New wagon install.

[commscanaus]

Here is my recently completed mobile install.

The vehicle is a 2009 GM Holden VE Commodore International.
These are known locally as the Sportwagon, which is the station wagon version of the popular Commodore sedan.
It is marketed as the Chevy Lumina in the US, but only in the sedan variant.
This model has a 3.0 liter V6 with direct injection which makes around 250hp and excellent gas mileage.

Radios are a Kenwood TM-D700A and Uniden UBCD996T with RH-96 head.
Antennas are a Diamond SG-7000 for the Kenwood and a Laird/Antenex ABSCANC (with optional spring) for the Uniden.
I had to carefully fit NMO mounts into the roof rack and run coax along underneath some roof trim to the tailgate which made for a nice clean look. A big bonus with the VE is that the battery is in the rear of the vehicle and not the engine bay! No running cables through firewalls- and a short DC run is needed to feed the radios. In the sedan the battery is in the trunk.

So far the setup has proved to perform well, despite me not drilling into the roof and properly mounting the NMO's. The roof racks make for a bit of extra height, but had to be modified to provide a proper earth.

Commscanaus.

 

[alexmc]

Looks Good!
I've also just bought myself a new wagon, I'm waiting for some new elevated feed ground independent antennas to try on the bonnet, and my big VHF whip will be mounted to the nudge bar when that arrives.
I'm hoping these work out alright for me as I'm trying to avoid drilling through the roof.
Is that Sydney in the background? Also from Syd myself.

 

[AK9R]

Nice install. I see the connector for the microphone--Where do you keep the mic when it's in the car?

Nice car, except your steering wheel is on the wrong side.

 

[HarryWilly]

Nice.

P.S. We don't have the Lumina (sigh). I am in love with the Commodores/Vaxhaull Vectra/VXR8, etc.

We had them for a little bit as the Pontiac G8, the hot version being the G8 GXP. GM shut down the Pontiac brand before the cars could flood the market, which is such a shame because that is a great car.

Chevy was planning on a police version of the Commodore, but instead they went a slightly different direction, but kept the zeta platform on which the Commodore is based. So basically the closest thing we can get (new) to that in the U.S. is a police car, which most people won't be able to buy anyway (until it has 200,000 miles on the odometer and many many drunk people in the rear seats)

Personally, if I were a rich man, I would try to import the VXR8 Bathurst. Love the sound of that supercharger.

 

[R1VINCE]

slick ride!

 

[RadioDaze]

Nice!

Wanna fly out and do my RX-300?

 

[mrweather]

Very nice installation! Good use of the roof rack crossbars.

We had them for a little bit as the Pontiac G8, the hot version being the G8 GXP. GM shut down the Pontiac brand before the cars could flood the market, which is such a shame because that is a great car.

I totally agree. I love my G8:

 

[hippieman556]

nice setup

 

[swstow]

not only is it a nice radio set up but i very much like the look of the car its self

 

[N8DRC]

Great install, and cool looking car..

 

[b7spectra]

I almost like the car more than I do the install!

Great Job!

 

[OpSec]

I'm a fan. Looks good.

How well does that little hammy antenna work for you? It seems to be a tad small to be very efficient on VHF.

 

[canav844]

Now that's a clean install!!

Very nice work, enjoy it on the air.

 

[commscanaus]

Thankyou all for the positive comments!

The job was a bit difficult for me as I have not done an install into a wagon before due to only ever owning sedans. It is encouraging to read the nice words!

Alexmc- That is the city of Melbourne in the background. Unfortunately it was a bit hazy the day I took the photos so it is not as clear as it usually is. I live 23Kms/14Mi west of the city, and the photo was taken on a new estate that is down by the bay. No houses yet, just roads and a great view.
Personally, I don't want to mount antennas near the engine, not with a 50watt capable radio anyway.

W9RXR- Ah yes! The microphone. The darned supplied hanger thing is proving a real pain to mount. Adhesive will not stick to the dash plastic, so the mic lives in the glove compartment when not in use.
I need to design a bracket that fits into the trim to avoid drilling holes. A work in progress.
The wheel is on the right side (literally) and notice the console has the hand brake slot on either side.

