Road: D.I.Y. Berlina International GOON.

[DaveHAT]

"1 of 325" Berlina International pram carrier.

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/P6100072.sized.jpg

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/P6100073.sized.jpg

Standard fair...
Leather bum warmers.
Leather console lid.
17" Machined international rims.
Turbine paintwork with satin silver highlights.
Dual zone climate control.
Electric "stuff" everywhere.


Engine:
2nd hand 918 valve springs.
Ported/Polished DUS throttle body & OTR.
Sealed catchcan
LPG Sequential vapour injection.

Exhaust:
2nd hand H&M tri-y extractors
2nd hand OEM opened Cats
2nd hand Redback catback with S/Steel tips.

Diff:
2nd hand 3.46 gears with LSD

Brakes:
F - 298mm vented/slotted molycarbide rotors – Ferodo Excel pads.
R – 285 vented/slotted molycarbide – Ferodo Excel pads

Suspension:
Pedders sports Ryder springs & comfort gas shocks.
VYII strut brace.

Exterior:
HBD front spoiler.
Midnight express window tint 35%
roof racks.
mudflaps.


Not the newest, fastest or flashest but exactly what I was chasing. After the VT (which was great) I wanted something that was relatively low maintenance, easy to service and maintain myself and piss easy to drive. Hence mods were capped at "minimal".

Most members here have seen it all before etc and so forth but since the pics above I've added LPG sequential vapour injection. Not a performance adder of anything even remotely similar but something I'm glad I did. I can now travel the 500km per week that I do to get from home to pergatory to earn some crinkle and it costs me all of $48 a week and it still goes like a scaled cat ... just a slightly older cat now. :lol:

I'll post some pics of the LPG arrangement but if you can imagine the standard LS1 minus the turtle with a tonne of noise making additional pipes and wires running across the top of the manifold ... that's what it looks like.

12 months on ... still loving it immensely ... (until my 3 y.o. son gets the burning desire to jam 3 CDs into the dash stacker at once :headbang: ) and my daughter decides to "eat" her vegemite sandwhich whilst "helping daddy wash the car" ... :shock: but you get that.

More sinitlating pics to come of the "twin injection performance mod". Still no idea how much power it allegedly makes as it still hasn't seen a dyno after 12 months. Best ET is still 13.1 but with the LPG now fitted I'd think that is not to be bettered.

Not too bad for something modified with essentially 2nd hand parts, fitted by me with the help of some mates. :cheers:

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/P6100071_001.jpg

More pics to come.

PS ... Ahhhhh, the good ole days. Thanks for snapping this one Aeron. :beer:

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/2008_drag_day.jpg

[BOMI]

WOW Dave I didnt know that you had the LPG on it!

And when you throw it down the 1/4 oh and what time did it run. And thats great numbers $45 a week, ohhhhh that would be soooooooo good, how much for the setup mate?

All in all mate a bloody funny read and a bloody nice pram carrier :yep::thumbs:


Troy :)

[Justin]

I could well be wrong, and I guess there could be an LPG thread elsewhere on here, but my (albeit limited) understanding of LPG is that it's rated pretty highly octane wise, and that you should be able to tune a heap of timing into it, or add boost and make pretty nice numbers. As long as it's straight LPG at least...

[scat2k3]

This is a really nice package Dave. The thing looks sensational and the mods are perfect for your application.

The LPG conversion is something out of the blue. Gotta be happy with 500kms for less than 50 bucks.

Cheers,

Scott

[firebug]

I had the opertunity to eye ball the LPG setup on the goon yesterday. It's a chattery little fellow once it kicks in but you cant hear it with the bonnet down. The setup is very neat and factory looking. The Goon is a very tidy package Dave, well done mate :D

[HSV271]

:lmao: 13.1 sec pram carrier that uses $48 of fuel a week... bet the kids love going that fast. :stick:

Just need to find out how it goes around a track now.

[Pulse Red]

Nice car Dave, I really like these International Berlina Wagons. The colour combination is great! And at 13.1 it is a very fast "family" car! The LPG just tops it off as a jack of all trades.

