Hi guys. briefly i've been searching for a v8 tow car and couldn't find any nice VL v8's. either theyre all 6 grand and modified contrary to my taste, 15g and a calais or 1500-2500g and rusted out with 400,000km. I looked at a shell in Benalla, but it had a ding a repaint and no engine. the donor car had been sitting in the elements air filter off engine bay covered in leaves and grease and it had 300,000km. I decided 1800 was too much for what was essentially an unknown engine and a rolling shell. So after shopping around a bit more and finding a few other cars with rust or accident damage I was about to give up and look at vn - vs bt1's or something similar. Then i thought, how hard is it to do an efi 5l conversion? after reading up here it sounds as if its within my ability and even better you can start with an efi 6cyl which is cheaper and still readily available in good condition. Now 6 months ago I purchased a car sight unsees in Alexandra VIC. it cost 500 + pickup fuel and when we got it home it was rust free very straight very original and just had a blown headgasket. heres a few pictures. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150429_160545.jpg.html) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150331_190012.jpg.html) VL Berlina. marinello red sandlewood trim n/a auto [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150618_205607.jpg.html) slight accident damage. the bit on the rear 1/4 will get Paintless dent removal. the bumper I can belt out myself. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150618_205809.jpg.html) Grandpa - Nudge Bar [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150618_205621.jpg.html) Now, i'd been sitting on this wondering what to do as it was a little too nice to strip but i really don't need another 6cyl. Now it has a purpose! I started looking around for V8's under 1500 that i could make some money back on by selling parts so calais and statesma were at the top of the wanted list. I stumbled across a partly disassembled VQ stato in Pakenham. the advert said 800. but the comments said he would take 700. I spoke to him and he said it was driven in and would run with a battery and some fuel.... was he ever wrong! I went down to look and he had done a runner on his wife and left her with 3 kids under school age. she was trying to control the kids and a newborn and show me the car and F me it was off tap. ive been to quiter dance clubs. we stuck a battery and fuel i and discovered the fuel pump wasnt primimbg. i left her to replace the immobiliser battery and came back again 2 days later. we started it again and it shot fuel into the air. at this point id had enough. the guy had pulled it apart and f****d with all sorts of stuff. So i went home and hit him up with the intent to offer 500 as is. he came back at 550 and at this point i now own a VQ 304 1990 build and a VL berlina 6cyl for the sum of 1050. The 'Q [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150607_170802.jpg.html) long range tank! [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150608_122152.jpg.html) ye-hah [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150608_122312.jpg.html) So now I've spent some time getting it running and learning about v8's and engine swaps. I've lined up the following parts so far: Airbox / elbows / K&N panel filter LSD VN Live axle diff (28 spline 3:08 gearset) finned walkinshaw style rocker covers I've also found out the car currently leaks tranny fluid, engine oil and fuel! so it will be a lot of tidying up and seals and welsch plugs before it is installed into the VL. Plan is to get the engine running and driving in the Q and strip out as much of the old gas and immobiliser as possible. when its down to the bare minimum to run and still running I'll pull it out and start the swap stage!

Should be a good little weekend project for you. Guessing the plan is to just clean up the Berlina and just make it comfortable to drive? How many cars to own atm now?

Looking good mitch! will be keeping an eye on this build thread make sure you keep it updated hey, droptank is a great bonus

Yeah definitely be watching this one man can't wait.

very exciting build this one, will be watching keenly!

hey boys cheers for the kind words and excitement. plans are yes a budget clean bruiser. won't be fast but i'll try to clean it as much as possible. donor as many parts as possible from my wrecks etc. but i won't go as far out as i have with my vl turbo. the turbo is still pretty refined but damn ive poured some cash into it! so today I've spent another 300 almost. purchased a 28 spline 3:08 VN diff with LSD locally. also purchased some VT style engine covers with the throttle plate required to fit. got a quote of 150 for the lsd centre dissasembled cleaned and shimmed and returned tighter than a nun's proverbial. won't be a quick project but hey. every man needs something to tinker on. reliable cars are boring! re how many cars i have atm I have: 1 x vlt wagon 1 x vx calais daily 1 x hk brougham (dad's) 1 x HR prem 186 2spd currently shell on rotisserie 1 x HR special 179 HC 3 on tree complete unrestored 1 x vl berlina (this red one) 1 x vl berlina (blue one pictured rusted to buggery) 1 x a9y claais n/a (purchased dissasembled so currently a big bucket of parts) 3 x RT81 toyota corona. 1 shell 1 free car 1 registered. 1 x VK V8 wagon (purchased to build a VL V8 but found the efi route shat all over the VK route.) so yeah whatever that equals.

