Best Sounding Car on the Planet - Holden VN 5L Commodore
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- Опубликовано: 29 дек 2023
- Walking around my 1989 Holden VN Commodore. I absolutely love this thing.
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I recall when they first came out. Holden was long in strife. These provided the shot in the arm they were desperate for. They gave Holden thirty extra years.
That's what happens when you're paying unskilled factory workers $85k a year. You go out of business.
@@ThinkCriticallyNowwdym?
@@ThinkCriticallyNow. That’s what happens when GM transfer prices its profits out of the country and refuses to allow Holden to supply cars to markets without their approval.
Here in Australia less and less people wanted to buy sedans so Holden were on a hiding to nothing anyway unless they were allowed to export. Bob Lutz, the GM at GM was on board with exports as he realised the VE Commodore was a good car, hence the VE being the Pontiac G8 in America. Once he left though and Pontiac was shut down it was all downhill.
Ironically it was Toyota Australia that did the best out of the local manufacturers because they were allowed to export to any market they could get business in.
@@David-lr2vi Teh higher you build costs, the more you have to sell a car for to make any money. Build costs in Australia are the highest of any country because GMH bent to the wants of workers via Trade Unions. My dad worked at Fisherman's Bend during the 60's and 70's building engines, he saw the writing on the wall back then. He usewd to talk about the unions getting involved and how hard it was becoming for an operating profit to be made. Uniions killed Holden, full stop.
GM killed Holden because Holden wouldve made a mess on GM internationally.@David-lr2vi
You just can’t beat that 5 litre sound
Always love a good VN. I have a 90 VN Calais 5.0. My father bought it in 93 then I got it in 2014 and had it ever since. I gave the engine a semi spruce up in 2018 with a hone, rings, bearings, cam, cam bearings, valve springs and a chip to suit cam. Never been totally happy with the performance since so I now have a Haltech computer waiting to go in in the next 2 days. Looking forward to your next few videos.
Enthusiastic VN owner. Not enough of them 🙂.
Have subbed as Ive only recently picked up an 89 auto VN V6 exec after having a couple of them 25 years ago when I was in my 20's.
That's awesome hey. I want one myself,it's weird though cause back in the day I didn't like them haha
Aussie V8 has the magic firing order.
Awesome vid, I love all Commodore's and Holden content. Keen to see what this channel brings to the table!
Thanks mate!
Bring back HOLDEN...........please !
Dad brought home an AustPost VN manual V6 manual wagon exec. I would love to have that as a barnfind now. Nothing a steering wheel, rims and a touch of lowering couldn't fix
I had a door issue on a commodore, turned out to be the plastic that covers the latch had come loose, it was causing the latch to stick.
Loved the episode, well done
Makes me miss my VP SS and VQ Statesman. They sounded brilliant.
I am a Holden guy, and I do love hearing a 5l VN driving by
Very nice mate and I know how you feel. I own a 96 VS BT1 5ltr and nothing beats the sound of a injected Aussie 5ltr. Puts a smile on my face every time I take it out.
Great work man can’t wait for the future
Awesome video mate, keep up the work🤘🏽🙌🏽
Thank you 🙌
Beautiful car mate always loved the vn I use to own a 1990 vn Calais, and it wasn't fast or flash but the sound and how it drives always put a smile on my face. Also keep up with the great content
Thank you mate! Love hearing stories about this
Awesome vid mate! Love the sound of the 5L! Keep up the good work!
Thanks mate!
Great car, mate. I remember driving these, back when they were new. It was a wise choice to install VT brakes. The factory brakes, even with performance pads and fluid, were only good for two serious applications before you suffered terminal and sometimes terrifying brake fade. VN’s and series 1 VP’s had factory header type exhaust manifolds, VP II’s had a shitty cast manifold that ruined the note.
