I worked at Holden's in the Elizabeth body shop as a leading hand from Dec '87 till mid '97. worked on the last of the VL's till we switched over to the VN. it was a huge change, going from body shell's that were basically manually assembled from start to finish on large rolling jigs till they were at a stage where they came off them and on to the body trucks that rolled down the line to have things like doors,bootlids, bonnets etc fitted to being assembled on the shuttle line where robots performed most of the spotwelding that was originally done by hand on the old lines. there were many teething problems to start with but bit by bit the bugs were ironed out. in my section, where we metal finished the MIG brazed roof joints, along with other highly visible spot welded area's we had many issues with poor panel fit that required us to lead fill certain spots to reduce the incidence of water leaks in the final assembly testing area's till changes could be made to the actual die's to improve panel fit and eliminate the issues that we had. we used to have a VL Commodore wagon in the rework area of the bodyshop that was originally a test mule for the original fuel injected V8 used in the VN. it had a handmade intake manifold that was almost identical to the cast aluminium one used on the VN, along with the necessary experimental ECU's etc that they needed to test to get the injected V8 ready for full production.
The VN added something extra to the sound of the injected 304. When you turn it off, instead of just simply stopping, it lets out an evil sounding hiss
Dads got a VN BT1 sitting in the shed on trickle charge, white with the grey plastics and silver interceptor stockies. Such fond memories as a kid of him coming home from work, pulling into the garage, and as he turned it off all you heard was a big "FWOOOR" exhale from the exhaust. Funny... I actually called him on the weekend and said mate if you ever even think about selling it contact me straight away. I'll take it in a heartbeat no mates rates. Ever since that call I haven't had the thought of these beautiful cars leave my mind. I think i'm in love.
My grandfather has a 1988 VN Executive 5 speed manual V6 with the optional Formula pack. He traded a late 60s model Mercedes for it back in 88' and has owned it since. It has nearly 300,000kms on the clock but still drives well. I adore the car so much so that I've asked for it. He also has a VY S pack manual that he now daily's so the VN lives out on a farm where it sits undercover and is driven every so often by both my aunt and uncle.
@Shin Sho The VN Commodore tops the Allianz list at 2286 cars stolen in 2009/10 alone. And the Commodore in general is the most stolen car in Australia. I had a VS SS that was stolen in under 5 minutes. I got the car back and was able to see what they did to steal it, and it was frighteningly easy!
@Shin Sho The VS was meant to have improved anti theft system and all the thiefts did was disconnect one plug on the wiring loom and break the steering wheel lock. Done in under 5 minutes! I'd say that's bloody easy! But I bet your one of these bloody yobos with a mullet that think the Commodore is the best car on the planet and who puts a Chevy badge on the boot. No doubt you have a shrine on your wall with a Holden flag and models of Peter Brocks race cars in between bottles of Jim Beam. And make your yearly pilgrimage to Bathurst to worship Holden on top of the mountain with a case of VB. 😏
True but if you had the sense to deadlock the drivers door the lock couldn't be popped at all, even smashing the window you had to crawl through broken glass to get in (although this feature may have been added in the VP)
@@jq747 That's exactly what happened, the doors were deadlocked and they smashed the drivers window and crawled in. They must have had a hard time because the window tinting held the glass together and I found it on the ground pretty much in one piece. When I got the car back I could see that they had to pry the glass away from the frame as the window frame was all bent. I even locked the glove box and they smashed that too, not that there was much in there. They did a lot of damage to the inside and just ripped panels out to get to the electronics. Moral if the story, don't park a nice VS SS in the Miranda shopping centre when watching a movie! I was lucky as there was less than 10 litres of fuel in the tank and they dumped the car a few suburbs away.
I've had 4 of these 5L injected V8s, all manual (VN ex pursuit, VP SS and 2 VS SS).... They were relatively light, punchy bottom end and sounded awesome. Not nearly as quick as an LS1 but more of a bottom end motor and you could cruise everywhere in 4th gear from 20km/hr up to 200km/hr. Fuel economy was similar to a 4L Falcon (14L/100km city, 9L/100km country)
Wow, hard to believe it was 30 years ago. I owned a VK Calais and recall taking a VN Calais for a test drive in about October of '88. Essentially a re engineered Opel Omega, they were very flash in the day. Just goes to show how engine technology has changed. The V8 SS had 165kw, my Kluger V6 has 218kw! Great video, thanks for the upload.
@livey ooneThat's right, hence "re-engineered". Very hard to look at the VN and not see "an Omega on steroids". All the Commodores up to the VZ began as an Opel/GM Global platform. The VE was the first "all Australian" version with no Opel lineage.
@livey oone So true. No doubt the head honchos at GM HQ in Detroit made sure all the GM subsidiaries (Opel, Holden, Chev, Vauxhall, Cadillac, GMC etc.) all shared different components. Makes sense too if say for example Holden pumped out all the transmissions for all GM products and so on.