I was tossing up whether to drop in my diff centre or not but i bit the bullet today its only $150 so shouldn't be a big financial strain! still progressing slowly. got to get rid of my other scrap heaps before serious work begins

Hell yeah.. i will definitely watch closely, am bringing my vl factory 5l home soon.. so i keep saying. And am going to have fun bringing some life back into her as you are. Mine seems pretty clean, not that i have properly gone through it lol. Hopefully i dont have too much drama.

what have you got / what did you buy? not the morning blue sl / exec? from the s.e. burbs? I've inspected most of the v8's for sale the last few months!

This wasnt for sale, was my cousins car. 88' opera house edition. Rare find, dont see many around. No rust, immac paint and trim. Just a few broken odds and ends on the inside. Carby is always dry and doesnt like to change to 2nd gear til 60kmh. Stock as a rock minus a crappy deck and aftermarket catback/ air filter. At this point i just want to, rebuilt the lsd and auto. Fix whatever the little problems are and get extractors highflow cat/ muffler. Oh and neaten up the bay.

well guys, good news is i got some more done today. working towards a minimalist VQ so i can make sure the wiring harness has all of the gas etc deleted but still runs. bad news is the diff centre i purchased was predictably, shot. even the carrier was a bit effed so i suppose i just spent the cash on a gearset and axles. so a tad pissed off but what do you do! this week im back up in shepparton and we are getting dad's shed sorted and cleaned before we start on the vL. on the VL there has been some movement however. I purchased some 18" momo statuses from a forum member today and I also changed the VL's rolling stock from chasers to 15x7 aeros. shes looking better already. Not sure if i mentioned but i also scored a cheap set of VT style engine covers with the throttle plate required to fit!

Keen to see this progress mate. And hopefully to the same standard as the wagon.

pics tell a thousand words. as I said I've finished wrecking out a few parts cars to make room for this POS. story on the berlina. the vehicle is currently at its third owner. original owner popped a headgasket and put the car up for sale. It was then purchased by a guy for his younger brother who was mid teens. the teen brother didn't want the car. i guess he judged it too hard or maybe he wasn't into vl's. the car was then advertised on gumtree where i purchased it sight unseen. the car is pretty much dead stock. It has: 2 rear gmh mudflaps, nudge bar stock tape deck stock steering wheel uncut parcel shelf uncut body and doortrims unrusted boot floor unrusted spare wheel well all windows have the registration plates recorded on them. its a May 88 car (I was born 18.05.88) so has the VN style seats. as it's pictured is how we got it except it came on 14" hubcaps and rims. its got a mox of rims i had rolling around the shed on it for the moment. paint seems good but faded. only dent I've found so far is on the rear passenger 1/4 above the taillight eyebrow. all I've identified it as needing so far is a taillight and a few bumper trims. Let the pictures begin! side on: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143018.jpg.html) bum end: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143009.jpg.html) front pass corner: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143030.jpg.html) front end (wow that nudge bar needs adjusting... ) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143038.jpg.html) mm those aeros suit it perfectly [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143106.jpg.html) ---------- Post added 06-07-15 at 14:28 ---------- genuine glass: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143113.jpg.html) drivers seating position: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143156.jpg.html) original rego? DKY983 [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143143.jpg.html) drivers seat not torn: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143120.jpg.html) drivers headrest. I've never seen a build up of muck anything like this: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143205.jpg.html) passenger foowell: [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143215.jpg.html) drivers footwell. dirty but no tears or excessive wear [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143219.jpg.html) drivers seat growing a micro-organism colony [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143224.jpg.html) uncut original carpeted parcel shelf [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143241.jpg.html) ---------- Post added 06-07-15 at 14:34 ---------- dirty ass rear seat and seatbelt orange has gone white [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143252.jpg.html) general filth, rear pass door [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143301.jpg.html) map pockets look good, rear floor just as filthy as everything else [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143311.jpg.html) polishing these marks out will be a chllenge. and check out the lock protectr. geez thats seen some sun [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143320.jpg.html) damn it. hate chasing down these sort of parts. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143335.jpg.html) everything is filthy. EVERYTHING! [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143346.jpg.html) i mean what is this? [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143354.jpg.html) 342.xxxkm. guessing this isnt correct given the interior condition [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143413.jpg.html) last reg 2014 under a rego different to the original plates? [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143457.jpg.html)

engine bay in daylight [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143541.jpg.html) car 83,744 to roll off of the adelaide production line. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143558.jpg.html) trim codes [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143608.jpg.html) dont know what you call this area. cowl? between windscreen and firewall [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143616.jpg.html) more stuff growing [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143634.jpg.html) more stuff growing [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143706.jpg.html) boot floor. seems a bit crusty looks like its been bitumen painted at one stage [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143811.jpg.html) spare wheel well, just dirt no rust (visible yet) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/20150702_143817.jpg.html) new engine covers [Image in original archive] [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/_57.jpg.html)

Cool Mitch! You've got a certain way with projects, love your builds. That re-rego plate is a probably a late 2005-early 2006 at a guess (I had a new VL re-rego around then and got TPA-xxx). I know this is a long way down the track, but any thoughts on getting cruise control into it with the EFI 304? It'd be a must-have for me having a car for this purpose. Interesting that it's a late build Berlina without cruise. I imagine the easiest way would be to use an entire cruise setup from and EFI 304 VN, and just have it use the VL cruise buttons (for the factory look). Can help you make that adaption later on if you're interested.

