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my VK wagon daily


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#26 _stretchlc_

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 06:37 PM

Great transformation from "Bogan Bus" to Cool Cruiser......love the plan to chuck the 2 fiddy and slot a 6 cyl and manual box!.......I was wondering if you actually ran the cam in when you first fired the engine after rebuilding it??
Keep Up the great work you are doing to this car, I like it!!!

#27 76lxhatch

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 09:39 PM

I've looked and havent yet found any relays in the factory system. Would it be possible that the switching contacts in the factory switch panel are beefier?

Correct, no relays in the original wiring - the switches were intended to handle the load although the early Commodore ones are not flash especially after so many years. I can't say I've seen anyone use relays (you'd need one for each window) but I'm guessing some must do, its got to be a lot nicer on the switch gear and I know that having a good feed to the motors makes a huge difference.

#28 rodomo

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 09:53 PM

:buttrock:

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#29 _mick74lh_

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 10:30 PM

Great transformation from "Bogan Bus" to Cool Cruiser......love the plan to chuck the 2 fiddy and slot a 6 cyl and manual box!.......I was wondering if you actually ran the cam in when you first fired the engine after rebuilding it??
Keep Up the great work you are doing to this car, I like it!!!



Thanks mate. It should be grouse when its done but unfortunately the progress has slowed lately. It'll get there I've just gotta be patient.

#30 _mick74lh_

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 10:33 PM


I've looked and havent yet found any relays in the factory system. Would it be possible that the switching contacts in the factory switch panel are beefier?

Correct, no relays in the original wiring - the switches were intended to handle the load although the early Commodore ones are not flash especially after so many years. I can't say I've seen anyone use relays (you'd need one for each window) but I'm guessing some must do, its got to be a lot nicer on the switch gear and I know that having a good feed to the motors makes a huge difference.



Alright in that case I'll fit relays then when I wire it up. Should be able to figure it out. If I get stuck I'll ask Brad. Thanks again for mentioning that, i would have been spewin if I stuffed the switches or worse still started a fire.

#31 _mick74lh_

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 10:42 PM

:buttrock:



:buttrock: Hectic. Which car is that for?

Hey mate I've got those extractors and fuel pump back off the car now, so I can drop them off or whatever over the weekend or next week. Thanks again for that

#32 _mick74lh_

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Posted 01 April 2011 - 10:47 PM

I'd be interested in how you do this too. The factory HQ power windows (much older I know) have a very primitive set of switches and I'm sure dont manage the load very well. I'm going to completely redo the whole system and am considering running them all off relays as well. Wagon is looking good, this is going to make a sweet daily.


Thanks mate. Even if it has a bit of bog in it. When I get my own house if I plan to keep the car long term then I'll probably fix it up properly. But yeah when I wire up the switches and relays in the next week or so I'll put what I do in the thread.

Hey your HQs looking fantastic BTW. Its gonna be a real stunner when its done!

#33 _mick74lh_

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Posted 02 April 2011 - 12:54 PM


:buttrock:



:buttrock: Hectic. Which car is that for?

Hey mate I've got those extractors and fuel pump back off the car now, so I can drop them off or whatever over the weekend or next week. Thanks again for that


I get it mate. Told you I was slow

#34 _mick74lh_

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Posted 04 April 2011 - 07:12 PM

i use the same (assuming jaycar) switches without relays, they are rated at 10A 250V.
if you did use relays, it'd get fairly confusing having to switch positive and negative for up and down,
and do that for all 4 windows? could end up with 8 relays?



Really. Yeah they are the Jaycar switches. Which sort of car did you fit them to? I assume you havent had any probs with them? Yeah I mean if I could avoid using relays that would be great but just don't want to burn out the switches. I guess if I'm confident the switches will be up to it by themselves then I won't do the relays. I'll speak to Brad and see what he reckons. Cheers for that

#35 _doogs_

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Posted 06 May 2011 - 04:48 PM

Looking good Mike, nice job mate!

#36 _gen3torrie_

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 01:58 PM

looking very good mate.

always liked the VK wagon's for some reason. best wagons ever built i reckon

#37 _mick74lh_

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Posted 08 May 2011 - 11:01 PM

Thanks guys. Yeah I ended up wiring up the power windows without relays and no troubles yet.

Will hopefully update this thread soon with some more photos. I've still been working on it but progress has slowed due to a shitload of homework lately. But its slowly getting there and I have lots more plans for it after I get it running on gas.

#38 _mick74lh_

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Posted 26 June 2011 - 05:27 PM

I finally got the chance to work on the car over the past week and a bit. Its not that far off being ready now hopefully.

