Holden VF SV6 Ute- New Drag Video

[Punknoodle]

Looks awesome mate! How did the brakes hold up?

 

[Paulie]

Looks awesome mate! How did the brakes hold up?

The brake work in an event like that was so light, I thought I'd be using them more but I didn't get any fade at all. I was on track for about an hour straight, the car never missed a beat (to be expected on a stock standard brand new car).

Edit: I drive past at around 02:25 in this dude's video in all my silent stock exhaust glory.

 

[Paulie]

HAH! At 1:05 in this video I appeared during one of the few races actually won, against a first gen MR2.


BTW, what do you guys think, is $4k worth it for custom lightweight forged wheels which would be custom made to also suit my factory Holden centre caps? Or is $4k still way out there for even forged wheels (I've priced some as high as $7k, but I've only priced 3 sets, finding distributors for forged lightweight wheels isn't easy it seems). I really like the idea of having a genuine Holden centre cap in my aftermarket wheels.

Edit: This picture aint to great, it was taken by what seems to be a low quality phone by my cousin as I raced past her boyfriend's Corolla (I think it's a KE70 or something).

Edit 2: I bought some 2nd hand E-Series HSV Clubsport brakes today! Made by AP Racing, they're 4-piston front/rear calipers with 365mm front (almost typed frt then, parts interpreter's habit ) rotors and 350mm rear rotors (I think it was). They won't fit under my factory wheels, so I still need bigger wheels, and I'd like to use up some of the factory brakes/tyres first to get my money's worth. The calipers have a little bit of paint damage on the tops and back from brake fluid, but are otherwise in pretty good knick, not bad for $1600! This picture isn't mine, but they are the same package I just picked up.

 

[Punknoodle]

HAH! At 1:05 in this video I appeared during one of the few races actually won, against a first gen MR2.


BTW, what do you guys think, is $4k worth it for custom lightweight forged wheels which would be custom made to also suit my factory Holden centre caps? Or is $4k still way out there for even forged wheels (I've priced some as high as $7k, but I've only priced 3 sets, finding distributors for forged lightweight wheels isn't easy it seems). I really like the idea of having a genuine Holden centre cap in my aftermarket wheels.

Edit: This picture aint to great, it was taken by what seems to be a low quality phone by my cousin as I raced past her boyfriend's Corolla (I think it's a KE70 or something).
View attachment 122817

Edit 2: I bought some 2nd hand E-Series HSV Clubsport brakes today! Made by AP Racing, they're 4-piston front/rear calipers with 365mm front (almost typed frt then, parts interpreter's habit ) rotors and 350mm rear rotors (I think it was). They won't fit under my factory wheels, so I still need bigger wheels, and I'd like to use up some of the factory brakes/tyres first to get my money's worth. The calipers have a little bit of paint damage on the tops and back from brake fluid, but are otherwise in pretty good knick, not bad for $1600! This picture isn't mine, but they are the same package I just picked up.

Awesome brake set up! Do you know what compound of pad you are going to get for them? There will be loads to chose from as they are a very common brake set up. Good choice. Paint damage? No problem, I say paint em black anyway.

 

[Paulie]

Awesome brake set up! Do you know what compound of pad you are going to get for them? There will be loads to chose from as they are a very common brake set up. Good choice. Paint damage? No problem, I say paint em black anyway.

Not at this stage, there's still decent meat left on the brake pads in them (probably the factory originals), I'll wear those out first then go for something that gives me a good blend of on street manners and on track durability. I wouldn't mind having them black, but I couldn't do it myself, I'd have to get somebody to paint them for me, goodness knows how much that'd cost. I'm excited to have factory HSV brakes, it definitely means parts and replacements will be easier to get.

Edit: I just got told today by the same people who said VE brakes would fit on my VF that they won't without some bodgy adaptor sleeve for the caliper mounting bolts-won't be doing that. Guess I'll have to wait until people start crashing their Gen-F HSV's to get some brakes, at least they'll be better brakes.

 

[Paulie]

Went to a Downshift event today with @Punknoodle and some friends of mine, raced Nick in his Celica. It's fairly close between us but his car is a little bit faster, I'll have video once my computer decides it wants to stop freezing up! In the mean time, three pics of my Ute a little more up close since it was lowered.

If you look closely, you can see a number of flies trying to ruin my photos.

 

[Punknoodle]

Here's some shots of your ute from today, mate. Looks bloody good!

