Wanted commodore guru

[DXROLLA]

I'm after some held with a vh commodore I have just bought. It's a sl/x so factory 6. Wanted to put either a 253 or 308 in it. Done a search on the Aussie forums and there seems to be a difference of opinion on if the bolt strait in or need to change a couple of things.

Can you just use all the 6 cylinder box, k frame, drive shaft ect or do you need v8 stuff? What's the ultimate bolt in combo as far as diff, box ect to mate to a 308?

I'm guessing to go to a chev 350 you need to change quite a bit?

[AllTorque]

Put the jug on and have a read of this.

//oldschool.co.nz/k-trips-1982-holden-commodore-vh/

[Shakotom]

I'm after some held with a vh commodore I have just bought. It's a sl/x so factory 6. Wanted to put either a 253 or 308 in it. Done a search on the Aussie forums and there seems to be a difference of opinion on if the bolt strait in or need to change a couple of things.

Can you just use all the 6 cylinder box, k frame, drive shaft ect or do you need v8 stuff? What's the ultimate bolt in combo as far as diff, box ect to mate to a 308?

I'm guessing to go to a chev 350 you need to change quite a bit?

Can use six cylinder subframe for 308 Supposedly only difference is there's additional bracing/gusseting on V8 frame but cannot confirm due to never seeing one side by side.

Threeonthetree is the guru regarding gearboxes on Holden's. Some 3/4 speeds will bolt up and and even then, there's different patterned blocks for bellhousing. Trimatic and turbo

Crossmember and driveshaft will depend on box

Diff wise, cheapest option would be a VN onwards borgwarner 28 spline LSD disc rear end from a wreckers. But These are 20mm wider than your current rear end so take that into consideration with your wheel fitment. you could get a VL turbo 28 spline rear end, but good luck finding one.

Could also jam VN onwards center in the VL housing (borgwarner) and get axles shortened. And throw the disc rear end on that aswell.

Front Brake wise, VN V8 front rotors and callipers (larger diameter and finned callipers) coupled with a 1in master will be a cheap upgrade.

Could get fancy and go VR/VS booster with a VT onwards quickfill master if you wanted.

350 chev requires spacing the subframe down to get clearance for oil pump/starter/steering rack or something.This, coupled with lowering the car will make it handle like junk/geometry get bad real quick.

If your not going to go with the 308, consider putting a LS1 into it. Can buy a complex conversion kit from Castlemaine rod shop in AU and that swaps documented all over the Internet

[KKtrips]

308 bolts straight up to the 202 frame. There is one extra brace to the 308 but it is nothing. V6,RB and 4 cyl K-frames are different.

 

Power steer and non power steer Kframes are different. But only in the width for the steering rack mounting bolts they are about 5mm different and you could probably get away with filing the holes  I cut my mounts off and rewelded them back on.

 

Chev 350 requires spacing the crossmember about 10-20mm away from the body which is not a bad thing.
It only really effects the ability to lower the car to a nice height, you can get the same height but the resulting angle of the bottom arms would give you nasty bumpsteer.

 

Gearbox - 308 blocks came with Turbo Hydra and Trimatic bellhousing castings. You can get adapters easy enough to switch between them and most aftermarket bellhousings have both options. All depends on what you want to run. I am running a W55 with a Castlemaine Rod Shop bellhousing and it has both options so can run which ever block I want.

 

Diff - VN and newer live axles are a fair bit wider than VH and older and VL is in between but they all fit  you just need to be careful with your rim choice.
A VL turbo diff is the ultimate but SPENDY! Also Wagon and Sedan diffs are different but only where the shocks mount so you can cut them off and reweld them on if you are handy with a jig and welder.

 

Now don't get me wrong - a conversion is expensive - my motor cost me less than $500 and my conversion once "done" was tapping on the door of $10K. I didn't rebuild the motor even and that is just the conversion - buying the car and all the other stuff I have done to it isn't even factored into the equation. So if I was to do it again I would find one already "done" (or a factory one) and buy that then spend the extra money on tidying it up from there.

