1988 VL Calais Wagon Colour: Maroon over silver Bodykit: None Engine Type: RB30ET Engine Mods: Block chemically cleaned, Balanced, Blueprinted, honed & crack tested, Bored 40' thou, Oversize hypertech cast pistons (7.8:1 compression ratio), King big end bearings, Shot peened rods, Port and Polished head (Exhaust and intake), crow cam, Highflow turbo using T4 front and rear wheel, Siemens 575cc O ring Injectors, VPW fuel rail, Microtech Lt-10s, IC&E Ignition output Booster, coil, 7 Amp module and 9mm leads, JD Custom plenum, Hybrid Intercooler, XF Throttle body, ETM Catch can. Power: 222 rwKw @ 16psi / 12.2 @ 110 mph Exhaust: V-band off turbo to 3 inch exhaust, 3 inch cat, 1 muffler Gearbox: MX7 with Exedy heavy duty clutch, custom 1 piece flywheel. Diff: 28 spline LSD, 3:45 gears Brakes: Standard VL Turbo Suspension: King srpings, Blistien Shocks Wheels/Tyres: 18 x 8 inch HSV SV99's Interior: Scheel front seats, custom re-shaped back seat, custom door trims, new carpet, custom floor mats, re-trimmed glove box, arm rests. Interior covered in Grey Leather with red crocodile imitation highlights. Other Mods: Engine bay smoothed and detailed, hidden wiring, smoothed rocker cover and oil cap, re-located overflow bottle. Stereo: Alpin head unit, Alpine Type X 6.5inch front speaker splits, Rear 4 inch speakers. I bought the wagon a little over 2 years ago, saw it sitting in a workshop with a for sale sign on it with an asking price of 10K. Eventually took it off his hands for 8.5K with RWC and a years rego. It wasn't much to look at when I bought it, came on stockies and the Intercooler piping was some of the worst pipe's I have ever seen. I bought some 18's for it soon after and put a stereo into it. After driving it around for a while like this me and some mates were sitting around drinking scotch one day throwing idea's around and decided to give it a clean up. Around this time the engine had a fairly rattly bottom end, a slipping clutch and a Diff that whined every time I drove it. First thing we did was pull the diff out and I purchased a 28 spline diff off the forums and sent it off to recieve a rebuild where it got a new LSD centre with the 3:45 gears and new seals and bearings. We then pulled the engine out and sent the block to James Race Engines to be rebuilt. While that was off getting rebuilt we cleaned the bay up a little and slotted in an NA block to have a bit of fun in. Saying goodbye to the NA block: Once the engine was built the Wagon was pulled off the road and the NA engine pulled back out. The Wagon was then sent to 2 Die 4 bodyworks where the bay was smoothed and painted. From this: To this: Once we had the engine back and the bay painted, I realised how much an engine rebuild actually costs. It wasn't as simple as paying for an engine to be rebuilt and away you go. While we had everything out we rebuilt the turbo, replaced all hoses and clamps, reco'd the radiator and had the bolts chromed and parts polished. Everything that could be replaced just about has been. Engine bay complete: I ran the car for about a month before upgrading the fuel and ignition system so that the engine would be well run in. Once again it came back off the road and I had a Microtech Lt-10s installed with a new loom as well as the IC&E gear put it. The ignition gear is over kill, but I picked it up cheap. At time I put on a VPW fuel rail with 575cc injectors and a Bosch 984 pump. An ETM Catch can was put in at the same time along with upgrading the breathers on the rocker cover to run 2.5 inch lines. The Wagon was then trucked to JPC for it's tune where it made 222rwKw @ 16psi. I ran it at Calder 2 weeks later and first time out ran a best of 13.1 with my 18 inch wheels on the car. I went back 2 weeks later and ran a best of 12.2 @ 110mph using slicks and front runners. Pic from Easternats 2007: Calder pics: Dyno sheet: As it is currently: Big thanks has to go to my mates Steve and Norm who without them this build wouldn't have been possible. witithout their advice, expertise and abuse this build would not have happened. Thanks also to Jason for his advice, abuse and guidance when it come's to going fast in a straight line. Thanks to Pro-Stitch Interiors for re-trimming my Calais interior and for the custom trim, Spot On Auto Electrics for the top work in my engine bay and James Race Engines for their excellent engine, flywheel and customer service. Could not ask for more from these company's. Pic's of trim will be up in the coming weeks. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Always a nice looking car this one, good power as well. Nothing really left to do by the looks of things?

Not really, a few things i'm still not happy with at the moment. Going to get the paint fixed, original badges put back on and obvisouly trim put in. Might go bigger with the turbo but I think the one it has is plenty for the street. If I go any bigger It probably isn't going to get driven as much. Had one of the side skirts fly off at Calder on Friday night so I need to put that back on.

yeah its not bad if you're into that sort of thing. me though, i like girls, so no, sorry. lol. nah this thing has come a long way and the results speak for themselves.. *** tuff man nice to see another undercover muzza hitting the streets you know what im talking about lol Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

I dont think Norm and Steve will be happy you mentioned their names in the same sentence as 'my friends'. Looks ok Charles, needs bigger turbo though.

sweet looking wag,looking forward to the interior pics

What happened to the plates?

this is my car...... isnt it charles..

Is the interior done? Show me pics you gimp.

I love this wagon. Everytime I see pics of it it makes me want to hurry up getting my new engine in my wagon and tidy up my engine bay. Looks awesome and I can't wait to see it once it's totally finished (even though I don't think you really need to do anymore to it).

good work charles!

yep when its finished it will have nsw plates on it.... hey charles..

Plates were sold Quote: Originally Posted by SYKO3L Is the interior done? Show me pics you gimp. Seats are all finished, back seat is particularly impressive. And no, no pics. Quote: Originally Posted by 88 Chaser I dont think Norm and Steve will be happy you mentioned their names in the same sentence as 'my friends'. Looks ok Charles, needs bigger turbo though. Die please Quote: Originally Posted by smpchiky yep when its finished it will have nsw plates on it.... hey charles.. So you keep telling me I may have lunched the gearbox last night, once I know the damage I may be upgrading to something else.... Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Give me your old 5spd!, cause im a good bloke

you put a lot of fella's to shame charles bigger badder setups and u are doing low 12's Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

just change the wheels and it will be perfect!!

i'll have them charles u can have my clubbies

Quote: Originally Posted by SUS-XR6 just change the wheels and it will be perfect!! What crack are you smoking? What would you suggest? Some cheap 20 inch chromies? Rims suit it perfectly - Lars, you can have them in exchange for your cooler set up?

Quote: Originally Posted by Yeti What crack are you smoking? What would you suggest? Some cheap 20 inch chromies? Rims suit it perfectly - Lars, you can have them in exchange for your cooler set up? LOL because i gave my oppinion im high on crack? id say it would look better on polished calais wheels, vy gts or FR's if you think the rims suit it perfectly then good onya but just stateing my thoughts which by posting the build thread of the car you were expecting comments Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Yes you muxt be smoking crack. Everybody who has a differing opinion is smoking crack. Only wheel that would be an improvement would be FR's