The heater core was buggered and had filled up the passenger footwell with water when I ran in the 202 on petrol so I replaced that while I had the dash apart, removing the air con evaporator and replacing the foam inside the heater box flaps.
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Wiring the power window switches. I didn't end up using relays. Will see how they go.
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Mounted the gas tank
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And the converter and mixer and most of the stuff to run the engine. I dodgily modified a VN airbox. Its pretty rough but I'll come up with something nicer next year when Ive got more time.
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I got some lowered springs from the wreckers and lowered the front. Still have to do the back. I'll probably just 'adjust' those with an angle grinder. But not that much. I only want about an inch out of the rear ride height.
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The interior is mostly done now. Its pretty rough but much better than when I got the car. And at least it doesn't stink now either.
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So I'm gonna keep working on it. Hopefully the gas installer will be able to run the high pressure gas lines soon.

#39 _beige_lj_

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Posted 26 June 2011 - 07:39 PM

Looking good graybo, wont be long now!!

#40 76lxhatch

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Posted 26 June 2011 - 10:42 PM

Nothing wrong with that air box, just give it a sand/fill/paint and it will look fine - much better than an ugly pod filter in the middle of the engine bay! Car has come up nice all round, good work

#41 _stooy_

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Posted 27 June 2011 - 02:21 PM

Looking Good Mate!

Can't wait to see it out and about.

Should be great for summer.

#42 rodomo

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Posted 27 June 2011 - 07:36 PM

You need a set of these wheels Mick. 16's and look a bit like.......I forget the name but MRLXSS loves them......and have the elusion of DISH!

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#43 _nzstato_

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Posted 27 June 2011 - 07:43 PM

^^^ Reminds me of Nissan GTR knockoffs, see em on everything over here, including with the GTR centre cap

#44 _mick74lh_

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Posted 27 June 2011 - 09:31 PM

Yeah theyd actually suit it pretty well. When I get more time and money after this year I might play about with some different sets of wheels and stuff. Although I plan to do some of that stuff on the Torana first. I love the Dragways its wearing but they're so bloody heavy - something lighter would be better.

#45 76lxhatch

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Posted 28 June 2011 - 07:31 AM

They're ROH ZS, 15s, 16s and 17s common, I have some on mine too:
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edit: and they are nice light wheels compared to many

Edited by 76lxhatch, 28 June 2011 - 07:32 AM.


#46 _Woodsy_

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Posted 28 June 2011 - 09:47 AM

i'm surprised you could get all those photos with the car doing 20kph.....

Wagons looking good, would be a great daily, although i have always thought the side rear windows look abit odd on them...

Something about the VK's.... Just love em.

#47 _mick74lh_

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Posted 29 June 2011 - 08:54 AM

They're ROH ZS, 15s, 16s and 17s common, I have some on mine too:
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edit: and they are nice light wheels compared to many


Yeah they look good. Nice VK. I think I've seen some build pics off it. Not sure if it was on this forum or another car forum. Do you have a build thread of it on here?

#48 76lxhatch

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Posted 29 June 2011 - 09:37 AM

Its not much of a Torana so I didn't put one here, there's one on Aussie V8 if you're interested:
VK V6 Aussie V8

#49 _mick74lh_

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Posted 29 June 2011 - 06:54 PM

Its not much of a Torana so I didn't put one here, there's one on Aussie V8 if you're interested:
VK V6 Aussie V8


I knew I'd seen it somewhere. I checked out the thread. Thats awesome. Really neat job you've done. So those wheels are 17 inch and they suit it perfectly. Next year I reckon I'll try and find something like that for my VK.

#50 _mick74lh_

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Posted 04 July 2011 - 07:11 PM

Last thursday I took the VK to a gas installer in Lilydale, who Rodomo recommended, and they ran the high pressure lines, certified the install and got it running nicely with a dyno-tune. I'm stoked with the job they did and the guy was very honest. Here it is after driving it home. There were still alot of things on the car which needed fixing, but I've been sorting them out one by one.
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Like fixing fluid leaks and stuff (the coolant leak was from the hose connectors I'd fitted. They're sweet now.
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And the gauge sender to suit the resistance range of the commodore's factory fuel gauge. I had to go to Sprintgas to get one of these. It seems to be working okay at the instrument cluster. I will just have to test its accuracey through use.
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The car is mostly nice to drive now, except for a knocking from the diff. I might end up trying a different diff if I can't fix it otherwise.

The main problem that I can't solve at the moment however, is that intermittently and seemingly at random both the indicators and the wipers won't work. I'll take it around the block once and they won't work. The next time they'll work as though nothing was ever wrong. I tried a new indicator flasher relay and still had the same problem. I don't think the harness connections are loose. Its got me stumped. I already replaced the indicator/wiper stalk because the low beam wasn't working due to a dry solder joint in the base of the stalk, but this problem appears independent of whats going on in the stalk. Does anyone with experience in early Commodores have any ideas? Is this an inherent problem in these cars?




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