 

[Paulie]

Thanks for the new pictures Nick, I have a new desktop now. In that 3rd picture, for anyone else wanting to know, that is my brother's VN parked behind me. He's about to change the front and rear bars to VN Group A though, it is ever so slightly faster than my Ute. Finally got around to posting my 1/4mile runs on YouTube. As you can tell I was axle tramping and bogging down presumably because of launching at too low a rpm, next time I'm bound to go faster I figure. (Can anyone tell me if they can view that video on 720p HD?)

 

[JDM SRE70]

Maybe relvent to you, but i did up a VF Clubby when they where first released. So i photoshopped it. Maybe you could get some ideas lol

 

[Paulie]

My wheels are now on order with Forge Wheels. Matte black spokes with a gloss black lip 20x10.5 rears and 20x9 fronts, in this configuration more or less:

 

[JDM SRE70]

My wheels are now on order with Forge Wheels. Matte black spokes with a gloss black lip 20x10.5 rears and 20x9 fronts, in this configuration more or less:

That would of set you back a fair bit! Good choice, definitely a change from the average bob janes!

 

[Paulie]

That would of set you back a fair bit! Good choice, definitely a change from the average bob janes!

Yeah they're expensive, but lightweight and I forgot to mention will fit the factory Holden centre caps.

 

[Ibonibo]

Ever since I saw this car going sideways, it's sub zero. Very cool car, especially in the Ute

 

[Paulie]

I went back to the drags tonight and with some smoother driving and cooler conditions I improved my time to a 15.061 @ 97.81mph. So dirty I didn't break the 14's. I really had to baby it off the line in the end to get a smooth launch with traction, and 3rd gear hits the limiter (the fuel cut is just 50rpm after peak power on the standard motor) right at the end of the track, tbh I couldn't tell if it was before or after the finish line. Maybe it could go faster with a better driver, I don't know, I'm not much of a drag racer. I doubt I could go faster than this myself though.
I also bought some Kumhos on special in preperation for the wheels when they arrive, 255/35R20 on the front and 285/30R20 on the rear.👍

I'm also dirty because there's a guy with a Subaru Liberty 6cyl at work that did a mid-14sec pass a while back. His car is mostly stock except for an exhaust, but with that AWD he can launch a lot faster than I can by the look of it.

 

[Paulie]

Found out today the link pins on my adjustable front swaybar were installed on the wrong sides causing damage to the mounting bracket and premature wear. Not looking forward to arguing with the shop that installed them about getting it rectified. Forge Wheels also stitched me up pretty bad. During the order/design phase they never once told me Holden centre caps might be too small, otherwise I could have measured them and passed on custom wheels all together. In the end apparently I had to pay extra for their centre caps.👎 They also tried finishing the wheels leaving the bolts holding the spokes in silver on an otherwise all black wheel. Again, they never told me or gave me the option to paint them black, and again I have to pay extra to have them painted. It's all BS, and it's times like these I feel like selling my car and driving a totally stock 4cyl P.O.S. econobox to avoid such headaches.
I mean seriously, if you can't trust a V8 Supercar team to install your linkpins properly.........
I'm also a little concerned over the legality of my tyres and wheel track when I get the wheels. The stock load rating is 100, tyres don't come in that load rating for the 20" wheels. When you option 20's with Holden accessory wheels or buy an SS with 20's standard they get a new tyre placard that states a 97 load rating. The law seems to say you can have tyres equivalent to any variant of your model vehicle, which to me says I can have the same tyres as an SS or Maloo, but sourcing a tyre placard is proving difficult as Holden won't supply me one unless I'm fitting genuine Holden accessory wheels.
You Americans have things good, in Australia there is very little you can do to mod your car without breaking a law and it not being street legal any more.

Edit: To update the above, further inspection has revealed very little/nothing wrong with my link pins. I have been able to finally get a tyre placard to suit 20's. I also have personalised plates on now! For security reasons I won't say the combination, but the front is a slimline, back is standard, and they are black with white "3D" digits.

 

[Paulie]

Finally got some video on NoobTube from my races at a Circuit and Coffee back in April. I also have video of some head to heads against @Punknoodle's Celica, for that head to his thread.

 

[homeforsummer]

Is it just me or does track day etiquette there look a little... dubious? It looks like a lot of people there were pulling out of your way on the straights, only to then attempt to out-brake you or something into the next corner. The track seems very busy, too.

