Holden Commodore 1980 Problems

When Peter Brock started his special vehicles operation in 1980 he could not have envisaged its impact on the local car business 25 years later.  Brock admits he used the Shelby Mustang operation in the US and AMG in Germany as models for his HDT Special Vehicles, which in turn provided the model for Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performance Vehicles that have followed and flourished.The first special was the VC HDT Commodore, released in 1980 to much fanfare. As the first of the genre it's now a classic appreciating in value.Model watchAs with the operations he emulated, Brock's brief was simple. He'd take a stock VC Commodore and modify it to enhance its performance and road-holding without compromising ADR compliance.He chose the top of the range VC Commodore SL/E which already came with plenty of fruit, the perfect base for Brock to build a European-style high-performance sports sedan that was comfortable, but handled well and looked sexy.It came already fitted with Holden's 308 cubic inch (5.05 litres) V8, but Brock and his team blueprinted it and fitted big valves which bettered standard V8 performance.  They also fitted a heavy-duty air-cleaner taken from a Chevy and added a fresh air intake to improve its breathing. It was fitted with the Holden factory dual exhaust system.With Brock's mods on board the Holden V8 put out 160kW at 4500 revs and 450Nm at 2800 revs which had it racing to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds and through the standing 400m sprint in 16.1 secs.  Brock offered the choice of Holden's four-speed manual gearbox or the three-speed auto, and a limited-slip diff was standard.Underneath Brock really worked his magic, fitting uprated and lowered springs and Bilstein gas shock absorbers for a lower stance and much-improved handling.  German Irmscher 15-inch alloy wheels and Uniroyal 60-series tyres completed the grip-and-go picture.A sporting car needs a sporty image and Brock gave it a major cosmetic makeover in the form of a fibreglass body kit with wheel arch flares, front bib spoiler and a rear wing.  Colours were white, back and red, and the package was finished off with some wild red, black and white race stripes down the side.Inside Brock enhanced the SL/E interior with a signed Momo steering wheel, a special gearshift knob, and a driver's foot rest.  Doesn't sound so special today, but in 1980 there was nothing like it.He built 500 VC HDT Commodores. He probably didn't feel it would last but his HDT specials were a sensation, continuing until 1987.  Today HSV builds special Holdens, FPV does Fords. It's unlikely either would exist if Brock hadn't needed funding for his race team.In the shopWhen considering a VC HDT Commodore it's important to remember that the foundations are strictly Holden so the main mechanical components are relatively easy to find to replace, and easy to repair or service.  Check that the special Brock components are there, the signed steering wheel, Irmscher alloys, high-flow air-cleaner.When Brock built those VCs, body kits were rough and ready. Unlike today's body kits, made of durable material to take a knock and fit well, the old kits were fibreglass, didn't stand up well when hit, and didn't fit well.  Check body kit components, such as the wheel arch flares, for cracking around attachment points and distortion between the mounting points.Crunch timeDon't expect airbags in a VC Commodore, they weren't fitted. ABS wasn't an option, but it did have four-wheel discs and rack-and-pinion steering, and the road-holding of the Brock-tuned suspension.VC HDT BROCK COMMODORE 1980Rumbling V8 exhaust notePresence of special Brock partsHigh fuel consumptionSolid performanceComfortable rideReassuring handlingPotential to increase in valueRating15/20 Good looking classic Australian sports sedan with Brock branding that has the potential to increase in value.

