Here is the 4th episode in the Holden Commodore Auto History Series - the VK. Please hit that Like button as it really helps the channel and please make sure you are Subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. Check out the other Playlists on the homepage too. Thanks for watching! 👍
Thanks for your knowledge Mark! Without these videos so much important Aussie automotive history would be lost (and likely incorrectly summarised by some kid, in a video, born after 2000). All the best mate!
@@markbehr88 true. I think GMH also realised they would look outdated compared to the Fairmont Ghia, ( which was fuel injected by this time in the XF) if they carried over the same carbureted setup they had been using for decades into their new Calais series. That would have cost them some serious sales numbers. Even the Nissan Skylines of the day had the L24 EFi engines , which probably made similar power to Holdens Carbureted 3.3 six! .
Thanks Mark! Car & Driver magazine here in the US did a writeup on a VK SS in 1985, and I've been hooked ever since! Finally got my own Holden in 2017. Love my VF SS, drive it every day!
The VK was the best car I ever had. I had the 308 5.0 blue motor that you see at 3:44. It had that V8 rumble, it was comfortable to sit in as well as to drive in, solid, the power steering was responsive and those C pillar windows really helped when checking the blind spot.
My dad was given a brand new red VK executive for his job and I remember him boasting the day he drove it home "it's an executive, that's the up market one for us executives only" he said proudly. It was the new fangled electronic ignition so almost every time we were at a servo a crowd would gather asking to pop the hood for a look. He was shattered when he learnt the next car was going to be the brand new Mitsubishi Magna, the very first model, a red station wagon. I remember taking it for a spin when I first got my licence, 16 years old. As soon as I was 2 blocks away I dropped to he clutch to get the back wheels spinning. Almost shat myself when the front end started bouncing, had no idea it was front wheel drive.
I love the story about how proud your Dad was to get the Executive. Funny enough, a Magna wagon was a pretty good car then (would have been a TN) and in many ways more refined than the VK. 👍
Its like a VH and VL had a beautiful baby. From the black motor to the new badges and options, from the Group A and SS, beautiful VK. Clearly I'm a Holden lover.
@markbehr88 my grandies, when they moved to Australia in the 50's, bought a 48-215. Toured most of Oz in that bad boy. My old man is a Torana fan, I grew up with EH's, HQ's, and even WB Ute. My first car was a filthy 67 HR Ute. I've had/ got more models of Holden than I can count. RIP LION
I remember reading a story about a guy who got a brand new VK as a company car and quickly found out that it ran like a dog, so he took the engine out and tore it completely down in order to individually check all the clearances and tolerances and found that not a single one was even close to being within factory spec. He compiled his findings and complained to Holden about it. What did Holden do? Change the factory specs to be far looser in tolerance of course! As much as I love Holden cars, that was a really poor decision, but very on brand for GM. Thankfully not all are that bad Apart from that, the VK is my favourite Commodore and in my top 3 Holden models overall (HQ and FJ are the others). I just love everything about it, the exterior styling, the square dials, the start of EFI and wider adoption of a 5 speed, Brock's '84 big banger and the HDT Group 3 in white is the cherry on top for me (though without the silly fins on the front). I wanted one for my first car, but circumstances dictated that I'd have a VP S instead. I think I read somewhere that the big bangers were actually stroked out to 355 cui My favourite VK fact (if it's true at least) is that apparently the blue on the Group A was colour matched to the Mobil logo. I'm curious if you'll mention my favourite VL fact when that episode comes around
Hi Mark, I do remember these Commodores racing at Donnington race circuit in the UK bgack in the mid 1980's racing against Rover SD 3500 V8 , Ford Capri 2.8 injections, BMW M635 and Volvo also raced in Europe when engine sizes was not an issue, I use to like the Rover SD 3500 V8's it was good to see Holden racing, there was no Vauxhall in the events at the time, so seeing Holden's kept the Vauxhall fans happy. Now at the touring cars the engines are limited to 2-litres. I was surprised that in 1986 Holden were still fitting a 4 speed manual gear boxes to the big engine cars, back then cars were made with 5 speed gear boxes, I bet the 4 speeds were higher revving in top gear and very thirsty to run. As always a great video, good to hear from you Take care
@@shaun30-3-mg9zs Thanks Shaun. I used to like those Rovers too. They raced them one year at Bathurst. They were run by my old boss Tom Walkinshaw. I think the following year he brought the V12 Jaguars and they won the race! I would have thought the Commodore race cars would have used the 5 speed too as they did offer it as a special order. 👍
@@markbehr88 in 85 CAMS allowed the five speed Getrag gearbox for the racing Group A Commodores in late 85, but only with the 4.9L engine. If competitors wanted to run the older 5L engine they had to use the four speed M21. Brock did a bulk buy deal with Getrag in order to get a better price for his customers, but they almost didnt arrive in time for Sandown due to a wharfie strike (how unusual). You should realise that the 1985 Group A Commodore was only eligible to race in Australia and New Zealand due to a special CAMS dispensation because it wasnt internationally homologated with FISA until January 1986
A mate of mine owns one of the Blue Meanie SS. He's warmed it up even more and she'll definitely get out of her own way. You don't see many Brockys around these days except for car shows etc.
I looked at buying an ex cop car. It was done up as an SS but was stamped as a V8 Auto SL as it was built by The Brock Shop in Adelaide so I didn't go through with the deal. It was also on it's third engine. Quite typical for a cop car.
@@chuckselvage3157 mate of mine owns a VL Walkinshaw and says it’s to hard to take out for a drive. He has been followed home more than once and says the worry over vandalism, theft or damage to a pristine original car takes the enjoyment out of owning.
Great video. I liked the VK Commodore, it was probably the best looking Commodore of the first generation of Commodores. My favourite was the Calais with the 5.0 litre V8.
Had a vk sl straight gas 5.0 absolutely loved it.. Did the straight gas conversion myself and a mate. Trimatic and vl turbo diff. 3.23 ratio...it was quicker than most of the 5.0 including group a etc.. bilstein suspension. It handled beautiful..miss that car..
I worked for Angus & Robertson Bookworld retail division for 30 years, 1979 to 2009. We had a fleet of new VK 3.3 ltr EFI 6cyl wagons, prior we had 4.2 ltr v8's and a few 5 ltr v8's for management, but the 3.3 EFI 6cyls were three things powerful, reliable and way more economical than the v8 wagons. A couple were stolen and by then replaced with VL wagons with the horrible Datsun EFI engine, every one of the 3 and only 3 VL wagons we owned blew the cylinder head gaskets and warped their heads WITHIN THEIR MEASLEY WARRANTY PERIOD, in fact one of them attached to the really large Newcastle city store blew the new replacement engine a few weeks after it was fitted !!! Again, replaced for free under warranty, these 3 VL's killed us ever buying a new Holden company car again, as they also had weak coil springs in the rear and also spongy brakes. One of the VK's stolen was the boss's car and as a hobby he & his wife raised Alpacas and Angora goats frequently pulling a trailer and he noticed the difference too, when his engine self-destructed, John & his wife were doing a breeding animal swap over a easter long weekend, Georgina & myself hadn't planned going away, however on the Saturday we got a SOS call from the boss as he had a trailer load of animals ad a dead VL pulling it, we bailed him out in my series 2 WB Holden Statesman Caprice as it had a heavy duty tow pack. After our run in with the 3 lousy VL's we updated the fleet in the early '90's and swapped permanently to a fleet of Ford Falcon 6-cylinder EB2 wagons and one new 5 litre V8 Ford LTD for the boss. That good old Holden 3.3ltr 6cyl just lasts & lasts, for years in Sydney nearly every taxi was a LPG fueled HZ Kingswood sedan or wagon with near or over a million kilometres on it sadly this changed in 2000 when the NSW government age capped taxis to 10 years.
@@markbehr88Hi Mark, you drove that green VL wagon from the Newcastle ARB back in about 1992 when we had bought the fleet of Falcon EB2 wagons for a 1988 late VL the 4 year old car had dull flat pale metallic green paint , and unlike its older VK 'mates' the green VL had rust all around the both front & rear screens, this was the first Holden attempt at bonded front & rear screens on a commodore platform , as the earlier Vb, Vc, Vh & Vk's all had rubber window retention for front & rear screens, for a car with 126,000 ks on it , it was a very tired example and by the time you drove the VLwagon it was onto its 4th engine, as even the 3rd engine replaced under warranty failed, so the 4th engine was a B.M. Higginbottom replacement engine as they gave a 5 year or 150,000 klm full guarantee/warranty on the replacement engine, by that time it was really the only decent thing in the car, and CITY Ford in William st' Sydney city would not accept that car as a trade.
I had the VK with the Fuel Injected motor. It really brought out the best of the old holden six. They should have had that in the HZ Kingwood and the WB utes. At the recent NSW Holden day, there was a HR wagon with the VK injected motor. It didn't look out of place.
@@markbehr88fuel injected 6 had extractors i fitted extractors off a wrecked formula HQ to my HZ 208 that made a big improvement in performance not the mild cam or rejet carby. Extractors should have been fitted standard from the get go to red black motors
Another good video Mark. There will be criticism for not covering certain specials and options, but people need to remember it’s only a short video. I could easily do 20 minutes just explaining all the VK V8 engine variants and different prefixes! Probably something that’s hard to convey to an audience today, many of who weren’t around in the mid 80s, is just how much financial trouble Holden were in, and how they did some desperate things to try to stay competitive. There was red ink everywhere, and they pulled out all stops to stay afloat. Consolidating into 2 AU assembly plants helped save money and they also helped cut costs by simplifying production variables like only doing sedans in VIC. One item of note is Borg Warner diffs replaced the Salisburys on 6s in early ‘85, but the V8 soldiered on until the end of 85 with the bigger Salisbury unit. There were a myriad of small running changes like the sliding locks in ‘85, body colour boot interiors from the Melbourne plant in ‘85 (previously black), bumper colours changing part-way, wiring harness changes (especially the fuse box) and even supply hiccups during production like the side mirrors. Local content peaked in VK. Complete drivetrain in all combinations was Australian made. We would never see that again. But maybe that wasn’t such a good thing…. It didn’t matter what 6 you got, GMH gave you a Bosch computer - either EFI or the dreaded EST (just like they did with Ford too - but Ford saw the light with XF ULP and went to EECIV). Countless EST cars had the dizzy replaced with a regular HEI unit, and the EST bulb taken out of the dash…… That horrible air pump from the VH 173 now made its way onto the 202 as well. At some point they penny pinched so hard that the EFI 6s reverted to a black rocker cover like the carby, as opposed to the red used in early cars (and in all the marketing literature). But the size was the reason everyone pointed at. Holden tried. Leo did amazing “horizontal widening” with every new component - the tail lights, the ridges in the bumpers & side moulds, even the grille - all to give the visual impression of a larger car. The more open dash, and see-thru head rests were there to compliment the feeling of more space from the extra window. They even shaved nearly 2” off the front of the rear set squab to make the back look more roomy, but it didn’t help. The interior colours were deliberately chosen to be much lighter than the VH to give a more open and airy feel. Cerulean achieved this, but coppertone, not so much. But they spent money where it mattered - for the driver. Even on the base SL you got standard height adjustment on the driver’s seat, cloth trim,standard electric boot release, and intermittent wipers. 2 exterior mirrors - both remote control, and a night/day interior mirror. All of those were extra-cost options on base models just 12-18 months earlier. The factory Eurovox “micro command” radios were one of the best OEM radios of the era. The base models lost the digital tune radio in ‘85 but gained a cassette player (downgraded to an analogue radio dial, and it didn’t sound anywhere near as good). But it was a cassette, to compete with Ford. In base model form, the VK was slightly better equipped than the leaded XF of the same year, and that was deliberate by Holden to try to keep at least some fleet sales coming in. The radio in the base VK was far better sounding than the Ford, and the VK drove a lot nicer. My father had both (an SL and a GL) as “red Z” government cars back in the day, and also his own VK SL, so comparisons were easy.
@@commodorenut Thanks. Yes, there are always more details that could be added, but you have to balance details with “watchability”. Good points re what Leo did to make the car look bigger. Did it look a bit bigger than a VH. Yes, a little. Did he also try to make VH look at little wider. Yes. But the cars were still appreciably smaller than the Falcon. I thought the VK looked good but the old six let it down. Imagine it with the Nissan six? But then you get into high piece costs. 👍
From memory, the GH Sigma moved to square dials as well, away from the GE's circular unit's. In that case, i think they were done well. Outside, the headlights went square as well. The 80's was all about squareness.
@@markbehr88 The GE Sigma SE with those lovely body colour wheel covers and beautiful front styling was one of the best looking cars on the market in 1977 - 79, and my favourite Sigma externally. But the lower grade Galant and GL looked a tad ordinary. The wagon was also a very handsome package.......but the high roof update for the GN spoilt the appearance somewhat. Why was it necessary, given nobody else bothered doing it on their wagons?
I had a Berlina EFI 6. It was a good car and zippy to drive and handled well. If you drove it easy, it got good fuel economy due to the EFI. But driving this car hard, it ran out of puff around 4 500 revs which was no different to my old 186 !!! When the LRP petrol came in, it use to ping its head off when put to the floor. I liked the dash in the VK, as it was different to any Holden or Ford I have seen before, so it was very fresh looking. The "Electronic Injection" silver badge which was on the top of the injection manifold came off, and I still have it to this day, mounted on the bottom of my model car case.
