Make / Model: 1986 VL Calais Colour: 2 Tone - White over silver Bodykit: No Engine Type: RB30E Engine Mods: None Power: Less than when it left the factory floor Exhaust: Stock Gearbox: 4 Speed Auto Diff: Stock Brakes: Discs all round with bendix pads Suspension: Stock Wheels/Tyres: 15' Calais Wheels Interior: Red - Sun faded Stereo: Pioneer Head deck, 6x9 in the rear, 4' in the dash Other Mods: Nothing as yet Future mods: This is my daily so the first plans were to make it mechanically reliable and worry about the body.exterior later on as well as tastefully modifying her along the way. Hello everyone! My name is James and this here is my 1986 Calais that i purchased on my 20th birthday as a present to myself. After owning 3 VL's previously (auto exec sedan, manual berlina wagon, manual sl sedan) i had always wanted a Calais. After looking on the net for a few months, i came across this and called up and arranged to view it the nexy day. The body looked ok in the photos but upon arrival it was clear this VL had had a rough life before hand. The rust was standard around the screens and there were a few minor dings all around but she was all there. We agreed on a price, knowing all to well how much work is ahead of me. Power windows not working, auto slipping, rough body, rotors were so warped when pulling up at lights, if felt like the wheels were oval shaped. The following week i took it to work and began writing up a substantial list of everything that would need to be rectified. So far this is what i have done: - Replaced front and rear rotors, front and rear pads, flushed brake fluid - Replaced Rocker cover gasket - Flush coolant and replace top and bottom radiator hoses - Replaced Oil and Filter - Replaced Fuel and Air filters, Spark plugs - Replaced front and rear uni joints, centre bearing and had the tailshaft balanced - Fit adjustable panhard rod - Fit 20mm rear sway bar with new "D" bushes and links and rubbers - Topped up auto oil (this got rid of the slipping) - Replaced both front power window regulators and motors, main power window switch - Replaced factory stereo with aftermarket setup (c### of a job) Things to do in the next few weeks are to: - Fit Rear Upper, Lower and Front control arms - Lower the suspension ( Monroe lowered shocks all round, Kings superlow front and Ultralows for the rear - Replace T/Belt, W/pump, Cam and crank seals - Replace radiator All feedback welcomed aswell as tips and advice! More photos to come tommorrow Cheers James

ordered my springs and shocks this afternoon. should be here tommorrow, will be sitting a tad lower

update - got my springs and lowered shocks delivered today. Will be fitting them up over the next few days and then on the weekend will get my pink slip done.

update got a lot of my parts that i needed this week thanks to tax time. - Fitted up my new coolant resovoir - Replaced the rear upper and lower control arms - Fitted lowered shocks and ultralow springs to the rear I currently have the front struts removed at work and will be replacing the strut inserts tommorrow along with superlows for the front. I also got new front control arms and will also fit an upgraded 27mm front sway bar with new bushes and links, aswell as replacing the radius rod bushes. Will be sending it for a 4 way wheel alignment and balance once done, hopefully tommorrow morning.

Some shots of my progress so far

And of the red interior, which is a bit faded

okay, my vl is no longer 4wd spec. This weekend i replaced the following: - Rear shocks - Rear trailing arms upper and lower - Rear springs with King Springs Ultralows - Front strut inserts - Front springs with King Springs Superlows - Front control arms - Upgraded front sway bar with a 27mm whiteline bar - New sway bar links and bushes - Radius rod bushes And then sent it for a wheel alignment. Some pics from the weekend -

http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/...t=IMAG0039.jpg (http://s1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj633/priceysVL/?action=view¤t=IMAG0039.jpg) Some original photos have not been recovered yet.