Which to mod? XR6 HP or VCT or Fairmont Ghia?

[El Sucio]

Hi people,
After much ummming and ahhhing; I've decided to stick with an AU XR6 for the next 5 years and bomb it out.

I've done my research on a BA/BF XR6, an R34 4 dor/Typhoon/etc. I've even considered a 1999 BMW M3. Gone through a whole list of cars but keep coming back to my current ride.

SO here I am, I already own outright my 2002 AU XR6 HP 4spd Auto. I want to limit my spend to approx $25K - $30K MAX. The following is my list of wants and my expected spend.

350 - 400rwhp turbo motor - $10K
6spd manual - $8K
Upgraded brakes and suspension - $4.5K
XR50 style bodykit with bonet bulge - $4K
Upgrade the sound system - $1.5K
Reupholstered seats (Herrod style would be great) - $???
Fairmont style high series dash - $???

That about covers it..a lot of money to spend but I think ultimately a fully customised AU XR6 to be far preferablle to a BA/BF. I know a few people with the BA/BF and I'm not overly excited by them, plus my AU is Narooma Blue which I really don't want to part with as it is the prettiest coloured car I've ever owned.

Okay - after the long winded intro here are my questions. I've done a search but cannot find a lo of info. I've left a couple of queries with Automotive engineers/high performance places without any feedback either.

I want to start with the best sorted AU I can to maximise my results for the dollars spent and to minimise any problems.

1) As I am performing the 6spd manual conversion, would I be best off starting with a 5spd manual car in the first place?

2) I currently own the HP motor/solid rear axle version. Would I be better off trading my car for a VCT/IRS propelled XR6? WHich suspension set up would handle the 350+rwhp better?

3) Would the VCT motor respond better to a $10K turbo upgrade spent on it than the HP?

4) I REALLY want the Fairmont high series dash (ala create a TS50 style turbo six...or an AU F6). Is it a pretty straight forward conversion to rip out the XR dash and put in a Fairmont one? Would a motor trimmer be able to do this while they reupholstered/bolstered my seats or should I go to a smash repairer?

Any useful info would be great. I'll be starting the project come March-ish (courtesy of a rather drawn out divorce process) and I just want to start off with the best car possible. I really don't want to be halfway through putting the 6spd manual in and the mechanic tell me "you should have started with the 5spd manual" or someone else tell me that I "should have done an XR6 look alike Fairmont Ghia" after I've already spent $18K converting my XR6 to turbo 6spd.

Thanks folks..once again sorry about the long post. I look forward to commencing the build thread very soon.

[Kryton]

if your looking at roughly 30k, why not just buy a T series?
i know its your own choice and i respect that, but IMO youd have to be insane to want to spend up to 30k on a stock AU1X6. you will never see that money again....EVER.
look a little bit more at what you can get for 30k, use it as a sunday driver and keep your XR6 for a daily.
its your choice though, so good luck.

[JC]

The dash upgrade is not straight forward, but can be done. T3 man converted his TE50 (XR spec dash) to TS50 dash (Fairmont spec), for around $1500, IIRC. You need heater box etc for the high series dash, as the climate control does not work with the base model heater box etc. You should be able to source parts from the wreckers.

As for the rest, the live axle is what they run in V8 supercars, so it can't be too bad. I'd stick with it. No other reason to go VCT then - there's only 8kw difference anyway, and as you're turboing it, what difference is the starting base of 8 kw going to make? (F... all, I'd reckon).

Also you will need a manual ECU for the manual conversion (just ask GK!).

Sounds like an interesting project - are you getting it all engineered (ie to be legal)? If you're spending that much, I'd suggest getting an engineer's certificate, otherwise you may end up with a defected car, no insurance, and it may cost you more than the $30k initial build cost.

Oh, and congrats on the divorce (I'd say commiserations, but at least the situation is resolved, hence the congrats).

[sly]

Mal Wood can do a T56 6-speed conversion kit for an auto for a smidgin under 7K, no big issues there.

Your budget for the turbo motor may be a bit light on, are you planning to do the work yourself or use 2nd hand parts? I reckon about $13K for my car, only aiming for 200rwkw, around 270rwhp. That includes $2600 to convert my LPG to SVI but no internal strengthening. You might get close to $10k but with those power levels you would also be close to needing better pistons/rings & having the rods shot-peened, probably need valve springs as well to handle the boost... maybe $2-3K or a bit more for the internal freshen-up & valve springs.

There isn't a lot of power difference between the VCT and HP motors to start with, I wouldn't expect much difference with a turbo. Keep it simple, get the numbers with boost & valve lift and a good tune.

IIRC there is info either here or on www.fordmods.com.au on high-series dash installs, try some searches.

[JC]

A thread on the dash conversion:
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...ight=ts50+dash

[El Sucio]

Will be getting the lot engineered and done by professionals as I want to be able to insure the bugger.

Thought a loooong time about a T3 but I much prefer the XR style headlights and grill.

I only want to have the one car in my life..plus I have too many Zoom/Performance Ford/Street Machine mags in my dunny that have driven me to finally go down the custom route after too many years of thinking about it.

Thanks for the link to the dash conversion guys...i tried searching but I think my choice of words was pretty cr*p.

The other reason why I considered going to VCT was for the IRS. ALthough if it doesn't make that much difference to straight line grip and corner exit grip then I won't worry about it.