As hard as it may be to believe, it’s official. The Commodore is a classic! Having blown out the candles on its 25th birthday cake the VB Commodore is eligible for special club registration, which makes the first new age Holden a classic in the eyes of the car club movement.Cars have to be at least 25 years old before they are eligible for a club permit, a cheaper form of registration which limits a car’s use to club related activities.Of the models that were released in the VB range in 1978 there is one that stands out head and shoulders above the others. It’s the SL/E and it’s the model that will most likely be the one that will be highly sought by the classic enthusiasts.The Commodore was born in Europe, but bred right here in Australia. It came as the result of the difficulties experienced with oil supplies when war broke out in the Middle East early in the 1970s.It was a rude awakening for all car makers who desperately sought ways of making their cars more fuel efficient after the price of fuel soared in the wake of supply problems.For its solution Holden turned to its German cousin, Opel, and joined the V-Car program, which resulted in the VB released in October 1978.It was the beginning of a new era for Holden, which began with a bang with Wheels magazine’s ‘Car of the Year’ award for the best new car of 1978. After starting on a high there would be lots of lows in the years to come, and it would take almost 20 years for the Commodore to win over the hearts and minds of Australian car buyers.MODEL WATCHTo create the Commodore Holden in effect took the Opel body and chassis and redesigned them to accept its own existing power trains.There was also some reinforcing done in certain areas of the body so it would stand up to the abuse it would receive on bush roads, and the suspension was retuned to suit local conditions.With MacPherson Struts under the front for the first time — there was a traditional Holden live axle under the rear — the VB was a sharp handling car that was more in line with what was coming from Europe than past Holden practice. It still rode comfortably and handled the rough and tough Aussie roads with aplomb.The power train was a problem for Holden that would persist, and get worse, through the 1980s. The gutsy old six-cylinder ‘red’ motor was introduced in 1963, in the EH, so it was getting a little long in the tooth by the time it saw service in the VB Commodore.With increasing demands for greener engines that used less fuel, the old Holden six needed changing, but with technology rooted in the 1960s it needed massive changes to meet the new demands.Instead of spending up big and developing all-new engines as it should have Holden tinkered with the old motor and came up with a compromise that really didn’t work all that well. Under the restrictions of rather rudimentary emission controls systems, old ‘red’ became a rough running unpleasant engine that still used too much fuel.Same goes for the V8, which was introduced in 1968 in the HT. While it wasn’t as old as the six the V8 was still a relatively old engine and didn’t take kindly to being run lean and retarded as the emission control systems made it.The engine problems would become more urgent in the 1980s, but in 1978 when the VB arrived Holden was full of optimism for the future.The VB was a smartly styled car with plenty of European panache, and the SL/E was the epitome of a European sports sedan, a tempting blend of luxury and performance.At the launch the SL/E came with an 87 kW 4.2-litre V8 as the standard engine, with the 114 kW 5.0-litre an option, but from 1979 you could also have an SL/E with the 71 kW 3.3-litre six.A T-bar three-speed auto was standard, as were four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, 15 x 6 alloy wheels with 60-series steel belted radials, air-conditioning, velour trim, wood grain, Blaupunckt AM/FM radio cassette sound, full instrumentation, and for a real touch of Europe it also had headlight washers and wipers.It was a sharp looking car then, and remains so today.ON THE LOTDon’t expect to find a VB SL/E lurking down the back of your local used car dealer, more than likely he’s sent it off to the recyclers. The best place to find a classic Commodore is in the classifieds where you’ll have plenty to choose from.Take your time, don’t rush in and buy the first car you see, unless of course it is a gem. When you find the car for you negotiate hard because VBs are hard to shift, they’re effectively at the end of their useful life and only of interest to classic car enthusiasts.Pay up to $3000 for that one little old lady owner low mileage 4.2-litre SL/E, up to $1000 more for one with a 5.0-litre V8. Don’t bother with the six, it’s the big-bore V8 that has the classic appeal.IN THE SHOPEarly Commodores haven’t aged