Car

Started by _yellowa9xs_ , Jan 28 2007 05:41 PM

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#1 _yellowa9xs_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 05:41 PM

How's this.

I've just brought Terry Finnigan's VN/ VP / VR/ VS Group A / V8 Supercar Commodore. The car ran in the Bathurst 1000 every year from 1991 to (I think) 1999 or 2000! The original logbook, which I'll get when I pick up the car, lists all the races it has run. It looks like it even ran the 1st year of the Konica series in 2000.

The car was built in December 1990 by Holden Motor Sport - it is HMS Chassis no. 2. I'm going to convert it back to Group A specs and paint it in its 1992 colour scheme.

It still has the original engine block(!), and came with the Group A air box, inlet and injection and exhaust and a Holden Motor Sport Spec Wade cam. The gearbox is now a Holinger 6 speed. I'll have to find out what type of gearboxes the VN / VP's run in 1992, Hopefully it is a Holinger. The diff is a F... 9", it is the same story as the gearbox - I'll try to find out what was homologated for 1992 and run that setup.

It is now fitted with Supercar front brakes with the old fronts brakes on the rear and the old rears in a box. Back in its Group A and early Supercar days the car ran Simmons rims, but it now has 2 sets of Perkins magnesium Supercar rims. The suspension is closer to Group A spec than Supercar spec, so getting that back to the right setup wont be that hard.

It came with a heap of spares like springs, brake parts, a spare steering rack, a VN bonnet, door trims, boot, front guards, diff ratios and other bits and pieces. I'll still have to find a few things like a VN Group A body kit, VN rear quarter panels, a VN dash, a radiator (the one in it suits the Supercar air box, not the Group A air box) and maybe the right diff and gearbox if the homologation papers don't allow the ones that are in it.

1992 was the last year of Group A when I think these cars ran about 540hp, so when it's ready it should be a weapon in Group A races - and I will race it.

Another Group A race car saved!

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#2 arrimar

"Have you still got that Torana!"

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 05:50 PM

mate i'll have to go back and reread it i flicked thru so quickly as im excited just to read of your weekend. you must feel like the preverbial happy pig.

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#3 dattoman

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 05:51 PM

I think the VP is the best looking of that series

Got pics ?

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#4 _NickG1982_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 07:09 PM

I'm not sure on the diff, but regarding the gearbox, i'm pretty sure Finnegan was one of the last Commodore entrants to switch to the Holinger 6 speed, before that i'm sure they used a Getrag 6 speed in the VN touring car.
I'm not sure that the car ran Simmons back in the day either, i'm pretty sure he ran BBS magnesium wheels on the car up until around 1994.

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#5 _Monkey_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 07:17 PM

got any pics?

Edited by tuf73, 28 January 2007 - 07:18 PM.

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#6 _AGGRO_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 07:24 PM

SSV www.ssv.com.au and spoilerfactory www.spoilerfactory.com.au offer the VN group A SS body kits, so u could have some luck with them....

Wat a great buy! u lucky lucky SOB!!!!! i was gonna turn my VN into a VP supercar replica wen i bought it, but then fell in love with my LH...

cant wait to see pics of this weapon! congrats again!

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#7 _82911_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 07:40 PM

If you are lost for a 1991 spec 308 super car engine, I have one here that will be avaliable for sale sometime in the next 6 months. I am currently using it, but just letting you know it will definately be avaliable for purchase sometime shortly.
Complete from throttle bodies to dry sump and water pump to flywheel.
let me know if you are keen to come have a look?
Love to get a look at the VN as well, any pics?
Also, this is the foodtown commodore? If so then Im fairly sure as well that it ran BBS wheels, as stated by Nick G...

Cheers Greg..

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#8 _TUFF_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 07:56 PM

This one? It is a pic off the Autopics website.

Cheers

Josh

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#9 _yellowa9xs_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:15 PM

Hi,

You guys are right - I thought they where BBS, but my mechanic said they where Simmons. I know the Group A rules allow us to run a wheel up to 18" diameter and up to 12" wide - if I can get them under the guards

The car ran a Getrag 5 speed, not 6 speed, when it was 1st built and then went to a Holinger later on.

82911, I've sent you a PM.

It is the Foodtown Commodore - some pictures are on the autopics web site:

1991:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

1992:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

1993:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

1994:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

1995:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

1996:

http://www.autopics....c.html?cache=no

The car looks like the 1996 photo, but with a white and blue paint job. It looks pretty good for a non Torana and it'll lookeven better when it looks like the 1992 spec again.

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#10 _yellowa9xs_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:17 PM

Sorry Josh, I was typing in my post when you added yours - 100% correct.