@clayton E well, maybe buy an optima battery because I've removed and installed it heaps in 5 or so years(shared it between cars) with absolutely no problem whatsoever
The old VN you gotta love them V8 or V6 I remember my old mans VN midnight purple chrome rims full exhaust extractors ect ect loved it I thought it was the beez knees
"165 KW???" We may laugh today at a V8 with less horsepower than a V6 Camry, but remember these cars were the same weight as a modern Corolla, so they absolutely flew.
@@zoltrix7779 Yep, A Honda Civic Vti 1.6L from the same era was 0.1sec faster to 100kmh lol. Also offered such amenities as the interior not being made from recycled McDonalds packaging.
In 1989 the only Civic you could get had a 1.5 carby engine with about 70KW...The Holden V8 was the most powerful unit available to everyday car buyers by a country mile. These things freakin' flew compared to just about anything else you could buy at the time. A Corolla SX16 or Laser TX3 Turbo were the kings of hot hatches, both made about 100KW..
At least you guys got a V8 option. Here in the U.K., our Vauxhall Carlton / Senator (essentially the same cars) came with a 3.0 straight six putting out just over 200hp. Mind you, they were pretty fast for their day, and the police loved them as traffic cars.
One of my mates in Orange had the HSV version, he also owned a VK Brock SS. I never appreciated how awesome these cars were until years later, and how it was almost an honor to even be a passenger in one of these legendary cars.
@@polidiotpatriot3966 we're still talking about cars right? This is a car channel, we should appreciate all types of cars no matter what brand they are. This is also a good metaphor for life. Have a good one mate
They were the ducks guts in the day.Great motor the injected V8. My dad ordered a standard Executive V6, the Buick sourced donk. Somewhat coarse tho they went like stink,even in stock form. Fuel injection made the world of difference,and the beginning in Australia of the modern car. Great upload,keep them coming. :))
Fuck, seems u really know how to run a car into the ground My dad purchased a brand new vn in 91, looked after it and put over half a million kms on it, still with the original engine and gearbox, retired and gave it to me and I put another 200k kms on it before finally letting go of it
I bought a vn v8 for 500 unregistered about 10 years back. Took it out bush and thrashed it untill the wheels fell off.. I knew the moment it was over I would regret this some day. Now they becoming so rare. This one had life in her too
@@HoonTV really is. People was pretty much giving these cars away 10 years back. Only if we could of predicted the end of real Holden's and the price increase. Seen a vn v8 ok gumtree asking price was 30k. People looked to the hsv models for collecting. Commodores are collectors cars too
This brings back some memories. I used to have a series 1 VN V6 in the same colour as this (single colour though, not two tone). Never had any major problems with it other than trying to take off from traffic lights in the wet if there was an incline (impossible without spinning the wheels). The series one V6’s had so much torque from basically idle it was ridiculous. I can see why so many ended up wrapped around power poles as the handling was diabolical in the wet and not too much better in the dry. Coupled this with the huge torque from idle and you had to drive it very conservatively if it was raining just so you didn’t end up having a discussion with the grim reaper! I still miss that car and would probably still have it if some sheila didn’t decide to run a stop sign and take it out.
@@kiwiconnection3580. Mine had simmons mags with (I think) 225 wide tyres on it. Still didn’t help in the wet and it was still easy to break traction in the dry. Fun times!
That's what makes vn vp vr vs's so good. I really like all the low end torque these have. Ive driven cars that are more sluggish down low and i find them annoying.
I remember not long after they came out a few years maybe. My brother in law had one with a body kit ( he called it ) and it looked like a Plymouth roadrunner. I used to lmao
Had a '90 Berlina sedan, 5 litre. Must have had a "Wednesday engine" in it, it was a rocket even stock. A shift kit, 2.5" cat back exhaust, big hole in the airbox, and the timing advanced to 14 degrees initial, and it did a 14.6@150kph, not a bad old thing..
Young kids of today Will never know how much of a big thing the vn was when released the v8 was very powerful but as vns became older most had a horrible problem with the paint fading baldly from the sun I once heard a spraypainter tell me with the vns the paint didn't contain any lead in it and that is why so many had fading problems and also they where the least holden released with the smallest amount of color options
My dad had a interceptor right out of the police force when they were moving on best on the time hsv running gear use to blow the doors of every one I wish I could of seen it
The Holden VN Calais may have the name of a later model econobox Oldsmobile Cutlass, but it looks like it was built on the same frame as the 1990-1998 Chevrolet Caprice/Caprice Classic/Caprice Estate/Impala SS and Buick Park Avenue/Roadmaster. Am I right on that statement, and am I also right on it being built with many of the same parts as well, yes or no?