 

[Paulie]

Is it just me or does track day etiquette there look a little... dubious? It looks like a lot of people there were pulling out of your way on the straights, only to then attempt to out-brake you or something into the next corner. The track seems very busy, too.

It's not a "track day" per se, it's a cruise session. So you cruise around the corners and drag each other down the straights. That's why the video has no corners.

 

[homeforsummer]

Ah okay, that makes a lot more sense then! Explains the traffic too.

 

[CSMDuty11]

Them Aussies, getting to drive Holdens and Tickfords, and sometimes getting to drive them as Utes.

It is better than getting to drive VAZes and GAZes, ok?

 

[Paulie]

These pictures are obviously not of my car, but these are the wheels I've just put on. They're OEM HSV R8 wheels. In a week or so I should have pictures of my car. Tomorrow (assuming they fit) I'll be installing some heavy duty Whiteline front swaybar links, the standard units that came with my aftermarket swaybar were bending and eventually one of the ball joints broke off.

 

[Boffin]

Ute looks like its coming along nicely Paulie! 👍

 

[JDM SRE70]

Paulie i missed out on your issues with Forge Wheels, have a talk to Ty and see what you can sort out. His a nice guy and he should be reasonable.

 

[Paulie]

Well, put the linkpins on, but they're fouling on the strut! Keep pushing car, keep pushing and you'll be finding a new owner that only does services every 40,000km.

Paulie i missed out on your issues with Forge Wheels, have a talk to Ty and see what you can sort out. His a nice guy and he should be reasonable.

I did and he wasn't. From start to finish dealing with Forge was a nightmare.

 

[Paulie]

Well it's been a long time since I posted here and nothing has really changed. I do have a couple photos from a cruise I went on with some friends and work mates a while ago though which actually show my wheels fitted and all. I have been considering some performance upgrades, intake, tune and cams to go with my exhaust, but I'm still researching it. Needless to say after the fiasco with the tools from Forge Wheels and even the suspension link pin issues Tekno gave me (they still graze the strut btw making an audible noise near full lock, but it doesn't seem to be doing damage), I want to make sure I know what I'm getting myself in to.
I haven't seen my car this clean in a long time btw, I live on tank water and there hasn't been much rain lately.

 

[GDII]

Looking good Paulie. Wheels look great too.

 

[Paulie]

Well, research completed I guess. Going to be getting the aforementioned performance upgrades, just got to book a week's holiday or so, and work is pretty turbulent at the moment with one of the big bosses resigning so I'll have to check with my manager when will be a good time. I'll update you guys when I know more.
It seems for the cat converters I'll be going with X-Force, I've heard they're not the best but they do make a (supposedly) bolt-in pair of high-flow metal core cats for my car and right now that's what I need, plus they are cheap so I can't complain too much and won't need to worry if I decided to swap them out in a few years.

Edit: Change of plans, X-Force do not do a bolt in cat, seems nobody does, I'll be having Outlaws custom fitted. Ute's booked in for late October to get it all done. More nervous than excited at this stage, I'll be excited when it turns out good and doesn't have a heap of problems.

 

[Paulie]

Cats, cams and intake are all fitted, it made (on the shop's dyno) 221rwkw/296rwhp. It sounds a lot better now. I'll have a photo later on.

 

[Paulie]

Picture of the engine. They're a fairly potent unit, the LFX, just normally found in heavy cars like mine which is just under 1700kg. Next up, my front tyres which have balding outside edges really need replacing, especially since I just discovered a nail in one, and I have a minor knocking sound in the front end which I'd like to locate. It's been there a long time, but just recently started getting loud enough to think something needs replacing.

Edit: Thinking the knocking sound are strut top mounts, a common issue on these models. I'm also pleased to report I've barely lost any fuel economy after the cams during regular driving, still gets low 8L/100km.

 

[MidnightRun85]

Picture of the engine. They're a fairly potent unit, the LFX, just normally found in heavy cars like mine which is just under 1700kg. Next up, my front tyres which have balding outside edges really need replacing, especially since I just discovered a nail in one, and I have a minor knocking sound in the front end which I'd like to locate. It's been there a long time, but just recently started getting loud enough to think something needs replacing.

View attachment 605791

Edit: Thinking the knocking sound are strut top mounts, a common issue on these models. I'm also pleased to report I've barely lost any fuel economy after the cams during regular driving, still gets low 8L/100km.

That engine cover looks like it would be a nightmare to keep clean! Why would they do a lattice-style piece like that!?