I bought the XR8 almost 2 years ago after searching for a while for a low km EF/EL XR8 or VR/VS SS (or clubbie). I was looking for the usual - Low km's, manual, decent condition all that crap. As most know, manual low km EL's are impossible to find. So stumbled across this one, bought it, lovely lovely. 150k km, auto, cat-back zorst, immaculate interior, Navy blue paint still sparkled.
Luck had it that the next week a burgundy EL XR8, manual, stock as a rock with alot less km's popped up. It was even owned by an old fella living even closer (a 2 minute drive). pissed off! i even contemplated selling mine to buy it. In hindsight i should have!
anyway heres the car from the carsguide ad, looked fairly neat -
So, drove it around but shifted like a pig, so dropped it off at local Rileys Garage. got S5 replaced and an auto service. drove nicely. unfortunately when i parked it there it pissed coolant, as seen below -
i had them install a decent sized trans cooler with new lines (not through the radiator) whilst there
So new heater tap, all new radiator hoses & overflow bottle. a home radiator flush and tonnes of murky brown shit came out... mother f*cker! anyway, topped it up with new coolant and tightened it all up and it's been pretty well behaved.
Next thing was the oil pressure guage was shitting itself on long drives on the motorway (M7 & M5 for the sydney siders). Which was concerning! it was dropping off to nothing and beeping and carrying on. SO my Mechanic (Mr John Leffler for all those Group C buffs) checked it out with a mechanical guage and all fine. replaced sender unit twice too. At some point soon after he replaced a few bushes and the intermediate steering shaft, which apparently none existant now? so dont f*ck your intermediate driving shaft
Sept/Oct 2010 i decided the cat back which was on it when i bought it sounded shithouse, so went and got a twin 2.25 inch mandrel bent exhaust, pacies, hi-flow cats to make myself feel better. Sounds great, it even impressed the die-hard holden/HDT guys who did the job. Not bad for a stock 5.slow auto
Soon after the engine mounts went. gay. replaced
Also bought new tyres, i was interested to see if i could get 245 or 255's on it at the back, purely for bulge purposes. i dont race my car, its slow so a soft sidewall doesnt bother me. Couldnt, disappointed, so i'll just have to wait for Simmons
Went on a few little cruises with my brother (BNG - in the blue EF & then the burgundy EL XR6) and car nut marty (white EF XR6) down to Wollongong or out to douglas park/camden. Pretty fun. They have involved a few other guys too, most from camden (Tony, kimber, craig/gary/greg/g-banger/whatever, Mark, & of course corey from the gong).
It's great being the only V8 amongst a flock of XR6/XR6Ts
E-series look better then B-series!
E-series pop up everywhere, including work...
car was travelling along nicely, a few minor kiccups (i'll explain later as i've still got them).
Earlier this year I managed to ground the terminal at the back of the alternator, destroying the alternator, battery and the 100A fuse. Won't be doing that again. New alternator, battery and fuse and car's checked over and all ok.
Unfortunately my Dad succumbed to cancer and passed away in June, sort of relegating all things in life to unimportant. The project 1963 mini is at a standstill and the XR8 copped no love for a while. A week later my uncle passed away unexpectedly. Pretty f*cked up timing.
So with spirits high *cough* a month later in the pissing rain the car lost all power, everything. Life cant get much worse can it? Cue small engine fire and much swearing. Fire out quickly, minimal damage as it was on the passenger side extractor.
So the wonderful missus and i sat in the back of her hatchback and waited for a towie for an hour, he turned up and we headed to my auto electrician. Conveniently his pneumatics decided to not work, so we waited another hour for another towie to turn up (still pissing down)
Anyway, the cable to the starter had shorted to the extractor and blown battery and fuse again. New battery, cable to the starter and starter was rebuilt by my now close mate auto electrician
needed a new fuel pump (i think)
Recently i decided the shagged suspension was needing a trip to the tip and replacements were needed. Original shocks and springs!
I had thought about some springs and good quality shocks, but i like the thought of adjustment. The first pic shows it in its 4WD glory...
So good old Pedders came to the fore and smacked some of their coilovers in all round.
i decided i'd quickly lower my front left as low as i could go with the trolley jack under it and it looks like this... this was done but the rears and front drivers werent touched. The last pic shows how much thread was left. So it can go pretty low!
The coilovers went in and it now sits better... so this is how she stands atm
you may ask "why doesn't he slam the mofo?" well because my driveways a c*nt. As it is now, it just gets down with me in it driving like some homo in a lowered civic (i.e. slow, wide and at angles)
so future plans? well have it running for a while, it's my daily driver. One day i'd love a 347
but i'd rather clean it up, there are a few little things needing to be done.
- The red strip goes pink and is trying to get away from the car, so needs re-painting & re-sticking
- cruise buttons cracked
- drivers seat base broken (will get the seats re-padded i think too)
- i'm on the lookout for some Simmons, i had FR17's on my old calais and would love some OM's. 9.5 will fit, maybe 10 if we can find the right inners and outers
- possibly look at a trickflow top end kit + tune
I'll try to slam it as far as it'll go soon. Marty has offered to help haha, and then i'll post pics here and in the coilover thread (for anyone interested)
let me know what you think!
cheers,
Brad
but 2012 isn't far away! 
the coilovers have settled more hehe 
Polynesian green, ticky kit, barely used pedders suspension (apparently only 2 weeks of on road use), police ECU (4DKD), 5-spoke 16" rims, full interior etc. Just no motor or gearbox!
