Troutman Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 1999 Holden Calais I finally got some pics of the Holden today. It has taken a long time due to my needing to complete a spoiler removal project as well as organising a proper outing. GM-owned Holden makes its models, mainly full size sedans, in South Australia. The Calais an upmarket version of the Commodore with a higher equipment level, but otherwise identical. The VT series was first released in 1997, based loosely on the European Opel Omega platform. This is why the doors look the same as an Omega or for that matter a Cadillac Catera. Mine is the series II update, which saw 4 airbags standard and the availability of the all-alloy 5.7 litre Chevy 350 (most of them have a Buick 3.8 V6). It is teamed to a 4 speed automatic. This example has done 78,000 kms which is about half of average. Minor mods include debadging, de-spoilering, de-tutoning and tinting. It has had a tune which means 190-200 kilowatts (maybe 260 horsepower) at the rear wheels. Or almost 2 stock 800Ms. Liquid injection LPG has also been fitted. IAM THE TROUT RIDER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 There is no substitute for classy looks. I recognized the Omega resemblance before reading it. Here they mainly came with a 2,0 4-pot developing 136 hp, with 2,5 and 3,2 V6 as rare exceptions. I can see you'll have a slight advantage when it comes to power to weight ratio. How is the lowrange grunt compared to the 500? Despoiling it was a good descision obviously. Congrats man. Though I suggest you reread the first line in this post 10 times and perform a restart of your computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Of course small-engined manual cars feel faster than they are due to being 'zippy'. Numbers tell the real story. Most of my normal driving is at under 1,500 rpm, including accelerating up to 80 km/h, and it can even make it up most hills like that. Something I wouldn't recommend with a 2.0 V6, even as delightfully sweet a motor as the Eunie's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 I can see how a 3,7 litre increase in capasity gives the Holden a decent advantage sub 2k, as well as above. But honestly Trout, that red rearend is like a baboons ass. Would you concider having the centre lid sprayed in body color, just leaving the actual lamps red? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 The base models of the later series had just that, as did the Holden Monaro that was exported to the States as a Pontiac GTO. Personally I find the original full width tail lights the lesser of 2 evils, as the coloured centre can look like an afterthought. VX Commodore SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginph Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Omega huh? Thats a very good car. I think the same size as milly. But I thought they always come with V6. A relative still has a V6 omega. 4 cylinder will have hard time pulling that devil. I agree with the rearend. Cant imagine a spoiler on top of that crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 The base models of the later series had just that, as did the Holden Monaro that was exported to the States as a Pontiac GTO. Personally I find the original full width tail lights the lesser of 2 evils, as the coloured centre can look like an afterthought. VX Commodore SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 The prettiest of them was the Holden Monaro... As for full width tail lights, they were common once upon a time. Here are some good examples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Yes, an early 90ies heritage from the late 80ies. Problem is your car is late 90ies. Beyond expire date. I've concluded. Albeit an afterthought I still like the separates better. But leaving bootlid lights, not unlike Milly shape, with mid section painted would make your Holden unique and possibly even look good. Isn't there already a convex shaped bootlid part of the light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 The Subaru and Scorpio are late '90s also, but nonetheless I am considering your advice. Here are the three main rearends of the VT-VX series. 1: VT Commodore - original 2: VX Commodore - low series 3: VX Commodore - high series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Give me a break. The Scorpio was launched in 94 and quickly became a bad design milestone. Subaru is, and always was a copycat. The 5door GE 626 launched in 92 was in my opinion a good design; the rearends integrated spoiler and full width lights stands out from the crowd to this day. But Mazda wisely avoided full width lights on the 4door model, and God forbid the same era Xedos with siblings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Actually the Jap model pretty much had full width lights, though the Aus delivered models were much prettier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginph Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Please dont give subaru as a design example. And they even once put spoiler to milly, dont they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginph Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 What a shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ing-schu@online.no Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 As we all know, this was a factory option for men i lesser taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazdaMomma Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 1999 Holden Calais I finally got some pics of the Holden today. It has taken a long time due to my needing to complete a spoiler removal project as well as organising a proper outing. GM-owned Holden makes its models, mainly full size sedans, in South Australia. The Calais an upmarket version of the Commodore with a higher equipment level, but otherwise identical. The VT series was first released in 1997, based loosely on the European Opel Omega platform. This is why the doors look the same as an Omega or for that matter a Cadillac Catera. Mine is the series II update, which saw 4 airbags standard and the availability of the all-alloy 5.7 litre Chevy 350 (most of them have a Buick 3.8 V6). It is teamed to a 4 speed automatic. This example has done 78,000 kms which is about half of average. Minor mods include debadging, de-spoilering, de-tutoning and tinting. It has had a tune which means 190-200 kilowatts (maybe 260 horsepower) at the rear wheels. Or almost 2 stock 800Ms. Liquid injection LPG has also been fitted. IAM THE TROUT RIDER Not bad Trout, tho it looks more like a buick regal (1992) than it does the cadiallac catera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Cheers Kitty. The VT was by far the best selling car in the country for years, and obviously 12 years of constant familiarity is very different to viewing something for the first time. You must visit some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazdaMomma Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Cheers Trout. I do plan a visit to Australia. Hopefully, I can squeeze in a trip to Melbourne as well while down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliat6288 Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Shame... with cars like this i feel ashamed to own the same car... that is why we must keep our cars in the best possible shape to prevent this hidious spoiler crap to happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troutman Posted November 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 But what about the Good Lord ///BHRpowered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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