@@markbehr88 they should have worked on an all new six cylinder before the 1976 pollution standards came in. We knew America was dealing with theirs earlier. Pity Holden didn't buy the hemi sixes off Chrysler.
My family had a yellow executive, green interior with square berlina style pinstriping. I thought at the time it was the coolest thing ever. I have a soft spot for the dash on this model - most likely because of this car - and I quite liked the square instruments and the way everything lit up a lovely shade of green at night. The VL that came after with its1980s blue checker pattern felt like it lost the magic. Looking back, build quality was nothing to write home about, the rear quarter window leaked, it drank fuel and was heavy on oil. Oh and the electronic ignition drowned out the new fancy digital radio in the bush.
G'day Mark , VK was the best style commodore when it was "enhanced" a bit. A friend of mine had a Brock Director with all the goodies of a race car but the refinements and look of a luxury car. Was a good blend.. It was a Copper 2 tone color....I raced him up the mountains behind Brisbane a few times in my VG Pacer, i got him once but that thing was superb around bends....Would be nice to trip over one of them these days.. Cheers
regarding the broken seat of the SPA Grice car, the replacement seat did come from a Rover but not a broken Rover and there was a little tale of subterfuge regarding that. When the HDT refused Grice the spare seat, Win Percy happened to mention to Grice that the Walkinshaw team had a mock up car on display in a tent which had a race approved seat, which led to the boys creating a distraction to the security whilst the seat was "borrowed".
Another great episode on the Holden commodore keep them coming . Sutton's waitara is now a tiny home display. A friday night out check out some car yards and dinner at Macs thanks Mark good work
I always loved the VK. A friend of my dad had a Berlina V8 wagon that he rebadged as a Calais. I don't know what upgrades he gave it for it to deserve the Calais badge, but I only ever saw two 1980's Calais wagons in Australia, one being his. Either way, it was an excllent car, apparently. Thanks for another banger episode, Mark!
I probably have the answer for you on those 2 wagons. HDT offered the VK ADP package, and one model they built a number of, was a VK ADP wagon, converted to a Calais. Bev Brock even had one for a while (likely the 2-tone Cerulean one Mark showed the image of). HDT featured at least 2 different ones in their literature at the time. If you can believe the numbers books, there's anywhere from around 12 to over 20 of them done as VK Calais wagons wearing HDT build numbers. Some were quite stock looking, with the exterior treatment consisting of just the side panels fitted, bumpers & grille painted, badging done, and Calais wheels. Others weren't built as Calais, but as customer special orders in whatever spec they paid for - some even got the front and side parts of the HDT body kits, and wheels - like the Len Pretti (Real Estate guy) red VK ADP wagon that matched his red VK sedan that wore a Group 3 kit. Inside HDT offered the option to upgrade the trim to Calais spec, and I've see a couple of VKs that had this done. They are easy to pick when you know what you're looking at. Ashlors were the contractors for the unique back seat upright and plush rear trim - first seen in the 25 odd VC SL/E wagons they did, and then revived for HDT for the VK & VL - note that the 200 Holden A9Y VL Calais wagons never got the plush Ashlor trim package in the rear like the HDT VK & VL (nor the VC SL/E). They were still Berlina spec in the load area. In VL they also offered a more generic HDT wagon pack (it was even featured in a motoring magazine at the time, showing a Kimberley bronze example) which was an exterior and interior dress up to match the Calais sedan. It was done better than Holden's attempt in '88. If the mechanicals were not touched it never got a build number, so they can be hard to pick. Dealers could also buy the parts and convert them in-house, as I know one Sydney dealer did, as it was cheaper than spending $4-5K to have HDT do it. HDT did offer modified VL wagons too - and there's around 11 that had build numbers issued to them. Most were near stock looking Calais packs with minimal mods done to them mechanically, but a small handful were extensively altered, like the VL Group 3 wagon (a one-off) and 2x Calais Sport wagons. I own one - a Berlina V8 converted to Calais spec by HDT, and then made into a Calais Sport, with the 5.6L HDT stroker, plus pack suspension, Scheel seats etc (and even a polarizer). The build sheets are an interesting read.
@@commodorenut4238 Thanks. Very interesting. I know that HDT definitely made some very bespoke cars for people. We even did this to a lessor degree at HSV, where we built a VX Senator wagon for a customer and a Yellow GTS Coupe with a blue leather interior. 👍
I still have my maroon 85 Vacationer sedan with the 3.3L carburettor engine and 4 speed manual I got as my first car and learnt how to drive in. It's still sitting in the garage at my mum's house and hasn't moved in at least 5 years, even though it is still registered and insured.
Very cool. You could Club Register it now. A manual would be probably the best transmission for the 3.3 in terms of drive-ability. You should get it up and running I reckon. 👍
I had a VK 5.0l Berlina and it was a very nice car to drive. One trip was 1200ks down into Victoria. To average 100 kms/ hour I had to do at least 120kms/ hour plus every where I could all day down the Newell Highway. It was clicking over a neat 100 kms every hour on the trip meter. Those were the days. It did it easily and comfortably. I liked that car but it wasn’t a Ute and that was the only time I didn’t have a Ute. The 5.0l V8 was a very nice motor in that car and because it was so light it was pretty economical. Better on fuel than my WB Ute which is a 4.2l 4 speed. A dedicated lead burner with a 750 Quadrajet carby standard from the factory when super petrol was the only way to go.
Managed to own a white nov 85 executive that went through Riverside and came out as a 134 pack with a group 3 kit 4.9ltr. Such a memorable car to me. Great review mate.
My VK was an immaculate, silver Berlina with orange stripes, and the same blue interior as a blue meanie SS. I took the orange stripes off , and put VX SS mags on it. It had the fuel injected 3.3 and traumatic .It used a lot of petrol, and when I went on holiday in it, and towing a dual axle cage trailer with just my sons little trail bike , and just a few other bits and peices on it , it ran out of steam on long pulls on not particularly steep hills, and had me wondering if we would get up and over to the other side. For any future towing I'd bolt the tow bar onto the VH Ranger , which tows anything with ease.
In dropping their V8, Ford might have gotten a short-term boost by not having to certify their V8 for the new emissions laws, but it would cost them for decades, and they really only got back their performance cred with the BA Turbo models. Even after reintroducing the V8 for the EB, reality didn't matter. The damage was done way back in 1982. Conversely, in the 80s, Holden sent itself broke while still being one of the cool kids. The perception of superior performance over a nearly identically performing Ford range later on came purely out of Holden's refusal to walk away from its V8 heritage, which paid dividends right till the bitter end.
Must say, dynamically and steering wise - the EA and EB were a revelation compared to the XF - AND far superior to the dynamics of the VN. The VN should have never been put on Australian roads, with skinny tyres, over the top launch and old VL compromised foundation. Very dangerous. In fact, one was split in two on Sydney Harbour Bridge by a Volvo 240. I don't think this was corrected properly until the Acclaim VR.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes. EA used the SLAS front end plus rack and pinion steering. Re the VN. I drove a lot of those when I was at Holden as company cars. With FE2 suspension and alloy wheels they were much better. 👍
G'day Mark, Boy don't I remember the VK in my teens. Clearly remember the Victoria Police Candy Cars that special canary yellow & don't forget VicRoads Patrol Cars that pulled over semi was a yellow too a shade different & purple bubble lights. A good friend of mine Rob from Yarraville had a white Group 3 SS it was a absolute treat everytime I got to cruise in it. I remember them called the VK White Pointer after the shark. OMG that VK back in 1987 was insane quick. Cruise check out Dandenong Rd drags & cruise Cardigan st Carlton the burn out pad there. I think they look great & the Blue Meanies were just traffic stoppers no matter what. Mind you my mate Rob owned a pub in Yarraville at the time friend of a friend I just taggged along. My dad had a radiator repair shop on Macaulay Rd, North Melbourne near North Melbourne Footy Ground back in the 80's. There were a couple of young mechanics Ang & Leo run a mechanic & hi performance work shop. Drag race on Macaulay Rd back then, tuning cars at midnight go to Taxi Ranks on Spencer for a feed at 2 am. Great car scene back then in Melbourne lost plenty of skin on the knuckles wrenching under bonnets. Thoroughly enjoyed it getting into my teenage years the 80's. Cheers Louis Kats 👍
Loved the VK. I bought a HDT Group 3 when the car was two years old and loved it. I have had a few more VK since and still wouldn’t mind another. I think they are the best losers out of the first generation.😊
Many years ago a friend of mine had a silver VK Calais! He had it lowered and had the factory rims highly polished, looked fantastic. Loved the digital dash also! I believe his was the fuel injected 202 motor? Fantastic looking car with plush interior. Sadly though it was written off due to a very hard rear end impact that bent the chassis! He only had it two years. Shame.
@@markbehr88 I had a VG Valiant sedan back in the early eighties, it was a bit of a rough cruiser, but ran well . One Saturday night cruising the main street , sitting waiting to turn off to the right, all of a sudden, an almighty BANG , I'd been rear ended by the nicest VF Valiant sedan in town . My car was wrecked , the back end was severely bent upwards, and the front end of the VF was not a pretty sight . The driver of the other car ended up being my neighbour , and he told me he'd had a fair bit to drink, I dont know how fast he was going, but he never drove slowly, I'd say he was probably doing about 60mph or more. He got his car fixed with the front end parts off mine. And I moved on to a VC Regal .
Great review! My first car was a green VK Berlina with EFI. Was my pride and joy as an 18 y.o. P-plater. That car gave me freedom to go anywhere. Still wish I had it...
My mate had a 3-3 carby VK wagon......a blue Vacationer. When the engine management system stopped functioning properly, the motor had this annoying ping once it hit operating temperature. He never bothered with a fix, and was told it shouldn't effect the general running of the car. On the dashboard, there was this panel of switches above the centre vents that operated miner accessories like rear wiper. By the time the car was five years old.........none of them still worked! Just as well they were only minor controls. The trimatic was little improved from the VB days, and the engine certainly didn't feel a lot faster.......that really had to wait for the VL. Many don't like the VK's dash. I didn't mind it. After six years, a change had to occur.
@@noelgibson5956 I think the dash was a retrograde step versus the clear, round dials. The digital dash was cool while it worked. I would love to hear from any Subscribers who have a VK Calais with a working dash? 👍
Cool video as always. I remember I almost bought a second hand VK Commodore, fuel injected six cylinder from an elderly one owner with just 43,000 kms. The only reason I didn't buy it was that I had my heart set on a six cylinder Nissan Skyline. I bought the last of that model series with the compact disc rear lights and ended up having that car for eleven years. But I did like the VK Commodores.
I bought a new EFI Berlina in 1984. It was a very good car. I took the big noisy radiator fan off and installed a big thermo. Had the auto tricked a little. It ran great and was much faster than a mates “worked” 4.2 Kingswood. The stereo was really good for the day (electronic tuning and soft touch tape deck. The only thing it really needed was a 4 sp auto as no manual gears on the EFI option. Traded it in 6yrs later on a 5.0 Vn Berlina and the dealer gave me a fantastic deal.
@@markbehr88cool 👍 I’d have liked a V8 back then but a 5.0 carby thirst I couldn’t afford to run. The 5.0 Vn is a different story, all options and T5 transmission gets good economy for a big car . Fe2 suspension makes the handling pretty decent.
All I remember is the Group A was always referred to as the Brock or Brocky. Don't remember Blue Meanie. Blokes used to upgrade their regular front grill to a "Brock grill".
@@markbehr88Didn't a "Blue Meanie" refer to the magic mushroom back in the day? Maybe just what the losers I hung around with called em 😂 PS Mark, you could have mentioned Smokey the yellow VK ex-cop highway 304 V8 on nitrous that ran at Calder drags. I saw it in action a few times, it ran about 12.5 sec 1/4 mile and you could race against it - sorta to get crew off the streets drag racing and onto the track. Thanks for a great episode Mark - always loved the VK V8 !
I don't know about anyone else but as someone from the old country, I was simply mesmerised by the dry-as-dust Crocodile Dundee delivery - it also reminded me of the big bruiser politician in Rake!😂❤
I bought an ex Police 84 VK 5.0 liter 4 speed with 44,000km from Christie’s auction in Sydney back in 1985. Man that car was quick and reliable, it also handled great. I believe in was from the Newcastle Highway Patrol. A few years after i bought it mildly worked the engine and put some brand new while Simmons P86 rims fitted with new at the time in Australia Falken 50 series tyres that gripped like you wouldn’t believe. It was a great cruiser with plenty of get up and go. Man I miss that VK. Surprisingly the car was quicker before I rebuilt the engine, I bored it out 20 thou , had head work done as dropped a mild cam into it. I’m told that the Police Highway patrol VKs had HDT worked engines , the same as Group 3 SS versions.