The AU2 falcon rotors are wider for a bit more surface area too, I think planetparts does them in commodore pattern. and brackets for the calipers
Sounds sick bro good on ya. I had a VN 5.0 brought it of a friend and fixed all the running gear pulled the 5.0 out and installed a 5.7 from a VT what a big difference. Keep up the content it's awesome mate
Thanks mate!
This is awesome ! So glad to see you made a RUclips account looking forward to seeing more videos and seeing the channel excel !
Thank you mate that’s very kind
So keen to see this channel blow up man
Thank you everyone
Great car. The reason you are getting lots of attention, everybody is expecting you to do random burnouts and dohies. Commodores are the best.
Had a Tassie "Cop special" v6. Best auto I've had so far.
good video, happy year
Sounds good, great to see the old 5L still getting love.
Awesome looking 👌. I myself own a Vn HSV LE wagon one of eighty made, 120k original kilometres. In time, it will need a refresh. Awesome channel have subscribed. Going up in value and becoming rare. Keep up the great content 👌✌️😎🇦🇺🍻
Thank you!
Amazing work
Thanks a lot 😊
Good example great work they do sound pretty good too
My childhood seeing a VN go by I always looked to see if it had the white v6 badge or red v8 badge
Good shit mate, just found your channel and love it only bad part was how short the video was. Keep up the good shit mate only bigger and better from here 👍🤙
Thanks mate!
Seen you on tik tok a bunch and I'm glad this came into my recommended. good video mate
Thank you mate thats very kind
Nice work mate-Congratulations on it
Thank you! Cheers!
Good example of a survivor VN. I have kicked myself since I sold my 1990 VN 5L Calais back in 04 it was the best car I ever owned I had a VN Berlina back in 2010 V6 but I assessed it and it was not at the time worth doing up and sold that one by the 2010's most VN's had been thrashed within a inch of their lives or if fortunate enough to be "stolen recovered". The Calais I owned was almost stolen however I had security measure that prevented it from being stolen. However very nice sounding VN you got there sir.
Great video mate, like the format. Can you please explain the ls rocker gear for the 5l, I can’t find any info in google about it, very interested.
I'm also very interested!! Please!
I own a maloo supercharged LSX crate engine ute
Supercharged LS3 vF holden wagon
And a Supercharged LSA Cv8 2005 monaro. And they all have a unique sound even though I have used the same exhaust system on all of them. I've never owned a he uine 5 liter v8 but I have heard a lot of nicely tuned 5 liter v8s though. I remember one being a VH that originally had a Buick v8 fitted as factory standard but it blew a rod and the owner decided to fit a cammed group A v8. That was a nice sounding car indeed
I miss my VL Belina turbo manual - that was a bloody good car.
Subscribed, I'm in the process of building my motor with a 355 stroker kit and manual conversion.
I'll have to repaint it also at some stage. I was lucky as I bought it when they were at their lowest market value, they are creeping up now and will be worth $$$ in the future.
Great video mate commodores rule!! Huge respect for your passion ✌️🤝
Thanks mate!
That thing sounds so tough! So glad you got a yt channel now deacon!
Thanks mate!
I am a commodore lover but I never really got into the VN but the GTS version was aight, you know the one gun metal grey with red stripes.
Just keep doing what your doing👍
Love the VN mate. My 1st car was a VN V6 Berlina. I miss that car would have loved to have done a 5L Manual swap like this. Living the Dream. These days I have 2012 VE SS manual which just isn't as special as something like this. 89 VN is Mint! Love to see vids on how you might fix the few things you listed with doors and hand brake. Cheers mate.
Would love to learn from your project even tho I grew up loving commodores in the late 2000s. Keep it up! ❤
Thanks mate more to come!
Awesome work - beautiful car, subbed.
Thanks for the sub!
Thanks for the sub!
I had a VP 5.0 BT1. Driving along with the driver's side window wound down, if you used the windscreen squirter and the wipers, the rising wiper blade would sweep the water across the A pillar and the wind would blow it straight in the window and into your face. LOL. And that car had *immense* midrange torque. Loved it.