[DXROLLA]

Sweet cheers for the advise, will have to start making a list, hardest part seems to be finding the right bits needed.

[KKtrips]

First thing is to decide what you want to run for a gearbox, manual or auto?

 

I'll see if I can find my list I made of all the stuff I bought when putting it together and what it cost. Its not complete but it'll help you get a start.

[DXROLLA]

That would be awesome, cheers

 

I plan on running an auto, as the car is already auto so will hopefully keep costs down.

[KKtrips]

Here is my list up to end of 2013... Some of it you may not encounter but then again you may have more stuff you need instead.

This adds up to ~$10K so far.

• Motor $350
• Engine mounts $230
• Engine mounts pt2 $70
• Engine mounts pt2 $110
• Starter motor $320
• Cam and Lifters $180
• Water pump $50
• Oils and filters (run in) $120
• Hoses $120
• Radiator $400
• Oil and filter $160
• Electric Fan $30
• Air filter $60
• Carb overhaul $100
• Inlet Manifold Repairs $120
• Fuel pump $120
• Exhaust Headers $380
• Muffler and Diff Pipe $340
• Bell housing $520
• Flywheel and Bolts $290
• Clutch $600
• Release bearing $90
• Gearbox $350
• Drive shaft x 2 $450
• Drive shaft Loops $150
• Rear Trailing Arms $120
• Front Suspension Bushes $250
• Diff $350
• Wheels $150
• Spare wheel $40
• 4 x Tyres $200
• Front brakes $400
• Master cylinder $50
• Cross member $60
• Throttle bracket $60
• Fan Shroud $250
• PCV valve and fan belt $50
• Fuel check valve $30
• Degree Tape $15
• Bonnet Pins $50
• Alternator bracket $200
• HT Lead Set $80
• Gasket sets $150
• Gasket goo etc $40
• Wiring miscellany $100
• Steel miscellany $50
• Nuts and bolts $150
• Speedometers bulbs $20
• Exhaust and tuning $1,100
• Speedo cable $50
• Powder coating $40
• Tyre Swaps $40
• Make Batt. Leads $30

[KKtrips]

Since then I've bought another carb, rebuilt the gearbox, another set of wheels and tyres... so well over $12K now.

I can't remember if the $10K included cert or not.

[DXROLLA]

Cheers, looks like a  big list haha, its the small things that add up. Did you get most of your parts locally or get things from aussie?

[KKtrips]

Spent a fair bit of time looking on trademe. Finding all kinds of bits took a lot of time.

I only bought the first pair of engine mounts from Aussie. Everything else was locally bought or made.

My advice if you aren't going to buy a car that is already done is to get a motor that is as complete as you can get with the correct Commy sump, engine mounts, starter motor, alternator etc. Probably even try to get it with the gearbox too.

[KKtrips]

Something like this is a fairly good deal - plus you can carby these motors for about a grand.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/holden/engines/auction-993221107.htm

[DXROLLA]

So those later engine and boxes all bolt up do they? Just need drive shaft and diff to suit?

[DXROLLA]

There was a 253 with box just closed on trade me for $800 , looked complete as well. But im guessing a later model 308 would be a lot nicer

[KKtrips]

So those later engine and boxes all bolt up do they? Just need drive shaft and diff to suit?

Yup bolt in - you can leave the 6 cyl diff in the car - its plenty strong enough unless you are doing skids erryday.

The centre CV is a different size on VN onwards and the diff pinion is a different type also.

But you may be lucky and be able to slot the factory 6 cylinder driveshaft into the bum of the later model transmission but I'm not 100%. Either way if you are getting the correct yoke with that 304 I posted then you can mix and match bits.

Or at worst you may have to use the original 6 cyl driveshaft with the correct front yoke and get a new shaft made up.

[DXROLLA]

Sweet, well thats food for thought than. As you say would make it a hell of a lot easier getting a complete setup.