Very cool. It probably went so well because it was run in hard on the Newcastle freeway. I had a 5 litre VN company car when I was at Holden and I ran that car in hard. Everyone said it went really well. Same with my later VX ClubSport manual in dark blue. I ran it in hard and the HSV engineers said it went really well too. 👍
The V5H engine package (effectively the SS spec 177kw motor) was optional on manual BT1 in VH and VK, and was taken up by NSW, VIC and SA Police for HWP work - bit it was hit & miss. Not every manual 308 got it. It was only on manuals, and the easiest way for the punter to tell was the wide mouth air cleaner, and the inlet manifold part number ended in '955. Actually, the easiest way to know was to drive it - they went so much better, as you found out. I had a VH ex-SA Police 4-speed with it. No air con, but it had an engine oil cooler with the letters H.D.T. stamped into the brackets. Bought it off the guy who got it from the auctions in '84 and owned it for 10 years - the oil cooler was there when he bought the car, along with the upgraded headlight wiring with relays & brighter bulbs too - but they had cooked the plastic adjusters in the headlights so the reflectors flopped around over bumps. Lahood Motors on Parramatta Road used to snap the ex-Police VK V8s up from the auctions, fit HDT kits and CSA wheels, then sell them off as a cheaper alternative to a Brock. You'd always see them in the Friday paper. They were always white or yellow as that went well with the body kits. They did such a good job they usually blacked out the window frames too, so they looked like a real HDT. The powder blue and silverslate (late 85) were nice cop car colours we had locally. When they dropped the 308 to 304 at the start of '85, they had to produce a minimum of 5000 vehicles in that same V5H spec with the big valve heads to satisfy FIA for Group A and allow the big valve heads (this is separate to the requirement for 500 Blueys, with even more race mods), so every one of those 5000 had a unique prefix for tracking them - VB. Once they'd done them (early Aug 85) they reverted back to the small valve heads on manual 304s, except HDT and optional models (manuals now had a VG prefix). So if you got a Feb to July 85 manual V8 VK - even the average private buyer - you got the V5H spec motor as a bonus. I know a few guys who worked as mechanics for GMH dealers back in the day, and one of the stories I heard was that some dealer staff with the small-valve headed VH and VK 5L took the liberty of "exchanging" heads with some of these special 304 manuals. I'm not so sure, as who would have had the cash back then to afford a near new 5L if you're working as a mechanic at a dealership? But I do know they used to love flogging them around the block when unloading the transporters. The yard guys would fight over getting the manual V8s and HDT models. One of my colleagues in the 90s did 6-7 years in the early to mid 80s at a large Sydney dealer as a yard boy and PD detailer, before getting a gig in their paint shop. He was not impressed with the build quality of any Holden in that time, and had countless stories of running brand new, unsold cars around into "panel & paint" to fix up issues that the assembly plants let loose. He also told me how the dealer he worked for would do shadowtone conversions on VHs, and colour-coded bumpers on new VKs for a price. They also offered to shadowtone 5-6 year old VBs and VCs that came in for service, that had the paint on the roof, boot & bonnet that was shot. He did lots of them, and it was a good money spinner for the dealership.
Ive had my BT1 VK v8 since 1995 and loving it,,much more fun since I put a 355 and T5 trans in years ago lol,,been pretty reliable mechanically,,Electrical system was a laugh,but a few added relays and fuse holders fixed it lol,,Oh,,and the original Bosch ignition module and coil still working ,,not like modern coil packs that last 2-4 years lol,,no wonder I feel more confident driving the old girl with less fear of breakdowns
Wow. That is a good run. I had a BT1 pack VP as a Holden company car. It had no IRS so the police would not accept it - so I received it as a company car. Everyone would slow down as it had the FE2 suspension and steel wheels. 👍
Thank you Mark. This is getting interesting. I smiled when you said Starfire engine. I immediately thought about Oldsmobile as they used that name for a model in the 1960's and 1970's. You are right about the comparison to Nissan. The instrumentation panel and front end design look very Asia/JDM like. I recall some Hyundai models having a front end like this model range decades ago. I liked that information about the kits sent to Indonesia. This car was a 185 inches long. It was three inches shorter than the front wheel drive GM A Bodies of the 1980's. It appears to be in the size range. One thing is clear...it is still too small compared to the Ford. Thank you for the New Zealand information. I smiled when you talked about the Commodore Royale. That is a Oldsmobile "Royale" badge. When you talked about the features, I said are you sure this was not a secret Oldsmobile? GTS was a Chrysler trim level later. The SS looks like a Ford Mustang SVO or Ford headlight design from the 1980's. I liked the Calais with the digital gauges. Holden engineered through racing. This is why Holden had more experience with performance the American GM did not have. I had heard of Holden Calais Director or Commodore Director as they test drove it in a America car magazine years ago against or with America cars and it out performed them. Here it is on Ebay: www.ebay.com/itm/310773092021 Keep it up Mark! It is getting great.
It was a huge step forward and names for model designations instead of letters was a great improvement. Of course the VL continued the refinement of the still vert advanced VB. The reasons that the Commodore needed to be widened are obvious, but compared to the VB to VL the VN Commodore drove like a bloody tractor.
The VN had very good off the mark acceleration. Great for short test drives at the selling point to seal the deal. It also had the “big, new” about it - which had been the Achilles heel of the Commodore. True re the handling. I had many as Holden company cars. If you had the FE2 and alloy wheels it was much better. 👍
Holden by 1985 had the WB statesman with a V8 modified by Brock. The last one before power spec went down due to catalytic converter setup as unleaded petrol mandated in 1986.
Hi Mark, your knowledge of this era is priceless, I have two white with cerulean blue interior Royals with the starfire 4 cylinder engines. Both are low km cars one at 167 thousand the other 67 thousand yup only 67 thousand. The car is mint and will be my donor for VK Blue Meanie the other a white SS. I would love to pick your brain theses builds especially the Blue Meanie. I many books but a few things I’ve heard of I can’t really confirm and I’m pretty sure you will know, you actually mentioned one in your video.
Thanks. I will do my best to answer. Many of the Subscribers also have great knowledge on these cars, so if you post your questions I am sure someone will be able to help if I can’t. 👍
The VK SS Group A is in my top 3 favorite cars of all time, unfortunately as a Yank I'll never get to see one on the streets but it'd be worth a trip down under for.
I remember a motoring magazine at the time fitting a VK commodore with the EFI (auto only) engine with the 5 speed manual. That would have been a nice combo from the factory.
That would have been Barry Lake’s car, the editor of Modern Motor, who had HDT build “project Berlina” converting an EFI to manual, and eventually adding lots of nice HDT bits. That car still lives on today, well cared for in VIC.
If made from factory would need T5 because m76 is too weak (only rated to just over the HP of the carb 3.3) It would have cost too much. Why didn't they make an EFI M20/M21?
I had a silver fuel injected VK Calais from new fitted with the chrome aero wheels and a blue meanie grill. It was an awesome car in spite of the digital dropping its guts cost quite a bit to get repaired from what i rember.
I found that the speedo readings rarely were the same. Think they shouldn't have had both types. It was so frustrating to watch. The digital one was strangely more accurate than the bar. Would have thought it took the reading from the same sensor.
My Auntie had a Green Berlina wagon with fuel injection. We had an 85 XF Fairmont at the time, and even though we were a Ford family I thought the VK Berlina was a great package and a modern redesign over the VH.
Yep, I also used to do the walk home from Waitara to visit Suttuns & James Sutherland. Also to buy hot chips & play Galaxians at the takeaway. Yeah they messed up the clean lines imo, but that NZ GTS looked good. I'd expected more about the controversial 'quartic' gauges! Cheers Mark.
But it was never stamped on the tag as Holden only ever fitted the M21 to VK V8s (and they had to build over 5000 of them for Group A rules, which is why there were so many manual V8s, even Calais V8s). The V8 T5 was only ever fitted after the fact by HDT. It wasn’t until VL that Holden put the T5 behind the V8 during production and stamped the plate M39, and that was only for the Group As, as all other VL V8s were auto only. VK carby 6s with the 5 speed were M76.
Hi Mark, from memory, over here in New Zealand the Executive and Berlina were flipped around in the pecking order. Berlina came in below the Executive. Next up, the Neeesan
@@markbehr88 I must be mis-remembering the details I read somewhere. Perhaps it was only the case for a couple of years, although I recall reading about the nz/aus differences specifically in a vn or vp related forum discussion
According to sa rego check, the number plate of the car in the thunbnail is "unassigned" so that one probably met a "stobie" pole in a wet night! Like my mates blueprinted, cammed V8 Calais. Sold it, one week later it was wrapped around a power pole on a wet Friday night! Factory sunroof, leather, white on silver.
Good review, I never understood why a brown interior was ever an option as they were sh.t compared to the nice greys of the xf. The vk should have been what the vl was, I always thought the commodore was always a model behind in tech and features. Still, the vk rates up in my top 3 designs.
You could get a light brown dash in the xf as well, Ford offered coloured interiors to counter the criticism of only black in xd and xe. It would be great if modern cars gave you the choice
The light brown in VKs was called Oyster, and it actually came in during the VH. It wasn’t that bad in a Calais with some contrasting bits but in base models there was way too many similar shades that never matched. The more questionable interior was coppertone in the Berlina & Calais. It was either loved or loathed, and was the only colour option if you wanted leather in your Calais (unlike the VH that offered leather in all the SL/E colours). When Ford introduced the XF with the option of a grey interior in late 84, it didn’t take Holden long to also offer grey in the VK from ‘85, and it carried through VL too. Ironically, they had a grey interior in the VB and VC (it was real nice in the VC SL/E) but dropped it for VH.
Yep - the square dials, were just wrong, right from the start. In fact in one model, they super imposed a circle around them to alleviate the "squareness". Apart from that, it was good Good separation of model looks - even if they were French names that meant something different in French. Smoked tail lights worked, even better on the VL. Missed the little 4.2 V8. Remember Wheels doing a comparison with the Brock Group lll, with a SAAB 900 Aero and BMW 528i or 535i M? Pitty, Holden wasn't upfront about cooling/head gasket problems with following turbo 6. Skyline used different cooling system.
@@markbehr88yes, the tri-level treatment was a great idea to add differentiation, and offered a distinctly different rear, especially with the red pinstriping on the smoked lights. 3 different trim levels easily distinguished from the rear.
Have to agree mate: the rear end of VB to VH were NOT iterated in design talk, to an elegant solution….. Considering the market extant, only so much money could realistically be allocated to just sheet metal/appearance. Way “it” is. But here, they got there; incrementally. They were aware of such in Germany, but let’s face it: the front of the VB was iterated from the HZ/HQ apeearance n’ insides from same. Takes time to change product; especially from the potential buyers. This one was on the correct trail. BTY, was the roofline and Sid’s reen
One of the guys working n this project told me that they are basically stuffing a V8 in a Cortina. That could have been interesting. Especially in the TE
@@markbehr88 As a youngster I always wanted a TC. Especially the twin headlight version. All I could afford at the time were old Anglias, HK's and XP's. At least the Anglia had all four synchro's.
That Pinto engine was so good. All the guys in the holden 6's couldn't believe how those cars smoked them. Sticking to the belt drive intervals was essential. Not a big job. Consumer education lacking.
The black motor EST [ Electronic Spark Timing], ignition system was a joke. No adjustments . Quite a few came in where I worked "pinging' but had no way of backing the timing off. Never worked on the problem myself, but used to hear a lot swearing from other mechanics. Must have been the cheapest computer system in the world , designed by a 14 year old on a Commodore 64 or a cheap Tandy thing. The EFI motor was a lot better but just as thirsty as the standard engine.. V8 was the only way to go. The dash looked a lot better than previous models but had a habit of creaking a lot. The Electronic dash had two fuses to feed it power, if one blew the instrument cluster went black so you had no idea what was going on. The cluster had to be sent to Melbourne to be repaired/replaced so the car was off the road. [ I worked in Brisbane]. Only lasted for one model. I wonder why?
Fair enough. It seems they were all expensive to fix, if they went wrong EA and even Subaru GLF coupe. I think the first in Australia - head of architecture at one of Sydney's university, thought they were the way to go - but not until much later. Renault Clio RS has a white number on black background which can be seen in harsh sunlight - a problem these first digital LEDs had. LCD better.
I had a 10yr old Calais 5ltr. Dash never worked. I’m not sure but l think it had a 50ltr fuel tank combined with new pollution laws l spent a lot of time at petrol station. It was a nice car though.
@@markbehr88the ones that failed usually went early. The ones that lasted seemed to keep that reliability into old age. Standard sedan tank was 63L. Only the HDT models had the 90L option.
I forgot some came with the Commodore steel wheels dating since the VB. It looked good with that green. They certainly were a big step up in modern looks and made a good stopgap model for the VL. That EFI setup disguised the engine's EH origins really well. Made it look like a modern engine for the time. Would make a nice transplant for an earlier Holden. Also the carburettor 3.3 had a computer lean burn set up similar to Chrysler's much touted ELB system. The XF also recieved such a system. Both cases wouldn't have been as successful at improved fuel economy as the Hemi six engines of Chrysler. The XF has aged horribly compared to the rounder VK style.
@@jamesfrench7299 Interesting idea fitting the 3.3 EFI to an older car. It went ok but was harsh and used a lot of fuel. Probably better engines to fit? The VK was a pretty major re-style. The XF still used the same basic 1979 body. Sales wise though it did very well with the last of them having colour keyed bumpers, four wheel disc brakes and power steering. 👍
@@markbehr88 they certainly piled on the standard features with the unleaded XF2. I remember being pleased they made four wheel discs standard across the range line Volvo had done since the 1960s. At the time the XF would have still looked modern but after 35 years it's looking more dated than the VK. The XF2 is more rust prone than the first series I have noticed. A pity as it was a very effective update. A 3800 Ecotec series out of a VX is a good choice of transplant, as I have seen done on an EH Holden on TH-cam.
@@jamesfrench7299 Yes re the 3800. The Renaults had four wheel discs for many years too as well as the Citroens. My Renault 10 and Citroen GS’s have them. 👍
The styled wheels were only fitted to VK cop cars, and were 14x6. VK SL had pathetic 14x5.5 steel rims with plastic hub caps (full wheel covers) so Holden had to keep the 14” wheels from the base model VH for the cops to use in VK. The styled steel wheel allowed them to run a wider tyre too.
