I believe the Russell St bombing was a VC Sl/E, not a VB.

My mate who owned the car worked with my brother at Brandon Park SC where it was stolen from.
I see him pretty much every 2 or 3 days and go motorbike riding together and says the car was
an VB SL/E.
It had more badges on the boot but cant remember what but there was a special build of roughly 18 VB's back then
and the original owner was a bank manager in Berwick who's brother worked at f/bend and ordered/bought it.
He cant recall if the builds were used to advertise the extra goodies in the car like interior stuff etc.

I just asked him if he kept any info on the car like rego papers and any other bits and he kept a folder with all
the media crap and stuff and had given the folder to his grand kids for school assignments and not sure if he ever got the
folder back or if he did,he might have thrown it out.
He gets contacted by the media whenever an anniversary comes up to go on the shows but refuses to as ALOT of those crime
show participants end up with retribution of some sort from the criminals family members.
I think the car is still displayed at the world trade centre in melb.
He said he'll look if he can find the folder and car details.

I worked with a bloke in about 1986 who had a HQ ute with an engine and box out of a 308 4spd VB SL/E. The car was recovered burnt out in the bush near him. He bought it off the insurance company and used the 308 and M21 in the HQ, fire didn't really get that bad into the engine bay just singed paint on the rockers and another dizzy and all was fine. I also knew of a fair few more L31 M21 examples around here in Lake Macquarie/Newcastle, TH400 and TH350 examples as well. They were commonly used as parts mines for Holdens and Toranas as in the mid to late 80's they were unwanted and good cars were wrecked out for parts just like Statesmans were. I remember in 1985-6 seeing $2000 mint registered VB-V L31 SL/E's and HZ Statesmans go under the hammer at auctions, only to see them being wrecked out later that week at local wreckers.

That first link VB, it has Aztec Silver paint code only, so not a factory shadowtone, not like the one this thread talks about, which has the two paint codes.

As for VB SL/E gems, this one is damn nice.
http://www.tradeuniqueca.../holden/commodore/65083

However this has been on the market for years
http://www.tradeuniqueca.../holden/commodore/39501
Suppose to be one of 30 in that colour, not sure what that colour really is. Looks to me to be Sandlewood Beige Metallic.

I reckon it is Sandlewood Beige Metallic, looks same as my VB SL/E. Only different is the pinstripe.

Wish I had of known about the torana, I would have bought it. .

It turns out my Shadowtone was owned by GMH DESIGN DEPT.
Car was first registered on 12th June 1980 by the guy who bought it from the design department.
Guess who that was? Chris Emmerson.
Chris was the person who designed the VC shadow tone prototype and worked with Leo Pruneau on the project.
Un reputable proof of the cars provenance now.
And it was one of the first Australian hand built VB prototype bodys assembled in 1977 so is now the oldest commodore in the country.

Edited by user Thursday, 18 December 2014 12:32:54 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

quote:

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Originally posted by 1997 HRT GTS PILOT

And it was one of the first Australian hand built VB prototype bodys assembled in 1977 so is now the oldest commodore in the country.

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How early is the chassis number & VIN ? Or do they in fact have them stamped at all ?

Dr Terry

quote:

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Originally posted by castellan
A mate of mine's grandad bought a New VH commodore with a 2.85L auto in it, as he did not want the 3.3L because he was so tight and did not like the 3.3L engines at all, so they got him what he wanted but when he want to trade it in, they made a big fuss about it being the wrong engine in it and put a 3.3L in it. as they claimed he put the 2.85L in it him self, he was like hitting 90 years old back then, no one put it in at all. it was because he made such a fuss and he was a very influential wealthy person that they got Holden to do the small engine with the auto.
Now I thought you could get a 2.85L auto as the 1.9L 4cyl commodore came with manual and auto I am sure in the VC-H. it may of been a VK.

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There were no 2.85's past VH so it can't have been a VK. A 162 pack was a VH 8VK with LD1, M40 and GU4. a 262 pack is the same thing in a VH 8VL and there is a 265 pack too that is LD1 M40 but has rear discs and some other stuff. Plus a 360 pack which is VH 8VX with LD1, M40, AS9.

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr Terry

quote:

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Originally posted by castellan
A mate of mine's grandad bought a New VH commodore with a 2.85L auto in it, as he did not want the 3.3L because he was so tight and did not like the 3.3L engines at all, so they got him what he wanted but when he want to trade it in, they made a big fuss about it being the wrong engine in it and put a 3.3L in it. as they claimed he put the 2.85L in it him self, he was like hitting 90 years old back then, no one put it in at all. it was because he made such a fuss and he was a very influential wealthy person that they got Holden to do the small engine with the auto.
Now I thought you could get a 2.85L auto as the 1.9L 4cyl commodore came with manual and auto I am sure in the VC-H. it may of been a VK.

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You do hear a lot of stories like this & it was mostly due to the salesman telling porkies. This was because he already had the 3.3 in stock or the waiting list was too long for what the buyer wanted & he feared loosing the sale altogether.

I well remember purchasing my own HZ L31/M41 One-Tonner in 1977. The first salesman I spoke to denied their existence at all, despite the fact that a business associate of mine, had just taken delivery of one across town, only 2 weeks earlier.

Dr Terry

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He was pushing that he could not sell it with the 173 auto.
Did they make 173 auto VH ?

I don't see what the big deal was with holden not optioning the 308 in the 1 tonne as that's the only one I would want but then again the falcon XB-C ute could not be ordered with the HD springs if you had a 351 to get that you could only get the 250 and 302 with that option.

With the ambo pack 1 tonne they would be covering there arse with the weight over the tail at all times I would think.

I wanted to buy a new Falcon XR6 Turbo with a tray on the back of it without having to buy the ute style side and thought it would not be a problem at all, but the sales man went right off his rocker about it, no way at all would he do it. he said it had to much power and for re sale I would never be able to sell it. I said that's BS.