Hey all, new to the forum and new to the aussie muscle car scene! Currently drive an r33 skyline turbo that im swapping for my mates LH torana.
Car has had a full bare metal respray in white with a black bonnet, everything re-chromed too so great shell for a project!
Currently has a warm 186, aus 4 spd n banjo thats all coming out.
Have purchased a 1990 model VN calais 5lt, complete running car to hack into and get stuff for the conversion. Only prob is its an auto and im goin with a manual so need to find either a supra 5 spd or v8 vn 5 spd.
Plan on using borg rear LSD diff and back end including brakes.
Will start off with a few questions and no doubt there will be many many more to come, just trying to make sure im awaire of everything i need to do before diving in head first!
First question
1. Do i need an engineers certificate to register car?
2. Do i need to upgrade to the VN front brakes to register?
3 Standard VN computer and loom, will it move straight over to LH without any dramas?
4. What sort of $$ am i up for to put a hydrolic clutch set up in? n where is best place to buy the "kit" from?
sorry bout the dumb ass questions, all pretty new to me, will attach couple of pics of the car. let us know what you think
thanks in advance!
brett
i304 into LH
Started by
_rammaLH_
, Oct 30 2008 06:49 PM
93 replies to this topic
#2
_rammaLH_
_rammaLH_
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Posted 30 October 2008 - 06:53 PM
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#4
benno81
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Posted 30 October 2008 - 07:43 PM
not to sure about down there but done this conversion in qld n yes i needed n engineers report i had to run all the pollution gear from the vn n cat,brakes are ok as torana 4,6,8 had all same brakes apart from l34 n a9x of course,i cut my fuel tank open n put the vn pump etc into it ,i brought a castlmaine electrics wiring kit it was a 4 hr job to wire it up then pritty much a plug in job finding a mounting place for relays etc i used an aftermarket air filter so i didnt have to move the battery then u have to get extractors to fit i got mine from castlemaine.i hope this helps,oh n castlemaine rod shop has a hydro clutch u can look at there catalogue online.
#5
_rammaLH_
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Posted 03 November 2008 - 07:54 AM
thanks heaps benno, am i going to be better off going to a carby set-up instead of stuffin round with wiring kits etc? Already have a holley 650dp in the shed, would all i need be manifold and dizzy? or is there more involved?
Do the wiring kits come from castlemain rod shop or somewhere else?
much appriciated
brett
Do the wiring kits come from castlemain rod shop or somewhere else?
much appriciated
brett
#6
_Sammy_
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Posted 03 November 2008 - 12:16 PM
i have wired one of these looms into my LH, it does take a bit of time but it isn't that huge of a deal. i guess it depends how much of the commodore loom you want to use ....
if you just use the commodore engine and efi loom you would need to wire in 3-4 relays some fuses etc
you'd probably be best going for a commodore 5 speed as it will keep the computer happy with the right speed signal. but these days you can get conversions to just about anything.
personally i'd prefer the efi over a carby on that motor as it makes it a much nicer car to drive, but carby is certainly an option.
if you did go carby route then you would probably need to change a few things to get the dizzy happening, probably just a blue motor dizzy would get it working.
i suggest contacting the local rego authorities and they should be able to point you in the direct of what you need to comply with rego...
you may also need to put ventilated front discs on the car .... depends on the rules for your state though.
if you just use the commodore engine and efi loom you would need to wire in 3-4 relays some fuses etc
you'd probably be best going for a commodore 5 speed as it will keep the computer happy with the right speed signal. but these days you can get conversions to just about anything.
personally i'd prefer the efi over a carby on that motor as it makes it a much nicer car to drive, but carby is certainly an option.
if you did go carby route then you would probably need to change a few things to get the dizzy happening, probably just a blue motor dizzy would get it working.
i suggest contacting the local rego authorities and they should be able to point you in the direct of what you need to comply with rego...
you may also need to put ventilated front discs on the car .... depends on the rules for your state though.
#7
_AGGRO_
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Posted 03 November 2008 - 01:16 PM
Hey ramma, good to see you on here. Most of what has been said on av8 is right, i mentioned this morning about the engine needing all its pollution gear etc for year of manufacture. But one thing i didnt think of before hand was what are you doing with wheels? If you're putting in the vn diff then it will have commo pattern so will need new wheels unless u change your rear axles to torana pattern. But if you stay with commo pattern it would make more sense to change the front brakes at the same time and convert them to commo pattern too so all 4 wheels are the same. You definitely, definitely will need an engineers report for the car as i said on av8.