@@HoonTV yeah they were. He then owned a VP SS which he nearly died in during a horrific car accident, a VS SS ex cop car, VTII Clubsport, VY SS, VY Clubsport R8, VYII Clubsport, VZ Clubsport and his last one was a VE SSV. That VE was a nice car but that VZ was doing wheelspins in 3rd gear
I had a VN commodore , it was in NZ when I lived there , they used to put 2.0 litres in these in NZ yuck 🤢 huh , anyway the one I had did originally have a 2.0 litre someone ripped it out and put the RB30 Nissan 3.0 litre motor in along with some extractors , and was all certified by the time I bought it , and what a good idea it is to put the 3.0 motor in these , the motors light and the car absolutely hauled arse and the other thing is the Nissan /holden badging on rocket cover was the most balanced engine you could put in these cars , you would have to convert one and drive one to see exactly what I mean the cars with the 3.0 litre conversions are phenomenal and also extremely fuel efficient
I read once that the VN was 'supposed' to get the RB30 and was designed as such during early development. Later, as the AUD/JPY exchange rate deteriorated for Holden and the Nissan motors became too expensive, they looked for a cheaper alternative which they found in-house in Detroit.
yes the RB30 was a sweetie for its time, but you may find the V6 was in fact a lighter, torquier, more powerful and more fuel efficient engine and centred its weight further back in the engine bay
Yeah i remember these when they came out, trust me every one thought 165 kw was big power back then, most 4cyl cars were only pumping out 80 to 100 kw at the time . Fords 5 litre in 1992 EB also had 165kw.
Cheap nasty an brittle plastic especially bumper mounts, door handles & those Calais grills literally get so brittle they descintergrate when an insect hit is, hood lining sags, clunky gearbox, whining diff, sagging door hinges, seat rails that bend causing the front seats to lean inwards, handling sucked so bad it was actually a dangerous car to drive due to the VN development costs cut backs & Holden cutting corners. Which left the front wheels with a slightly more narrower track than the rear which led the car to have some over steer... So many of my friends & other people wrapped these VN’s around trees & power poles in the 90’s, a total dog of a car, engine was pretty much bullet proof, although the series 1’s V6’s where still configured to the FWD American the came from which had the main water inlet at the rear of the motor making it totally inaccessible an they often leaked also the series one has a plastic restrictor plate on the intake just after throttle body an instant HP gain is achieved by removing it, this is the first model Mang that could single peg for days, a bogan favourite most Mangs got straight through sports exhausts with no other mods with their automatic transmissions which gave the car that dreaded V6 droning noise which made it infamous & widely hated.. A total shit box of a car true & through mine was a 89 Calais 2 tone Silver over Champagne, dropped on its guts with statesman front an rear bumpers & grill, certainly took the abuse.. but the Holdens lack of build quality showed, super rare to find a decent totally Stock example these days & betting you’d really struggle to find one without brittle plastics & sagging hood lining
They were pretty basic by today’s standards, they were pretty awesome though in the day, and they were soooooo much better that the ea falcon, the falcons made the commodore feel like a spaceship in comparison
Ben Thomas Spot on mate but you forgot it’s most prolific monicker; Australia’s most stolen vehicle... They are a bit of a turd in build quality but that engine exhaust note is sweet and they just have aged well, in my opinion. I suppose I’m biased towards the old Aussie 5.0L donk but how can you not love that engine? Even if a Seppo journo called it a “parts bin V8”.
None of that in this one, Ben, (except hoodlining has been replaced) so as with any car it depends on how they are treated and stored. As you might realise, after 30 years and several WGAF owners, most cars will show signs of neglect so the VN is no different in that respect
New Zealand got versions with the GM family ii 2 litre 4 cylinder as used in the camira, they'd be ideal for a z20let swap as they are familiar design but with a dohc head
I was only 12 years old when they were released, I'd totally forget about buying the 3.8 litre version which pissed oil out of the rear main oil seal & leaked water past the Welsh plugs,many of them were "repaired" under warranty. For whatever reason, the 5 litre V8 engine wasn't renowned for leaking oil like the Buick V6 engine was,they both ran a 2 piece rope rear main oil seal in 1989,I have been in a VN 5 litre Commodore which is much better than the V6 version. It was still the same with the VY Commodores, I love driving my SS Commodore which had a custom exhaust fitted when new & it was also retuned on a dyno. I wouldn't like driving it if it was say just an S pack (3.8 litre V6) model !
