Hey guys, been a reader of CT for some time, but decided to join. Names Matt, im 20, a photographer. Mainly Urban Exploration type stuff and im from the Outer Sth East Subs of Melbourne. And this is my car. Its a series 1 1987 VL SL Commodore, I've owned it for about 2 and a half years, it was silver when i brought it, about a week later it got a weekend spray job, which was only meant to be temporary, as i was after a 60s Ford, then the Vl was going, but then i became attached to the Commodore, and so it began. At the moment im getting around to spraying it Calais White Gold, got the paint just need the time, it will also have champagne bumpers and trim, i havn't picked a definate champagne yet. Engine wise its just a stock RB30E with a K&N Pod, and a 2 and a half inch exhaust into 3 inch dump. Exterior Mods are a non pop-up fibreglass Calais front, original steel outer sunvisor, 2.5 inch Speco (soon to be Autometer) oil pres gauge on bonnet, its also lowered on King ultra's, it has Calais taillights, and will also have polished Calais rims all round when i get around to getting tyres for the other two. Interior Mods are beige VB SL/E vinyl front seats, soon to also be rear seat, at the moment it has beige vinyl door trims, will be beige Calais carpet ones after this weekend, black dashmat, metallic 'satellite' brown painted dash and highrise centre console with sunnies holder, the high rise part i custom padded, white rear venetians, VK Calais brown steering wheel, new beige carpet, old crappy sony cd player, 2 6x9 xplod speakers, and cheap crappy amp in boot, 5 inch Autometer monster tacho. Boot Mods, custom 'install' done by me, will be nothing over the top just one hidden sub, behind back panel, as well as hiding the amp, then it will just be beige vinyl, with a mirror section in the middle kinda like 'PLATNM' with a copper polished extinguisher as a display piece So not really too much of a Calais mock up, just something to my taste and when its finished, all i hope it to be is just something a little bit classy to cruise in. *Sorry for the photo quality, i'll bother to get good ones when its all finished.* ---------- Post added 20-05-10 at 15:50 ---------- Oh and that tint is coming off too. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Bit of an update.. Well kinda havn't got much done since my last post (Seeing as the car is also a daily its a bit slow going.) But I'm slowly working on getting all the ****ty maroon paint off. Anyway, a couple of pics.. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Good stuff man, thats what I like to see, someone who builds their car to their own taste, not what other people want. Off-topic a bit, Could I please ask you to put up a close up pic of your exhaust tip, (a pic at the same angle as your last pic^ just so that its at eye level and closer), and another pic from underneath of the whole exhaust if possible? I'll be getting my exhaust done soon for my turbo conversion, and how it looks there^ is pretty much how I want mine to look out the back. cheers and keep up the good work! Sam Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Thanks man, yeah no worries. I'm going outside to swapover the back bumper soon (the one on atm was hit, pretty un noticable. But I can notice it hah), so while I have it off the ground I'll get you a pic and post it up later tonight or tomorrow. ---------- Post added 07-07-10 at 19:01 ---------- Quote: Originally Posted by madrx3boy [View Post] (a pic at the same angle as your last pic^ just so that its at eye level and closer), and another pic from underneath of the whole exhaust if possible? Here you go, sorry about the pic quality. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Forgot to post a pic of when I got the Calais door trims Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

^cheers man Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

No worries.

Update; Since the car won't be painted until the weather warms up, I got a bit sick of driving around in it all patchy from where I'd taken off all the old paint. And I've always wanted a 'Rat', so I thought why not, and gave it a couple of light coats of satin black (To make sure it all comes off quickly and easily again when I'm ready to paint) tho' its just a temporary quick fix until summer. Couldn't find my old pinstriping brush, so a modified (And by that I mean cut up) paint brush did the job, the striping turned out okay I reckon. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Do you find your window winder handles rub on the calais door cards? i've got the 'series 2' ones (I think) in my berlina, front ones aren't so bad but the rear ones are wearing circles in the trim because they rub against it.

