Sometimes it seems like bad luck just follows you around. Out for a quiet cruise, Dylan’s VL was t-boned when another driver ran through a stop sign and subsequently wrote the car off. Looking for a second generation Commodore, a white VN Berlina got the nod over the VR and VS offerings.

The excellent condition of the paint was a major selling point and at the time of purchase the car wore 20 grade tint and some 16 inch rims. For a while Dylan was happy but Lady Luck just wasn’t done with him yet.

First the car was defected and the tint had to go, then the car got a little close to a guard rail. While that was getting repaired it made sense to get a body kit fitted and a VY Clubsport kit was chosen to update the look and some VZ flutes were stamped into the guards. But it wasn’t too much longer before a motorcycle slid into the side of the car and it was back to the crash repairer.

It was the third accident that prompted the transformation to how the car is today. With the front bar virtually ripping in half, and a busted driver’s side guard a VS front end was found in matching Alaskan White. Dylan did look into getting a VZ front end, however the extra cost and custom work required was a put off. The VS- being the latest model that could easily be fitted- was chosen and when you consider the new panels required for the conversion cost the princely sum of $150 it’s a pretty cool mod. The new VS guards also received the VZ SS style flutes and Dylan’s pretty happy with the end result, much preferring the look of the VY Clubby kit on the VS front.

All that was left to do then was tint the windows, chrome the window trim, install the much improved VS headlights and bolt up the 19” XHP wheels with white walled tires to complete the package.

To give the Buick six a bit more poke a stage II Crow cam was slid in place of the stocker and the memcal was retuned to get it running the way it should. A V8 LSD was installed with some 3.9s to make the most of the power and ceramic coated Pacemaker competition headers were bolted to the 2.5 inch exhaust to give it the right note. The T700 transmission remains, but Enhanced Automotive spun spanners to install the Trans-go stage 2 shift kit, Corvette servo and 0.500” boost valve to make sure the gear changes are a whole lot crisper.

The Berlina was reasonably well appointed from the factory but Dylan couldn’t resist personalising it. After all, being where he’d spend most of his time with the car, it makes sense to make sure the inside is just as well done as the outside. A black VQ dash was fitted with the level 3 cluster receiving white faced instrumentation and blue leds replacing the factory lighting. Climate control was installed, which meant upgrading the wiring with a VQ loom to get the most out of the dash conversion. Dylan says it was one of the hardest parts of the build and no doubt digging around under a dash is never fun- especially on a 35 degree day!

A Pioneer 7 inch DVD player keeps the passengers busy and WH Statesman seats ensure that they are more than comfortable.

Perhaps surprisingly with a car this extensively modified, it has never been shown. Twice Dylan has registered to show it and twice it got dented the day before. ‘I’ll get there one day’ he told me, so he obviously isn’t too disheartened. The car is regularly out cruising with the JustCommodores.com guys and turns plenty of heads on the street.

But this story isn’t over yet. Dylan is currently suspended from getting behind the wheel of the car but he’s making sure he spends plenty of quality time with it and is hoping to take it to the next level. A custom bonnet and custom rear garnish are on the cards as well as mentioning VE GTS seats… performance wise ‘I’ll be throwing in a new engine, but that’s all I’m saying for now’.

Something tells me it might have a bit more go about it than what lurks beneath the surface now.

Words by Mick

Pictures by Dylan

A little bit of everything

Definitely not stock

Flutes look tough on any custom Commodore

Stato seats up the luxury

Exactly what it says on the tin