[35R]

Very nice & great post Dave. LPG stuff is interesting too, did it cost much to set up?

[Delft Maloo]

Sweet ride dave, love the goon mate fast and classy.

[DaveHAT]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The install was $4500 with $2000 rebate so $2500 out of pocket. Not too bad given that I do around 2000km minimum per month which means it should roughly pay for itself with 10 months given that my prev fuel bill even when running on E10 was $95 per week.

As promised ... some pics of the now not quite so show standard engine bay. :yike:

BEFORE ... Nice and neat: :woot:

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/Wagon_engine_bay.sized.jpg

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/rear_1.sized.jpg

AFTER ... not quite so neat. :cry:

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/LPG_engine_bay.sized.jpg

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/LPG_engine_bay_II.sized.jpg

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/LPG_tank.sized.jpg

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/LPG_rear.sized.jpg

At least it's cheap to run.

I hope at some stage to make some sort of relatively light weight cover to cover the LPG tank and neaten the cargo area up a bit but ... like many things when you have a 1 & 3 year old ... it's in the gunna pile.

Re: the idea that LPG has a higher octane rating than petrol and being able to take more timing ... this is true. However, LPG also requires a greater volume of fuel when compared to petrol to make the same " BANG" as petrol ... hence the power output is about the same overall. (I think :confused:)

The system starts on petrol and converts to LPG once the coolant temp reaches 35 degrees to convert the liquid into vapour. It's a "piggy back" setup with a PCM on its own that takes its reading from the injector pulse signal in the OEM PCM loom. I really don't understand a great deal of the finer details but it seems to work if not with an element of compromise.

[BOMI]

Thanks for the pics Dave, I reckon it looks pretty hardcore mate and neat at that :yep:

Have you had it Dynoed yet?


Troy :)

[savvy]

Great write up Dave, it makes for a very economical ride considering the cubes, its cheaper than our V6 on petrol with plenty more go.

Can you switch to petrol aswell after the warm up stage and how many litres is the lpg tank and what L/100km on lpg?

Do you need to run a valve lubricant?

Can you try to post a close up pic of where the lpg gets injected into the manifold next to the fuel injectors when you get a chance please.


I might be thinking of a similar thing for a family car, but dont wont the fuel bill associated with cubes for a second vehicle.

[DaveHAT]

Great write up Dave, it makes for a very economical ride considering the cubes, its cheaper than our V6 on petrol with plenty more go.

Can you switch to petrol aswell after the warm up stage and how many litres is the lpg tank and what L/100km on lpg?

Do you need to run a valve lubricant?

Can you try to post a close up pic of where the lpg gets injected into the manifold next to the fuel injectors when you get a chance please.


I might be thinking of a similar thing for a family car, but dont wont the fuel bill associated with cubes for a second vehicle.


No worries Sav ... will do.

The LPG tank is classified as "80 lt usable" and measured at the pump is delivering 16.5lt/100km with an average speed of 55-60km/h.

On petrol I was seeing 12.5-13.5lt/100 prior to the conversion and yes you can revert back to petrol anytime you want with the push of a button. I tend to forget about the petrol and have to consciously remind myself to run it on petrol to get rid of what's in the tank before it "goes off".

I don't run valve lubricant but have been thinking about it. I figure that seeing as it always starts on petrol whether hot or cold I don't think there's a need to use valve lube. Time will no doubt tell whether I'm right in my thinking but the installer didn't mention the need for it. Just make sure you run it on petrol regularly should keep it happy.

I'll get those injection point pics sometime this week.

Thanks for the pics Dave, I reckon it looks pretty hardcore mate and neat at that

Have you had it Dynoed yet?

Never seen a dyno Troy ... all tuned on a private road with the use of an abandoned airstrip for WOT stuff. :hide:

[savvy]

No worries Sav ... will do.

The LPG tank is classified as "80 lt usable" and measured at the pump is delivering 16.5lt/100km with an average speed of 55-60km/h.