gracefully. Rust is a major problem and it can often be seen in the bottoms of the guards and doors, below the rear window, and the floors can be a problem if the windows have been leaking.Paint is a major problem if it hasn’t been looked after, The metallic colours are the worst as can be seen by the fading that has frequently taken place on early Commodores.By now the body trim has either fallen off or is in the process of doing so, the doors have sagged, and the dash is cracked from the sun. In the days carmakers were moving from metal trim to plastic the plastic parts weren’t of a high quality.When new the alloy wheels looked a treat, but they were so detailed in their design that it was almost impossible to clean the brake dust out of the nooks and crannies and they soon looked terrible. The only way to keep them looking good was to regularly scrub away the dirt and grime, but few owners chose to do this and they suffered the consequences.Mechanically the VB suffered the same problems as other Holdens. The V8s were prone to oil leaks from the rear main crankshaft seal, the oil pan seal, the timing cover seal, and from the aluminium intake manifold which was prone to distortion.Camshaft wear was also a problem, particularly on the lobes at the rear end of the shaft where there was a problem with oil supply.Leakage from the cylinder head gaskets could also be a problem, usually caused by a problem with the clamping of the head to the block as a result of the cylinder head bolt pattern, which allowed the head to distort.The early emission control systems, which were mostly aimed at denying the engine much needed spark advance and cutting the fuel to the very minimum while still allowing the engine to run, robbed Holden engines of much of their power and performance and made them run roughly.The auto transmissions, the Trimatic was fitted to the six and the small V8, and the American Turbohydramatic 400 (later the 350) was fitted to the 5.0-litre V8, were mostly robust and reliable.Same with the rear end, which didn’t give much trouble, but look for vibrations in the drive shaft that might signal a drive joint on the way out.Most parts are available, either NOS from dealers, or from specialists like Rare Spares, so there’s no major problem in restoring a VB. Remember, though, that most classic car enthusiasts spend far too much money on restorations without the prospect of ever recovering their out of pocket expenses.OWNER’S VIEWSteve Stewart bought his 1978 VB SL three years ago as cheap transport to and from work to save the wear and tear on his motorcycles, but has since become a fan of the early Commodore.It was a very early VB off the line in 1978, was powered by the 4.2-litre V8 and Trimatic auto trans, and had the 310 Euro option pack that was made up of sports instruments, headlight washers and wipers and four-wheel disc brakes.The previous owner garaged it which explains its good original condition when Steve bought it, and the only thing he’s done is replace a worn distributor. There’s some minor rust showing in the passenger side front door, but a recent compression test showed that all was well inside the engine despite having clocked up 254,000 km.Steve calls his VB “Rocket 88” after the Ike Turner hit song from the ‘50s because it “goes like a rocket”.“It’s got a 2.78 axle so it’s not too sharp off the line, but it really gets going as it winds up,” says Steve. “And the good thing about it is that it’s a 1970s car so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on servicing or fixing it. You can do most things yourself.”LOOK FOR• rust is a major problem with early Commodores so inspect cars very careful, particularly look for corrosion around the windshield and rear window, walk away of you find any.• expect oil leaks from most engine seals, leaks from the rear main crankshaft seal will leave a stain on your driveway and cost a tidy sum to replace.• body hardware will most likely be shot, and need replacing. Look at operation of window winders, door locks etc. for an assessment of wear and tear.• doors sag on their hinges over time and doors flop as they’re opened. It’s not a maker task to resetting them, but sagging doors are a sign that time has taken its toll on the body.• faded paint, particularly the metallic colours, are a product of poor paint quality of the times. Most decent cars will need repainting to look their best.• look for suspension sag. Even though it was beefed up for Australian conditions, the Commodore body still drooped on the rough and tough Aussie roads.RIVALSClassic Aussie cars of the 1970s to consider include the 1976 XC Ford Fairmont – pay up to $4500 – a 1977 HZ Holden Monaro GTS – pay up to $6500 – or perhaps a 1974 Leyland P76 Targa Florio – up to $5000 – if you’re brave and want to be different.