I loved these things, hilarious massive steering wheel, such a different car from the VL.
Yup lol like driving a bus
So fancy 😍🚗
🚗🚗
Nice one! I didn't have a VN, but I did have a VQ Statesman with that 5 litre, TH700 and big bore single exhaust. Never was a fan of the fake factory dual tail pipe. Great highway cruiser.
Go the VQ brother! They were sick. Love the wheel arch skirts on them and the Calais. My cousin used to f have the HSV enhanced Statesman that had all the different badging with the cat/lion with sharp features and black instead of chrome. It was all white but it had the same tiny single red pin stripe that went all the way around the car through the bumper line. It matched the similar red pipe seats but they were grey suede with the same sharp kitty cat emblem in the back rests front and rear. When you just lowered the VQ statesman that wheel arch skirt looks premium 👌
Inline six loving guy but Commodore V8s have always had a great sound and style (VL plastic pig excluded). Would love an XU1 with the molded inline six too and of course the VL Turbo.
You had me at 5L VN 😍
Great video! Brings back memories. My first car was an atlas grey VN with the exhaust dumped at the diff. Most fun car I’ve ever owned. Btw where did you get those signs hanging on your wall?
Great video mate, you should do a video like this on all your cars
Thanks mate! That's the plan :)
I only had a VL 5.0 Calais and loved it. Also had an 85 Holden Commodore VK SS HDT Peter Brock Manual Sedan in white and man I LOVED that big go kart! Yee haa!!!!!!!! Great content. @@commodoreman1
Mate, as an owner of a manual 5L also ill easily give you a sub. All the best mate.
Thanks mate!
One of my dream holdens, Vn 5l or Vs calais
We must have grown up in the same era m8, good on ya mate 👍👊
Thanks!
What a beast , I had a grey vn ss so I’m loving that interior and the 5 litre . The badge and the air box rock 👍 ahh why did I sell my ss
Thanks mate! We all have that one car we should have kept
A vr 5.0 manual wagon that would be pretty rare it's a shame you scrapped that but nice VN anyway. A mate of mine has a VN s pac t5 too he's owned it since 2001
Love the 5L sounds awesome really want my vs ss to sound like this, if you don't mind me asling what cam you running ?
Nice video.
My first car was a VN 88 executive in blue v6. Great car, but can’t beat the sound of a v8.
For micro phones check out Rode, Australian company and gear is really good. I use a Rode wireless 2
Thanks for the recommendation mate :)
I had a Vauxhall Carlton which is a similar body shape except for the bonnet and I wish we had the option of a V8. I love it that I now own 2 Aussie V8's (both VE) but would love a VN or VP with the 5L as they sound so good.
Wow! Definitely the same base car. I didn’t even know these existed!
Needs A/C for those 40 deg days stuck in traffic...I have a factory 5ltr Berlina wagon. Wild Mulberry I've had it restored inside and out with the motor rebuilt to stock....you won't notice the air on at all....btw I owned a brand new VN S Pac wagon in 91 and the drivers door always need slamming except if the window was down😁...yours looks nice
Nice VN, can you tell us about the VS SS Ute? How many built, colour combinations, engines etc?
Keep it up man!
Nice
Beautiful mate! Do you know the specs on the cam? And part number? Sounds sick
Hey mate you might have answered this before but where did you the vl turbo neon sign from ?
easily the best V8 engine ever made, cant go wrong with an aussie made iron lion, I've seen stock LS1s barely break traction while these beauties are pulling 3rd gear burnouts, I own a VE SS but wish I had a 304
I had 4 Commodore 5L manual V8s.... One white ex pursuit VN, one red VP SS and 2 green VS SS.... The VS SSs weren't as light as the VN, but were nicer to driver... Currently I own a VY LS1 Calais in Cove Green and a manual VZ SS in Blue, both with a full exhaust - they are a lot quicker than the 5L but don't sound as nice
I drive fords now days barra's but the iron lion is the best sounding engine imo. Owned 4 5 liters 2 vn ss's 1 calais a vn and vr berlina loved them all sound so tuff and live frying tyres. The centre console is great for 4 winnie blues a lighter and a farmers union ice coffee. One thing ford could of done better is make the interior more bogan comfortable it's like holden designed vn to vs for bogans driving to work having a dart and a ice coffee. Cool content mate.