On petrol I was seeing 12.5-13.5lt/100 prior to the conversion and yes you can revert back to petrol anytime you want with the push of a button. I tend to forget about the petrol and have to consciously remind myself to run it on petrol to get rid of what's in the tank before it "goes off".

I don't run valve lubricant but have been thinking about it. I figure that seeing as it always starts on petrol whether hot or cold I don't think there's a need to use valve lube. Time will no doubt tell whether I'm right in my thinking but the installer didn't mention the need for it. Just make sure you run it on petrol regularly should keep it happy.

I'll get those injection point pics sometime this week.




Thanks for the reply Dave, no hurry with the pics, i am only curious to see how it is plumbed into the manifold.

I only ask about the valve lube, as i have a cousin that has a later model landcruiser and he had a bottle (about 1L) under the bonnet filled with the lube, he told me it was for safety sake and it got filled about every 5-6 tank fills and the option wasn't expensive at the time.

[Duffman]

The goon's looking great Dave :yep: Gotta love $50 per week for LPG!

Interesting to hear that there isn't a big difference in the 'seat o the pants' meter while on the gas.

[Muncha]

Looks good.

The engine bay doesn't look that bad, maybe paint the lpg tank blue and put some NOS stickers in the engine bay and tell people you are testing a endless nitrous set up. :D

[veewhytu]

Classy looking rig that goon Dave and a definate winner in the bang for buck stakes, nice work all round :cheers:

[DaveHAT]

Thanks for the reply Dave, no hurry with the pics, i am only curious to see how it is plumbed into the manifold.

I only ask about the valve lube, as i have a cousin that has a later model landcruiser and he had a bottle (about 1L) under the bonnet filled with the lube, he told me it was for safety sake and it got filled about every 5-6 tank fills and the option wasn't expensive at the time.

Only took me 3 months to get the pic Sav but here you go.

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/gas_injector.sized.jpg

Not the best pic but you get the idea.

The manifold is tapped at each intake runner and a gas injector threaded into the runner.

Connections are pretty agricultural with little more than a spring clamp to hold it all in place but it seems to work ... if not without an element of compromise.

That'll do donkey. :faint:

[savvy]

Only took me 3 months to get the pic Sav but here you go.



Not the best pic but you get the idea.

The manifold is tapped at each intake runner and a gas injector threaded into the runner.

Connections are pretty agricultural with little more than a spring clamp to hold it all in place but it seems to work ... if not without an element of compromise.

That'll do donkey. :faint:

lol thats cool Dave:hat: i got the idea, might be agricultral but the system works, have you been able to compare the L/100 and reliability with a liquid injection system?

[choppo]

Dave, where is the LP gas kit from?? - would you recommend them again?? Ive been thinking of do that for years

[DaveHAT]

Dave, where is the LP gas kit from?? - would you recommend them again?? Ive been thinking of do that for years

Hey Steve,

The kit fitted to mine is a Sprint Gas system which I got from GASPOWER in Newcastle.

Installed by another company called All Care Car Services.

I would recommend it on the understanding that even though LPG in injection form is much better than a mixer system power wise ... it still brings an element of compromise.

The interesting thing I've noted having done quite a few highway KM over the christmas period is that the fuel consumption is about the same doing highway km as it is driving day to day.

Estimated around 14.5 - 17lt/100km running gas only other than at start up. Not the best but I can fill it twice for less than one tank of petrol and still go as far.

Haven't compared against LILPG quite delierately and I'll explain why later.

Optimising the OEM PCM for LPG means it runs great when on LPG but ... if I run it on petrol it runs pig rich with worse fuel economy than a stock LS1.

More LPG required for the same bang as petrol = increased injector pulses.

The thing that irks me the most is that it's utterly impossible to make it look neat. Probably a stupid thing to worry about but after fitting the friggen knock sensors and oil pressure switch ... relatively simple stuff like removing the manifold is now an Alby Mangels style adventure (from a DIY perspective). More pipes, looms, connections and other associated bollocks than 50 dogs at a dog nut convention.