I worked at Holden's in the Elizabeth body shop as a leading hand from Dec '87 till mid '97. worked on the last of the VL's till we switched over to the VN. it was a huge change, going from body shell's that were basically manually assembled from start to finish on large rolling jigs till they were at a stage where they came off them and on to the body trucks that rolled down the line to have things like doors,bootlids, bonnets etc fitted to being assembled on the shuttle line where robots performed most of the spotwelding that was originally done by hand on the old lines. there were many teething problems to start with but bit by bit the bugs were ironed out.
in my section, where we metal finished the MIG brazed roof joints, along with other highly visible spot welded area's we had many issues with poor panel fit that required us to lead fill certain spots to reduce the incidence of water leaks in the final assembly testing area's till changes could be made to the actual die's to improve panel fit and eliminate the issues that we had. we used to have a VL Commodore wagon in the rework area of the bodyshop that was originally a test mule for the original fuel injected V8 used in the VN. it had a handmade intake manifold that was almost identical to the cast aluminium one used on the VN, along with the necessary experimental ECU's etc that they needed to test to get the injected V8 ready for full production.
Awesome story. Thanks for sharing. Sad times when it closed.
hey thanks for sharing that, many of us are fascinated by tales from behind the scenes
Never buy early production vechiles ?
I still think the 5L has the best sound
355 sounds weaponary
They were a sweet sounding engine. Even 253s were great.
@@HoonTV I've got a soft spot for the high compression model.
The VN added something extra to the sound of the injected 304. When you turn it off, instead of just simply stopping, it lets out an evil sounding hiss
Idle control valve
He should've known to tap the dash to check the fuel level😉
There was a time when if you had an ex-cop V8 VN interceptor you were king.
We have our carpark at work graced by a VN BT1 every day.
I've got three manual v8 bt1s at home
Lambo was always the real king until Bugatti came along.
@@tbone5654 Then there was Koenigsegg....
TMM .. haha .. spot on
Dads got a VN BT1 sitting in the shed on trickle charge, white with the grey plastics and silver interceptor stockies. Such fond memories as a kid of him coming home from work, pulling into the garage, and as he turned it off all you heard was a big "FWOOOR" exhale from the exhaust. Funny... I actually called him on the weekend and said mate if you ever even think about selling it contact me straight away. I'll take it in a heartbeat no mates rates. Ever since that call I haven't had the thought of these beautiful cars leave my mind. I think i'm in love.
My grandfather has a 1988 VN Executive 5 speed manual V6 with the optional Formula pack. He traded a late 60s model Mercedes for it back in 88' and has owned it since. It has nearly 300,000kms on the clock but still drives well. I adore the car so much so that I've asked for it. He also has a VY S pack manual that he now daily's so the VN lives out on a farm where it sits undercover and is driven every so often by both my aunt and uncle.
The most easily stolen car in Australia.
@Shin Sho
The VN Commodore tops the Allianz list at 2286 cars stolen in 2009/10 alone.
And the Commodore in general is the most stolen car in Australia.
I had a VS SS that was stolen in under 5 minutes.
I got the car back and was able to see what they did to steal it, and it was frighteningly easy!
@Shin Sho
The VS was meant to have improved anti theft system and all the thiefts did was disconnect one plug on the wiring loom and break the steering wheel lock. Done in under 5 minutes!
I'd say that's bloody easy!
But I bet your one of these bloody yobos with a mullet that think the Commodore is the best car on the planet and who puts a Chevy badge on the boot.
No doubt you have a shrine on your wall with a Holden flag and models of Peter Brocks race cars in between bottles of Jim Beam.
And make your yearly pilgrimage to Bathurst to worship Holden on top of the mountain with a case of VB. 😏
@@ME-kp5iz
Yes despite what Mr Shin Sho says, most stolen Commodores are used for joy rides and not to feed the spare parts market.
True but if you had the sense to deadlock the drivers door the lock couldn't be popped at all, even smashing the window you had to crawl through broken glass to get in (although this feature may have been added in the VP)
@@jq747 That's exactly what happened, the doors were deadlocked and they smashed the drivers window and crawled in.
They must have had a hard time because the window tinting held the glass together and I found it on the ground pretty much in one piece.
When I got the car back I could see that they had to pry the glass away from the frame as the window frame was all bent.
I even locked the glove box and they smashed that too, not that there was much in there. They did a lot of damage to the inside and just ripped panels out to get to the electronics.
Moral if the story, don't park a nice VS SS in the Miranda shopping centre when watching a movie!
I was lucky as there was less than 10 litres of fuel in the tank and they dumped the car a few suburbs away.
I've had 4 of these 5L injected V8s, all manual (VN ex pursuit, VP SS and 2 VS SS).... They were relatively light, punchy bottom end and sounded awesome. Not nearly as quick as an LS1 but more of a bottom end motor and you could cruise everywhere in 4th gear from 20km/hr up to 200km/hr. Fuel economy was similar to a 4L Falcon (14L/100km city, 9L/100km country)
Love the 5L. I have a 94 hsv maloo with 5 speed manual and love it😍😍
For those of us that put them back together new,we salute the ones that kept them running in one piece
Wow, hard to believe it was 30 years ago. I owned a VK Calais and recall taking a VN Calais for a test drive in about October of '88. Essentially a re engineered Opel Omega, they were very flash in the day. Just goes to show how engine technology has changed. The V8 SS had 165kw, my Kluger V6 has 218kw!