AHha thank you for the comment mate
mate a great car hope you get is fixed up[
Hi mate. What exhaust set up are you running from your Pacemakers? Muffler and resonator? Or muffler as straight pipe? 3”?
Sounds tough!
Hey mate - just a single 2.5 redback muffler to straight pipe
The best sounding v8 by far
Cant wait for the lfa stans to come in here. Holden 5.0 and the intech are the best sounding engines. Change my mind.
Intec sounds shit 😂
Without a snail ...
Yawn! what a slow slug.
No low down torque, finally starts picking up towards the end of its mid rpm range.. then it lays down on the couch eating cheezels again into top of rpm range lazy AF 😂 what a shit design. Everything ignition related is hard to reach under that useless jumbo poo manifold. Don't get me started on the ridiculous hose layout. So much room in the engine bay basically empty.
Ford be like
.. lets jam Everything that likely will crap out underneath a manifold octopus 🐙 on one side of the block that'll be sweet as our ongoing door handle racket.
Actually the most awesome sounding car was my 1995 VS SS 185i 5 speed with a HSV exhaust minus the rear muffler. (I could remove the exhaust extensions/tips and put the muffler back on in 5 minutes for long trips).
Sounded awesome doing heel & toe down changes through Galston gorge.
Not even my 1997 5.7 HSV 215i Senator 6 speed sounded as good.
My mum was a hoon and wanted me to do a muffler delete on her V8 VS Calais. 😂
My personal opinion here the 5ltr is the best sounding motor in the comodores.
Go the 304 💪
Love the 5.0 304. They were a solid motor!
Should chuck a Harrop crank in it next time you refresh it?
Or the more common thing to hear about these days is going smaller displacement (destroked) and twin turbos?
So in saying that I'm sure that there are adaptations of 253 cranks for 304....maybe? Obviously 308 and 253 similar.....oh dang I just realised 253 has way thicker bores so not same block as 308 and just destroked? Damn
Well I do believe that people did injected head conversions on these older smaller cube blocks?
But here's me talking as if is my own car?
Gotta agree with you totally that the iron block 50 holdens certainly are the best sounding!
I have just always had a massive soft spot for a hotted up 253 cause they friggin scream when they rev! And hearing that interference pulse of cross plain crank at high RPM is like a chorus singing in unison! You hear a nice 289 Ford and they too also have that cracking V8 sound that makes your ears nearly bleed yeaaaaah Boi 🤟
But hey you can't trust my biased opinion bro cause you gotta be suspicious of guys who are addicted to RPMs cause then you find out that they are rotary drivers and you end up saying "yeah that's fkn why he wants me to destroke, eh? rotary owner scared of my cubic inches"
I'd say 'nah I'm just converting your metric of measurement from cubic inches to RPM, ok? Guaranteed it's gonna sound better brah'
It's so funny how V8 owners haven't yet worked out that the smaller the capacity the V8 the better they sound 😉 and the smaller the capacity your V8 the better they seem to drive turbo chargers? See the turbo doesn't need to compress as big of volume to create boost! And the faster RPM more than compensates for exhaust volume and higher peak boost is what creates epic amounts of horse power!
There is million times more lag on a turbo big cube V8 compared to a small cube V8, and because peak boost can be disabled much higher(small cube V8s have way more meat and strength in the block and much smaller stroke - smaller piston is lighter and not such huge forces on the gudgeon pin etc) so when you can dial more boost in it, the side effect is boost comes on harder and sooner! This is fact.