It's funny but I never realised how much VK there was in the VL, as the VL looked much slimmer. At the time I thought it was a big departure but seems not.
@@markbehr88Apart from the built-in boot spoiler and low front end lights. Dash updated. Build quality still poor. VX probably next best sorted/looking - clean.
Yes plastic fantastic. Despite being an environmental problem, if not for plastic and similar materials, cars would be a fair bit heavier than they have been.
Yes, I am doing the whole Commodore series just like I did the Ford Falcon. Plus there is a Fairlane Auto History Series as well as the Chrysler Valiant. Next Commodore will be the VL. So please Subscribe and hit that old Like Button 👍
Berlina means sedan. Silly. Calais is a French port. Sad when marketing and all their resources, history and the general public at their disposal, can't get it right.
there is a model you did not mention ,PK 134 ..mild .modified 304 /4 manual FE2 suspension /disc brakes rear /cold air induction etc between std and SS model I still have one today basically SL {red ) in colour only mods I got rid of steering ugly wheel and fitted 17inch rims ... saying with respect ...you would know more than I would ever know you worked for them ...
@@Kicka308 Thanks. Not familiar with that although often the dealer groups sold special V8 packages during sales campaigns that were based off the standard cars. 👍
He’s likely referring to the 5000 manual 304 V8s that Holden had to fit and sell to qualify for homologation (this is in addition to the 500 cars closer to race spec, where they could play to the rules more like how the VL GpA got extractors with the first joint just inches from the heads). Up until the end of 84 the 5L was 308ci/5044cc and used the same VT prefix it had since the VB. In early 85 it was de-stroked to make it 304ci/4987cc so it could move from the 5000cc-6000cc class into the 3501cc-5000cc class which had a minimum race weigh that was 75kg less. But to qualify for this (ie meet the FIA rules to prove they were series production) they had to produce and sell 5000 standard 304 manuals, so Holden promoted the crap out of the 134, 234 and 334 pack cars (SL, Berlina & Calais) that were fitted with the 304 V8 and M21 manual transmission. They were the V5H spec engine - so they got the double-row timing chain, better rods, big valve heads, large port inlet manifold, windage tray, wide mouth air cleaner etc. The engine prefix was VB. Automatic 304s didn’t get the good bits, and had a VA prefix. By August, they’d made the 5000 hot manual 304s so the VG prefix V7X was born - manual 304 that reverted back to the small valve heads, basically back to the automatic spec 304.
OH NO...Still pushing the old six...fuel injection but choked with pollution gear...the new Nissan six coming was long overdue...Had nothing on the XF Alloy head six for power and torque and reliability..I.remember the VK in the workshop having many reliability issues !
@@markbehr88 XD all the way to the end really. I don’t know if the glass area was larger or what but without the extra framing it always seemed less fussy for the same result.
As with many holdens, the VK was just reheated left overs. The shining light with the VK was the 6 cylinder injected engine, but its performance and economy figures were still woeful. Such pretentious names for the car, "Director" "Calais" "Commodore" "Statesman" "Executive", and later "Senator" No directors drove them, people in Calais didn't know they existed, yacht club Commodores would not be seen dead in them, statesmen never drove them, executives wouldn't lower themselves and the only senator that might drive one would be poorlene hanson. Vacationer more like it, better yet the holden Out to Lunch model.
So, not a fan hey? I guess you could also argue people living near Versailles would not know a Lincoln or the people living around the Italian styling studio Ghia wouldn’t know a Fairmont or the people in Monaco wouldn’t know a Dodge. I think their use of those names were good and appropriate even if sometimes, the cars didn’t live up to it. A VK Director is a very good car for the day. If someone said do I want a fuel injected Ghia or a Director, even though I like the Ghia (there’s that Italian studio again) I would take the Director. I try to give a balanced view and recognise the good and bad points of all manufacturers. 👍
@@markbehr88 Fair points, but we will have to agree to disagree on the subject of the names. It is the pretentiousness of them that irks me. Colorado anyone? Should be a Coolaroo.I would take the Ford Ghia seven days a week over the VK holden. Thanks for the video, as hard as it was for me to watch it ;)
If you want to discuss reheated models the ford falcon has never ever had a brand new platform or drivetrain but plenty of revision over 56 years (just like grandpas axe), the closest they came was with the EA but that was a heavy redesign but still lots of carry over parts.
No worries. Maybe we could have the Ford Fairlane Billabong Edition or the Holden Cootamundra? I don’t know, I kind of like the more aspirational names although Monaro is a good name I must say. 👍
I had one of these, an 84 model on gas. Base straight 6, and the 3 speed "traumatic" as i used to call it. An absolutely horrid shit box, couldnt stand it. And mine was a low mileage, good condition example so wasnt a beater. So i dread to think what a beater was like..
Holden had years to develop the old base model 6 cylinder engine in Australia, ford did the barra became a legend. Instead they got shitty engines from America.
@@markbehr88 it’s so great that you are covering these important parts of our Australian motoring history. From a ford guy, I even enjoy seeing the Holden history. It’s clear to see why the smart money went to Ford though….
Here is the 4th episode in the Holden Commodore Auto History Series - the VK. Please hit that Like button as it really helps the channel and please make sure you are Subscribed so you don’t miss an episode. Check out the other Playlists on the homepage too. Thanks for watching! 👍
.Was there any quality differences in commodores made at the various locations
Plastic parts would have reduced weight how much over earlier vechiles
Blue meany ugraded brakes.
@@Eric-kn4yn All those HDT cars had better brakes. 👍
@@Eric-kn4yn I doubt it. 🤔👍
Thanks for your knowledge Mark!
Without these videos so much important Aussie automotive history would be lost (and likely incorrectly summarised by some kid, in a video, born after 2000).
All the best mate!
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoy them. 👍
I absolutely love my VK Berlina,it’s daily driven and the Fuel injected 6 is actually quite refined for such an old design engine!
@@jason2533 Good to hear you are having a good run with it. 👍
Stringent emission controls & the move to unleaded forced GMH to produce an EFI motor of the old Holden six!
@@paulsz6194 Which was not up to the job really. 👍
@@markbehr88 true. I think GMH also realised they would look outdated compared to the Fairmont Ghia, ( which was fuel injected by this time in the XF) if they carried over the same carbureted setup they had been using for decades into their new Calais series. That would have cost them some serious sales numbers. Even the Nissan Skylines of the day had the L24 EFi engines , which probably made similar power to Holdens Carbureted 3.3 six! .
True. 👍
Thanks Mark! Car & Driver magazine here in the US did a writeup on a VK SS in 1985, and I've been hooked ever since! Finally got my own Holden in 2017. Love my VF SS, drive it every day!
@@davidburnette5158 Very cool. I understand Clint Eastwood had a HDT or HSV Commodore at one stage? 👍
@@markbehr88 I did not know that! Wouldn't be surprised, he is one badass dude!
@@davidburnette5158 Cool as. 😎
Did you say you're in the US? Did you buy a Chevy SS (VF Commodore)?
@@markbehr88the rumour was that he had a VL Group A but I don’t think it has ever been confirmed
The VK was the best car I ever had. I had the 308 5.0 blue motor that you see at 3:44. It had that V8 rumble, it was comfortable to sit in as well as to drive in, solid, the power steering was responsive and those C pillar windows really helped when checking the blind spot.
Very cool. Would have been a fun car to drive. 👍
Wouldn’t it have been the black motor? My VK Berlina 5.0l was. The WBs were blue and they didn’t get the 5.0l.
@@jefftheaussie2225 Yes. VK is the black motor. 👍
As a Ford man i personally think the VH, VK and VL are the best Commodore's Holden ever built. I would take either of them in a heartbeat
@@Twenty_Six_Hundred Fair enough. 👍
Looking forward to the VL review. Back in 1989, I got to drive a Commodore Royale as a wedding car for my cousin.
@@musicbill101 Cool. 👍
My dad was given a brand new red VK executive for his job and I remember him boasting the day he drove it home "it's an executive, that's the up market one for us executives only" he said proudly. It was the new fangled electronic ignition so almost every time we were at a servo a crowd would gather asking to pop the hood for a look. He was shattered when he learnt the next car was going to be the brand new Mitsubishi Magna, the very first model, a red station wagon. I remember taking it for a spin when I first got my licence, 16 years old. As soon as I was 2 blocks away I dropped to he clutch to get the back wheels spinning. Almost shat myself when the front end started bouncing, had no idea it was front wheel drive.
I love the story about how proud your Dad was to get the Executive. Funny enough, a Magna wagon was a pretty good car then (would have been a TN) and in many ways more refined than the VK. 👍
@@markbehr88those first Magnas had an excellent ride.
@ They did indeed. 👍
Its like a VH and VL had a beautiful baby. From the black motor to the new badges and options, from the Group A and SS, beautiful VK. Clearly I'm a Holden lover.
@@AussieFortniteBloke Yes, I can tell you are a fan. 😀👍
@markbehr88 my grandies, when they moved to Australia in the 50's, bought a 48-215. Toured most of Oz in that bad boy. My old man is a Torana fan, I grew up with EH's, HQ's, and even WB Ute. My first car was a filthy 67 HR Ute. I've had/ got more models of Holden than I can count. RIP LION
@@AussieFortniteBloke A true fan 👍
Always great productions from the master mark 👍
Thanks very much. 👍
I remember reading a story about a guy who got a brand new VK as a company car and quickly found out that it ran like a dog, so he took the engine out and tore it completely down in order to individually check all the clearances and tolerances and found that not a single one was even close to being within factory spec. He compiled his findings and complained to Holden about it. What did Holden do? Change the factory specs to be far looser in tolerance of course! As much as I love Holden cars, that was a really poor decision, but very on brand for GM. Thankfully not all are that bad
Apart from that, the VK is my favourite Commodore and in my top 3 Holden models overall (HQ and FJ are the others). I just love everything about it, the exterior styling, the square dials, the start of EFI and wider adoption of a 5 speed, Brock's '84 big banger and the HDT Group 3 in white is the cherry on top for me (though without the silly fins on the front). I wanted one for my first car, but circumstances dictated that I'd have a VP S instead.
I think I read somewhere that the big bangers were actually stroked out to 355 cui
My favourite VK fact (if it's true at least) is that apparently the blue on the Group A was colour matched to the Mobil logo. I'm curious if you'll mention my favourite VL fact when that episode comes around
I mentioned the Mobil one, so let’s see. 👍
Hi Mark, I do remember these Commodores racing at Donnington race circuit in the UK bgack in the mid 1980's racing against Rover SD 3500 V8 , Ford Capri 2.8 injections, BMW M635 and Volvo also raced in Europe when engine sizes was not an issue, I use to like the Rover SD 3500 V8's it was good to see Holden racing, there was no Vauxhall in the events at the time, so seeing Holden's kept the Vauxhall fans happy. Now at the touring cars the engines are limited to 2-litres. I was surprised that in 1986 Holden were still fitting a 4 speed manual gear boxes to the big engine cars, back then cars were made with 5 speed gear boxes, I bet the 4 speeds were higher revving in top gear and very thirsty to run.
As always a great video, good to hear from you Take care
@@shaun30-3-mg9zs Thanks Shaun. I used to like those Rovers too. They raced them one year at Bathurst. They were run by my old boss Tom Walkinshaw. I think the following year he brought the V12 Jaguars and they won the race! I would have thought the Commodore race cars would have used the 5 speed too as they did offer it as a special order. 👍
@@markbehr88 in 85 CAMS allowed the five speed Getrag gearbox for the racing Group A Commodores in late 85, but only with the 4.9L engine. If competitors wanted to run the older 5L engine they had to use the four speed M21. Brock did a bulk buy deal with Getrag in order to get a better price for his customers, but they almost didnt arrive in time for Sandown due to a wharfie strike (how unusual). You should realise that the 1985 Group A Commodore was only eligible to race in Australia and New Zealand due to a special CAMS dispensation because it wasnt internationally homologated with FISA until January 1986
@@davidewhite69 Interesting. 👍
A mate of mine owns one of the Blue Meanie SS. He's warmed it up even more and she'll definitely get out of her own way. You don't see many Brockys around these days except for car shows etc.
@@chuckselvage3157 Yes, pretty rare these days. 👍
I looked at buying an ex cop car. It was done up as an SS but was stamped as a V8 Auto SL as it was built by The Brock Shop in Adelaide so I didn't go through with the deal. It was also on it's third engine. Quite typical for a cop car.
@@2DogsVlogs Interesting. 👍
@@chuckselvage3157 mate of mine owns a VL Walkinshaw and says it’s to hard to take out for a drive. He has been followed home more than once and says the worry over vandalism, theft or damage to a pristine original car takes the enjoyment out of owning.
Yes. You almost need to live somewhere regional where you can drive without attracting attention. Also a good idea to have trackers fitted. 👍
This was the last one with a gas guzzling old donk. Looking forward to the VL story, that was a massive step up from the VK!
@@mestubbs Yes. The 3.3 was way past it’s use by date. 👍
They cheated getting a Datsun six crated over.
@@jamesfrench7299 Well. All’s fair in the need to compete. It was a very expensive option. 👍
@@markbehr88 the funny thing is it sounded almost the same as the American made 3800s from the VN to VR, but a bit quieter.
Really? I thought the Nissan engine would be more refined? 🤔👍
Great video.
I liked the VK Commodore, it was probably the best looking Commodore of the first generation of Commodores.
My favourite was the Calais with the 5.0 litre V8.