Great video, thanks for the upload.
@livey ooneThat's right, hence "re-engineered". Very hard to look at the VN and not see "an Omega on steroids". All the Commodores up to the VZ began as an Opel/GM Global platform. The VE was the first "all Australian" version with no Opel lineage.
@livey oone So true. No doubt the head honchos at GM HQ in Detroit made sure all the GM subsidiaries (Opel, Holden, Chev, Vauxhall, Cadillac, GMC etc.) all shared different components. Makes sense too if say for example Holden pumped out all the transmissions for all GM products and so on.
The old battery that was impossible to get out. Tail lights that use to leak like a sieve
Roof lining that was glued with clag glue
@@bally856 the old staple gun did the trick
What? Iv got a vp senny that i rarely drive... its easy as fuck to put it in and take it out.... even with my alarm screwed in there near the fuse box
@clayton E well, maybe buy an optima battery because I've removed and installed it heaps in 5 or so years(shared it between cars) with absolutely no problem whatsoever
👍👍👍👌😍😍👌👍👍👍👍
Nice car.... Love this 80's cars. The dsgn was absolutely cool...👌👌
First video of you guys, 30 seconds in, subscribed! Love the content, looking forward to watching more. Thanks!
Sean Pereira many thanks, really appreciate the support. More to come!
Good example of a classic , the presenter is really cool to listen too, good explanation etc 👍👍
He's a really good guy, very smart and loves cars. Stay tuned for more from Glenn!
on a 5ltr YT binge, just bought a VT SS 5ltr manual :) love it..the sound
Good review. Did anyone else find it strange the way he said kilowatt....Kelowatt lol
Haha I found myself repeating the word thinking am I the one saying it wrong? Glad I'm not
He’s Aussie
@@HoonTV Also strayan, don't say it like that, maybe I should though 😂
Keeelawat 😂
HoonTV really? No way....lol
I still have my vacationer vn v6 wagon brought brand new from Holden in Sydney, car still going in 2020...long live the vn,
1:00 so surreal seeing a 3.8 so clean
The old VN you gotta love them V8 or V6 I remember my old mans VN midnight purple chrome rims full exhaust extractors ect ect loved it I thought it was the beez knees
"165 KW???" We may laugh today at a V8 with less horsepower than a V6 Camry, but remember these cars were the same weight as a modern Corolla, so they absolutely flew.
My 2001 Hyundai has 165kw 😂
Absolutely flew? Please take off the rose tinted glasses. Looking back, they were shit boxes.
@@zoltrix7779 my r31 skyline was faster
@@zoltrix7779 Yep, A Honda Civic Vti 1.6L from the same era was 0.1sec faster to 100kmh lol. Also offered such amenities as the interior not being made from recycled McDonalds packaging.
In 1989 the only Civic you could get had a 1.5 carby engine with about 70KW...The Holden V8 was the most powerful unit available to everyday car buyers by a country mile. These things freakin' flew compared to just about anything else you could buy at the time. A Corolla SX16 or Laser TX3 Turbo were the kings of hot hatches, both made about 100KW..
my first 4 cars were Vp and Vn wagons the old trading post days!
Love the car. I had the same model with grey leather seats. I rebuilt the engine with just over 200kw. Went really well. Spewing I sold it now
Who the hell drives a VN and doesn't rip a one wheel skid???? Great example of an underrated car 😁
*doesn't have a cig locker installed. Fixed for you
*drives over burnout marks and doesnt skid* - UnAustralian.
clinto56 overrated as hell, They should send each and every one of them to scrap
Those of us who spin up two...
Also one of the most popular cars for thieves in the 90s wonder how many reports were made between 88/98 I'd say well over 50k
Can't believe you went to sugy pad in a vn and didn't send it 😂 bloody good example of a vn tho, best newy has had on its roads in a while
At least you guys got a V8 option. Here in the U.K., our Vauxhall Carlton / Senator (essentially the same cars) came with a 3.0 straight six putting out just over 200hp. Mind you, they were pretty fast for their day, and the police loved them as traffic cars.
Tell me more about these Keeeeellow-watts.
Vauxhall/Opel Omega in Europe. We only got the 3.2 litre V6. Still good for over 150mph though. Some British Police Forces had them for a long time.
One of my mates in Orange had the HSV version, he also owned a VK Brock SS. I never appreciated how awesome these cars were until years later, and how it was almost an honor to even be a passenger in one of these legendary cars.
Get off the band wagon chump.
@@polidiotpatriot3966 nah, they were both sedans
@@hinglemccringleberry9138 na in Australia mate. Sedan only gave us bus loads of brainles blacks.
