Hillclimbing/track Hack On A Budget

[zebra]

Well after the last couple of failed attempts at building a track car due to money issues I decided to go back to what I know best.

So I present The "Tehnco Wizard 1979 Holden VB Commodore"

Featuring highly advanced features such as 4 wheel disc breaks with a massive 273mm front rotor!, Radial Tuned Suspension, a 16 Valve 5.1L Cast Iron Engine, Four Barrel carburetion and 4 speed gearbox!

I bet you AWD Turbocharged DOHC Intercooled GTR owners are super envious of how high tech this car is!

Anyhoo.

Progress has started on this car, and will slowly but surely will get there.

Started seeking fortune and glory, its a short song but a......

Started accidentially when bored at home I spotted a $300 VB Commodore on Gumtree, looked ok in the photos so I decided for a laugh I would go have a look.

Nekminute its sitting in my shed.

Now what to do????

I always liked the look of the early commodores, particularly the old Group C cars.

So I thought hey I'll build something like that for a bit of fun.

Fast forward a few months and searching Ebay I finally came across and decently priced 308 V8, the owner also happened to have a V8 spec M21 (Aussie 4 Speed) so after a few quick emails I'm driving off to just outside of Melbourne to pick it all up.

Looked pretty decent for the price, the owner said it blew a bit of smoke and was down on compression, not to worry, was going to rebuild it anyway.

Get it home, strip it down only to find some goodies inside what I thought was a dead standard small valve 5.0.

Turns out that it has the big valve brockydoor spec heads, a largeish Crane H286 square pattern Camshaft, (0.496" lift, 290deg total duration and 230deg @0.050") and a good set of valve springs and a double roll timing chain.

Well that saved me some bucks (the heads are worth quite a bit and the valve train more than what I paid for the motor)

so for now I'm waiting on my 0,020" oversize flat top pistons to arrive from the US (here tuesday I believe) and scored a bargain on some unused Scat 5.627" H-beam conrods, ACL race series 3/4 groove main bearins and ACL race rod bearings are sitting on my kitchen bench alongside the ARP main studs.

Once everything arrives the block will sent off to be bored and torque plate honed and decked to zero, heads are 58cc so will end up with 10.27:1 Comp with a 4.100" bore gasket with 0.040" squish, which is right around the sweet spot for that cam

Going to use a small factory intake manifold for now, which will hurt the top end, but should stomp out of corners pretty hard.

Couple of modifications to it done already

The brass fitting will have a hose attached (same on both sides) and run into the thermostat housing which will help prevent hotspots and air in the back of the engine.

The the carb flange/plenum will have te centre divider milled down (from factory 1 side of the carb feeds 4 cylinders) doing so will let each cylinder to breath through all 4 venturies effectively allowing me to run a smaller carb, which will be a 600cfm 4160 Holley that my dad has had since I was a young lad if not before.

Will end this here until I have figured out what to do with the suspension and diff.

Comments/Questions welcome.

Cheers

A

[Duncan]

Hey Zeb, this is a very different project......keep in mind these were raced as "Street Sedans" in the NSW champs so there are a few ex race cars sitting in sheds getting dusty that you may want parts from....in particular anyone that has a bolt in cage Get in touch with these guys http://www.nswproductiontouringcars.com.au/nptc.html

[zebra]

Brakes suspension and cage Id be on the hunt for.

Im keeping an eye out for an Ex Commodore cup car going cheap..if one comes up cheap enough My engine will go into that instead of the green shitbox

[stevena]

Grew up with commodores, appreciate all cars and any budget, bring on the build dude.

[zebra]

Thanks man

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

Good stuff man, looking forward to see it at sdma

[zebra]

Got my pistons yesterday, nice and light, and the finish looks good.

I do wish I had the money for forged ones, but these have been proven in some big power cars over the years so I'm happy for us$405.

Pulled one of the heads apart and found the stainless exhaust valves hammered pretty hard on the tips so a new set will have to be ordered soon :\

[JZP]

http://my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/1/k/Portman/id/5737/Default.aspx

This is my neighbors car! And he can steer!

You're onto something.

[zebra]

Nice!

[hrd-hr30]

there's a couple of quick early commodores hillclimbing up here. They can be made to work pretty well. And look like lots of fun behind the wheel. Good luck witht he project

[zebra]

Thanks harry

Will be a long slow build as im not in a hurry.

Do it once do it right for the most part

[zebra]

One of the Keith black slugs

lol at 1.7" compression height

[zebra]

I found a paint scheme Id like to...err...borrow

[Sir Lord Van Von Vader'ham]

do it.

[zebra]

ok

[r33_racer]

Looking good buddy! Abit different for sure, but something is better then nothing.

[zebra]

Cheers Mick.

Wish I had more to show...but not much happening at the moment.

Rods should finally show up to my house in the next couple of days, then drop the block off to be machined.

Speaking to a head guy in radelaide about making it go a bit harder for not much money so watch this space

[zebra]

Little more progress on the motor

[zebra]

Another shot of the car because everyone loves photos

[tweety bird]

lol @ the steelies on the back.