Thanks very much. Yes that is the pick of them outside of a Group A or Director. 👍
Had a vk sl straight gas 5.0 absolutely loved it..
Did the straight gas conversion myself and a mate. Trimatic and vl turbo diff. 3.23 ratio...it was quicker than most of the 5.0 including group a etc.. bilstein suspension. It handled beautiful..miss that car..
@@Kwaka28 Cool. My girlfriend at the time had a 5 litre Avocado Berlina wagon on gas. Nice car. 👍
Great job Mark. You make a good point about the wagons and the EFI engine. I don't think I ever saw one. Would be a pretty rare car.
Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it. 👍
I worked for Angus & Robertson Bookworld retail division for 30 years, 1979 to 2009. We had a fleet of new VK 3.3 ltr EFI 6cyl wagons, prior we had 4.2 ltr v8's and a few 5 ltr v8's for management, but the 3.3 EFI 6cyls were three things powerful, reliable and way more economical than the v8 wagons. A couple were stolen and by then replaced with VL wagons with the horrible Datsun EFI engine, every one of the 3 and only 3 VL wagons we owned blew the cylinder head gaskets and warped their heads WITHIN THEIR MEASLEY WARRANTY PERIOD, in fact one of them attached to the really large Newcastle city store blew the new replacement engine a few weeks after it was fitted !!! Again, replaced for free under warranty, these 3 VL's killed us ever buying a new Holden company car again, as they also had weak coil springs in the rear and also spongy brakes. One of the VK's stolen was the boss's car and as a hobby he & his wife raised Alpacas and Angora goats frequently pulling a trailer and he noticed the difference too, when his engine self-destructed, John & his wife were doing a breeding animal swap over a easter long weekend, Georgina & myself hadn't planned going away, however on the Saturday we got a SOS call from the boss as he had a trailer load of animals ad a dead VL pulling it, we bailed him out in my series 2 WB Holden Statesman Caprice as it had a heavy duty tow pack. After our run in with the 3 lousy VL's we updated the fleet in the early '90's and swapped permanently to a fleet of Ford Falcon 6-cylinder EB2 wagons and one new 5 litre V8 Ford LTD for the boss. That good old Holden 3.3ltr 6cyl just lasts & lasts, for years in Sydney nearly every taxi was a LPG fueled HZ Kingswood sedan or wagon with near or over a million kilometres on it sadly this changed in 2000 when the NSW government age capped taxis to 10 years.
@@gregharvie3896 Thanks Greg. Those issues with the head gaskets sound A LLAMA ING. 😀
@@markbehr88Hi Mark, you drove that green VL wagon from the Newcastle ARB back in about 1992 when we had bought the fleet of Falcon EB2 wagons for a 1988 late VL the 4 year old car had dull flat pale metallic green paint , and unlike its older VK 'mates' the green VL had rust all around the both front & rear screens, this was the first Holden attempt at bonded front & rear screens on a commodore platform , as the earlier Vb, Vc, Vh & Vk's all had rubber window retention for front & rear screens, for a car with 126,000 ks on it , it was a very tired example and by the time you drove the VLwagon it was onto its 4th engine, as even the 3rd engine replaced under warranty failed, so the 4th engine was a B.M. Higginbottom replacement engine as they gave a 5 year or 150,000 klm full guarantee/warranty on the replacement engine, by that time it was really the only decent thing in the car, and CITY Ford in William st' Sydney city would not accept that car as a trade.
I had the VK with the Fuel Injected motor. It really brought out the best of the old holden six. They should have had that in the HZ Kingwood and the WB utes.
At the recent NSW Holden day, there was a HR wagon with the VK injected motor. It didn't look out of place.
Interesting someone put it in an HR wagon? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88fuel injected 6 had extractors i fitted extractors off a wrecked formula HQ to my HZ 208 that made a big improvement in performance not the mild cam or rejet carby. Extractors should have been fitted standard from the get go to red black motors
@@Eric-kn4yn There may have been emissions implications if they did that? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88well here’s an example of an older Holden with an EFI 3.3 fitted. Good choice in a lighter car.
@ Yes, the motor was passing its use by date due to emissions. 🤔👍
Another good video Mark. There will be criticism for not covering certain specials and options, but people need to remember it’s only a short video. I could easily do 20 minutes just explaining all the VK V8 engine variants and different prefixes!
Probably something that’s hard to convey to an audience today, many of who weren’t around in the mid 80s, is just how much financial trouble Holden were in, and how they did some desperate things to try to stay competitive. There was red ink everywhere, and they pulled out all stops to stay afloat. Consolidating into 2 AU assembly plants helped save money and they also helped cut costs by simplifying production variables like only doing sedans in VIC.
One item of note is Borg Warner diffs replaced the Salisburys on 6s in early ‘85, but the V8 soldiered on until the end of 85 with the bigger Salisbury unit. There were a myriad of small running changes like the sliding locks in ‘85, body colour boot interiors from the Melbourne plant in ‘85 (previously black), bumper colours changing part-way, wiring harness changes (especially the fuse box) and even supply hiccups during production like the side mirrors.
Local content peaked in VK. Complete drivetrain in all combinations was Australian made. We would never see that again. But maybe that wasn’t such a good thing…. It didn’t matter what 6 you got, GMH gave you a Bosch computer - either EFI or the dreaded EST (just like they did with Ford too - but Ford saw the light with XF ULP and went to EECIV). Countless EST cars had the dizzy replaced with a regular HEI unit, and the EST bulb taken out of the dash…… That horrible air pump from the VH 173 now made its way onto the 202 as well. At some point they penny pinched so hard that the EFI 6s reverted to a black rocker cover like the carby, as opposed to the red used in early cars (and in all the marketing literature).
But the size was the reason everyone pointed at. Holden tried. Leo did amazing “horizontal widening” with every new component - the tail lights, the ridges in the bumpers & side moulds, even the grille - all to give the visual impression of a larger car. The more open dash, and see-thru head rests were there to compliment the feeling of more space from the extra window. They even shaved nearly 2” off the front of the rear set squab to make the back look more roomy, but it didn’t help.
The interior colours were deliberately chosen to be much lighter than the VH to give a more open and airy feel. Cerulean achieved this, but coppertone, not so much.
But they spent money where it mattered - for the driver. Even on the base SL you got standard height adjustment on the driver’s seat, cloth trim,standard electric boot release, and intermittent wipers. 2 exterior mirrors - both remote control, and a night/day interior mirror. All of those were extra-cost options on base models just 12-18 months earlier. The factory Eurovox “micro command” radios were one of the best OEM radios of the era. The base models lost the digital tune radio in ‘85 but gained a cassette player (downgraded to an analogue radio dial, and it didn’t sound anywhere near as good). But it was a cassette, to compete with Ford. In base model form, the VK was slightly better equipped than the leaded XF of the same year, and that was deliberate by Holden to try to keep at least some fleet sales coming in. The radio in the base VK was far better sounding than the Ford, and the VK drove a lot nicer. My father had both (an SL and a GL) as “red Z” government cars back in the day, and also his own VK SL, so comparisons were easy.
@@commodorenut Thanks. Yes, there are always more details that could be added, but you have to balance details with “watchability”. Good points re what Leo did to make the car look bigger. Did it look a bit bigger than a VH. Yes, a little. Did he also try to make VH look at little wider. Yes. But the cars were still appreciably smaller than the Falcon. I thought the VK looked good but the old six let it down. Imagine it with the Nissan six? But then you get into high piece costs. 👍
From memory, the GH Sigma moved to square dials as well, away from the GE's circular unit's. In that case, i think they were done well. Outside, the headlights went square as well.
The 80's was all about squareness.
Yes, the Mitsubishi execution was much better in my view. 👍
The GH in my view, was the best looking on the inside, of all the Sigma's.
Who remembers those green and blue interiors?
@@noelgibson5956 I liked the exterior best too and also the GE. 👍
@@markbehr88
The GE Sigma SE with those lovely body colour wheel covers and beautiful front styling was one of the best looking cars on the market in 1977 - 79, and my favourite Sigma externally. But the lower grade Galant and GL looked a tad ordinary.
The wagon was also a very handsome package.......but the high roof update for the GN spoilt the appearance somewhat. Why was it necessary, given nobody else bothered doing it on their wagons?
@@noelgibson5956 Yes. Agree. Check out my video on a GE SE wagon. 👍
I had a Berlina EFI 6. It was a good car and zippy to drive and handled well. If you drove it easy, it got good fuel economy due to the EFI. But driving this car hard, it ran out of puff around 4 500 revs which was no different to my old 186 !!! When the LRP petrol came in, it use to ping its head off when put to the floor. I liked the dash in the VK, as it was different to any Holden or Ford I have seen before, so it was very fresh looking. The "Electronic Injection" silver badge which was on the top of the injection manifold came off, and I still have it to this day, mounted on the bottom of my model car case.
@@thunderbird1454 At least you still have a momento. 👍
Interesting you could get decent economy of you take it easy on the right foot. That could be key to the thirsty fuel consumption others describe.
@@jamesfrench7299 That’s probably true of most cars. It was not a very efficient engine. Just too far past its use by date imo. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 they should have worked on an all new six cylinder before the 1976 pollution standards came in. We knew America was dealing with theirs earlier.
Pity Holden didn't buy the hemi sixes off Chrysler.
They maybe should have used the Buick V6 earlier? 🤔👍
Nice touch how the Holden badge was on the top grille bar on SL/executive, middle bar on Berlina, and bottom bar on Calais
@@davidbayley9588 I never noticed that 😀👍
My family had a yellow executive, green interior with square berlina style pinstriping. I thought at the time it was the coolest thing ever. I have a soft spot for the dash on this model - most likely because of this car - and I quite liked the square instruments and the way everything lit up a lovely shade of green at night. The VL that came after with its1980s blue checker pattern felt like it lost the magic. Looking back, build quality was nothing to write home about, the rear quarter window leaked, it drank fuel and was heavy on oil. Oh and the electronic ignition drowned out the new fancy digital radio in the bush.
While we don’t agree on the dash, we can certainly agree on being a big fan of soft green instrument panel lighting. I miss that. 👍
G'day Mark , VK was the best style commodore when it was "enhanced" a bit. A friend of mine had a Brock Director with all the goodies of a race car but the refinements and look of a luxury car. Was a good blend.. It was a Copper 2 tone color....I raced him up the mountains behind Brisbane a few times in my VG Pacer, i got him once but that thing was superb around bends....Would be nice to trip over one of them these days.. Cheers
@@gregm959 I agree with you. The Brock style ones were the best, especially the Director. 👍
regarding the broken seat of the SPA Grice car, the replacement seat did come from a Rover but not a broken Rover and there was a little tale of subterfuge regarding that. When the HDT refused Grice the spare seat, Win Percy happened to mention to Grice that the Walkinshaw team had a mock up car on display in a tent which had a race approved seat, which led to the boys creating a distraction to the security whilst the seat was "borrowed".
@@davidewhite69 Thanks for the additional info. Grice did a terrific job. I felt HDT should have helped to fly the Aussie and Holden flag. 👍
Another great episode on the Holden commodore keep them coming . Sutton's waitara is now a tiny home display. A friday night out check out some car yards and dinner at Macs thanks Mark good work
@@GerardDaly-y1n Thanks Gerard. Those were the days! Check out the VH episode for the time I drove around Les Vagg! 😀👍
I always loved the VK. A friend of my dad had a Berlina V8 wagon that he rebadged as a Calais. I don't know what upgrades he gave it for it to deserve the Calais badge, but I only ever saw two 1980's Calais wagons in Australia, one being his. Either way, it was an excllent car, apparently. Thanks for another banger episode, Mark!
A V8 Berlina wagon was a nice car. Like I mentioned in the episode, an ex girlfriend had one in the Avocado green. 👍
@@markbehr88 Yeah this one was green too, good colour
For sure. 👍
I probably have the answer for you on those 2 wagons. HDT offered the VK ADP package, and one model they built a number of, was a VK ADP wagon, converted to a Calais. Bev Brock even had one for a while (likely the 2-tone Cerulean one Mark showed the image of). HDT featured at least 2 different ones in their literature at the time. If you can believe the numbers books, there's anywhere from around 12 to over 20 of them done as VK Calais wagons wearing HDT build numbers. Some were quite stock looking, with the exterior treatment consisting of just the side panels fitted, bumpers & grille painted, badging done, and Calais wheels. Others weren't built as Calais, but as customer special orders in whatever spec they paid for - some even got the front and side parts of the HDT body kits, and wheels - like the Len Pretti (Real Estate guy) red VK ADP wagon that matched his red VK sedan that wore a Group 3 kit.
Inside HDT offered the option to upgrade the trim to Calais spec, and I've see a couple of VKs that had this done. They are easy to pick when you know what you're looking at. Ashlors were the contractors for the unique back seat upright and plush rear trim - first seen in the 25 odd VC SL/E wagons they did, and then revived for HDT for the VK & VL - note that the 200 Holden A9Y VL Calais wagons never got the plush Ashlor trim package in the rear like the HDT VK & VL (nor the VC SL/E). They were still Berlina spec in the load area.
In VL they also offered a more generic HDT wagon pack (it was even featured in a motoring magazine at the time, showing a Kimberley bronze example) which was an exterior and interior dress up to match the Calais sedan. It was done better than Holden's attempt in '88. If the mechanicals were not touched it never got a build number, so they can be hard to pick. Dealers could also buy the parts and convert them in-house, as I know one Sydney dealer did, as it was cheaper than spending $4-5K to have HDT do it.
