Greetings from Straya.
Firstly, I know what you’re thinking: “2002 isn’t really retro.” and I tend to agree.
However the VY Commodore is the 2nd facelift of the VT Commodore introduced in 1999, which was itself a widened, lengthened version of the Opel Omega B1 introduced in 1994. Therefore, if the Omega B1 gets retro points then the VY gets retro points too.
Enough trying to justify it, let's crack on.
I viewed this just before Christmas, and as soon as I started it I knew I was buying it. I took it for a quick drive – box shifted okay no thumps and bangs, and it didn’t pull to either side. Got back to the seller’s house, checked the bodywork was straight, and we shook hands, I popped to the bank for a deposit and the deal was done. Then I remembered I should really have checked the VIN and EIN etc. At least I’d done the online check beforehand so I knew it wasn’t nicked or on finance...assuming the VIN matched the rego that is.
Now, the rules here are stupid beyond belief – there is no annual MOT type check however you do need to get an MOT (a RWC here) in order to transfer the registration to someone else. Fortunately for me the buyer was doing the right thing and including one in the sale price (it is technically illegal to sell a registered car without a RWC but it happens all the time). The only problem was he couldn’t get an appointment until the 16th of January because of the summer holidays.
Oh, and to make the whole process of buying a car privately even more of an adventure there is no V5 equivalent either. Both parties simply fill in the transfer paperwork and the buyer pops along to Vicroads to pay the transfer fees, and I guess hopes everything goes okay (I’m doing that tomorrow - fingers crossed).
So following a successful RWC (although it cost him more than he expected) I popped round (did I mention he lives 2 minutes drive from me?) yesterday evening with the balance, filled in the paperwork, and drove home in this:
a 2002 Holden VY SS Ute.
It is a 5.7 litre LS1 Gen 3 pushrod V8 with 315 hp and 465 Nm of torque linked to a 4 speed (yes, that is correct, 4 speed) slushbox driving the rear wheels – which is all pretty retro if you ask me.
It came lowered, has a “sports” exhaust (which is a wee bit droney but easy and cheap to fix), an over the radiator cold air intake (I’m not sure how it got the RWC with this – if you remove the MAF then you’re classed as having messed about with the emissions controls so it should fail. Worth pointing out the actual emissions test is limited to visible fumes though), and aftermarket wheels.
Plans?
The engine bay needs a clean, I think I’ll repaint the cover, and the bonnet insulator is a bit tatty.
I’m not sure about the wheels – I’ll run them until it needs tyres and then see if I can pick up a set of VZ SSZ wheels, and maybe paint them anthracite (I feel the need for some plastidip to experiment with).
Possibly a hard lid to replace the canvas tonneau, and maybe an infill panel to put the rear numberplate in the centre.
Fortunately they built hundreds of thousands of the VT to VZ Commodores so 2nd hand bits are cheap and easy to get, and even new bits aren’t that expensive. Plus there is huge aftermarket support.
I will try and update as I go along – it may be slow process. First real task is to use it for a tip run to empty the other side of the garage so it can live in there. The OH won’t put up with it living on the drive for long
I should also point out that it is completely unnecessary and impractical given my daily is a 6.2 litre V8 VFII Commodore estate, and the OH has an Astra which can tow as much as the ute. I still had to have it though
Firstly, I know what you’re thinking: “2002 isn’t really retro.” and I tend to agree.
However the VY Commodore is the 2nd facelift of the VT Commodore introduced in 1999, which was itself a widened, lengthened version of the Opel Omega B1 introduced in 1994. Therefore, if the Omega B1 gets retro points then the VY gets retro points too.
Enough trying to justify it, let's crack on.
I viewed this just before Christmas, and as soon as I started it I knew I was buying it. I took it for a quick drive – box shifted okay no thumps and bangs, and it didn’t pull to either side. Got back to the seller’s house, checked the bodywork was straight, and we shook hands, I popped to the bank for a deposit and the deal was done. Then I remembered I should really have checked the VIN and EIN etc. At least I’d done the online check beforehand so I knew it wasn’t nicked or on finance...assuming the VIN matched the rego that is.
Now, the rules here are stupid beyond belief – there is no annual MOT type check however you do need to get an MOT (a RWC here) in order to transfer the registration to someone else. Fortunately for me the buyer was doing the right thing and including one in the sale price (it is technically illegal to sell a registered car without a RWC but it happens all the time). The only problem was he couldn’t get an appointment until the 16th of January because of the summer holidays.
Oh, and to make the whole process of buying a car privately even more of an adventure there is no V5 equivalent either. Both parties simply fill in the transfer paperwork and the buyer pops along to Vicroads to pay the transfer fees, and I guess hopes everything goes okay (I’m doing that tomorrow - fingers crossed).
So following a successful RWC (although it cost him more than he expected) I popped round (did I mention he lives 2 minutes drive from me?) yesterday evening with the balance, filled in the paperwork, and drove home in this:
a 2002 Holden VY SS Ute.
It is a 5.7 litre LS1 Gen 3 pushrod V8 with 315 hp and 465 Nm of torque linked to a 4 speed (yes, that is correct, 4 speed) slushbox driving the rear wheels – which is all pretty retro if you ask me.
It came lowered, has a “sports” exhaust (which is a wee bit droney but easy and cheap to fix), an over the radiator cold air intake (I’m not sure how it got the RWC with this – if you remove the MAF then you’re classed as having messed about with the emissions controls so it should fail. Worth pointing out the actual emissions test is limited to visible fumes though), and aftermarket wheels.
Plans?
The engine bay needs a clean, I think I’ll repaint the cover, and the bonnet insulator is a bit tatty.
I’m not sure about the wheels – I’ll run them until it needs tyres and then see if I can pick up a set of VZ SSZ wheels, and maybe paint them anthracite (I feel the need for some plastidip to experiment with).
Possibly a hard lid to replace the canvas tonneau, and maybe an infill panel to put the rear numberplate in the centre.
Fortunately they built hundreds of thousands of the VT to VZ Commodores so 2nd hand bits are cheap and easy to get, and even new bits aren’t that expensive. Plus there is huge aftermarket support.
I will try and update as I go along – it may be slow process. First real task is to use it for a tip run to empty the other side of the garage so it can live in there. The OH won’t put up with it living on the drive for long
I should also point out that it is completely unnecessary and impractical given my daily is a 6.2 litre V8 VFII Commodore estate, and the OH has an Astra which can tow as much as the ute. I still had to have it though
...
to do so I'm not sure if I can be bothered doing black infill round the badge. The finish overall isn't perfect (as you can tell if you look closely at the pics) but it makes a huge difference. It is currently sitting in the garage to harden off. I'll refit it next weekend and then go for a run to check it doesn't go on fire or melt or something.