Hey guys, I've got a 1987 Red VL Calais Series 2 with Beige Interior. On carsales mid-week, relaxing after a days work thought id look up VL Calais' just too see how much there going for and just a general interest to see how many were still around and for sale. 10mins later i came across this Calais and was on the phone to the bloke and arranged a time and a place to inspect it. Ill be honest and say it looked alot better in the photos than it did in real life but i wasnt expecting much for $3500, nearly a 25 year old car, Acrylic factory run down paint, Interior was ok, but drove A1 for a N/A and was ideal for what i wanted. After speaking to Steel at Seres Engineering he told me in black n white, don't waste your time just converting, the n/a auto wont last, the n/a open wheeler wont last, and who knows with your motor, DO IT ONCE AND DO IT RIGHT....! So here i am 2 1/2 years later 3/4 through with my build with the car coming together in a way i only dreamed about.... Well here it is the day i bought home 18/06/2011 [GM.0870] 1 Standard Size, 1 Slimline, Green Letters and Numbers, White Background (Victorian Garden State Style) BODY: * Bare Metal Respray, * COMPLETE UNDERBODY BEEN SOUND DEADEND (looks brand new) * Slight rust in the boot (where the rubber sits on), 3 New Sections Cut, Put in, Rust Treated and Seam Sealed * Slight surface rust around windscreen, Belt Sandered back to metal, rust kill applyed, holes repaired and filled with 3M Filler and hi-filled twice (BRAND NEW) * Major Rust on the floor where spare tyre stays, Matt from ROLLOW welded a new plate in, stone guarded and seam sealed the area. * Colour: Maranello Red with Asteroid Silver Bars/Moulds (Black outs done on the bottom of the front and rear bars as from factory * Window frames, sideskirts, mirrors, calais boot strip and corner moulds all done in Gloss Black * All Badges will be put on, Bullet badges for the guards and front calais nose cone badge, painted black as for some reason aftermarket badges are made chrome. *Bonnet Gas Struts fitted! SUSPENSION: * SSL front King Springs with Monroe GT Shocks and SL's in the rear (compressed by Moorabbin Springs Works) to sit just slightly lower than the front * Rolling on Polished VL Calais Wheels with brand new 205 Kumho's ***CRANBOURNE TYRES N MORE - FOR ALL YOUR TYRE NEEDS, CAR SERVICING, WHEEL ALLIGNMENTS, A VICROADS AUTHORISED ROADWORTHY TESTER, FRIENDLY STAFF, QUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GREAT DEALS ON TYRES THROUGHOUT THE STORE*** Ph. 03 5996 2433 BRAKES: * VLT Master Cylinder and Brake Booster * Cross Drilled and Slotted Rotors (Front and Rear) * VLT Calipers * Bendix Pads Motor * A6 Block * Maranello Red Rocker Cover * Ross Forged Pistons * ACL Bearings * Ported Head & Performance Valve Springs * Cometic Head Gasket * FG GT3582R * Polished Standard VLT Inlet Manifold * Standard VLT Exhaust Manifold * Polished VLT Heat Shield * Polished XF Throttle Body * GK-Tech No Hole Intercooler Kit (Piping Only) * Hybrid 600x300x76 (Gktech Intercooler - too small) * Airbox and AFM in factory position (to keep it looking standard) * Haltech E6X * 1600-2000cc Injectors * Fuel Rail to suit (painted matt black) * Walbro Intank E85 pump * Under Car Surge Tank * 2 x 044's * 3" Dump custom fabricated with Screamer Pipe sitting flush with Chassis Rail * Matte Black Gutted Catalytic Convertor, with 3" all the way with a rear muffler and 3" Chrome Downpipe tip * MX7 Tailshaft (slightly modified to suit) (sprayed Gloss Black) * R33 5Speed Manual with Cushion Button Clutch (sprayed Asteroid Silver with a coat of 2K Clear) * 90LTR Drop Tank out of a VN SS Painted in Asteroid Silver with Custom made straps (gloss Black), extended 1.5cm to sit lower Trial Fitted . * 28Spline 3.4.5 Mini Spool Rear End (Sprayed Gloss Black) finally IN! N/A MOTOR OUT I want 300RWKW without maxing the whole set up out, I plan to drive it everyday and everywhere without getting hassled by TMU, i know the attention a VL draws so hence the reason, no bonnet guages no FR19's, no highmounts, no plenums! INTERIOR: * Sunroof - awaiting to be fitted * Beige Cloth Series 2, in average condition, looks clean in photos but in real life it was terrible. I've got OG Beige Series 2 cloth to do the whole interior, 3 times over * Matte Black Rear and 1/4 window venetians * Thoughts on HDT Scheel Headrests?? on factory Calais seats? or just leave the normal ones * AutoTechnica Black Steering Wheel with paded centre purchased from a good friend of mine JOSH VITA at AutoTechnica Head Office. * Custom Beige floors matt's with CALAIS stitched in grey also a one piece matt for the rear, side to side. * Silver Faced 5/8" Autometer Ultralite Boost Guage mounted left of steering wheel neatly * Eboost2 Controller and Apexi Turbo Timer mounted in the secondary part of the centre console. * Solex Locks, 3 Point Immobiliser, Kill Switch, Viper Alarm and a GPS Tracker will be fitted in the near future STEREO: * Pioneer Flip out DVD Screen, * front tweeters fitted under factory 4" speaker covers * 6" pioneer splits in front doors, * 6" speakers in rear doors * tweeters mounted on centre pillar below seatbelts, * 6" splits in the parcel shelf * Splits mounted on the parcel shelf in the corners neatly * Kicker 12"' Black Comp * Kicker Monoblock amp with Bass Controller mounted under the steering wheel. * Kicker 4 Channel amp to run rear door and rear parcel shelf speakers, front speakers will be ran off the DVD unit. * Boot Carpet made to exact factory spec plus a custom piece made for the inside of the boot to hide all of the ugly silver foil sound proof deadner. I am currently a 4th year Spray Painter Apprentice, All paint work has been done by myself and repairs carried out by John Rizos from MP Smash Repairs in Clayton, Andrew Christodoulou (Jeff Hind Smash/Oxford Panels), Tony Spanos, known to many in Oakleigh and the modified car scene for his fully restored Blue XY GT with a Killer 408 backed up by a 2speed glide Built by Competion Engines [KZJ.408] rolling on Centrelines with Matte Black Stripes. Last but not least Jordan Innes (one of my best mates' little brothers, currently a 4th year apprentice Panel Beater) known on here as [WGN.030] i cannot thank all of you enough for all the hard work put in. I couldn't of done it without you. By Easter i'd hope to have it at Seres Engineering and 100% tuned and ready to enjoy by September (roughly) so i can finally cruise it over the Summer Christmas Holidays and head up to Summernats 27, to have some fun and really see what its all about. All mechanical and performance side of things will be done by Steel at Seres Engineering located in Mornington, Easy to talk to, very knowledgable and just a genuine bloke doing his best for you. He has built more than a number of well known VL's/RB30's such as [GM.0860] [BTI.987] [CRMNL] [ZZZ.087], these are all street cars with massive power that are a perfect example of some of his work. Here's a pic of the car painted, fresh out of the oven 03/01/2013 Will upload photos in a timeline order to show progress... Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