HDT did offer modified VL wagons too - and there's around 11 that had build numbers issued to them. Most were near stock looking Calais packs with minimal mods done to them mechanically, but a small handful were extensively altered, like the VL Group 3 wagon (a one-off) and 2x Calais Sport wagons. I own one - a Berlina V8 converted to Calais spec by HDT, and then made into a Calais Sport, with the 5.6L HDT stroker, plus pack suspension, Scheel seats etc (and even a polarizer). The build sheets are an interesting read.
@@commodorenut4238 Thanks. Very interesting. I know that HDT definitely made some very bespoke cars for people. We even did this to a lessor degree at HSV, where we built a VX Senator wagon for a customer and a Yellow GTS Coupe with a blue leather interior. 👍
I still have my maroon 85 Vacationer sedan with the 3.3L carburettor engine and 4 speed manual I got as my first car and learnt how to drive in. It's still sitting in the garage at my mum's house and hasn't moved in at least 5 years, even though it is still registered and insured.
Very cool. You could Club Register it now. A manual would be probably the best transmission for the 3.3 in terms of drive-ability. You should get it up and running I reckon. 👍
I had a VK 5.0l Berlina and it was a very nice car to drive. One trip was 1200ks down into Victoria. To average 100 kms/ hour I had to do at least 120kms/ hour plus every where I could all day down the Newell Highway. It was clicking over a neat 100 kms every hour on the trip meter. Those were the days. It did it easily and comfortably. I liked that car but it wasn’t a Ute and that was the only time I didn’t have a Ute. The 5.0l V8 was a very nice motor in that car and because it was so light it was pretty economical. Better on fuel than my WB Ute which is a 4.2l 4 speed. A dedicated lead burner with a 750 Quadrajet carby standard from the factory when super petrol was the only way to go.
@@jefftheaussie2225 Sounds like a great trip. 👍
Hi there , very informative. Thanx
@@saintraphael6311 Pleasure. Thanks. 👍
Managed to own a white nov 85 executive that went through Riverside and came out as a 134 pack with a group 3 kit 4.9ltr. Such a memorable car to me. Great review mate.
@@Marco-mo7uj Thanks. Cool. Sounds like a nice car. 👍
My VK was an immaculate, silver Berlina with orange stripes, and the same blue interior as a blue meanie SS. I took the orange stripes off , and put VX SS mags on it. It had the fuel injected 3.3 and traumatic .It used a lot of petrol, and when I went on holiday in it, and towing a dual axle cage trailer with just my sons little trail bike , and just a few other bits and peices on it , it ran out of steam on long pulls on not particularly steep hills, and had me wondering if we would get up and over to the other side. For any future towing I'd bolt the tow bar onto the VH Ranger , which tows anything with ease.
@@barrycuda3769 Amazing with the added technology of fuel injection, the car had less power than your Valiant. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 It could scoot along fast not towing anything, but when it came to down low grunt it was very disappointing.
@@barrycuda3769 Yes. I think it ran out of breath quickly? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 Oh, by the way it's the 2 barrel Ranger XL, which makes a bit of a difference.
@@barrycuda3769the good old days.
In dropping their V8, Ford might have gotten a short-term boost by not having to certify their V8 for the new emissions laws, but it would cost them for decades, and they really only got back their performance cred with the BA Turbo models. Even after reintroducing the V8 for the EB, reality didn't matter. The damage was done way back in 1982.
Conversely, in the 80s, Holden sent itself broke while still being one of the cool kids. The perception of superior performance over a nearly identically performing Ford range later on came purely out of Holden's refusal to walk away from its V8 heritage, which paid dividends right till the bitter end.
@@gergatron7000 Yes, I think that is a fair summary. 👍
Must say, dynamically and steering wise - the EA and EB were a revelation compared to the XF - AND far superior to the dynamics of the VN.
The VN should have never been put on Australian roads, with skinny tyres, over the top launch and old VL compromised foundation. Very dangerous. In fact, one was split in two on Sydney Harbour Bridge by a Volvo 240. I don't think this was corrected properly until the Acclaim VR.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes. EA used the SLAS front end plus rack and pinion steering. Re the VN. I drove a lot of those when I was at Holden as company cars. With FE2 suspension and alloy wheels they were much better. 👍
@@adrianmclean9195you obviously didn’t have Fe2 suspension or HSV suspension pack they actually handled.
G'day Mark,
Boy don't I remember the VK in my teens.
Clearly remember the Victoria Police Candy Cars that special canary yellow & don't forget VicRoads Patrol Cars that pulled over semi was a yellow too a shade different & purple bubble lights.
A good friend of mine Rob from Yarraville had a white Group 3 SS it was a absolute treat everytime I got to cruise in it.
I remember them called the VK White Pointer after the shark.
OMG that VK back in 1987 was insane quick.
Cruise check out Dandenong Rd drags & cruise Cardigan st Carlton the burn out pad there.
I think they look great & the Blue Meanies were just traffic stoppers no matter what.
Mind you my mate Rob owned a pub in Yarraville at the time friend of a friend I just taggged along.
My dad had a radiator repair shop on Macaulay Rd, North Melbourne near North Melbourne Footy Ground back in the 80's.
There were a couple of young mechanics Ang & Leo run a mechanic & hi performance work shop.
Drag race on Macaulay Rd back then, tuning cars at midnight go to Taxi Ranks on Spencer for a feed at 2 am.
Great car scene back then in Melbourne lost plenty of skin on the knuckles wrenching under bonnets.
Thoroughly enjoyed it getting into my teenage years the 80's.
Cheers
Louis Kats 👍
Good days hey! 👍
@@markbehr88👍👍👍
@@louiskats5116 👍
I got my blue meanie replica,absolutely love the vk model.
@@Vk-ir6if Cool 👍
Loved the VK. I bought a HDT Group 3 when the car was two years old and loved it. I have had a few more VK since and still wouldn’t mind another. I think they are the best losers out of the first generation.😊
@@Louie2309 Sounds like you’ve had some nice cars? 👍
@@markbehr88 not enough. I still have a long list of cars I would like to have. 👍
Yes, me too and I have a lot! 😀👍
Another great video Mark thanks
@@richardbrimble1319 Thanks very much. 👍
Many years ago a friend of mine had a silver VK Calais!
He had it lowered and had the factory rims highly polished, looked fantastic. Loved the digital dash also!
I believe his was the fuel injected 202 motor?
Fantastic looking car with plush interior. Sadly though it was written off due to a very hard rear end impact that bent the chassis!
He only had it two years. Shame.
@@Tk-ou9ec Sounds like a nice car. Shame it was wrecked. 👍🫣
@@markbehr88 I had a VG Valiant sedan back in the early eighties, it was a bit of a rough cruiser, but ran well . One Saturday night cruising the main street , sitting waiting to turn off to the right, all of a sudden, an almighty BANG , I'd been rear ended by the nicest VF Valiant sedan in town . My car was wrecked , the back end was severely bent upwards, and the front end of the VF was not a pretty sight . The driver of the other car ended up being my neighbour , and he told me he'd had a fair bit to drink, I dont know how fast he was going, but he never drove slowly, I'd say he was probably doing about 60mph or more. He got his car fixed with the front end parts off mine. And I moved on to a VC Regal .
@@barrycuda3769 There is another Valiant story! 😀
Same thing happened to mine.
No good. 😢
Great review! My first car was a green VK Berlina with EFI. Was my pride and joy as an 18 y.o. P-plater. That car gave me freedom to go anywhere. Still wish I had it...
Thanks very much. Very cool. 👍
My mate had a 3-3 carby VK wagon......a blue Vacationer. When the engine management system stopped functioning properly, the motor had this annoying ping once it hit operating temperature. He never bothered with a fix, and was told it shouldn't effect the general running of the car.
On the dashboard, there was this panel of switches above the centre vents that operated miner accessories like rear wiper. By the time the car was five years old.........none of them still worked! Just as well they were only minor controls.
The trimatic was little improved from the VB days, and the engine certainly didn't feel a lot faster.......that really had to wait for the VL.
Many don't like the VK's dash. I didn't mind it. After six years, a change had to occur.
@@noelgibson5956 I think the dash was a retrograde step versus the clear, round dials. The digital dash was cool while it worked. I would love to hear from any Subscribers who have a VK Calais with a working dash? 👍
@@markbehr88the one I had all lit up, but only the fuel and temp gauge, plus the trip computer would work, the Speedo would be stuck on 0.
@@Steve_jones113 How annoying. I wonder if there are fixes for them these days? I hope so as it would be nice to see them still functioning. 👍
Cool video as always. I remember I almost bought a second hand VK Commodore, fuel injected six cylinder from an elderly one owner with just 43,000 kms.
The only reason I didn't buy it was that I had my heart set on a six cylinder Nissan Skyline. I bought the last of that model series with the compact disc rear lights and ended up having that car for eleven years. But I did like the VK Commodores.
Thanks. Sounds like it was a lovely example but I also get why you bought the Nissan. 👍
I bought a new EFI Berlina in 1984.
It was a very good car.
I took the big noisy radiator fan off and installed a big thermo.
Had the auto tricked a little.
It ran great and was much faster than a mates “worked” 4.2 Kingswood.
The stereo was really good for the day (electronic tuning and soft touch tape deck.
The only thing it really needed was a 4 sp auto as no manual gears on the EFI option.
Traded it in 6yrs later on a 5.0 Vn Berlina and the dealer gave me a fantastic deal.
Glad you had a good run with it. The V8 Berlina would have been nice too. That was my first Holden company car. 👍
@@markbehr88cool 👍
I’d have liked a V8 back then but a 5.0 carby thirst I couldn’t afford to run.
The 5.0 Vn is a different story, all options and T5 transmission gets good economy for a big car .
Fe2 suspension makes the handling pretty decent.
@@darrylfletcher2760 Yes. Cool car. 👍
@@markbehr88thanks for another good video Mark.
@@darrylfletcher2760 Cheers. 👍
All I remember is the Group A was always referred to as the Brock or Brocky. Don't remember Blue Meanie. Blokes used to upgrade their regular front grill to a "Brock grill".
@@julius8966 I think the Blue Meanie had been around for a while but maybe not when it was new? 👍
@@markbehr88Didn't a "Blue Meanie" refer to the magic mushroom back in the day? Maybe just what the losers I hung around with called em 😂
PS Mark, you could have mentioned Smokey the yellow VK ex-cop highway 304 V8 on nitrous that ran at Calder drags. I saw it in action a few times, it ran about 12.5 sec 1/4 mile and you could race against it - sorta to get crew off the streets drag racing and onto the track.
Thanks for a great episode Mark - always loved the VK V8 !
@@johnkraft7461 I am not sure re the whole mushroom thing? I do remember that drag car. 👍
I don't know about anyone else but as someone from the old country, I was simply mesmerised by the dry-as-dust Crocodile Dundee delivery - it also reminded me of the big bruiser politician in Rake!😂❤
Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment. 🤔👍
I bought an ex Police 84 VK 5.0 liter 4 speed with 44,000km from Christie’s auction in Sydney back in 1985. Man that car was quick and reliable, it also handled great. I believe in was from the Newcastle Highway Patrol. A few years after i bought it mildly worked the engine and put some brand new while Simmons P86 rims fitted with new at the time in Australia Falken 50 series tyres that gripped like you wouldn’t believe. It was a great cruiser with plenty of get up and go. Man I miss that VK. Surprisingly the car was quicker before I rebuilt the engine, I bored it out 20 thou , had head work done as dropped a mild cam into it. I’m told that the Police Highway patrol VKs had HDT worked engines , the same as Group 3 SS versions.
Very cool. It probably went so well because it was run in hard on the Newcastle freeway. I had a 5 litre VN company car when I was at Holden and I ran that car in hard. Everyone said it went really well. Same with my later VX ClubSport manual in dark blue. I ran it in hard and the HSV engineers said it went really well too. 👍
@@markbehr88 Nice 👍
👍
@@conservativesniperhunter7439 👍
The V5H engine package (effectively the SS spec 177kw motor) was optional on manual BT1 in VH and VK, and was taken up by NSW, VIC and SA Police for HWP work - bit it was hit & miss. Not every manual 308 got it. It was only on manuals, and the easiest way for the punter to tell was the wide mouth air cleaner, and the inlet manifold part number ended in '955. Actually, the easiest way to know was to drive it - they went so much better, as you found out. I had a VH ex-SA Police 4-speed with it. No air con, but it had an engine oil cooler with the letters H.D.T. stamped into the brackets. Bought it off the guy who got it from the auctions in '84 and owned it for 10 years - the oil cooler was there when he bought the car, along with the upgraded headlight wiring with relays & brighter bulbs too - but they had cooked the plastic adjusters in the headlights so the reflectors flopped around over bumps.
Lahood Motors on Parramatta Road used to snap the ex-Police VK V8s up from the auctions, fit HDT kits and CSA wheels, then sell them off as a cheaper alternative to a Brock. You'd always see them in the Friday paper. They were always white or yellow as that went well with the body kits. They did such a good job they usually blacked out the window frames too, so they looked like a real HDT. The powder blue and silverslate (late 85) were nice cop car colours we had locally.
When they dropped the 308 to 304 at the start of '85, they had to produce a minimum of 5000 vehicles in that same V5H spec with the big valve heads to satisfy FIA for Group A and allow the big valve heads (this is separate to the requirement for 500 Blueys, with even more race mods), so every one of those 5000 had a unique prefix for tracking them - VB. Once they'd done them (early Aug 85) they reverted back to the small valve heads on manual 304s, except HDT and optional models (manuals now had a VG prefix). So if you got a Feb to July 85 manual V8 VK - even the average private buyer - you got the V5H spec motor as a bonus.