To be honest I havn't noticed, I assume they would wear a bit, because the door trims I have are off a car that had electric windows so I had to make holes where needed to put the winder's on. If you notice the back ones wearing more, it could be because usually the back ones are used less than the front so the front trims might already be slightly worn around the winder.

Just installed complete red Berlina interior, Came out of a genuine 56,000k one owner car, looks good I'm happy with it. Will get some pics up soon.

Updated photos, gave the car a rushed coat of clear the other day doesn't bother me that it isn't perfect because I'm afraid if it was I'd end up leaving it black when the black was meant to be temporary ha Also a pic of the red interior in, still needs minor things; steering wheel, headrests etc. But still looks good. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Change of plans.. After some thinking I've decided against going ahead with finishing the Calais mock up, plans will now consist of spraying the car in Absynth Yellow with MX Grey bars and trim, put the silver ceptors back on, and go from there. (And no I don't plan on selling my Calais rims.) ---------- Post added 12-10-10 at 18:53 ---------- Oh and put the Commodore front back on with original badge, and paint the white lines on the Calais t/lights black.

I've currently decided.. Why copy everyone else and go for a BT1 replica, when I can have something that really turns heads. The cars perfectly straight with minimal rust, why not make something of it.. What I have planned, I havn't seen done before so I'd prefer to keep it a tad hushed, I can tell you it's going to involve a few different shades of blue and some airbrushing.. Watch this space.

airbrushing?? oh dear.. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Nah nothing major lol I'm not too keen on airbrushing myself.. It will be very subtle. ---------- Post added 15-11-10 at 15:16 ---------- .. By nothing major I just mean the underside of the bonnet/ boot etc. Not splashed all over the car, that'd look sh*thouse lol.

Couple more of the rat before the changes occur.. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Lol I'm a tad undecisive.. Sticking with the White Gold over darkened silver or MX Grey. I have the paint so why change it now. I'll probably have the car forever cos its a tad centimental but its honestly only going to be a daily anyway, so why waste money on it that I don't need to, if it turns heads then so be it. Probably throw the SL front back on too. I should have my real project in around a week which I will keep you all posted in the 'Other Cars' section.. Its going to be a 50's rat/kustom, but not your avarage starter (ie. Not a Ford, Holden, Chev etc.) ---------- Post added 07-12-10 at 16:56 ---------- Oh and it really will be a 50s/60s car.. All steel, none of this flat black plastic rat ****.. (ie. My car at the moment or the flat black VN's that seem to be popping up everywhere) ---------- Post added 07-12-10 at 20:16 ---------- And to make sure I actually get it done before I change my mind...Again. I'e started taking all the black off, resprayed the interceptors silver and put the SL front back on. Photo... Can a mod please take '(Calais Mock Up...Kinda)' out of the title.. Thanks in advance. Also if anybody is interested in the Calais front I had on it, I may be interested in selling it, depending on your offer. Its a 3 piece fibreglass front, does not pop up and will come with grill. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

I know my car's a bit of a mess at the moment as I'm getting it ready for paint, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity.... ---------- Post added 26-12-10 at 17:16 ---------- Oh and I took the oil pressure gauge off the bonnet and mounted a small black Autometer one in the sunglasses holder, havn't wired it up yet though, I also have a temp gauge to go in next to it. I'll throw a pic up soon ---------- Post added 26-12-10 at 17:18 ---------- Also incase anybody was wondering, the plates on the cop car say RUN4IT. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Painted trim and bars MX Grey today, needs another light coat, and touching up in a few places. Should be finally getting around to finishing it now, I should have it in primer this weekend coming, if so I'll post up some pics. ---------- Post added 16-01-11 at 17:13 ---------- Oh and I ripped all that wood paneling out of the boot, Just going for stock carpet in there now, after I fix a few minor rust holes where it leaks.