good read mate this car looks familiar haha

Looks the goods mate, love red vlct Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Good build, will be killer when finished.

Moved to Correct Section.

Looks great, although I wouldn't touch Cranbourne Tyres with an eleven billion foot pole.

Keep up he good work mate.

maaad build! loving it good stuff mate like where this one is going

Got it Towed home today in the afternoon, before it was even home, i got 3 different messages saying saw the vl on the tow truck.... ) Having it finally come home, a few mates came round and they all loved it, it has come out so much better than i expected. Having everything there and looking at how many moulds there were it made me step back and take in how much work there is still left to do to assemble it. Just spent the last few hours, trial fitting upper front and rear moulds, calais front end trial fitted. Every door mould, front and rear bars, 4 Door handles, 4 piece black calais skirts (gloss black) Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Looking good bro, can't wait to see it finished

Cool read Marko, I miss mine sometimes! Nice work and congrats!

great job. are they genuine moulds? they fit perfect

thanks for comments guys getting there slowly, i hope to get it 80% assembled by sunday night. 88SLVLT - Yeah they are genuine moulds Here's a few photos i took after putting on the door moulds on both sides

Bit of an update guys.... Ive put my black sideskirts on, rear garnish is on just waiting for the calais decal to arrive from NSW, put my headlights in, calais front bolted up, upper front moulds fitted, little front upper mould 'Holden', door rubbers are in, whole left side is buffed, right will be done this long weekend, along with the bonnet and going to re-do my boot because there's too many bits of crap in the clear here's a couple of photo's will have some more by the weekend

So mint. I love it. Keep up the good work

Washed it today for the first time and pushed it out into the sun

Have you got a picture of the back of the car showing drop tank sitting lower. Want to do it to my bt1 cheers Jase

Looks awesome mate

fattttttt

this thing looks awesome. good work mate