I know a few guys who worked as mechanics for GMH dealers back in the day, and one of the stories I heard was that some dealer staff with the small-valve headed VH and VK 5L took the liberty of "exchanging" heads with some of these special 304 manuals. I'm not so sure, as who would have had the cash back then to afford a near new 5L if you're working as a mechanic at a dealership?
But I do know they used to love flogging them around the block when unloading the transporters. The yard guys would fight over getting the manual V8s and HDT models. One of my colleagues in the 90s did 6-7 years in the early to mid 80s at a large Sydney dealer as a yard boy and PD detailer, before getting a gig in their paint shop. He was not impressed with the build quality of any Holden in that time, and had countless stories of running brand new, unsold cars around into "panel & paint" to fix up issues that the assembly plants let loose. He also told me how the dealer he worked for would do shadowtone conversions on VHs, and colour-coded bumpers on new VKs for a price. They also offered to shadowtone 5-6 year old VBs and VCs that came in for service, that had the paint on the roof, boot & bonnet that was shot. He did lots of them, and it was a good money spinner for the dealership.
Top vid mate
Watched it while taking a flight between Incheon and Narita this arvo 😂😂😂
Nice. The show has gone international! Maybe it will become inflight? 😀👍
Ive had my BT1 VK v8 since 1995 and loving it,,much more fun since I put a 355 and T5 trans in years ago lol,,been pretty reliable mechanically,,Electrical system was a laugh,but a few added relays and fuse holders fixed it lol,,Oh,,and the original Bosch ignition module and coil still working ,,not like modern coil packs that last 2-4 years lol,,no wonder I feel more confident driving the old girl with less fear of breakdowns
Wow. That is a good run. I had a BT1 pack VP as a Holden company car. It had no IRS so the police would not accept it - so I received it as a company car. Everyone would slow down as it had the FE2 suspension and steel wheels. 👍
Thank you Mark. This is getting interesting. I smiled when you said Starfire engine. I immediately thought about Oldsmobile as they used that name for a model in the 1960's and 1970's. You are right about the comparison to Nissan. The instrumentation panel and front end design look very Asia/JDM like. I recall some Hyundai models having a front end like this model range decades ago. I liked that information about the kits sent to Indonesia. This car was a 185 inches long. It was three inches shorter than the front wheel drive GM A Bodies of the 1980's. It appears to be in the size range. One thing is clear...it is still too small compared to the Ford. Thank you for the New Zealand information. I smiled when you talked about the Commodore Royale. That is a Oldsmobile "Royale" badge. When you talked about the features, I said are you sure this was not a secret Oldsmobile? GTS was a Chrysler trim level later. The SS looks like a Ford Mustang SVO or Ford headlight design from the 1980's. I liked the Calais with the digital gauges. Holden engineered through racing. This is why Holden had more experience with performance the American GM did not have. I had heard of Holden Calais Director or Commodore Director as they test drove it in a America car magazine years ago against or with America cars and it out performed them. Here it is on Ebay: www.ebay.com/itm/310773092021
Keep it up Mark! It is getting great.
I remember reading that in the Library of Albury High School. Wheels also took another VL across the US.
@@OLDS98 Thanks very much Olds98. Glad you are enjoying the episodes. 👍
@@adrianmclean9195 Always cool. And a BA Falcon went to Europe too. 👍
@@markbehr88 yes - I remember that. I remember Ford's marketing, by filming it in overseas locations, inc. US and Germany.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes, a good ad. 👍
Mate had a VH with stout 308 tricked up auto, spool diff. Crazy fun car.
@@StevenMilne-sm4fk Yes. Good with an upgraded engine. 👍
It was a huge step forward and names for model designations instead of letters was a great improvement. Of course the VL continued the refinement of the still vert advanced VB. The reasons that the Commodore needed to be widened are obvious, but compared to the VB to VL the VN Commodore drove like a bloody tractor.
The VN had very good off the mark acceleration. Great for short test drives at the selling point to seal the deal. It also had the “big, new” about it - which had been the Achilles heel of the Commodore. True re the handling. I had many as Holden company cars. If you had the FE2 and alloy wheels it was much better. 👍
@@markbehr88 a 91 VN was a substantially improved car over an 88 one, helped by essentially being a VP underneath.
Quality was better too towards the end of the VN. 👍
Cool to see some of the NZ publicity photos were shot at Trentham Race Course.by the distinctive stairs.
Ah, I worked near there as I was based at Trentham from 1994 to 1997. 👍
i love your videos
@@mickhofman Thanks very much. 👍
Been looking forward to this, thanks Mark.
@@Steve_jones113 Thanks. I hope you like it. 👍
Holden by 1985 had the WB statesman with a V8 modified by Brock. The last one before power spec went down due to catalytic converter setup as unleaded petrol mandated in 1986.
That was the Magnum.
@@michaelcalder9089 Yes, I will cover the Magnums when I do the Statesman series. 👍
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes. 👍
There was one and only one Brock Magnum WB Ute. It was white with white mouldings.
@@jefftheaussie2225 I heard about that. 👍
Hi Mark, your knowledge of this era is priceless, I have two white with cerulean blue interior Royals with the starfire 4 cylinder engines. Both are low km cars one at 167 thousand the other 67 thousand yup only 67 thousand. The car is mint and will be my donor for VK Blue Meanie the other a white SS. I would love to pick your brain theses builds especially the Blue Meanie. I many books but a few things I’ve heard of I can’t really confirm and I’m pretty sure you will know, you actually mentioned one in your video.
Thanks. I will do my best to answer. Many of the Subscribers also have great knowledge on these cars, so if you post your questions I am sure someone will be able to help if I can’t. 👍
@@markbehr88 The starfire engines in the VK, were they given the "Black" Treatment like the 6 cylinder engines?
So GrpA supposedly had strengthened strut towers and seam welded like race cars? I think you mentioned something about the towers, yet re watching.
@@richardayrton3608 Yes, I am sure there is a lot of additional fine detail on the cars. This covers the main points. 👍
Cheers
The VK SS Group A is in my top 3 favorite cars of all time, unfortunately as a Yank I'll never get to see one on the streets but it'd be worth a trip down under for.
@@abedekok322 👍.
I remember a motoring magazine at the time fitting a VK commodore with the EFI (auto only) engine with the 5 speed manual.
That would have been a nice combo from the factory.
@@rjbiker66 Yes. Much needed I reckon. 👍
That would have been Barry Lake’s car, the editor of Modern Motor, who had HDT build “project Berlina” converting an EFI to manual, and eventually adding lots of nice HDT bits. That car still lives on today, well cared for in VIC.
@@commodorenut Thanks for the info. 👍
If made from factory would need T5 because m76 is too weak (only rated to just over the HP of the carb 3.3)
It would have cost too much. Why didn't they make an EFI M20/M21?
@@mulletbubbles9909 Yes, would have been a good option. 👍
I had a silver fuel injected VK Calais from new fitted with the chrome aero wheels and a blue meanie grill. It was an awesome car in spite of the digital dropping its guts cost quite a bit to get repaired from what i rember.
I found that the speedo readings rarely were the same. Think they shouldn't have had both types. It was so frustrating to watch. The digital one was strangely more accurate than the bar. Would have thought it took the reading from the same sensor.
@@davidoneil8003 Would have been a nice car. I loved the aero wheels. 👍
@@2DogsVlogs Shame they had issues with it. I have a 1980 Lincoln MKVI with digital dash - no issues. 👍
My Auntie had a Green Berlina wagon with fuel injection. We had an 85 XF Fairmont at the time, and even though we were a Ford family I thought the VK Berlina was a great package and a modern redesign over the VH.
@@nickgruzevskis8629 Fair enough. 👍
Yep, I also used to do the walk home from Waitara to visit Suttuns & James Sutherland. Also to buy hot chips & play Galaxians at the takeaway. Yeah they messed up the clean lines imo, but that NZ GTS looked good. I'd expected more about the controversial 'quartic' gauges! Cheers Mark.
@@UncleJoeLITE I also thought that GTS was a good looking package. 👍
Great video have mint VK Hope you going do one on the VL
@@neilrobertson1345 Thanks. Yes, I have done all the Commodores from VB. VL is the next one. 👍
On the compliance code 5 speed transmission for the V8 was M39
@@jimfashik Thanks for the info. 👍
But it was never stamped on the tag as Holden only ever fitted the M21 to VK V8s (and they had to build over 5000 of them for Group A rules, which is why there were so many manual V8s, even Calais V8s).
The V8 T5 was only ever fitted after the fact by HDT. It wasn’t until VL that Holden put the T5 behind the V8 during production and stamped the plate M39, and that was only for the Group As, as all other VL V8s were auto only.
VK carby 6s with the 5 speed were M76.
Great additional info. 👍
Hi Mark, from memory, over here in New Zealand the Executive and Berlina were flipped around in the pecking order. Berlina came in below the Executive. Next up, the Neeesan
That remained consistent throughout the Commodore run if I’m not mistaken
@@gregidour7315 Really. That is weird. 👍🤔
@@cpzmelbs When I was NZ sales manager - VR and VS it was the same as Australia. 👍
@@markbehr88 I must be mis-remembering the details I read somewhere. Perhaps it was only the case for a couple of years, although I recall reading about the nz/aus differences specifically in a vn or vp related forum discussion
@@cpzmelbs Not sure. Seems strange to me? For VR onwards I know it was as per Australia. 👍
4.9 was redesigned to eliminate siamesed exhaust ports which had caused issues
@@ChrisTopher-cy8ph 👍
Great stuff, Mark!
@@tonyscarcare5657 Thanks Tony. Hope you’re well buddy? 👍
According to sa rego check, the number plate of the car in the thunbnail is "unassigned" so that one probably met a "stobie" pole in a wet night! Like my mates blueprinted, cammed V8 Calais. Sold it, one week later it was wrapped around a power pole on a wet Friday night! Factory sunroof, leather, white on silver.
@@onedayiwillmakesomecontent Very sad ending. That car is a Holden press car. 👍
I have never seen an Australian assembled VK built after Dec 85 due to unleaded fuel in 86. I have seen Dec 85 build VLs
My uncle owns a vk Calais in everglade green. He restored it to factory specs except for the speakers.
@@lochlanp Very cool. How did he go with the digital dash? I would be interested to know? 🤔👍
I thought the grill looked good on the VK and some of the colour schemes were very nice.
@@bossdog1480 I agree 👍
Good review, I never understood why a brown interior was ever an option as they were sh.t compared to the nice greys of the xf. The vk should have been what the vl was, I always thought the commodore was always a model behind in tech and features. Still, the vk rates up in my top 3 designs.
@@lancegraham7722 A VK with the Nissan engine would have been good. 👍
You could get a light brown dash in the xf as well, Ford offered coloured interiors to counter the criticism of only black in xd and xe. It would be great if modern cars gave you the choice
The light brown in VKs was called Oyster, and it actually came in during the VH. It wasn’t that bad in a Calais with some contrasting bits but in base models there was way too many similar shades that never matched. The more questionable interior was coppertone in the Berlina & Calais. It was either loved or loathed, and was the only colour option if you wanted leather in your Calais (unlike the VH that offered leather in all the SL/E colours).
When Ford introduced the XF with the option of a grey interior in late 84, it didn’t take Holden long to also offer grey in the VK from ‘85, and it carried through VL too. Ironically, they had a grey interior in the VB and VC (it was real nice in the VC SL/E) but dropped it for VH.
@@commodorenut Yes, grey was the mid to late 80’s darling interior colour but I liked the reds, browns, greens and blues. 👍
A good model but the VH SLE two tone cars looked fantastic.
@@petermurgatroyd2002 Agree. I would have one of those too. But a Brock Director…..🤔👍
Yep - the square dials, were just wrong, right from the start. In fact in one model, they super imposed a circle around them to alleviate the "squareness".
Apart from that, it was good
Good separation of model looks - even if they were French names that meant something different in French.
Smoked tail lights worked, even better on the VL.
Missed the little 4.2 V8.
Remember Wheels doing a comparison with the Brock Group lll, with a SAAB 900 Aero and BMW 528i or 535i M?
Pitty, Holden wasn't upfront about cooling/head gasket problems with following turbo 6. Skyline used different cooling system.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes, those instruments were 🤮. I liked the Calais rear light treatment. 👍
VK Police cars had the circle printed on the speedo with 2kmh increments (like the VH BT1 before it) so the cops could read it with accuracy.
@@markbehr88yes, the tri-level treatment was a great idea to add differentiation, and offered a distinctly different rear, especially with the red pinstriping on the smoked lights. 3 different trim levels easily distinguished from the rear.
Yes, I thought Leo did a great job. 👍
Yes, I remember that. 👍
Have to agree mate: the rear end of VB to VH were NOT iterated in design talk, to an elegant solution….. Considering the market extant, only so much money could realistically be allocated to just sheet metal/appearance. Way “it” is. But here, they got there; incrementally. They were aware of such in Germany, but let’s face it: the front of the VB was iterated from the HZ/HQ apeearance n’ insides from same. Takes time to change product; especially from the potential buyers. This one was on the correct trail. BTY, was the roofline and Sid’s reen
@@AnthonyTolhurst-dw1nc 👍
One of the guys working n this project told me that they are basically stuffing a V8 in a Cortina. That could have been interesting. Especially in the TE
@@royferntorp I have driven a 302 powered TC Cortina. It went really well. 👍
@@markbehr88they stuffed a 250 6 in the cortina.
