History
This car is a factory black, Holden by Design, VT LS1 6 speed manual. My brother and I originally cammed, exhaust and clutched this car for a customer before his partner became pregnant. Once he found out, he decided he wanted us to swap motor, gearbox, etc out of this car into a VT V6 wagon he brought due to there new born on the way. Unable to talk him out of it, we stripped this car and changed everything over into the newly purchased VT wagon. My brother and I had also purchased a repairable write off, VT 6 Speed manual Clubsport, prior to this conversion. When we were looking at the black VT shell sitting in our workshop we decided to buy it off our customer and do the swap all over again as the body was straight, never been crashed and it was BLACK, our favourite colour, So we swap everything, whole interior, dash, engine, fuel lines, suspension, rear k-frame assembly 3.73 diff ratio, brakes, absolutely everything bar body parts. The car was then roadworthied and change into our name. It was then cammed, OTR, full exhaust, wablro 255lph fuel pump and driven. Motor eventually spun bearings and this is where it took a different direction. A new motor was purchased on a budget, low km VZ 5.7 LS1. An AVO twin turbo kit was fitted, with ambitions of a street friend 350rwkws. This then progressed to 380rwkws which ended up making the car unreliable due to breaking rear driveshafts regularly. I always wanted to own a tubbed car so a rear end conversion began. It end up with an aluminium housing, steel tubes, full floater, 35 spline moser axles, 3.25 full spool rear end, mini tubbed to accommodate up to a 325 tyre. Rear wheels are now 15x10" rims with 3 3/8th back spacing, twin piece tailshaft, full custom twin 3" inch system out both sides of vehicle. Fuel tank has been replaced with trunk mounted fuel tank with surge tank and bosh 044 pump. To say I was finally content with the look of the rear end is an understatement. It's such a great feeling looking at a tubbed car and not have to worry about your tyres wearing out on the insides anymore :) With the new 3.25 diff ratio it transformed the power delivery of the car dramatically, it felt so much stronger as the turbo's now have gears to push out. I then went down the road of water methanol injection. I brought a Howerton Engineering Water Meth Injection System. This is the best setup I have every installed. I ran twin nozzles into intake pipe before throttle body, mounted gauge in dash facia, tank in boot next to battery. Once system was up and running, I fitted vehicle to the dyno and started to tune car to see the benefits. I started to increase boost level up to 12psi with water meth system and work from there, it made very good improvements. As boost levels progressed up to 16psi I was finding results inconsistent on each dyno run. It took a little bit of brain storming, but my conclusion was valve float was the coarse. Remember this engine is completely standard in everyway bar 80lbs injectors. Funny thing was I invited to go on a road trip to Alice Springs Red Center Nats 2015 with Street Machine in the car. I was over working on it by this stage as so much time and effort had gone into it at this time and I was happy just to drive car up the way it was. Well this was not good enough for one of my mates so I found out. Next thing I know Jason turns up at my work with a set of new valve springs in hand and say's let's get this done, LOL. I really couldn't be bothered I was so over this car by then, but thanks to Jase, a new breathe of fresh air, valve springs were fitted and car was strapped back down on the dyno. I can say I was so happy I had a mate go that extra yard and do what he did, the car now fitted with new number plates GMGRNT mad 465rwkws (625hp), fuck'n WOW!!!. This is a completely standard VZ 5.7 LS1, never been apart, standard throttle body, inlet manifold, fuel rails, cam, single row timing chain, never been apart ever engine. :) :) :) So we get GMGRNT off the dyno for its test drive and what a car it is now, BEAST!!!. Doctor Jekyll & Mr Hyde. With 295 street tyres on rear it will spin wheels at 100kph on dry bitchy, putting you back in the seat while accelerating around the speedo. Here we come Red Center Nats. My only concern with this trip was the engine combo and rear end conversion where only just done and we are going to do a 5000km round trip in an untested vehicle. I have always built my cars to drive and this was no exception, I took great care in building this car, involved the right people so I was mostly confident it would be ok, even with me behind to wheel :). So the day come and we left to go on our Alice Springs trip, there was 4 cars in totally, we meet up at a Melbourne servo, said our hellos and the journey began. It took 3 days to drive to Alice Springs in which we all developed friendships and story's only the way. Once we arrived at Alice on the Friday arvo I went to the Red Center Nats event to see where the dyno cell was as Street Machined wanted the car dyno'd Saturday morning so it could then go and compete at the drag strip. When I found the dyno cell I introduced myself and asked if it was ok to be first on the dyno Saturday morning and they said that was fine. He asked what power my car was making and I told him 400rwkws (talked it down a little) and he said is it naturally aspirated?? I left wondering what kind of cars have they got up here, lol. Saturday morning arrived, car got strapped down on the dyno, I was pretty nervous as there was a crowd and there all just watching you. I jumped in the passenger seat, dyno operator asked me if there was anything he need to know, I said replied no, run it up like any other car. M car turned out 608rwhp, I was stoked, dyno operator was super impressed, asked me about the car and I was on my way to the drag strip. I lost count of how many runs I did at the strip over the weekend but it was up around 40. Best time on street tyres was 11.4 @ 136mph. While I was at the drag strip I kept getting phone calls telling me I was still winning the dyno comp and to my surprise at the end of the day I actually won. None of the other bigger cars which should have made more power preformed on the day. Best part about winning the dyno comp is you get invited to the presentation night at the Alice Springs Casino and I can tell you it was all bells and whistles, hats off to the organisers, well done. I received a trophy, ate great food, had a few drinks, meets some awesome people and had a grand night. Next morning, up early for the long drive home.
TO BE CONTINUED...