[sly]

Can't speak on the benefits of either axle myself, I have 2 wagons with cart springs... I took on the first one reluctantly, remembering a very bad experience with a mate's VG Valiant when we were young & silly. Within 6 weeks it proved itself, a big roo jumped right in front of me. I had to swerve to the wrong side at 110km/h then back again due to limited line of sight on a curve. No time to apply brake - just the sort of lane change manoeuvre manufacturers test with, but at almost twice the speed. It passed with flying colours and convinced me that a well-sorted live axle can more than hold its own.

[Mark351]

Originally Posted by davway

if your looking at roughly 30k, why not just buy a T series?
i know its your own choice and i respect that, but IMO youd have to be insane to want to spend up to 30k on a stock AU1X6. you will never see that money again....EVER.
look a little bit more at what you can get for 30k, use it as a sunday driver and keep your XR6 for a daily.
its your choice though, so good luck.

I can echo this through experience. I bought my XR6 loaded with factory option for mid-thirties, spent a load on mods then sold it for peanuts.

Instead I bought another truck which won't go down in value, it'll only appreciate now. Keep the XR6, spend $30K on buying a restoring/doing up something that won't see you ****ing it all against the wall.

Having said that, the XR6 HP is a great base to start with if you do go that way.

[El Sucio]

I would prefer to keep my existing HP powered beast if I can. I think I would be looking at a good $2-$4K changover to upgrade to a VCT...and then I would have to wait until I found a Narooma Blue or Blueprint one.

Have made my mind up on the AU Series III XR6. I can't bing myself to do up a Skyline even though I think they look nice (in 2 door form).

I've always been a blue oval fan, and have always been a Tickford fan. I feel that the AU Series III Tickfords are a bit special and so I would rather see another fine example cruising the streets of Perth than ANOTHER B-series (as nice as they are) or an Import.

$30K is a lot of money; however I don't see that I would be investing my money any more smartly if I went out and bought a Typhon/GT and traded the XR6 in. I also don't want the hassle of maintaining/insuring/licensing 2 cars either as I'm in the middle of getting a motor cycle as well.

Would it be easier to get one of those Tickford enhanced Fairmont Ghias and put an XR front end on it rather than trying to turn an XR into a Fairmont style interior?

[Stav]

Echoes in my mind of experiences of past have taught me to get a great car from the beggining. You envision the car you want and modify.Why not buy a car with most of the goodies in it? You may be able to get an xr6t for 20k and get a reputable shop to upgrade springs,injectors and tune it to a 12 second street car?

[El Sucio]

I really would prefer to own a nicely kitted out tickford than a BA. Although the interior upgrade of the BA looks the goods, I dont like the spongy plastic feeling dash and half the interior components smack of AU anyway.

The only other thought that I had would be to transplant in the Barra twincam six already bolted to a T56 tranny, but I don't like my chances of finding an XR6T wreck as a donor car. I haven't really researched this idea but if it came in a bit cheaper than the $18K then I might consider it.

I like the looks of the AU XR, I love the quad head lights...it is noticeably lighter than the BA/BF series and the AU motor responds well to a ball bearing hair dryer.

Enough of trying to change my mind on this.

I'll be keeping this car until at least the last of the Orion I6 Typhons are released..and then I might decide to keep it anyway as a weekend warrior if it isn't worth anything in $$$ value.

Wanting it enginered properly for insurance reasons; I've gotten a couple of quotes from Kostecki Engine Centre here in WA as they run a nice large professional shop. However they apear to specialise almost completely in V8's. I'm not to sure wether to deal with them or Batten Performance Tuning...I had my flash tune done there and they were decent enough. I would rather stay away from the Jap tuning places if I can.

[Stav]

Battens are probably a better choice. The others seem to make amazing claims which no one here has heard of being backed up at the track.You are right.Th ba interior seems a bit half baked from ford even though they are still generally a nice car. I know your in a different state but Bluepower love forced induction and Jim Mock motorsport specialises in 4.0 forced induction.Best best is to read on people from the forum who do go forced.You can learn from their experiences too.Good luck and most of all have fun

[El Sucio]

Thanks Stav, hey haven't I seen your car in one of the Performance Fords magazines? I'll have to go and dig out which issue it was. I seem to recall a blue station wagon giving it some at the drags.

I hadn't thought of Jim Mock Motorsport. I'll get them to quote up all the bolt on goodies (new plenum, intercooler, turbo & manifold, valve train components) plus I'll get the bottom end braced for a bit more strength if I'm chasing 250-300rwkw.

So judging from what I'm seeing here; converting an auto over to a 6spd manual won't really prove much more difficult than converting a T5 to a 6spd.

The fairmont style climate control dash is achievable if I'm wiling to throw a bit of money at it. I will definitely be replacing all the woodgrain effect stuff with either carbon fibre-esque finish or maybe even colour coded Narooma blue. Plus I might as well go blue lit gauges while I'm at it.

The solid rear end will handle the 250-300 rwkw nicely as long as I tighten/freshen up the suspension/diff.
And finally - there won't really be much of a horsepower difference between the HP & VCT motor, particularly if it costs me $3-4K changever to go and buy a VCT powered XR6 in the first place.

Thanks guys. Hopefully by the time she is finished mid way throughnext year the car will be able to hold it's own visually & performance wise alongside any Typhoon at the lights. Plus I want to go VE HSV hunting as well.

[Stav]

Originally Posted by El Sucio

Thanks Stav, hey haven't I seen your car in one of the Performance Fords magazines? I'll have to go and dig out which issue it was. I seem to recall a blue station wagon giving it some at the drags.

heeh .I have been in performance fords magazine 2 times and lucky enough to be on wsid website a few months back..

http://www.wsid.com.au/press.asp?Id=...th=7&Year=2007

was funny.