@@polidiotpatriot3966 Nah, it wasn't the sedans that did that. It was Kia Carnivals and Toyota taragos.
@@polidiotpatriot3966 we're still talking about cars right? This is a car channel, we should appreciate all types of cars no matter what brand they are. This is also a good metaphor for life. Have a good one mate
My mate had a V6 VN for his first car. They were only 10 years old then. Went like the clappers.
They were the ducks guts in the day.Great motor the injected V8. My dad ordered a standard Executive V6, the Buick sourced donk. Somewhat coarse tho they went like stink,even in stock form. Fuel injection made the world of difference,and the beginning in Australia of the modern car. Great upload,keep them coming. :))
Love the sound of these motors
Who would of thought these old boats would be as sought after as they are now..?
Yep just got mine back so happy ...factory 5L 5 speed
Got me Torrie back to whoop whoop
Had a vp back in the day
Everything broke on that
Diff, trans, engine, power windows, ignition barrel, bushes, shocks, power steering rack and pumps
Fuck, seems u really know how to run a car into the ground
My dad purchased a brand new vn in 91, looked after it and put over half a million kms on it, still with the original engine and gearbox, retired and gave it to me and I put another 200k kms on it before finally letting go of it
I bought a vn v8 for 500 unregistered about 10 years back. Took it out bush and thrashed it untill the wheels fell off.. I knew the moment it was over I would regret this some day. Now they becoming so rare. This one had life in her too
Crazy isn’t it!
@@HoonTV really is. People was pretty much giving these cars away 10 years back. Only if we could of predicted the end of real Holden's and the price increase. Seen a vn v8 ok gumtree asking price was 30k. People looked to the hsv models for collecting. Commodores are collectors cars too
Mad yarn ,gotta love the ol VN.
Nothing sounds better than 5l V8, I have VR BT1 with 185kw engine with lukey extractor and exaust and sonds amazing.
i was born in 87 and just got my hands on one of these. not exactly stock but still love it and plan to keep it for a while.
I remember having one when I was senior Sargent at Mount Thomas station
This brings back some memories. I used to have a series 1 VN V6 in the same colour as this (single colour though, not two tone). Never had any major problems with it other than trying to take off from traffic lights in the wet if there was an incline (impossible without spinning the wheels). The series one V6’s had so much torque from basically idle it was ridiculous.
I can see why so many ended up wrapped around power poles as the handling was diabolical in the wet and not too much better in the dry. Coupled this with the huge torque from idle and you had to drive it very conservatively if it was raining just so you didn’t end up having a discussion with the grim reaper! I still miss that car and would probably still have it if some sheila didn’t decide to run a stop sign and take it out.
They’re iconic now 👌🏻
Ditch the 185 tire profile for 235 up to 265 and that problem goes away.
@@kiwiconnection3580. Mine had simmons mags with (I think) 225 wide tyres on it. Still didn’t help in the wet and it was still easy to break traction in the dry. Fun times!
@@David-lr2vi 235 or more! 225 will still spin up. My v8 one spins up anytime I put too much lead into my foot.
That's what makes vn vp vr vs's so good. I really like all the low end torque these have. Ive driven cars that are more sluggish down low and i find them annoying.
I've always wanted a atlas grey Vn ss
My recollection is that the VP was a HUGE improvement
Every Commodore model got that little bit better :)
Funny that these are in fashion now. you could buy these for scrap prices not long ago. They do drive like a hunk of junk like nearly all 80's cars.
The Holden VN Calais has the exact same chromed plastic badge on its trunk/boot lid as the Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais has on its side fenders.
Still love my 1989 VN APV group5i
I remember not long after they came out a few years maybe. My brother in law had one with a body kit ( he called it ) and it looked like a Plymouth roadrunner. I used to lmao
Fixing water leaks around the rear screen at pre-delivery. Good times.
Reminds me of this movie. ua-cam.com/video/8odnFywwp6Q/v-deo.html
I had a 5ltr VP Calais. Much improved over the VN.
Well done guys - cool vid!
THIS IS A CAR. So many memories good power to weight for its day and a light ass end so much fun
Loved the video! I love learning about cars .... certainly australian ...
Grtz from belgium
Aged well. Would like one in that Calais version
I reckon the L67 is why Holden replaced the 5.0 with the LS1
Had a '90 Berlina sedan, 5 litre. Must have had a "Wednesday engine" in it, it was a rocket even stock.
A shift kit, 2.5" cat back exhaust, big hole in the airbox, and the timing advanced to 14 degrees initial, and it did a 14.6@150kph, not a bad old thing..
So Aussie - opening the bonnet of a VN Calais “Alroooiiiigghhht, the foiiive loiitre” STRAYA!