Cheers, Rowan.
Cheers, Rowan.
#8
_rammaLH_
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Posted 03 November 2008 - 05:33 PM
hey aggro, yeah just tryin to gather up as much info as i can on the forums! figure might get further on this one as good as av8's is.
Yeah going to do all brakes i have decided, commodore pattern makes bit more sence when it comes to buying wheels too. Will prob end up gettin some fr17 simmons or something down the track.
My mate that is doin the conversion for me just put a lexus v8 in a hilux, lexus's have bout 7 different computers apparently so doesnt think he will have too much of a hard time with vn computer.
thanks heaps for the info, im sure there will be a few more questions to come!
bretto
Yeah going to do all brakes i have decided, commodore pattern makes bit more sence when it comes to buying wheels too. Will prob end up gettin some fr17 simmons or something down the track.
My mate that is doin the conversion for me just put a lexus v8 in a hilux, lexus's have bout 7 different computers apparently so doesnt think he will have too much of a hard time with vn computer.
thanks heaps for the info, im sure there will be a few more questions to come!
bretto
#9
_rammaLH_
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Posted 04 November 2008 - 07:29 AM
Was thinkin lastnight, i might re-register the car while the 186 is in it then get working on it. If i get done then get it engineered. Any big worries with doin it this way?
#10
Heath
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Posted 05 November 2008 - 04:18 PM
That's the way to go
#11
_HatchmanSS76_
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Posted 08 November 2008 - 08:46 AM
Was thinkin lastnight, i might re-register the car while the 186 is in it then get working on it. If i get done then get it engineered. Any big worries with doin it this way?
You could do it that way even thou it's a bit nuaghty. Get caught and you'll get a yellow canary, don't think they can do much else unless it becomes an EPA thing for emissions than your bung hole will be the size of a dinner plate.
The only other issue is you may have a problem getting an engineer to sign off on everything exactly as you have done and you have to pull it all out and redo it his way.
There is another way of beating the emissions side of thing with an injected block but we're not allowed to premote it on here as it's illeagle, but it does involve having a spare engine block
if you know what I'm saying.
#12
yel327
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Posted 12 November 2008 - 06:44 PM
There is also a quite legal way of achieving the same thing. Use a red 308 block! Then there is no Engineer's report needed.
#13
_rammaLH_
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Posted 19 November 2008 - 04:33 PM
So i bought this
http://cgi.ebay.com....em=270304249333
going to sydney friday night to pick it up. perfect for what im after! got an lsd, drives perfect, manual and has the wheels i was wanting to get down the track a bit anyway!! has done just over 200,000ks
picked it up for 2k plus one way flight and fuel back again, im wrapped!
seems bit too good to be rippin everything out of for the LH but ah well!
let the fun begin
http://cgi.ebay.com....em=270304249333
going to sydney friday night to pick it up. perfect for what im after! got an lsd, drives perfect, manual and has the wheels i was wanting to get down the track a bit anyway!! has done just over 200,000ks
picked it up for 2k plus one way flight and fuel back again, im wrapped!
seems bit too good to be rippin everything out of for the LH but ah well!
let the fun begin
#14
_lx-304_
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Posted 19 November 2008 - 06:30 PM
good work mate,thats a bargain.you have everything to do the conversion and a heap of people thatt have done it as well.it will be smooth sailing from now.HAVE FUN.
#15
Dr Terry
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 07:02 AM
This has been mentioned several times before, but what emission 'dramas' are there?
There is no 'pollution gear' as such on a 304 EFI V8, apart from the cat (which is part of the exhaust) & the vapour canister, which most LH/LX Toranas already have anyway.
Seems to be a lot of work to go thru (swapping blocks), just so you don't need a cat which are cheap as chips.
If rammaLH swaps all the necessary bits he needs from the VN V8 5-speed he just purchased & fitted everything in a tidy fashion any engineer would pass it, no worries.
Dr Terry
There is no 'pollution gear' as such on a 304 EFI V8, apart from the cat (which is part of the exhaust) & the vapour canister, which most LH/LX Toranas already have anyway.
Seems to be a lot of work to go thru (swapping blocks), just so you don't need a cat which are cheap as chips.
If rammaLH swaps all the necessary bits he needs from the VN V8 5-speed he just purchased & fitted everything in a tidy fashion any engineer would pass it, no worries.
