Holden Special Vehicles: Building a legacy

Time has just about run out for Australian assembly of Australian cars. Holden Special Vehicles ends production of Commodore-based models before the end of 2017.

It’s the end of an era … for a number of reasons. Follow along as we record the build of one of the last GTSR W1s to roll off the line.

Outlasting Ford, Holden and Toyota, which have all closed their assembly lines, HSV is the last place left in Australia where Australian-made cars were being built.

Established in 1987, HSV has built more than 90,000 cars in the past 30 years - most of them based on the locally engineered, manufactured and designed Holden Commodore V8.

For the last 22 years HSV has been based at an industrial park in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton, but once Commodore conversion ends it is shifting to a modern, new factory across the road and to new challenges.

Those challenges as we’ve reported recently include developing a higher-performance version of the Holden Colorado called the SportsCat and converting the Chevrolet Camaro coupe and Silverado pick-up to right-hand drive.

But Holden’s new imported ZB Commodore isn’t part of the plan, so this really is a milestone moment.

To mark the end of this era we’ve followed the creation of a HSV GTSR W1 down the assembly line, so it’s the last great Aussie muscle-car – and Australia’s Best Driver’s Car of 2017 - on the last Aussie assembly line.

The VIN notification specified the model and colour and allowed HSV to order in the appropriate parts from suppliers using the ‘Just In Time’ system. All up, the final VFII Commodore-based Gen-F2 HSVs required 400 new parts from 200 suppliers in 20 countries.

Since Holden’s Elizabeth factory outside Adelaide closed in October, HSV has been working through a final stockpile of Commodores ordered in advance. As per usual, these cars were fitted out online at Elizabeth with the LSA V8 engine, gearbox and differential and full HSV interiors. They arrived at Clayton complete and were then stripped, washed and checked over before entering the assembly line.

Once the process is underway the first stop is electrical, where the driver preference dial switch, the EDI module that adds extra information to the centre screen, and Alcantara steering wheel and gearshift are fitted.

The parking lamps are removed from the headlights and – where specified – the tail-lights and bootlid lamps replaced.

There’s no rewiring or soldering required, everything is plug and play. The car comes from Holden with a HSV wiring loom. Holden even installs the module for the driver preference dial under the centre console.

No, don’t go looking for the module in your SS … it’s not there.

The engine, gearbox and standard front struts, all still sitting on the engine K-frame, are dropped out through the bottom of the car. This ensures there’s no messing about with the bonnet, potentially cracking paint or mucking up alignment.

The drivetrain and struts are removed from the K-Frame and the new items bolted on. While the engine bay is empty it’s time to make some detail modifications for clearance around the fuse box and ABS module, and because the LS9’s alternator sits up high on the driver’s side rather than down low on the passenger’s side as in the LSA.

As the engine is uploaded it’s easy to see what a tight squeeze it is. The dry sump looks like it’s been dropped and dinged, but it’s shaped like that specifically so it can fit.

Once the engine is back in the car there is still plenty of work to be done. The swap from LSA to LS9 adds at least 100 parts into the production line.

Ancillaries must be connected, the exhaust and air-conditioning hooked up and the rear shocks installed. Then the LS9 bursts into grumbly life to make sure fluids are flowing and so on.

By the way, the LSA engines are sent back to Holden to be sold off as spare parts.

The longest serving employee is Ian Maddicks, who has been at HSV 21 years.

“Since I first started here it’s changed quite a lot,” he tells us. “Back in the VR/VS days the cars were individually built by a group of mechanics and then it moved on to people that actually did all the bodywork and people that did the electrical work.

“At the introduction of VT we went to assembly line procedure, which we currently still use. So, it has changed greatly and the amount of people we have got onboard now has greatly increased as well.”

For Ian, who owns an HSV, this is clearly a dream job.

“One of the great things here is I have always been into cars,” he smiles. “I am into hot-rods and cars and I just love the HSV brand.

“When I started here the comradeship that was here with the people was just fantastic. It was like a big family.

“I have got a 1993 ClubSport, which I bought. It was a one-owner car, it was in good condition except the body … the paint had all faded, it had a few dings, so I took it off the road and completely restored it and it virtually just sits in the garage now.”

The passion that infuses Ian is all around us. There are promotional banners for road cars and HSV’s various touring car and Supercar teams and hero drivers on the walls stretching back through the years.

The place itself looks a bit worn, the fading paint contrasting with the beautiful new cars being assembled under fluoro lights.

It’s hot in here under the low roof even though it’s nice outside. Fans are running to keep everyone cool. Ian says he won’t miss working here when he shifts to the new factory.

“It makes this place look really old and shabby,” he laughs. “It’s a lot bigger -- a big open-span building -- so we are not restricted in space as much as we are here.”

The W1 starts to take on its own visual character … as front body, plastic front fenders, side skirts, rear bodywork and wing are bolted on.

The badges are applied and the ‘I just want one’ sticker goes on the rear window.

The huge AP Racing brakes, 20-inch wheels and Pirelli Trofeo R semi-slick rubber are next and the car then rumbles to final inspection over a set of ripple strips that give the suspension a shakedown test.

The final inspection includes a wheel alignment, programming download and inspection of the overall fit and finish of all HSV’s fitted components.

Random cars are also selected off the line for a more detailed audit, which drills down into the core car as well. Then as the final touch comes the spray-on DataDot security system.

All up, from arriving at Clayton to being ready for delivery to a dealer, it takes about six days for a W1 to travel through the HSV assembly system.

It’s certainly sad to think the W1 we followed is one of the last Aussie-made cars that HSV built, but at least we know what a formidable closing statement it is.