But again you've got a sweet sounding NA V8 with nice cam and I totally love it.
My favourite car growing up as a kid was VN SS Group A, then as a realistic car that I wanted to have would have been just a VP SS Commodore.
Now that I'm older I kind of have that soft spot for the VN stock letterbox grill 👍
So I would be the one doing sacrilege by fitting a VN front grill on VP 🤪
I definitely like the boot garnish of the VP better than the VN. But you brought back memories just mentioning the 50 badge 😎 as a kid I used to love looking out for the bronze coloured VN Berlinas cause they were nearly always 50 manual?
My cousin had a SV5000 and man I would drool over that thing now!
Loved the VN Calais way more than the VP for some reason? I think it was the wheels 🤮
I almost got a VN when I was 16 (I'm now 41) and I was really wanting this WB ute with statesman front end but it had a 350 in it and my parents wouldn't let me get it even though it was only $4K in 1999 damn. Ended up building a 1987 3 series BMW with a 50 in it. Bringing back memories now
Lastly love you VL turbo glowing light in the back ground! Do you know that the VL Turbo badge is almost identified to the Mazda Series 5 RX7 turbo badge 😉 bit of useless info for ya from an RX7 owner
Unleash all the RPMs brother🤟
Love your passion, but not sure I agree with all your engine theory though. No need to destroke for RPM, just need a stable valvetrain - which with modern spintron technology and testing, that stuff has come a long way! My 383 will go 8k rpm without too much hassle lol. Same with turbo's, turbine wheel and housing technology has shifted in a short space of time. Specifically with the LS stuff, the 388ci combination seems to be the weapon of choice for the 2khp street/strip boosted crowd these days.
Can confirm. Inj5.0 best v8 sound ever.
Up the iron lion!
I have seen tons of videos of VN's and i dont think ive seen a VN sedan with working reverse lights 🙃
Series 2 tail lights
I still drive an original 1989 VN APV GROUP 5i
Daily driver ❤
Anyone help me with a rebuild let me know 🇦🇺
One hasn't truly driven a VN till you ring the neck of a BT1
In New Zealand they offered a 2litre as well as a 3litre version of the six cylinder engine...both automatic no manual offered from memory...i'm pretty sure that both of these engines were actually produced by Nissan and designated RB30 and RB20 respectively...can't comment on the V8 never owned one from that year...however i did have the 5litre V8 in a Statesman Caprice Ute....pussy pulling power!
Hey mate am I able to join your car club? I just got a VT 5L and want to join a club and also get club reg as well.
Absolutely mate! Email me at info@shedshirts.com.au
@@commodoreman1cheers mate
Well done! Got your dream car VT 5l. Are you going to post a video?
@@shanesmith9356 I might haha. I have thought about it as it needs some work to make it perfect how I want it so could do a build series on it I guess. Still can’t believe I finally own one.
Weren't these built on the VL Chasis?
Nah this was entirely new for vn
Indeed. And what a great job! Magnificent mate. Subscribed.@@commodoreman1
You are correct, the VN was built on VL (well, VB….) underpinnings. The body was wider, but the platform was still pretty much 98% the same. The rear track was around 2” wider than a gen1 commodore - purely done by widening the diff. All the arms and swaybar remained remained the same as VB-VL. The front was still the same narrow VB-VL track. This wasn’t fixed until the VR front suspension upgrade. Front struts go right back to VB….. Compared to a VL, only the front swaybar and links are different (located on the strut instead of the LCA) and the pipes on the steering rack were rotated around more to clear the V6 and V8 headers (they are very close on a VL V8, but on a VL 6 they’re fine).
The combination of the throttle body, air intake, banana manifold, and a nice exhaust just add up to perfection. I have a VS series 2 Calais with the HSV 185i pack (genuine enhanced). Owned it for over 20 years now, and never accepted any of the numerous offers to sell it. I’m glad I kept it. In the next few years it will get a rebuild in time for its 30th birthday. You just can’t beat that throaty intake roar from the front, followed by the growl & rumble from the rear. My VS still sounds better than my VL Brock 5.6L stroker.