ENTER LATER --> Still ... I'd do it again but with the liquid injection next time. I should have waited and gone that way originally as it would have only been about $500 at the time but the try and retrofit LILPG now ... essentially means a complete re-install. Oh well ... all part of being an asshat, IMPATIENCE !!! :lol:

[savvy]

LPG might be the answer for thousands of people in the near future.

Can they run two tunes from the one PCM to refine the tune on each fuel?

[SenatorMike]

Looking good Dave go the LPG powered LS1 wagon's haha

[DaveHAT]

Massive BLING update.

Got a little tired of the tempest/black interior so went a lookin to see what could be done about this.

Fiddle ... that's what :idea:. With a little help from a Datto ricer owner I cooked up this little combo.

BEFORE:
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/wagon_interior.sized.jpg

AFTER:
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/black_dash.sized.jpg

Not that exciting but I'm happy with it. Changes:

Swapped the original twirler for a HSV jobbie with the lumpy bits:
Cluster surround VZ Calais in gloss black.
Centre dash surround edges & door vents painted in gloss black to match.


I couldn't get the centre dash parts in tempest with gloss black edges, so $40 worth of pressure pack paint and some elbow grease later I ended up with something that isn't perfect but still looks pretty fair.

[Dan_]

Looks good Dave. Get some duragloss on those plastics. It helps stop the fingerprints

[DaveHAT]

Looks good Dave. Get some duragloss on those plastics. It helps stop the fingerprints

Already done mate ... also helps conceal "mistakes" :yep:

:lol:

[firebug]

Nice personal touches Dave! :thumbs:

[Ron]

Looks good Dave, your personal touches to detail have always made your cars stand out mate :thumbs:

[DaveHAT]

Says it all really ...

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/GOONHAT.sized.jpg

Thanks DadHAT. :)

[WOMBIE]

Looking gooooood :thumbs:

[DaveHAT]

Looking gooooood :thumbs:

Indeed ... if I'd stuck it on the day of the drags I reckon my best of 13.6 would've been blasted into the weeds for a 13.59. :yep:

Do I get another wrap over the knuckles? :flame:

[WOMBIE]

Mate you may have gone backwards :dunno:
















:lol:

[DaveHAT]

Mate you may have gone backwards :dunno:

:lol:

Probably ... but I'd have looked the shit whilst setting a new record for slowest E/T.

:hat:

Take it to PM! :D

[WOMBIE]

Probably ... but I'd have looked the shit whilst setting a new record for slowest E/T.

:hat:

Take it to PM! :D


:lol: :giveup: :hat:

[firebug]

Says it all really ...

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/NickS/GOONHAT.sized.jpg

Thanks DadHAT. :)

I love it... :lol:

[savvy]

Mate you may have goon backwards :dunno:
















:lol:

Fixed it for you!

[35R]

Wombie these stickers look great.

Quick question: where did you get them made and was it exxy?

[WOMBIE]

Wombie these stickers look great.

Quick question: where did you get them made and was it exxy?

Mate I was only talking to Dan about this last night as he wants some gear made up for his business.

The guy is based at Seven Hills (Mikes Signs) and I originally saw him prior to the first drag date this year being eventually cancelled.He was full on with work at the time but took on the job anyhow.

The rain that couple of weeks didn't help him with prior orders he had and the putting up of the large signage that he does which put him behind and so my order was put on the back burner.I got a little upset which is unusual for me :rolleyes: but he came through in the end and cut me a deal because his service wasn't up to the usual standard (his words) and so he did the artwork and about 10 stickers for $75..........he's actually a really nice bloke!

I'm going to go and see him next monday and so i'll get a couple of business cards for those that may have signwriting needs and pass them out at bbq at WSP and i'll ask about pricing :yep:

[DaveHAT]

In the midst of a ton of other crap and never ending battle to beat the aging process of me and the 7 year old heap ... "a birthday of sorts was had".

Not overly exciting but ... at least I've pissed those bloody molycarbide rotors off. No matter what pads were tried ... nothing worked and shit pedal feel.