Hey Tim, good to see youre still stalking hows life? loving being a para? I wasn't going to bother with CC. i figure if i tow i can't really use it but for an interstate bruiser it'd be nice. I'll make sure i keep the parts then. yeah it has no powerpack stuff so i'd probably need a new body loom and CBF with that at this point. I think I'll have a big enough project ahead of me for the moment getting it running and presentable!

Yeah, that's the Cowl panel Are those the car's original instruction/log books in the boot pic?

whats the cowl panel fleas? and nah they're VT ones. I have spare manuals but not for this particular car. just ones from the wreckers yards back in the day.

more pics hell yeah. who needs words eh? engine bay from above [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11061187_10153512158563620_225303413532885894_n.jpg.html) engine ready to be removed [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11796266_10153512158513620_6006671365774936483_n.jpg.html) oops forgot to undo the ger selector! [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11813264_10153512158393620_7825599081880614414_n.jpg.html) and shes out! [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/10410451_10153512158198620_2948236646667936499_n.jpg.html) engine out. i'm glad i took a photo. i've already forgotten how filthy this was. Maybe the 370,000km on the odometer is corect [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11817137_10153512158323620_1183772933238500537_n.jpg.html) took her outside to clean the garage and clean the bay. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11817198_10153512157953620_2459118300955669123_n.jpg.html) i soon realised it'd take more than one clean. Note dad's a9y na auto and another berlina wreck in the background. the orange one is an rt81 corona. parts car for my green corona which is now written off. this is her afetr the first scrub. bay was still wet so looks shinier than it is (well currently anyway. it'll be hand polished) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11745409_10153512157653620_2329589382220887455_n.jpg.html) ---------- Post added 29-07-15 at 20:07 ---------- with the car at this point i was able to start removing pretty much everything. I started by removing stuff which i wouldn't need or wanted to tuck / shave / delete... but as I got further into it .... well it escalated... [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11796335_10153514495663620_3225279660332442525_n.jpg.html) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11824970_10153514495593620_4223517175817917078_n.jpg.html) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11822684_10153512157328620_4942863623986733354_n.jpg.html) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11813336_10153514495693620_1028704444955512146_n.jpg.html) all of the bolts I will need and some i'm not sure whether I'll need have been tagged and boxed. these cases have 2 sides with this many compartments and were about $6.50 from bunnings. i purchased 4. one's missing (I'm looking at you dad!) and one is already full. So it's been a champ so far. now i'm sitting in bed reading up on fuse rails in gloveboxes as pulling that wiring through is the next challenge. the last few day's efforts have revealed no rust or dents. it has revealed a missing a/c fan and that the front bumper was all held in with non genuine bolts. also the nudge bar I have is held onto the bottom of the rdiator support whereas the old One i have from another wreck is bolted on ito the standard 4 big bolts for the front bumper reo. interesting! [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11813336_10153514495693620_1028704444955512146_n.jpg.html) [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11813372_10153512157453620_4598482986314308159_n.jpg.html) ---------- Post added 29-07-15 at 20:12 ---------- thats it for the moment as im heading back to melbourne and will be away from the far for another week. next time im up itll be more cleaning and maybe re-bitumen painting the inner guards and rust treating stuff there in prep for the v8 struts and k-frame. I did the same to my vl wagon if anyone cares to look. I'd strongly suggest getting in and doing this now on your cars as I've seen vk's rusted through and i know that all cars I've done this to have had lots of gunk up in there. a few spotlight pics for yas: best battery tray in an original engine bay?? [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11143146_10153512157788620_1413076819828466215_n.jpg.html) bug infestation drivers side guard liner [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11822851_10153514495368620_7141410648198326526_n.jpg.html) the helpers. Indy, my sisters 7 yr old maltese ****su and Dot, my 9 month old Maltese ****su. [Image in original archive] (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/SIroller/media/VLB%20304/11825100_10153514495543620_7227352426966913922_n.jpg.html) until next time drop a comment if you are reading it will keep me going when things start to get tough!

Mint Mitch, what you find is best way to clean the bay?