When Peter Brock opened the doors of his special vehicles operation in 1980 it’s unlikely he realised the impact it would have on the local car business 25 years later. Brock admitted he used the Shelby Mustang operation in the US and AMG in Germany as models for his HDT Special Vehicles, which in turn provided the model for Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performance Vehicles that have followed and flourished.Brock’s motivation for creating his special vehicles operation was simple. Holden had withdrawn its support for his racing team and he needed funds to go racing.Holden dealers also wanted him to race. He was the most successful driver in the country at the time and his successes were driving showroom traffic, and a couple of smart dealers got the idea to build some cars that had Brock’s magic touch.Their idea was simple. They’d supply Brock with cars and he would modify them before being delivered to their owners. The dealers would benefit from being able to sell a Brock ‘special’ that would have great appeal and Brock would get the funds he needed.The first ‘special’ was the VC HDT Commodore that was released in 1980 to much fanfare. Being the first of the genre it’s now a classic appreciating in value.MODEL WATCHLike the operations he had modelled HDT Special Vehicles on Brock’s brief was simple. He would take a rock stock VC Commodore and modify it in a way that would enhance its performance and road holding without compromising its ADR compliance.The car he chose was the top of the range VC Commodore SL/E, which already came with plenty of fruit, the perfect base for Brock to build a European style high performance sports sedan on.Brock’s car wasn’t to be a stripped back road going racer, those days were long gone by 1980. He wanted a car that was comfortable, but at the same time handled well and looked sexy.Because he had to maintain the ADR compliance he was restricted in what he could do under the bonnet so modifications to the engine were limited.The car came already fitted with Holden’s 308 cubic inch (5.05-litre) V8, but Brock and his tiny team then blueprinted it and fitted large valves which gave it a little better performance than the standard V8.They also fitted a heavy-duty air cleaner taken from an American Chev and added a fresh air intake to improve its breathing. He left it stock on the exhaust side where it was fitted with the Holden factory dual exhaust system.With Brock’s mods on board the Holden V8 put out 160 kW at 4500 revs and 450 Nm at 2800 revs, which was enough to have it racing to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds and through the standing 400-metre sprint in 16.1 secs.Brock offered the choice of Holden’s four-speed manual gearbox or the three-speed auto, and a limited-slip diff was standard.But it was underneath that Brock really worked his magic, fitting uprated and lowered springs and Bilstein gas shock absorbers, which gave it a lower stance and much improved handling.German Irmscher 15-inch alloy wheels and Uniroyal 60-series tyres completed the grip and go picture.A sporting car has to have a sporting image and Brock was able to give his car a major cosmetic makeover in the form of a fibreglass body kit that consisted of wheel arch flares, front bib spoiler and a rear wing.Colours were limited to white, back and red, and the package was finished off with some wild red, black and white race stripes down the side.Inside Brock enhanced the SL/E interior with a signed Momo steering wheel, a special gearshift knob, and a driver’s foot rest.Doesn’t sound so special today, but in 1980 it was ‘special’.Brock built 500 VC HDT Commodores. If truth be known he probably didn’t believe it would last, but his HDT Special Vehicles proved a sensation that continued until 1987 and its spectacular demise.Today HSV builds special Holdens while FPV does likewise with Fords. It’s unlikely either would exist if Brock hadn’t needed funding for his race team.IN THE SHOPWhen considering a VC HDT Commodore it’s important to remember that the foundations are strictly Holden so the main mechanical components are relatively easy to find if you need to replace them and they’re easy to repair or service.The key things to check are that the special Brock components are there, the signed steering wheel, the Irmscher alloys, the high flow air cleaner etc., because they are the hard parts to find. They are also the parts that underpin the value.When Brock built those VCs body kits were pretty rough and ready things. Unlike today’s body kits that are made of quite durable material that can withstand a knock and fit well, those old kits were made of fibreglass that didn’t stand up well when hit, and they generally didn’t fit well.It’s a good idea to check the various body kit components, particularly the wheel arch flares, for cracking around the attachment points and distortion between the mounting points.IN A CRASHDon’t expect airbags in a VC Commodore, they weren’t fitted. Don’t look for ABS either because that wasn’t an option, but it did have four-wheel discs, which was advanced for the time and rack-and-pinion steering, and the road holding of the Brock tuned suspension.OWNERS SAYLen Kennedy was impressed with the VC HDT after driving it the first time, but debated about spending the extra $6000 or so over a standard SL/E for some time before he eventually succumbed to the Brock’s ride and handling. It’s now done 130,000 kays, has been stolen and recovered, but has given little trouble. He doesn’t plan on parting with it any time soon.LOOK FOR• potential to increase in value• rumbling V8 exhaust note• solid performance• high fuel consumption• presence of special Brock parts• reassuring handling• comfortable rideTHE BOTTOM LINEGood looking, good driving classic Australian sports sedan with Brock branding that has the potential to increase in value.RATING75/100