Yes and it handled like a lead tipped arrow. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 As a youngster I always wanted a TC. Especially the twin headlight version. All I could afford at the time were old Anglias, HK's and XP's. At least the Anglia had all four synchro's.
The best TC and TD models were the manual 2 litre cars I reckon. The six was too nose heavy. 👍
That Pinto engine was so good. All the guys in the holden 6's couldn't believe how those cars smoked them. Sticking to the belt drive intervals was essential. Not a big job. Consumer education lacking.
@@royferntorp Yes. Good engine b👍
Just found a photo of the family Royale. Maroon and more Maroon was the theme 😊
@@Ian1964 Very cool. 👍
The black motor EST [ Electronic Spark Timing], ignition system was a joke. No adjustments . Quite a few came in where I worked "pinging' but had no way of backing the timing off. Never worked on the problem myself, but used to hear a lot swearing from other mechanics. Must have been the cheapest computer system in the world , designed by a 14 year old on a Commodore 64 or a cheap Tandy thing. The EFI motor was a lot better but just as thirsty as the standard engine.. V8 was the only way to go. The dash looked a lot better than previous models but had a habit of creaking a lot. The Electronic dash had two fuses to feed it power, if one blew the instrument cluster went black so you had no idea what was going on. The cluster had to be sent to Melbourne to be repaired/replaced so the car was off the road. [ I worked in Brisbane]. Only lasted for one model. I wonder why?
@@volvor730 Sounds like they had a lot of issues. Agree that the V8s were the way to go. 👍
Fair enough. It seems they were all expensive to fix, if they went wrong EA and even Subaru GLF coupe. I think the first in Australia - head of architecture at one of Sydney's university, thought they were the way to go - but not until much later. Renault Clio RS has a white number on black background which can be seen in harsh sunlight - a problem these first digital LEDs had. LCD better.
@@adrianmclean9195 The first cars that had digital dashes to my knowledge were the Aston Martin Lagonda and the 1978 Cadillac Seville (optional). 👍
The Subaru high end sedans and wagons (Leone?) of the early 80s (the one with twin square headlights) had a digital dash.
@@jamesfrench7299 Yes it was the 1982 model. 👍
I had a 10yr old Calais 5ltr. Dash never worked. I’m not sure but l think it had a 50ltr fuel tank combined with new pollution laws l spent a lot of time at petrol station. It was a nice car though.
Seems that dash did have a lot of issues which is a shame, although a few seem to have some that work? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88the ones that failed usually went early. The ones that lasted seemed to keep that reliability into old age. Standard sedan tank was 63L. Only the HDT models had the 90L option.
Yes, I wonder what the variable was? 🤔
I forgot some came with the Commodore steel wheels dating since the VB. It looked good with that green.
They certainly were a big step up in modern looks and made a good stopgap model for the VL.
That EFI setup disguised the engine's EH origins really well. Made it look like a modern engine for the time. Would make a nice transplant for an earlier Holden.
Also the carburettor 3.3 had a computer lean burn set up similar to Chrysler's much touted ELB system.
The XF also recieved such a system.
Both cases wouldn't have been as successful at improved fuel economy as the Hemi six engines of Chrysler.
The XF has aged horribly compared to the rounder VK style.
@@jamesfrench7299 Interesting idea fitting the 3.3 EFI to an older car. It went ok but was harsh and used a lot of fuel. Probably better engines to fit? The VK was a pretty major re-style. The XF still used the same basic 1979 body. Sales wise though it did very well with the last of them having colour keyed bumpers, four wheel disc brakes and power steering. 👍
@@markbehr88 they certainly piled on the standard features with the unleaded XF2. I remember being pleased they made four wheel discs standard across the range line Volvo had done since the 1960s.
At the time the XF would have still looked modern but after 35 years it's looking more dated than the VK.
The XF2 is more rust prone than the first series I have noticed. A pity as it was a very effective update.
A 3800 Ecotec series out of a VX is a good choice of transplant, as I have seen done on an EH Holden on TH-cam.
@@jamesfrench7299 Yes re the 3800. The Renaults had four wheel discs for many years too as well as the Citroens. My Renault 10 and Citroen GS’s have them. 👍
The styled wheels were only fitted to VK cop cars, and were 14x6. VK SL had pathetic 14x5.5 steel rims with plastic hub caps (full wheel covers) so Holden had to keep the 14” wheels from the base model VH for the cops to use in VK. The styled steel wheel allowed them to run a wider tyre too.
It's funny but I never realised how much VK there was in the VL, as the VL looked much slimmer. At the time I thought it was a big departure but seems not.
@@nathansmith6914 Yes, that’s true body wise. 👍
@@markbehr88Apart from the built-in boot spoiler and low front end lights. Dash updated. Build quality still poor.
VX probably next best sorted/looking - clean.
@@adrianmclean9195 The one I worked on. VX. 👍
@@markbehr88 cool - the tear drop headlight and much less heavy rear, made it look great.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes, I got that idea off a VT prototype they did earlier. More details in the upcoming VX episode when we get there. 👍
Yes plastic fantastic. Despite being an environmental problem, if not for plastic and similar materials, cars would be a fair bit heavier than they have been.
@@wizzard5442 True. 👍
VK SL was one of the lightest first gen commodores, depending on the engine option.
Interesting. 👍
Hope you do VL turbo episode Mark🥺
Yes, I am doing the whole Commodore series just like I did the Ford Falcon. Plus there is a Fairlane Auto History Series as well as the Chrysler Valiant. Next Commodore will be the VL. So please Subscribe and hit that old Like Button 👍
Think from memory Leo explained the quarter window and passed it onto the Vauxhall team as they didn’t know how he achieved it
@@paulheywood2116 Yes, they sent out an Opel body engineer to see how it was done. 👍
@@markbehr88 that’s right I think I heard it Shannon’s design to driveway series
@@paulheywood2116 Yes. I commissioned that series (you can see in the credits). 👍
@@markbehr88 ripper series mark much appreciated thank you for your contribution to the Australian car industry and beyond
@@paulheywood2116 Thanks very much. 👍
Calais are apparently top of the line
@@tom-vx1lp That’s right. For the benefit of overseas subscribers . Below Statesman and Caprice. 👍
@@markbehr88 my school art teacher taught me the hierarchy
@@tom-vx1lp Fair enough. 👍
Who came up with those names berlina calais always thought out of character with holden early names had australian character
@@Eric-kn4yn I would say they were more “European” and that was the image Holden was after. 👍🤔
Berlina means sedan. Silly. Calais is a French port. Sad when marketing and all their resources, history and the general public at their disposal, can't get it right.
@@adrianmclean9195 I thought Berlina may have been used by Opel? Calais was used by both Cadillac and Oldsmobile 👍
@@markbehr88 French cars, were where I saw it first. Sometimes used to describe the design rather than the badge.
@@adrianmclean9195 Yes. 👍
there is a model you did not mention ,PK 134 ..mild .modified 304 /4 manual FE2 suspension /disc brakes rear /cold air induction etc between std and SS model I still have one today basically SL {red ) in colour only mods I got rid of steering ugly wheel and fitted 17inch rims ... saying with respect ...you would know more than I would ever know you worked for them ...
@@Kicka308 Thanks. Not familiar with that although often the dealer groups sold special V8 packages during sales campaigns that were based off the standard cars. 👍
He’s likely referring to the 5000 manual 304 V8s that Holden had to fit and sell to qualify for homologation (this is in addition to the 500 cars closer to race spec, where they could play to the rules more like how the VL GpA got extractors with the first joint just inches from the heads). Up until the end of 84 the 5L was 308ci/5044cc and used the same VT prefix it had since the VB. In early 85 it was de-stroked to make it 304ci/4987cc so it could move from the 5000cc-6000cc class into the 3501cc-5000cc class which had a minimum race weigh that was 75kg less.
But to qualify for this (ie meet the FIA rules to prove they were series production) they had to produce and sell 5000 standard 304 manuals, so Holden promoted the crap out of the 134, 234 and 334 pack cars (SL, Berlina & Calais) that were fitted with the 304 V8 and M21 manual transmission. They were the V5H spec engine - so they got the double-row timing chain, better rods, big valve heads, large port inlet manifold, windage tray, wide mouth air cleaner etc. The engine prefix was VB. Automatic 304s didn’t get the good bits, and had a VA prefix. By August, they’d made the 5000 hot manual 304s so the VG prefix V7X was born - manual 304 that reverted back to the small valve heads, basically back to the automatic spec 304.
There was only 300 of the blue meanies made, they also made them in white
OH NO...Still pushing the old six...fuel injection but choked with pollution gear...the new Nissan six coming was long overdue...Had nothing on the XF Alloy head six for power and torque and reliability..I.remember the VK in the workshop having many reliability issues !
@@romemancer7905 Yes, the Nissan six was light years ahead. 👍
In my opinion the vk was the last well designed holden with the exception of vr/vs statesmans
@@MaliqueGowley What about a VL Calais? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 nah. Never liked vls, I think they have a horrible looking nose cone
@@MaliqueGowley Fair enough. I quite liked it. 👍
I never liked the interior of the VK's. The dash and guages 🤮. But the SS and Group A cars looked great from the outside. Can't wait for the VL!
@@MitchTube Yes the dash was not good. 👍
I thought the Falcon window design was much more modern than the VK/VL
@@thelandofnod123 Are you talking XF?
@@markbehr88 XD all the way to the end really. I don’t know if the glass area was larger or what but without the extra framing it always seemed less fussy for the same result.
Yes, definitely more glass area than the Holden. 👍
@@markbehr88Gotta hand it to Ford - they nailed it going 6 window with the ZJ/K Fairlanes and LTD well before the VK and VL Commodores.
@@johnkraft7461 Yes. I have a ZK. 👍
It looks like there's a dog in the 05 car @ 19:02. 🐕🦺
@@TexasBlues-123 A ghostly apparition? 🤔
As with many holdens, the VK was just reheated left overs.
The shining light with the VK was the 6 cylinder injected engine, but its performance and economy figures were still woeful.
Such pretentious names for the car, "Director" "Calais" "Commodore" "Statesman" "Executive", and later "Senator"
No directors drove them, people in Calais didn't know they existed, yacht club Commodores would not be seen dead in them,
statesmen never drove them, executives wouldn't lower themselves and the only senator that might drive one would be poorlene hanson.
Vacationer more like it, better yet the holden Out to Lunch model.
So, not a fan hey? I guess you could also argue people living near Versailles would not know a Lincoln or the people living around the Italian styling studio Ghia wouldn’t know a Fairmont or the people in Monaco wouldn’t know a Dodge. I think their use of those names were good and appropriate even if sometimes, the cars didn’t live up to it. A VK Director is a very good car for the day. If someone said do I want a fuel injected Ghia or a Director, even though I like the Ghia (there’s that Italian studio again) I would take the Director. I try to give a balanced view and recognise the good and bad points of all manufacturers. 👍
@@markbehr88 Fair points, but we will have to agree to disagree on the subject of the names. It is the pretentiousness of them that irks me. Colorado anyone? Should be a Coolaroo.I would take the Ford Ghia seven days a week over the VK holden.
Thanks for the video, as hard as it was for me to watch it ;)
If you want to discuss reheated models the ford falcon has never ever had a brand new platform or drivetrain but plenty of revision over 56 years (just like grandpas axe), the closest they came was with the EA but that was a heavy redesign but still lots of carry over parts.
No worries. Maybe we could have the Ford Fairlane Billabong Edition or the Holden Cootamundra? I don’t know, I kind of like the more aspirational names although Monaro is a good name I must say. 👍
Still pretty good though hey and with IRS, SLAS and variable cam timing overhead cam engines, it was a far cry from the early cars. 🤔👍
I had one of these, an 84 model on gas. Base straight 6, and the 3 speed "traumatic" as i used to call it. An absolutely horrid shit box, couldnt stand it. And mine was a low mileage, good condition example so wasnt a beater. So i dread to think what a beater was like..
@@rev2xs Crying out for the VL engine. 🤔
Jesus... I changed jobs in 1984 how old am I 🤪
@@tonybennett638 I started working at Mitsubishi. 👍
Yeh, OK, there is not going to be a debate about this, the 5.0 Litre 4 Speed VK Commodore is the best Holden ever.
@@anthonyg638 Fair enough. I imagine those that were fitted with the 5 speed at HDT were even better. 👍
@@markbehr88 were they, even betterer, I seem to have forgotten that.
@@anthonyg638 Yes. Much better ratios and lower revs for high speed cruising. 👍
I also never liked the square instruments
@@ryan8488 Me either. 👍
I must say the Vk is my least favourite commodore model. But the blue meanie is special.
@@tonxbezzina7015 Fair enough. I like the Director. 👍
@@markbehr88 Yes something mysterious about the Director, very classy car with hidden power.
Agree 👍
Holden had years to develop the old base model 6 cylinder engine in Australia, ford did the barra became a legend. Instead they got shitty engines from America.
@@klano8443 There’s no doubt Holden should have evolved from the 3.3 much sooner or made significant upgrades to it. 👍
You curse the day you buy a vk…
Really? 😳
I didn’t.
👍
@@markbehr88 it’s so great that you are covering these important parts of our Australian motoring history.
From a ford guy, I even enjoy seeing the Holden history.
It’s clear to see why the smart money went to Ford though….
@@VK6RM Thanks very much. I hope you are enjoying the Fairlane and Valiant series too? 👍