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#11 _TJ253_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:22 PM

looks sweet should be some good fun with 540hp

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#12 _NickG1982_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:25 PM

Me personally, I loved this car in it's 1996 paint job with the Sony sponsorship. Just a real nice black/white/silver paint job on the ever nice VR supercar bodywork.
Also, having a dig into it's history, there'd probably be a fair few records of it having visited the TAFE smash repair team too, I can remeber it being badly damaged a few times in the Foodtown colors and it copped one hell of a hit in practice for Bathurst '96 too.

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#13 _82911_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:44 PM

Think it might have had a shunt at Amaroo coming onto the front straight as well and ended up back on the infield towards the dam???
Or am i thinking of the pro duct VN/VP??
Michael,PM replied to

Cheers Greg..

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#14 _yellowa9xs_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:46 PM

I'm going to take it back to Group A spec so I can race in Historic Touring Car races for Group A and Group C cars - but I agree, the VR / VS Supercar trim looks great, it's just that I would have nowhere to race it!

I'm sure that like any race car that ran for 10 years, that it has had a few good hits. By the time I'm finished rebuilding it, it will look like the day Holden Motor Sport built it. By the time I'm finished racing it, it will probably have a few more dents and scrapes!

I brought this car so I'd have something to race in Group A, if ever Group C and Group A split. I'll run the A9X hatch in Group C races and this in the Group A races. I guess one day they might do a series for Historic Supercars - I'd like to see that!

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#15 _rorym_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 08:51 PM

Me too!..Jesus Michael...having done a meeting with 2 cars once...I will NEVER do it again!..Lol!..Mate well done...anything we can help with, just ask..I think Greg is heading in that direction too considering the XU1 is for sale....Wish I had the $ and the time to do what you are doing..All the best to the missus. :spoton:

R

Edited by rorym, 28 January 2007 - 08:51 PM.

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#16 _82911_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 09:18 PM

I think Greg is heading in that direction too considering the XU1 is for sale....

Wish I was Rory.........
I'm actually retiring from racing it is just too much of a stretch on my time with 3 young kids to raise. :cry:

Will be making myself avaliable to assist in the pits as often as I can though. :spoton:

oh and keeping my licence up to date just incase.....just no more building/racing cars....
Michael, I understand where you are coming from with the rebuild to group A spec, I rekon that group A might just end up with better/closer racing than group C, if the split ever does happen.
Any idea how many of those bloody sierra's are still surviving in Aust? I thing the O Brien/Bosnjack car is still around under a tarp somewhere in Sydney, But did tweedie sell the PJ car?

Cheers Greg..

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#17 _Yella SLuR_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 09:31 PM

^ So that's what your up to. Long time no hear.

Mmm, your mods where starting to sound like an originality thing, but yeah, if it's to get back to Group A specs/rules I can understand that. Just keep running any of the better gear that the rules will allow.

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#18 dattoman

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 09:35 PM

If you happen to fall over a carb fed 308 in your shed built by Perkins or Tate Greg feel free to let me know
A certain tarmac Torana might need one real soon
Oh.....and a decent 4 speed box to suit.... T10 prefferably but will take a Toploader

Just incase you happen to trip over one cleaning up

Back on topic.... shame the car wasn't a VP in 92 ..... much nicer than the VN
AT least VN panels/lights will be easy to find...... just zip down the local Maccas and offer a bogan some cash for his car.... the ones with the yellow stickers in the windows are cheaper.

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#19 _Yella SLuR_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 09:48 PM

Mmm, Tate or Perkins 308 in the Datto? You moving to sports sedans?

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#20 dattoman

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 09:50 PM

I already have a sports sedan Pat

This is for a Torana .....

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#21 Loui

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 10:33 PM

The grp A came from factory with 6 speed and they had a VL diff housing as they are not as wide as the VN diff, meaning bigger tyres fitted.

Not sure if you mean factory spec or racing spec, if there was a difference

Cheers

Loui

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#22 _yellowa9xs_

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Posted 28 January 2007 - 10:34 PM

I haven't seen a Sierra for sale for ages, But I'd prefer to run a Commodore anyhow. It will be almost as quick and a LOT more reliable and driveable!

I'm going to run the highest spec the rules allow - When Terry Finnigan ran it, he wouldn't have had access to the best running gear, he probably had a couple of Getrag 5 speed boxes, so he used them. I'll get the last homologation sheets on whatever he was running at the end of 1992, VN or VP and build the car to those specs - that's what allowed in Historic Group A racing.

I don't think I'll bother with getting a bogan to get me parts - there must be a lot of dead VN's out there, so a wrecker will be cheap enough.

Greg, if ever you feel like helping out at a race meeting......