The Commodore is turning 25. Graham Smith tells you what they are worth today as used cars.  The first Commodore was smaller than the previous Kingswoods but boasted European running and handling gear. It topped the sales charts and was Wheels Car of the Year for 1978. Poor build quality and rust problems make it difficult to find a VB in good condition today.  A facelift of the VB with updated six-cylinder and V8 engines. For the first time there was a four-cylinder engine available but it was disappointing.  A smart new shadow tone two-tone paint scheme was available for the first time on the SL/E and made it even more attractive.  But build quality problems and rust plagued the VC; it's hard to find cars in decent condition. Another facelift of the first Commodore, the VH had more engine upgrades.  With Holden's ongoing build problems, including poor paint, good quality VH Commodores are hard to find. Values range from $600 to $3400.SS was introduced as a limited edition model and remains the most desirable. Be careful of cars that have been thrashed. This first major facelift featured louvred grille, plastic bumpers and new rear quarter window. New models included the Berlina and the luxury Calais. The four-cylinder and the small 2.8-litre six were dropped and the 3.3-litre became standard.  The 4.2-litre V8 was dropped, leaving the 5.0-litre as the only V8.Performance models, the SS and SS Group 3, were built with Peter Brock's HDT operation and are the most collectable VK models, along with the SS Group A which was designed for the new Group A touring car racing. New front and rear treatment, new slim headlights and a lip on the boot lid were features of the VL.  The Holden six, a faithful servant since 1963, was replaced by a Nissan imported 3.0-litre six, prone to over-heating and head damage.The V8 was replaced by a turbocharged Nissan six which put out 150kW, until public protest brought the V8 back by late 1986.  The VL SS Group A, finished in Permanent Red, is highly collectable today.TWR became Holden's performance partner in 1988 and their first creation was the TWR VL SS Group A, better known as the Batmobile for its wild body kit.  The VL is popular with young drivers today but be wary of cooling problems with the Nissan engine. The Commodore was being soundly beaten by the Ford Falcon in sales. Holden responded with a bigger car.  Power came from a fuel-injected 3.8-litre Buick V6 with an optional 5.0-litre V8.The SS is a popular model, while the Durif Red SS Group A is the most collectable.  However, cut-price engineering and poor build quality mean lots of tatty VNs now. A facelift of the VN with attractive styling changes. The V6 was refined and the 180kW HSV 5.0-litre V8 became an option over the standard 165 kW V8. SS is popular for a sporty ride, with the Calais a popular prestige choice. With new front and rear sheet metal and new head and tail lights, the VR was an attractive remake of the VN/VP.  Holden introduced driver's airbag standard and ABS and IRS available across the range.  SS and Calais remain the most sought models but the value-packed Acclaim is a popular family car.The new 3.8-litre ECOTEC V6 engine was smaller, lighter, smoother and more fuel efficient than previous.  A passenger's airbag, and improved remote central locking with an immobiliser, were added. The third all-new Commodore struck a decisive chord with buyers. It was longer, wider and had a longer wheelbase and roomier interior with more legroom and width than any previous Commodore.  The American Gen III V8 replaced the Aussie V8 in the 1999 Series II update.Generally without major problems, although the Gen III V8 has been plagued with oil consumption and piston rattle problems. Styling changes were minimal but the V6 now had 152kW and better fuel consumption thanks largely to new electronics, and the V8 was up to 225kW, courtesy of a higher flow inlet manifold and new fuel injectors.Changes to the front suspension produced more progressive steering, which aided handling. Rear suspension improvements make VX II the better choice. The jury is out on whether the VY, with sharp edges and hard lines, is an improvement on the VT/VX. Revised steering package delivered more handling improvements.V8 power jumped to 235 kW and was standard on SS and new SV8 sports model. Auto transmissions were refined.  VY will continue to roll off the production line until the VZ is launched in 2004.