E34 V. OZ VN Commodore

[wingman]

I got this mag off ebay as it has a 5 page article about the first OZ drives of the E34. This kind of brings home what the domestic market was producing when the E34 was launched. Aussies will know the VN Commodore as a plasticky piece of S**t that didn't go, fell apart and was pig ugly. Euros will know it as Opel something or other. No competition really even with the price difference. nO wonder we called this car the 'comode'
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c301/wingman_1968/comode.jpg

[Paul in NZ]

when i was looking at my car i was advised NOT to consider a vp SS

[wingman]

In his pre-BMW days my father bought a VR SS. Went like stink but...was a basic 'executive' (ie basic) model with a body kit and a big V8. He sold it withing 2 months!

[BigKriss]

aussies LOVE this car Wingman, not myself included. They will argue to you untill they are blue in the face that it's superior to the likes of an e34. My late grandfather had the V8 version, it was broken into twice. Plenty of torque but not much power around 165kw from 5L if my memory serves me right. Yep, another poor automobile by general motors.

[wingman]

These were the most broken into/stolen car in OZ history. You might as well have left the key in it. Do you recall the acres of plastic??? It makes me cringe just thinking of cab rides in these horrors.

[BigKriss]

hehehe. rolling in style
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/eldubya/inside_drivers.jpg

his car had momo 17"s and a momo leather steering wheel. I guess that didn't help its security.

[R1daveg]

LOL @VN - famous for not being able to open rear doors after towing a decent load, and having a weight bias way too far to front wheels. Took me several years to get used to its hideous look. Until that time i was a fan of GMH and had a a VL SS... :P

[Randell]

i think this would hve to be one of the worst australian cars ever. the thing felt like it was made of tin foil... you'd close the doors and swear the panel had just fallen off inside... the headliner sagged worse than any bmw you've ever seen, it ran that god awful buick 3.8L v6 that should never have gone into production (125kw and rougher than a 50 year old john deere)..

but mate, put some subs in it mate and it's fully sick

[pundit]

...but mate, put some subs in it mate and it's fully sick
...Along with an 'Oakley Thermonuclear Protection' Decal, a set of guages poking up through the bonnet (that don't even work) and a really bad fibreglass aero kit with a cowplough front spoiler, armco sized sideskirts and screw on (with self tappers) flared wheel arches so big that a VW Beetle could park inside one of them and be completely invisible. ;)

[Zeuk in Oz]

But consider this :

If the average Aussie didn't drive a Ford or a Holden there would be more driving BMWs and we would be competing with them for used E 34s.

Let the great unwashed have their opiates and we will benefit greatly. :D

Edit : BTW, I think BigKriss posted some pages of "Wheels" articles on the E34s of that vintage - you should be able to find them with a search .

[wingman]

Even 'Mr Holden' got in on the act.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c301/wingman_1968/brockcopy.jpg:D

[Derek A.]

I like the NV I drove down under:

SV5000 (http://www.opus45.com/pics/sv5000_burn.wmv)

[632 Regal]

gotta dig the carpeted dash! thats cool still... and the buick 3.8s those in the USA came with crank and rod bearings in the glove box from the factory.

[mattyb]

didnt make for a bad ute though. i had one but there was no decent place for a stubbie holder!

[wingman]

Sorry Derek but I can't open your pic with my mac. HSV did some wild things with the basic crummydore. I'm glad someone has fond memories of the VN. After driving (hard) virtually every model of Commodore from the VR onwards in 'police pack' specs I still don't think they have got any better. They are still rough as guts.

[632 Regal]

hahaha ... dereks link:

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[wingman]

Funny thing is that my mac opened this...lmao

[Derek A.]

Its a windows media file. You might want to try and download it to the desktop. I did not try to link it in as a media object. IE will generally open these types without issues - windows media a firefox are still a bit sketchy