This discussion started in the "Some G8 Updates" thread, but I thought I'd start a new one here.

There's been some interest expressed in replacing the Pontiac front end/hood with the SSV/HSV front end/hood.

The Aussie front ends don't comply with US bumper regulations, although I imagine if you ordered the front clips as well as the bumper materials behind, you should be able to orchestrate a swap?

Also, are the HSV and the SSV hood the same with the exception of the little piece of grey plastic on the leading edge of the HSV hood?

http://www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper/automotive/Holden%20VE%20Commodore%20SSV%20Orange%202006%20-%20800x600.jpg

http://picsorban.com/upload/gts1.jpg

Blue GTS picture compliments of cm_ls1 over at g8gt.com

It will depend on if teh different substructure required for US market is bolted on or welded. Be sure to re-install all airbag sensors while you are at it, as well. It could be cheaper to "give" your car to RK for developmenmt purposes.

It will depend on if teh different substructure required for US market is bolted on or welded. Be sure to re-install all airbag sensors while you are at it, as well. It could be cheaper to "give" your car to RK for developmenmt purposes.

The Aussie bumper doesn't comply with US regulations because it doesn't have side marker lights, that's it. Nothing else will be different in the substructure/frame/airbag sensor area. The only things you'd have to swap would be the foam behind the plastic bumper and the bumper guides, but the deal breaker is buying a new hood to do the swap. Shipping prices from AUS are outrageous for large items. You're probably looking at close to $2k for the hood and bumper shipped to USA. These are the types of prices us GTO owners are paying for conversions.

Well, thats better news than having to reweld a substructure! Would the foam not come with the front clip/bumper?

Is that what the GTO guys are spending on Monaro fron clips/hoods? about $2k to get them here?

Well, thats better news than having to reweld a substructure! Would the foam not come with the front clip/bumper?

Is that what the GTO guys are spending on Monaro fron clips/hoods? about $2k to get them here?

The Monaro front bumper runs about $1000 shipped which includes grilles, fog lights, brackets, and foam insert. The GTO and Monaro hood are the same so it's not too bad doing that swap unlike the G8. Shipping is about $400 for a bumper. Everything is sold as seperate parts from GM so when you order you need to make sure you order everything at once to save on shipping. HSV parts generally are not available for sale to non-HSV owners, you need a VIN number to order with and they cost alot more but Holden branded parts are priced within reach.

Any difference in price if parts are ordered and shipped through Saudi Arabia, where Holden sells a Chevy version?

Any difference in price if parts are ordered and shipped through Saudi Arabia, where Holden sells a Chevy version?

Haven't heard of anyone trying it, mostly because noone wants the Chevy look and not knowing any dealers willing to ship to USA. But I'm guessing it'll probably cost more because they import everything from Aus and you may have issues with customs.

You would be surprised sometimes at how duties work. And how, for example, a Japanese tractor shipped to Germany, through the United States as an intermediate stop can cost less, even considering shipping, than the same product shipped directly from Japan to Germany.

f'n duties suck

Doesn't it tell GM something about their US styling that there is serious talk on this board by some people about spending money on a conversion back to the original Austalian look? The Holden look is so much more suited to the car, and that Pontiac front end...ugh...

:huh::huh:Doesn't it tell GM something about their US styling that there is serious talk on this board by some people about spending money on a conversion back to the original Austalian look? The Holden look is so much more suited to the car, and that Pontiac front end...ugh...
Seems fascinating to me that most everybody in the forum can hardly wait to start "modding" the G8 to make it "stand out" from plain-old stock vehicles.

Yet here we have people actually discussing spending thousands of $ to change the G8 back to look like what 10,000 of the cars on the road in Australia look like. I guess I just don't get it! When my G8GT is delivered, hopefully by early March, it will be one of a grand total of 4 G8s in the state of Wa. I suppose if too many of them end up on the road (Lexus, Honda, Nissan, etc) as time goes by, I can always spray paint some orange flames on the side....or sumthin'.:huh::huh:

Well, the Aussie and Vauxhall front ends do look better IMO. Pontiacs have a distinctive look (even though it isn't the greatest). Since the G8 is a Pontiac it looks like a Pontiac.
I have seen several people on other sites interested in changing the G8 and G8 ST into a Chevy.

If someone would take the G8 and change it into a Holden, Vauxhall or Chevy then the car would be even more unique than the regular G8s. I see his point.

:huh::huh:
Seems fascinating to me that most everybody in the forum can hardly wait to start "modding" the G8 to make it "stand out" from plain-old stock vehicles.

Yet here we have people actually discussing spending thousands of $ to change the G8 back to look like what 10,000 of the cars on the road in Australia look like. I guess I just don't get it! When my G8GT is delivered, hopefully by early March, it will be one of a grand total of 4 G8s in the state of Wa. I suppose if too many of them end up on the road (Lexus, Honda, Nissan, etc) as time goes by, I can always spray paint some orange flames on the side....or sumthin'.:huh::huh:

These folks would never be satisfied no matter what they were buying. Only a fool would spend 30,000 dollars on a car, then pour thousands more into appearance, and then thousands again into the engine because it wasn't good enough.

