which ls1 commodore for 25k?

[Shifty]

If I was on that budget I'd get an early luxo model (eg. Calais) for fuck all (have to be under $10k now?) and take it straight to Dale for the TT kit. If not, I'd get a slightly later one and one of those neat bolt-on blower kits. If you spend $25k on a commodore it will be worth $10k in a couple of years, at least if you buy a 410k one and spend a bit on i it becomes something desirable and you might get $15-20k for it.

Edit: just read manual only, might struggle to get a cheap manual one in fair condition..

[Fatboy]

is it manual though?

Nah, mine is an auto mate. The broom wielder won't drive a manual and i'm a softcock so auto it is...

there was a few vz ss with climate control as well, try and get that and leather. ssz model is it that has all this?

otherwise i'm not sure why an ss seems to sell for more then a calais when they are generally more poorly optioned?

The leather and climate control were a "package" back then - my VZ has both. The SS has a better bodykit, nicer (bigger) rims, better suspension etc.

I'll be getting back into an Ls1 sedan (had a VY ute before) at the end of the year when I sell the Navara, be looking around the $20k mark so something like fatboys would be the go

Given here and LS1.com.au are the only places i've bothered to advertise it i'll probably still have it !

[dahashrat]

I just realised my wrx isn't worth quite as much as I thought it was.
This could throw a spanner in the works.
Damn depreciation.

[marcus_h]

Nah, mine is an auto mate. The broom wielder won't drive a manual and i'm a softcock so auto it is...



The leather and climate control were a "package" back then - my VZ has both. The SS has a better bodykit, nicer (bigger) rims, better suspension etc.



Given here and LS1.com.au are the only places i've bothered to advertise it i'll probably still have it !

Its a good price, so im sure the moment you carsales it it will be gone. Still got a d22 petrol navara to swap if you're keen

[goose]

Before I bought my VX Calais 2 years ago I was considering either the SS or the Calais. Both were very similar price. Manual SS brought about $1k over the auto SS. Once we'd decided an auto was the go, the only things the SS had over the Calais was wheels/suspension/body kit.

Since it's not hard to find a Calais with suspension and wheels already fixed, it was an easy decision for me to go for all the Calais goodies over the body kit for the SS.

[RB30-POWER]

many calais have optional bigger wheels and fe2, so the suspension is usually a moot point, just check the build plates for options when looking.

fairly sure the vy2 - vz calais got fe1.5 as standard?

my car vy1 has optional fe2 and it's good on the racetrack, fairly shit on the road to the point you get in a stock standard executive and live up the smooth ride in comparison.

i reckon the fe1.5 might be a good compromise, pending on what you want to do.

but dumping a fe2 equipped car on kings springs etc would only serve to fuck up the handling in my books, my car handles real well and flat for what it is, it would need, track based wheel alignment and tyres, then brakes to match the tyres, long before the fe2 suspension would even need to be thought about.

[rowdytoot]

I have the opposite view about FE2- the whooshodore has FE2 and it's woeful- even with a track wheel alignment- lots of caster and as much neg camber as it'll take- I'd hate to see it on semis- cos it was unloads the inside wheels in corners a lot!! and pitches like a motherfucker under brakes on street tyres.

Suspension and decent brake pads would be would be where i'd start..and by suspension I mean konis or bilsteins with slightly lower uprated springs, decent bushings, a good alignment, some tyres and a set of A1RMs all round.

[RB30-POWER]

vt does not have the control links at the rear and also after vx they modified the front control arm mounting pivot points, it might all add up to a significant difference as well when comparing earlier and later models.

[ALLMTR]

Was going to say be careful on the cost of insurance for anything HSV but you've already got a WRX so you're used to paying a bit more, huh?

[1uz-zte]

It's rego that'll be the biggest difference. What is it to rego a v8 for 12 months now? $1100?

[goose]

Rego is only about $100 more a year for the V8 over 6 cylinder in SA. Dunno about other states.

RB30, I certainly wouldn't have been happy with stock suspension. Mine's a bit lower and firmer than FE2, it's a bit lower than I would have done it but it's fine for the road IMO.

Are you sure they changed any of the front suspension? All the bushes and the control arms themselves are the same parts AFAIK.

ALLMTR's point is valid too - some of the insurance quotes I put through online had the SS quite a bit more in premium and excess over the Calais, all other things equal. Sometimes a manual was significantly more expensive than the auto in the SS, all other things being equal. I don't know what the HSV badge will bring to the picture.

[Dave]

My calais is cheap as fuck to insure, you should buy it.

[willsy01]

So i'm thinking of ditching the Wrx also and embracing the inner bogan. Figured i'd go the whole hog and have been looking at VZ SS Thunder utes......the later ones have the L98 and later model Monaro wheels which look pretty schmick....

This'd be perfect if it were manual....



Anything you need to look out for with them?

[10sec rx7]

you want a sedan or ute??

got a 6L vy ute with leather and shit for $24k

[exwrxex]

They were pretty well sorted by the time they got to VZ, certainly the pick of the crop.