Would you prefer James May’s posh tones? 😂
This Holden reminds me of the Opel Senator / Vauxhaull Carlton 🙂🙂
You always knew when the highway patrol was close buy Roar from the 5L was unmistakable
Spotto. Mount Sugerloaf car park. Newcastle representing!
Thought for sure that looked like the bottom near orica lol
Or out the back of mulbring on the way to kurri kurri ?
Best sized back seat going round VN - VS.
Explains why everyone who drives one has an obese gf/wife.
thank you, very much enjoyed
Need to thank Opel for providing the Omega A as a base for this vehicle.
More Senator than Omega and that was only some of the bodywork, the platform was a modified previous generation of the australianised Commodore
Had exactly the same car back in the day but in blue,was a an awesome car.
The Sv89 - Sv5000 and Vn Grp A were awesome
A Commodore with it's original fuel flap now there's something you don't see everyday
Can’t believe it’s 30 .. where does time go!
Indeed!
Young kids of today Will never know how much of a big thing the vn was when released the v8 was very powerful but as vns became older most had a horrible problem with the paint fading baldly from the sun I once heard a spraypainter tell me with the vns the paint didn't contain any lead in it and that is why so many had fading problems and also they where the least holden released with the smallest amount of color options
Nice edit boys 👍😊
two deformed looking twins who love rice burners............sign of the times. Next
My parents had one of the few manual VN Calais, sold it to get the LS1 VT
That’s why I’ve got a 5 speed VL in my backyard
Retirement fund
Was that a plug for Allen’s lollies towards the end? Or did I miss something about him eating those lollies before jumping back in the car...
ha! Some people used to call these 'jelly-bean' Commodores when they were new...
Mt sugarloaf Newcastle hunter valley
the best 4wd offroading vechile
Wot?
My dad had a interceptor right out of the police force when they were moving on best on the time hsv running gear use to blow the doors of every one I wish I could of seen it
Not a huge Commodore fan, but this one was a classic 👌
Bullshift Car Reviews Nah, They were the failure of all commodores, The styling and quality was shit, Even in the v8's
@@alchemia7512 yeah fair haha
The Holden VN Calais may have the name of a later model econobox Oldsmobile Cutlass, but it looks like it was built on the same frame as the 1990-1998 Chevrolet Caprice/Caprice Classic/Caprice Estate/Impala SS and Buick Park Avenue/Roadmaster. Am I right on that statement, and am I also right on it being built with many of the same parts as well, yes or no?
So I WAS right, huh? I take it that this car must also have begun as a 1990 model as well?
such a good car
My dads first car with a V8 engine was one of these. A VN Calais manual 5.0L. No traction control so when he floored it he shat himself
They were pretty quick in their day
@@HoonTV yeah they were. He then owned a VP SS which he nearly died in during a horrific car accident, a VS SS ex cop car, VTII Clubsport, VY SS, VY Clubsport R8, VYII Clubsport, VZ Clubsport and his last one was a VE SSV. That VE was a nice car but that VZ was doing wheelspins in 3rd gear
Better looking than a Chevrolet of the same era.
You forgot to mention the bonnet hinges. They clap out randomly and then when you open the bonnet, it smashes the lower corner of the windscreen.
VNlyfe
@@HoonTV haha yep. Still great cars though. I miss my old one. The series 1 V6 with a 5 speed was a torque machine down low.
Is this Phoenix red ?? What colour is the grey called ?
Not sure TBH, I'm sure there's some VN Colour gurus in the comments
Apparently the later models of the VN were detuned coz people were complaining they couldn’t take off from a standing stop without wheel spin.
The bellmouth restrictor, fitted to the later v6's, oval shaped plastic inside the intake.
What about the old twin exhaust system (pipes out each side of the rear)?Single (?) exhaust for a V8,I dont think so,mate.
I had a VN commodore , it was in NZ when I lived there , they used to put 2.0 litres in these in NZ yuck 🤢 huh , anyway the one I had did originally have a 2.0 litre someone ripped it out and put the RB30 Nissan 3.0 litre motor in along with some extractors , and was all certified by the time I bought it , and what a good idea it is to put the 3.0 motor in these , the motors light and the car absolutely hauled arse and the other thing is the Nissan /holden badging on rocket cover was the most balanced engine you could put in these cars , you would have to convert one and drive one to see exactly what I mean the cars with the 3.0 litre conversions are phenomenal and also extremely fuel efficient
Well if it had rockets in there it must have hauled ass..
RB30 is a heavier engine than the buick 3.8 litre and less power an torque!
I read once that the VN was 'supposed' to get the RB30 and was designed as such during early development. Later, as the AUD/JPY exchange rate deteriorated for Holden and the Nissan motors became too expensive, they looked for a cheaper alternative which they found in-house in Detroit.
yes the RB30 was a sweetie for its time, but you may find the V6 was in fact a lighter, torquier, more powerful and more fuel efficient engine and centred its weight further back in the engine bay
She’s a beaut, that’s for damn sure
More content on classic aussie cars such as this.. cheers
Damn this thing is pretty
I'm on the hunt for one these vns
I have a rose grey VN Calais 5ltr with 107,000kms with original books and first rego paper that will be for sale in a few weeks.