HarrisonRHW- Sorry, my mistake. The Chevy Lumina was exported to the UAE not the USA!
It is a shame that GM has dropped the Pontiac badge. Since GM made that decision, GM Holden has been running out the G8 panels and parts by producing a "Limited Edition" Commodore model that has the G8 front end and other cosmetic appointments. Yes, the Police version was built here for the US LEO market, but I guess we will see if it goes ahead. The VX R8 is a sweet car for sure!

RadioDaze- I would fly out in a heartbeat if I could. It's winter here and 40F overnight (not cold compared to your winter) and I hate it. Plus I would like to come over and hit the stores for radio goodies that we don't have here.

mrweather- It was pictures like yours that made the decision to buy this model inevitable. When it was released locally in 2006, I fell in love with it immediately! Then the Sportwagon followed a year or two later- DROOL! Wagons are getting hard to find nowadays because of the popularity of SUV's. Ford do not make a station wagon anymore. My last car was a V8, so naturally the 6.0 liter appealed most, but the price of gas fluctuates from stupid to just plain crazy- so I got the 3.0 liter instead. P.S. I stole your head mounting idea too!

Stateboy- The SG-7000 is a compromise for sure. Performance on VHF is very ordinary- but for everyday driving to work it does the job. I had to keep antennas to a maximum length of 19" to get under my garage
door and the underground parking lot at work. I have several other Diamond antennas that I can use if I get out of town. We have high powered pager transmitters that are in the 148-150Mhz band here that obliterate the front end of most 2m radios when in the city. The smaller antenna lessens this problem, but I still have to use a -35dB notch filter to make 2m useable in town.

Eventually when Icom release a decent DStar radio, I would like to put digital in the car.
The ID-880H is tempting, but it is only one band at a time.

Regards, Commscanaus.

 

[AK9R]

Adhesive will not stick to the dash plastic, so the mic lives in the glove compartment when not in use....The wheel is on the right side (literally) and notice the console has the hand brake slot on either side.

I've had reasonable luck getting adhesive-backed Velcro patches to stick to the interior plastics on Fords by carefully cleaning the area with isopropyl alcohol.

Ah, yes, interesting what they've done with the hand brake handle by making the console so the handle can go on either side. It also appears that the hand brake handle latches in place so it can be used as a grab handle. Hand brakes are not so common in U.S. cars, but they do have their uses.

Is anything similar to the Ford Flex available in Australia? That's about the closest they get to a wagon in the U.S. market. SUVs are slowly dying out here in favor of "crossover utility vehicles" that are based on front-wheel-drive sedans.

 

[commscanaus]

Is anything similar to the Ford Flex available in Australia? That's about the closest they get to a wagon in the U.S. market. SUVs are slowly dying out here in favor of "crossover utility vehicles" that are based on front-wheel-drive sedans.

Wow! The Ford Flex is an interesting looking vehicle, half van and half car!
Not really for me though.

Ford Australia has had the highly successful Territory SUV here for a number of years.
Powered by the same 4.0 liter inline 6 cylinder as the Falcon sedan, is very popular and has been the reason why Ford has dropped making a station wagon. They are available as RWD, 4WD and even a turbo charged version is available.
They are comparable in price to the Commodore range of sedans and wagons.
Although not a full size SUV, they suit families and tradespeople. The Police and Paramedics use them too.

I prefer the sleek look of a low roof line, some of the SUV's out there look like white goods with wheels and need an oil rig to fuel.

BTW- Tried some industrial strength velcro we use at work, but our 90F+ summer soon turned the adhesive gooey when the car was parked out in the sun with the heavy mic attached.

Commscanaus.

Here is Ford Australia's Territory:

 

[hoser147]

Looks great, nice install.

 

[mrweather]

mrweather- It was pictures like yours that made the decision to buy this model inevitable. When it was released locally in 2006, I fell in love with it immediately! Then the Sportwagon followed a year or two later- DROOL! Wagons are getting hard to find nowadays because of the popularity of SUV's. Ford do not make a station wagon anymore. My last car was a V8, so naturally the 6.0 liter appealed most, but the price of gas fluctuates from stupid to just plain crazy- so I got the 3.0 liter instead. P.S. I stole your head mounting idea too! .

Not a problem. Glad to have helped out!

The first time I saw a G8 I fell in love too. The lines, the aggressive front-end, I was impressed.

 

[llllllllll]

nice work

 

[yorkphotog]

Nice work! Very clean and a nice vehicle too.