You are correct, the VN was built on VL (well, VB….) underpinnings. The body was wider, but the platform was still pretty much 98% the same. The rear track was around 2” wider than a gen1 commodore - purely done by widening the diff. All the arms and swaybar remained remained the same as VB-VL. The front was still the same narrow VB-VL track. This wasn’t fixed until the VR front suspension upgrade. Front struts go right back to VB….. Compared to a VL, only the front swaybar and links are different (located on the strut instead of the LCA) and the pipes on the steering rack were rotated around more to clear the V6 and V8 headers (they are very close on a VL V8, but on a VL 6 they’re fine).
The combination of the throttle body, air intake, banana manifold, and a nice exhaust just add up to perfection. I have a VS series 2 Calais with the HSV 185i pack (genuine enhanced). Owned it for over 20 years now, and never accepted any of the numerous offers to sell it. I’m glad I kept it. In the next few years it will get a rebuild in time for its 30th birthday. You just can’t beat that throaty intake roar from the front, followed by the growl & rumble from the rear. My VS still sounds better than my VL Brock 5.6L stroker.
@@commodorenut Yeah I was correct. I looked at one at the time as I had a VC . Decided to wait a bit later until vp came out. The VN looked a bit bulbous to me, not that sleek looking.
Nice hair cuzy hard out
Nice car mate, but I’m not a fan of the Gilmer belt drive.
needs some reidspeed goodness lol
Fingers cross he buys a gold vp
Back in 1992 Holden gave Olympic gold medalists a gold VP. Ive always wondered if they were in any way special or just a gold VP.
@@96libertytt imo they just look good
You got rocks in ya pipe!
HAHAHAHAHAHA S PAC 🤣
It came from a Chop Shop!!!!
I had a VN Berlina V8. Great car until some asshole nicked it and stripped it for parts. Had a VT SS after that and now have a VZ SS.
G’day! What in earth is this lol 😝 clearly wasn’t a uk 🇬🇧 model :( 😢
The 5L is definitely the best sounding production V8 ever made 🤌
It makes me sad that Aussie cars are being noticed more than ever. Prices are going through the roof. I'm from the states and have a couple favorites cars from Aus tralia that I would like to have. I've been making hot rods my whole life. These damn car shows on TV have ruined car prices...
What cars would you like to have? This is an interesting perspective. They are getting more expensive here too
@@commodoreman1 I became enamored with the 72-79 falcon when I was a teenager. And when I started looking into the Australian cars I found the Holden Gemini. But there are many others to. The hybrid styling on the falcons fascinated me. The back half was Ford 70-72 Torino and the front was 71-73 mustang. But yeah, the car rebuilder shows and auctions have drove the price of all the good cars through the roof. Car used to be able to affordably go out a find something cool and build a nice ride. Now when you find something the owner just saw a car just like theirs sell on TV for millions of dollars lol. So its getting very difficult to be a "not rich" car guy anymore. And hot rod parts are the same. But motorheads always find away to build a hot rod out of something.... LOL.😉🍻
Best sounding Holden is the VK brock with its single system exhaust ...
Why wouldn't you have kept the station wagon instead?
Nice project !
But a cam and exhaust don't make it 'the best' !
😌🙏🙌
LOL
Why bother, those cars were shitboxes thirty years ago and still are
Most v6s were quicker. My mates used to race all the time 9 times out of 10 the v8s would lose. Not good
Wow! If that's "rough" this us going to be a shit channel and If that's the best sound in the world you need to get out more
But, that is the best sound in the world?
@@mr.sunnyg5510 Clearly you're wrong.
@@maisydaisy9970 clearly you're incorrect
@@mr.sunnyg5510
I'm never wrong, it's you that is at fault.
@@maisydaisy9970 "im never wrong" someone who is always wrong would say that.