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/DaveHAT/brakes.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/DaveHAT/brakesII.jpg

Then as a treat to myself ... some of Phreddy's finest:
Blue LED with white LCD screens. Nice :)

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/DaveHAT/dashII.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/DaveHAT/climateII.jpg

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/DaveHAT/headunitII.jpg

Thanks Timmoi and Greg, aint nothin flash but flasher that it was. :D

[Febs]

Looks great Dave! Nice colour combo. :)

[lautray]

Interior looks flash. Love it. The rotors don't look half bad either. So the molycarbide weren't much chop then?

[Dan_]

Looks great Dave!

[DaveHAT]

Interior looks flash. Love it. The rotors don't look half bad either. So the molycarbide weren't much chop then?

Mine definitely were ... dunno about others.

The molycarbides turned out to be exactly what I paid for. CHEAP!!!

4 sets of (ferodo, QFM & Bendix) brake pads, a NEW master cylindar swap, 2 sets of calipers and I lost count of the number of bleeds undertaken to try and get the pedal to feel firm.

ZIP ... DIDDLY SQUAT improvement.

Swapped to these and almost threw myself through the windscreen the first time I jumped on the brakes. I enjoyed that feeling ... first time since buying it in 07 that it ever felt really confident under foot.

The dash I'm stoked with. Greg's got some giddyup skills with the soldering iron and programming. Seeing the dash pulled apart makes the sphinctor pucker a little but well worth it.

I tried something different with the blue dials. I guess it could be called "ricey" but I love it. Something different.

Thanks for the comments.

[NickS]

Lights look great mate ... Coupe 4 scheme in reverse, I like it.

:bravo:

[WOMBIE]

The wags is looking good Dave and it's great to see phreddy getting out and about too.......good job to both of you guys :)

[fatas]

dave i see you pissed the moly carbs off what did you put on i have warped my 15000km old DBA sloted front rotors :rocket: and need new ones what did you try ?;)

[DaveHAT]

dave i see you pissed the moly carbs off what did you put on i have warped my 15000km old DBA sloted front rotors :rocket: and need new ones what did you try ?;)

VX HSV "level 1" 330/315 brake setup ... second hand with a lick of red paint.

I've run the same brakes on the SS with VXSS 17s previously but the Inter-rims must be slightly different in design. The clearence between the wheel weights & caliper would be no more than 3mm at best.

They offered to use knock on weight ... :slap: :rocket:

[aussie372]

Mine definitely were ... dunno about others.

The molycarbides turned out to be exactly what I paid for. CHEAP!!!

4 sets of (ferodo, QFM & Bendix) brake pads, a NEW master cylindar swap, 2 sets of calipers and I lost count of the number of bleeds undertaken to try and get the pedal to feel firm.

ZIP ... DIDDLY SQUAT improvement.

Swapped to these and almost threw myself through the windscreen the first time I jumped on the brakes. I enjoyed that feeling ... first time since buying it in 07 that it ever felt really confident under foot.

The dash I'm stoked with. Greg's got some giddyup skills with the soldering iron and programming. Seeing the dash pulled apart makes the sphinctor pucker a little but well worth it.

I tried something different with the blue dials. I guess it could be called "ricey" but I love it. Something different.

Thanks for the comments.

Looks good Dave love the dash setup.. I have the moly carbide rotors on the VT in combination with EBC yellow stuff pads and cannont fault them (except when jumping from the VE straight into the VT )

cheers mark

[DaveHAT]

Looks good Dave love the dash setup.. I have the moly carbide rotors on the VT in combination with EBC yellow stuff pads and cannont fault them (except when jumping from the VE straight into the VT )
cheers mark

Interesting ... maybe I just got a dud pair of fronts. The front ones I had were "dimpled" or "ribbed for her pleasure" or something to that effect. :confused:

In poor mans English ... probably just cheap and nasty.

Either way ... they're gone to the great metal depository in the sky and these second handies now pull the heap up quite smartly with added BLING bonus.