Dr Terry
#16
_rammaLH_
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Posted 20 November 2008 - 05:36 PM
thanks guys, yeah definetly not going to be changing the block, not worth it. wont be a drama getting an engineers certificate. will all be done properly including brakes from the VN.
Just spoke to my mate thats going to be doing the conversion for me and discussing with him diff gears. what would you recomend for the borg warner lsd diff in the LH. was thinkin along the lines of 3.9's.....?
brett
Just spoke to my mate thats going to be doing the conversion for me and discussing with him diff gears. what would you recomend for the borg warner lsd diff in the LH. was thinkin along the lines of 3.9's.....?
brett
#17
Posted 20 November 2008 - 08:44 PM
I have a BW with 3.91:1 with a Supra 5 speed and its not bad, although I will probably change it eventually to something with a bit more legs, I reckon 3.45:1 would probably be the best of both worlds
#18
_rammaLH_
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Posted 24 November 2008 - 03:53 PM
ok guys, need ya help. Need to start writing out a list of major hardware im going to have t0 buy before taking both cars to my engineer mates place for him to start. Im sure there is going to be stuff i have forgotten so have a look through and let me know anything else i will need plz let us know! have left out minor things like return fuel line etc, just making sure im awaire of all big things! oh and my mate is happy he can do wiring loom himself so wont need that.
so far
-sump
-shortened driveshaft
-shortened axles (do i need to shorten diff housings???)
-conversion kit for vn brakes to go on.
-engine mounts? or will it bolt straight in?
what else????
thanks heaps in advance
brett
so far
-sump
-shortened driveshaft
-shortened axles (do i need to shorten diff housings???)
-conversion kit for vn brakes to go on.
-engine mounts? or will it bolt straight in?
what else????
thanks heaps in advance
brett
#19
_rammaLH_
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Posted 24 November 2008 - 04:19 PM
ok, so rang race brakes and hopper stoppers n neither do anything to put vn brakes on the LH... any ideas or options? castlemaine rod shop?
#20
Posted 24 November 2008 - 08:45 PM
If you use the VN diff the rear brakes will just bolt on, all you need to do is sort out the hand brake cables and brake lines. Front brakes you can stay with stock, use UC calipers with a thicker vented disc, go with the Hoppers conversion, or full custom (in order of cost). Not much point in trying to use the VN front brakes as they will fall in the last category and won't be worth the expenditure.
#21
_rammaLH_
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Posted 25 November 2008 - 02:42 PM
ok cheers, spoke to castlemaine today and they can do the machining of LH drum stub axles to fit the vn front brakes, also need 2 machine a bit off the calliper. Bit over 300 bucks which seems pretty good, funds wont let me do a hopper stoppers kit yet n already got the complete VN so trying to use as much as i can off it.
-Dont really wanna use standard front brakes cause got a set of f90 simmons which are commodore stud pattern
let me know if im on the wrong track with it cause its all pretty new 2 me!
anything else i need to add to my list of bits needed?
thanks heaps again
brett
-Dont really wanna use standard front brakes cause got a set of f90 simmons which are commodore stud pattern
let me know if im on the wrong track with it cause its all pretty new 2 me!
anything else i need to add to my list of bits needed?
thanks heaps again
brett
#22
TerrA LX
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Posted 25 November 2008 - 02:54 PM
If you are going to the trouble of fitting VN front brakes for the sake of the stud pattern, $300 total cost is not bad but there are better brakes to be had.
#23
_ado_
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Posted 25 November 2008 - 03:15 PM
as far as i know, factory lh-lx V8 engine mounts will fit the 304. you'll probably need a trans crossmember, castelmaine rod shop do them for just about every trans known to man. good luck!
#24
_lx-304_
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Posted 25 November 2008 - 03:41 PM
you could do a vt conversion.i had the wheels studs knocked out of a hq disc,longer ones put back in and then machined the pad face of minus a bit for clearance,the vt rotor now slides over the hub and uses a hq pattern.you could do the same to a vb disc as i thnk there the same bearing.then you can run your simmons.not sure if the caliper fits lx stubbs as mine are on hq
dave
dave
#25
Posted 25 November 2008 - 03:43 PM
Sounds a bit scary to be machining brake parts down to fit but if you can get an engineer to approve it then that seems OK to fit the VN brakes. Still a lot better than standard
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