LION CHASER
HERE’S ONE WITH V8 GRUNT AND NIMBLE HANDLING FOR ALL YOU CHROME BUMPER FANS OUT THERE
At the time of launch in 1978, Holden’s relatively compact Opel-inspired Commodore series was hugely controversial. Perhaps wrong-footed by the global threats to oil supply and what that might do for demand for big cars, GMH took a gamble by dropping the wider Kingswood and committing to this series. At the time, it was one of three possible options the company had examined as its longer-term family car: this, a continuation of the Kingswood platform, plus a Torana-based option.
In the end, the move cost the company substantial f leet sales and for a time saw Ford’s bigger Falcon surge ahead in the overall numbers. However there’s no question the Commodore over time won hearts and impressed with its ability to pack our much-loved V8s into a very capable package.
That was the result of a huge amount of local development, beginning with local endurance testing of Opel product. The European cars did not fare well on our often brutal back roads, with some units literally falling apart.
In the end, a team of local engineers came up with what was very much a local creature. Sure there were clear
“A FRIEND OF MINE FOUND THIS ONE ONLINE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT AND HE SAID THAT I HAD TO GRAB IT”
influences from Op el’ sc on temporary K ad et tan dReko rd– and Opel even produced its own Commodore variant – but this was a quite different animal.
In addition to an overall make-over the list of reinforced and redesigned components was extensive, while it was the local engineers who convinced Opel it should make an across-the-board switch from recirculating ball to rack and pinion steering.
With this generation, we’re into the third iteration of the Holden Commodore, the VH – following on from VB and VC. The product was definitely maturing by this stage, with numerous tweaks along the way and an increasing tendency for Holden to split out new variants as it chased specific market niches.
For example, the VH series (1981-84) saw the return of the SS nameplate, while the Vacationer (which emerged with the VC) series was still on offer.
Also new for this series was the luxurious SL/E, raising the presentation bar considerably and repositioning the brand as a potential upmarket contender.
Visually the big change was the move away from grid-pattern grilles to a horizontal theme, intended to emphasise the width of the car and give it a little more presence.
For collectors, this also represents the last of the chrome bumper era cars. In that market there are two most-valued model series: the SL/E, particularly in the late-model shadow tone livery, or a police car, aka chaser, in vibrant yellow. The latter came in a few guises, including warmed-up V8s with manual, or a cruiser running a standard 308 with auto.
This example, owned by Markus Schoen, is a 1982 cruiser, still with its original engine and transmission in place. As much as we all love old cop cars, the reality is they went through a life cycle where they were taken off the fleet, bought up by people looking for a bargain performance car and generally weren’t treated with a whole lot of respect from there on. After all, who cares about an old Commodore?
Now, of course, lots of us do. And finding something this close to original spec that has dodged the worst abuses of careless owners is becoming a real challenge.
“A friend of mine found this one online on a Saturday night and he said that I had to grab it,” explains Markus. “So I rang the guy at 9.30 at night and had a 45 minute conversation with him. He’d bought it in the early 90s, drove it for about 10 years, then bought a new car and parked it.
“He lived in Echuca and I said, ‘Mate, I’m coming up there tomorrow with a car trailer.’ That was about five years ago.
“When I looked at the car, it was in a shed with a flat battery and tyres and it was all mostly original. We did the deal, loaded it up and brought it back.
“It had been painted down the side at one point, in a slightly different colour. I got it repainted, bought some new old stock material for the interior and had it all retrimmed.
“All the bars were rechromed, while the front got new moulds. There is a lot of new old stock around the car, like badges.
“They’re now hard to find.
“I paid some good money for parts. Like the front bumper moulds and badges cost over 1000 bucks!
“Some stuff I couldn’t get, such as the rear moulds, and for the time being I’ve gone for an SL/E rear bar.
“It also has a long-range tank, an 85 litre example out of a VL or VN.”
As for the drivetrain, with exception to a set of Pacemaker headers, Markus has left it alone. It may not be the quickest car on the planet, but it has that effortless performance you’d expect with a 308 in the snout.
“It drives like a standard car,” says Markus. “I had the carby rebuilt, and we changed over the master cylinder and radiator.” Given heat can be an issue with these things, a freshen-up of the cooling system is a wise precaution.
Having lived with this VH for a while, what’s his advice to someone looking for one of their own? First is the obvious – check for rust. “They’re pretty good,” he says, “Check the area under the front and rear screens, plus the f loor of the boot.”
Overall, the more original parts – particularly trim – the better. “Parts are out there but people are asking drug money,” he warns, adding that it makes financial sense to get one that has been looked after.
Now comfortably over the 30-year cut-off for classic club rego across the country, examples like this are very much on the radar for lovers of locally-built metal. Prices are reasonable and they’re a reliable and easy-to-maintain weekender that still drives well. You can see the appeal.
(Note: Markus has decided to put this car on the market. See tradeuniquecars.com.au)