Then, thousands more when one of their engine mods screws something up, and the warranty does not apply; i.e. is voided. Seriously....

Some guys take their cars straight from the dealer and void the warranty within the first week. Others usually pull it off within the first year. Some mods won't void the warranty but do give worthwhile performance gains. Not foolish if the owner is happy.

These folks would never be satisfied no matter what they were buying. Only a fool would spend 30,000 dollars on a car, then pour thousands more into appearance, and then thousands again into the engine because it wasn't good enough.

Then, thousands more when one of their engine mods screws something up, and the warranty does not apply; i.e. is voided. Seriously....
Well, I guess that's one of the things that make the good old USA great. Everyone has a right to express their opinion and do whatever they want to do, as long as it's reasonably within the law.

I WILL be doing some mods to see if we can get over 415HP. CAI, exhaust, and tune for 92 octane. WTF? I've been running my SSEI on 92 for 5 years. I'm thinkin' just the tune alone will yield 400+.

Also, are the HSV and the SSV hood the same with the exception of the little piece of grey plastic on the leading edge of the HSV hood?

yeah all the hoods are the same, other than the G8.

the little grey piece of plastic is colour coded on some models, chrome on the calais, and then again on others the grille area on the bumper is moved upwards, so theres no need for the insert. I guess it helps create slightly more difference from model to model, without massive changes.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/asylum83/grilleSS.jpg
(Omega, Berlina, SV6, SS, SS-V) no insert

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/asylum83/grilleSENATOR.jpg
(Senator) no insert

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/asylum83/grilleR8.jpg
(Clubsport, Maloo, VXR8) insert colour coded

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/asylum83/grilleGTS.jpg
(GTS) matt black insert

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1/asylum83/grilleCALAIS.jpg
(Calais, Calais-V) insert chromed

Some guys take their cars straight from the dealer and void the warranty within the first week. Others usually pull it off within the first year. Some mods won't void the warranty but do give worthwhile performance gains. Not foolish if the owner is happy.

Exactly

now the car is closer, lets bring this thread back.

Looking at the bonnet on the G8... its obvious the mouth wont match up... but the question is, is the G8 hood fabricable to meet the HSV bumper?? I guess we will learn more when we see the bloody things.

Anyone else find out anyhing else on this topic which will be of huge interest when we get them.

And RAMSESIII, thats the great thing to me about these cars. This car is nearly twice the price in Aus, especially with the exchange rate. We are so lucky to be able to get affordable cars over here. This is a seriouos car back home. Growing up, i wanted a commy so bad. (in the 90's)The VL 3 litre turbo was the hot ticket.... but if you had a 5 litre then you the sh#t. I had a falcon and did my best to mod it up but I really wanted a commodore.

Anway, you can by one of these (as i did with my Monaro) and spend 30K. You then spend maybe 10K on wheels and maybe the HSV GTS upgrades and you have essentially an $85K car for closer 40K ... thats why I like the upgrades for a car liek this more than any other vehicle. You are getting factory options essentially that are not be available.

G8 hood is longer compared to any Holden hoods. It's made longer to complement a longer bumper that G8 has. And G8 front bumper is longer to have a bigger absorber behind the bumper. The frame underneath the bumper and the hood is the same between G8 and Commodore. I'm sure we can get some Holden hoods in SoCal, but I'm not quite sure if it will be available for other states....

http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51
I posted ssv pricing in this thread
I think I posted some HSV pricing in here somewhere else...I will try and find it later.

I think we are all well aware of the approximate price by now. But I'm also aware that shipping of the hood alone costs over $1000 and you are looking at close to $2000 for the shipping of the whole package. And not every shipping company would even accept shipment in those dimensions and weight.

http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51
I posted ssv pricing in this thread
I think I posted some HSV pricing in here somewhere else...I will try and find it later.

:huh::huh:
Seems fascinating to me that most everybody in the forum can hardly wait to start "modding" the G8 to make it "stand out" from plain-old stock vehicles.

Yet here we have people actually discussing spending thousands of $ to change the G8 back to look like what 10,000 of the cars on the road in Australia look like. I guess I just don't get it! When my G8GT is delivered, hopefully by early March, it will be one of a grand total of 4 G8s in the state of Wa. I suppose if too many of them end up on the road (Lexus, Honda, Nissan, etc) as time goes by, I can always spray paint some orange flames on the side....or sumthin'.:huh::huh:

I think that we're on the board to begin with says something. We're enthusiast. We like to be different, we like to be faster etc.

It's like the grandprix community. There's thousands of grocery getter grandprixs out there. So some of us made ours faster and better looking. Eventually there will be a lot of g8s. So some of us want to be different. Turn heads etc.