Wow, how times have changed! Only 165kw from a V8! Haha
THEAC83 yeah, the LS engine make that if you disconnect half the coils 😂
HoonTV haha so true!
My first car was a ‘91 Maranello Red V6 VP Calais. I think it had 127Kw. My new V6 Camry SL has 224kw 😂
Yeah i remember these when they came out, trust me every one thought 165 kw was big power back then, most 4cyl cars were only pumping out 80 to 100 kw at the time . Fords 5 litre in 1992 EB also had 165kw.
@@THEAC83 Yes but how many kw did a '92 Camry have.. hint, less than 100, lol
A have an immaculate 96 VS series 2 5 litre.love it.
I remember driving my dads when I was a P plater. Any moisture in a corner and you were facing the wrong way lol
Dr Spaceman I’ve got the v6 and it’s literally the same thing, lots of fun though
P Platers dream car apart from a VL or a Gemini.
yes that was true 20 years ago... where you been?!
Cheap nasty an brittle plastic especially bumper mounts, door handles & those Calais grills literally get so brittle they descintergrate when an insect hit is, hood lining sags, clunky gearbox, whining diff, sagging door hinges, seat rails that bend causing the front seats to lean inwards,
handling sucked so bad it was actually a dangerous car to drive due to the VN development costs cut backs & Holden cutting corners. Which left the front wheels with a slightly more narrower track than the rear which led the car to have some over steer...
So many of my friends & other people wrapped these VN’s around trees & power poles in the 90’s, a total dog of a car,
engine was pretty much bullet proof, although the series 1’s V6’s where still configured to the FWD American the came from which had the main water inlet at the rear of the motor making it totally inaccessible an they often leaked also the series one has a plastic restrictor plate on the intake just after throttle body an instant HP gain is achieved by removing it,
this is the first model Mang that could single peg for days, a bogan favourite most Mangs got straight through sports exhausts with no other mods with their automatic transmissions which gave the car that dreaded V6 droning noise which made it infamous & widely hated..
A total shit box of a car true & through mine was a 89 Calais 2 tone Silver over Champagne, dropped on its guts with statesman front an rear bumpers & grill, certainly took the abuse..
but the Holdens lack of build quality showed, super rare to find a decent totally Stock example these days & betting you’d really struggle to find one without brittle plastics & sagging hood lining
About hit it on the head
Ben Thomas but they’re still a part of Australian motoring history.
They were pretty basic by today’s standards, they were pretty awesome though in the day, and they were soooooo much better that the ea falcon, the falcons made the commodore feel like a spaceship in comparison
Ben Thomas Spot on mate but you forgot it’s most prolific monicker; Australia’s most stolen vehicle...
They are a bit of a turd in build quality but that engine exhaust note is sweet and they just have aged well, in my opinion. I suppose I’m biased towards the old Aussie 5.0L donk but how can you not love that engine? Even if a Seppo journo called it a “parts bin V8”.
None of that in this one, Ben, (except hoodlining has been replaced) so as with any car it depends on how they are treated and stored. As you might realise, after 30 years and several WGAF owners, most cars will show signs of neglect so the VN is no different in that respect
I had this car but the v6. I had nothing but trouble with it. 1990 vn calais
Really? I had a 91 3.8 had about 300ks on it, drove it like I stole it everyday only thing that failed was one of the coils.
What state is the car first registered?
Not sure sorry
What's better, vl calais 304 or vn
I'd prefer a VL
I have always wondered if a C20let or C20Xe would bolt into one of the poverty spec 2.0L models. That would wake it up.
New Zealand got versions with the GM family ii 2 litre 4 cylinder as used in the camira, they'd be ideal for a z20let swap as they are familiar design but with a dohc head
I spy with my little eye, something beginning with Mount Sugarloaf and George Booth Drive.....
Luke Plaizier no hiding that fact 👍🏻
I was only 12 years old when they were released, I'd totally forget about buying the 3.8 litre version which pissed oil out of the rear main oil seal & leaked water past the Welsh plugs,many of them were "repaired" under warranty.
For whatever reason, the 5 litre V8 engine wasn't renowned for leaking oil like the Buick V6 engine was,they both ran a 2 piece rope rear main oil seal in 1989,I have been in a VN 5 litre Commodore which is much better than the V6 version.
It was still the same with the VY Commodores, I love driving my SS Commodore which had a custom exhaust fitted when new & it was also retuned on a dyno.
I wouldn't like driving it if it was say just an S pack (3.8 litre V6) model !
What are the couple codes on both tones ?
Color codes
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