1978–1988 · VB, VC, VH, VK & VL · Opel body, Holden engines · Trentham-built from 1979
The VB of October 1978 put Holden engines into the Opel Rekord body, with the Opel Senator’s front to make room: red 2.85 and 3.3 sixes, 4.2 and 5.0 V8s, MacPherson struts at the front and a coil-sprung live axle at the rear. Front discs are standard; rear discs only on the SL/E and as an option. The VC of 1980 brought the “blue” engines with electronic ignition and the 1.9 Starfire four; the VH of 1981 a new grille and lamps and a five-speed manual for the smaller engines.
The VK of 1984 has the six-window glasshouse, new tail lamps, the first plastic bumpers and the “black” 3.3, injected on the Calais. The VL of 1986 swapped in the Nissan RB30 3.0 six, with a turbo version, and lower headlamps. New Zealand assembled Commodores at Trentham from 1979, with its own variants — the NZ-only Royale, the 1.9 Starfire carried on in the VK, and a Nissan 2.0 six in the VL — until the last New Zealand-built Holden, a VN, in November 1990.
Holden Commodore VB to VL — specification & changes within the model
- VB — 1978
- Opel Rekord body, Senator front. Red 2.85/3.3 six, 4.2/5.0 V8. Rear discs on SL/E only.
- VC — 1980
- “Blue” engines, electronic ignition (sixes, V8); 1.9 Starfire four.
- VH — 1981
- New grille and lamps; five-speed manual on smaller engines. Rear discs on SL/E and SS.
- VK — 1984
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Six-window glasshouse, plastic bumpers, “black” 3.3 (EFI on Calais).
- VL — 1986
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Nissan RB30 3.0, turbo option; 5.0 V8 from October 1986. Turbo: bigger brakes.
- New Zealand Commodores
- Trentham-built from 1979. Royale (NZ only, VH to VL), VK 1.9 Starfire, VL Nissan RB20 2.0.
- Earth polarity
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We cannot tell you for certain, and we will not guess. We could not find more than one source on the earth polarity for the VB to VL. One source gives 12 volt negative earth for the VB. Check the car before you order a coil, a regulator or a radio.
