VP Commodore V6

[Thunderbolt]

Hi all just bought a 72 s3 swb unfinished project with millions of spare parts. Its got parabolic springs, came with a full soft top as well as ute cab, break booster, 60 series cruiser power steering (not hooked up) rangie diff's and a VP commodore 3.8 hooked up to a Nissan cabstar 5 speed and standard transfer. Its not the sort of thing I would do but as he's gone to a lot of trouble and expense (all new breaks, rear cross member new paint etc etc) I'd like to get it going. The wiring for the engine might stump me though. The ecm is hooked up but I don't know what other things I need to hook up or ignore. Anyone done this before? Any comments greatly appreciated.
Cheers

[LandyAndy]

NICE!!!!!!!!
Where in the WA wheatbelt are you???
Andrew

[Slunnie]

Sounds fantastic!

[Thunderbolt]

Thanks guys I'm in Beverley. Yeah there's a lot of work to do but it would be great to see howit goes. I looked up the the engine specs and seems to have a good torque curve. Looks like there's a v6 conversion place over east that sells a wiring harness for it. I've got the one from the car but there's enough wires and plugs to circumnavigate the world a couple of times. Im thinking the one they sell fools it into thinking its still sitting in the VP. As a bonus its still regoed!

[Davehoos]

VN-VP manual ECU was very basic. the ignition will run without the EFI if you wanted to fit a carby manifold or another fuel system.


Speed signal was used to calculate load and radiator fan operation. without the signal it sets a code and operates the radiator fan slightly different.-most VN had poor contacts in the dash and operated OK without the speed signal.


radiator fan operates at very high water temperatures. modify the resistance to trick the ECU. Fitting a fan temp switch or mechanical fan conversion-{HILUX ?] will drop the coolant temp and it will run richer.


Plenty of factory plug in tunes including no 02 sencor for export and aftermarket aplications. Tune is contained in the Memcal not the ECU. Mate purchased basic early Kalmaker before the system was sold to a WA dealer. to use it now I believe we had to get the chip modified by the distributor.


should be able to find a retuned plug in chip cheaper than a replacement ECU.

[andy_d110]

Thanks guys I'm in Beverley. Yeah there's a lot of work to do but it would be great to see howit goes. I looked up the the engine specs and seems to have a good torque curve. Looks like there's a v6 conversion place over east that sells a wiring harness for it. I've got the one from the car but there's enough wires and plugs to circumnavigate the world a couple of times. Im thinking the one they sell fools it into thinking its still sitting in the VP. As a bonus its still regoed!

Whereabouts in Beverley are you?

My folks have a place just up from the cop shop in town, on Waterhatch rd / Vincent street.

Hoping to head out there soon, there is another bloke in town with a FC and a few sheds full of series vehicles.

Andy

[Lionelgee]

Thanks guys I'm in Beverley. Yeah there's a lot of work to do but it would be great to see howit goes. I looked up the the engine specs and seems to have a good torque curve. Looks like there's a v6 conversion place over east that sells a wiring harness for it. I've got the one from the car but there's enough wires and plugs to circumnavigate the world a couple of times. Im thinking the one they sell fools it into thinking its still sitting in the VP. As a bonus its still regoed!

G'day Thunderbolt,

Gee no posts since February - how is the project going? Have you spent all this time quietly working away and have the project all wrapped up. Or have other things taken priority?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hi all just bought a 72 s3 swb unfinished project with millions of spare parts. Its got parabolic springs, came with a full soft top as well as ute cab, break booster, 60 series cruiser power steering (not hooked up) rangie diff's and a VP commodore 3.8 hooked up to a Nissan cabstar 5 speed and standard transfer. Its not the sort of thing I would do but as he's gone to a lot of trouble and expense (all new breaks, rear cross member new paint etc etc) I'd like to get it going. The wiring for the engine might stump me though. The ecm is hooked up but I don't know what other things I need to hook up or ignore. Anyone done this before? Any comments greatly appreciated.
Cheers


Hello Thunderbolt,

With the items "Nissan cabstar 5 speed and standard transfer" does this mean that it still has four wheel drive operational?

Can you look at the markings on the cabstar gear box and the conversion plate between the V6 and the cabstar? Is the name of the conversion manufacturer and the model number written anywhere?

Apparently, there are quite a few different variants of the Cabstar box. I have a long wheel base Series III which has been fitted up to a diesel Nissan SD 33 motor. Even some of the conversion people say the SD 33 is too heavy for the chassis. I have another Series III 109 I am thinking of putting the Cabstar gearbox into instead. Either up behind the currently fitted 202 six cylinder motor, or upgrading it one to a more modern V6 engine. In both cases I would need a different conversion plate to hang the cabstar box off.

Did they have to modify the cross member - engine mounts, or chassis rails + radiator mounts to shoehorn the V6 in under the bonnet? Some photographs of the engine bay would be great :)

Kind Regards
Lionel

[mick88]

Lionel "Marks 4WD Conversions" in Melbourne did a lot of the Land Rover transfer case to Nissan Cabstar 5 speed gearbox conversions. Back in the day there may have been other manufacturers of these Nissan to Land Rover gearbox conversions, but I am not aware of any.
Some of the engine conversions I know of that were made to bolt up to these gearbox conversions were, Holden straight six, Holden V6, Nissan SD33. I recall a local vehicle here in my area fifteen to twenty years back was a SWB series three with the Nissan 5 speed conversion and a Nissan four cylinder diesel bolted up to it. From what I recall it went very well and delivered good economy.
I am not sure if Marks 4WD made an adaptor to bolt the Land Rover 2.25 up to the conversion.
Some one on here may be able to give you more information about what motor conversions were available.
I have a series 2A SWB with the Cabstar conversion that I am currently fitting a four cylinder Holden engine into as it will bolt straight up, engine mounts included. In a Land Rover that has been fitted with a four cylinder engine from new, the Cabstar conversion pushes the Holden six a fair way forward. Further forward than when just adapted/bolted up to a Land Rover gearbox.
Below are a couple of photographs of the vehicle with the six cylinder engine fitted. It has since been removed.

Cheers, Mick.