VN SS REVIVAL
A BIG EFFORT & WELL WORTH IT
There’s no doubt Holden’s Commodore VN SS is one of the sleepers in the classic car market. For a while there, the demand was minimal, except among a few diehard fans. However that situation has changed radically over the last few years, with interest increasing – particularly since the cessation of local manufacturing – and with prices creeping up accordingly.
Robert Groeneveld’s interest in them goes back decades, and he’s one of a few people who have treated these cars as full resto projects. Whether that’s the most sensible financial decision is up for debate, but that isn’t why you put in this sort of effort. “I’ve had 71 cars and for me it’s the feel of a car,” he explains. “When I was about 10 or 11, I remember another family had an Atlas Grey VN SS and I remember thinking, wow this thing is just tough. I’ve always wanted one since then.
“I went through the whole hot fours and rotaries thing, then a couple of years ago I was about to get married and was
renovating a house. Timing was terrible. My cousin Tristan, who I’ve been going to Summernats with every year, messages me and says mate I’ve just stumbled across this VN SS in a garage.
“I had to have it once I saw the photos.” It was in doof-doof spec – 20-inch wheels and custom cut springs. When he first did the suspension on it, the mechanic said the labour bill for removing them was low – they literally fell out once it was on a hoist. “It had a monster tacho and all sorts of other gauges, it was rough,” says What’s driving their popularity? “I think it’s nostalgia for people my age (in their thirties). It’s the same reason as X A XC Fords or VL Holdens caught on for older people. It reminds me of when I was a kid, or it was my f irst car. They’re still relatively affordable.”
But the prices have been climbing and some parts are thin on the ground. “I paid $250 for a genuine SS steering wheel three years ago and everyone laughed at me. Tr y getting one now for less than $ 800 ! ”
There were two stages to the build. The first was get it up and running and on club rego. That entailed stripping out the interior, wheels, brakes and suspension and having it ser viced. “We did plugs, leads, ex haust, ever ything to get it running nice and looking
“IT WAS IN DOOF-DOOF SPEC – 20-INCH WHEELS AND CUSTOM-CUT SPRINGS”
“INJECTION REMAPPED BY EFI DYNAMICS, REBUILT WITH A MILD CAM, HSV INTAKE, NEW HEADERS AND EXHAUST”
presentable, so it was driving really well and I could use it,” says Robert.
“But then I’d wash and detail it and think, it’s rough. The panels didn’t match, it had a terrible closed-door respray and rust was coming through.
“So the second step was find a panel and paint shop. I inter viewed 10 shops, had a look at their work, got quotes. A lot of shops weren’t interested. Some of the resto guys were saying there’s no money in it because of the amount of time and effort required.
“I think the best thing about social media is I could follow some of the paint shops.” One of them was Glossworks. I spoke with Thanos and his painter Johnny. They said they were a fairly new shop wanting to make a name for themselves and were looking for a stand-out car that would help make their reputation.
“The budget blew out but that was okay as there was extra work and the attention to detail was sensational. The panel and paint alone took a year. It was going to be si x months, but the way I saw it was if I’m going to get the car that I want, that’s f ine.”
The engine was left pretty close to original spec. It’s the factor y 304 injected V8, with the injection remapped by EFI Dynamics, and it’s been rebuilt with a mild cam, HSV intake, new headers and ex haust .
Of course the driveline got a complete
“WITH MONROE GT SHOCKS AND KING SPRINGS THE CAR DRIVES BEAUTIFULLY. IT’S LIKE A NEW ONE”
make-over as well. The transmission is a fully-rebuilt T5 with a factor y clutch, while the diff has been attended to with fresh gears, and the driveshaft was balanced.
Robert got the suspension redone with Monroe GT shocks and King Springs – he’s a big fan of the set-up. “The car drives beautifully. It’s like a new one.”
With 30 years of build-up in them, the brake components were completely stripped and redone. We’re talking sandblasting, repaint and rebuild. The brakes were fully rebuilt, with the calipers removed, sand-blasted, repainted and fully rebuilt.
Stick This Decals in South Australia – again found through social media – is reproducing ever y sticker that came out with this car, so that’s what went on. Meanwhile the V8 badge came from Rare Spares. All stickers and badges are brand new.
As for the front badge on the grille, “A new-old-stock one goes for $250 on Ebay”, says Robert. “So Johnny at the paint shop removed the original and restored it. I sold the HDT letterbox grille that was on it when I bought the car and replaced it with the standard one – I think it looks nicer.
The interior is standard VN series 1. “Originally I had HDT
“I AM GOING TO EVERY CAR SHOW I CAN AND I’LL DRIVE THE PANTS OFF IT AND ENJOY IT”
trim in there, but the look I had in my head was tough streeter with factor y trim. I tracked down a genuine SS radio, and they now go for big money. It has custom-made f loor mats, and new carpet from a low-kilometre SS. Sound deadening was installed on the f loor and doors. The only aftermarket modification is the HSV V Y Clubsport pedals. I just wanted to neaten it up.”
What are you going to do with it, Robert? “I am going to get to ever y car show I can. I’m going to drive the pants off it and enjoy it,” he enthuses. “I want to bond with the car with my son, go for drives with my wife, wash it on a Sunday. All those sorts of things.”
THANKS TO:
My wife for being so understanding of my passion; Gloss Works Panel and Paint; Michael Tsoumaris from Autocare Clinic, My cousin Tristan Wright; Chris and Peter from the VN SS Owners Club (via Facebook); Stick This Decals; Chris Alweyn and the team from Autobarn Doncaster.