Dean Grima’s Holden VK Commodore – INFMUS

Young gun Dean Grima and his time-warp VK Commodore SL

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Photographers: Joseph Hui


WITH the 1980s well and truly behind us, the odds of seeing a crispy, clean VK Commodore out and about are slim, with most either locked in sheds or gone the way of the dodo. That’s not the case for young buck Dean Grima and his time-warp VK SL though, which is in great nick despite being anything but a shed queen.

This article was first published in the March 2020 issue of Street Machine

Holden VK Commodore

The Commodore is in impressive condition; how did you come to own it?

I’ve had it for roughly three or four years and I got it off the original owners. They daily-drove it for a little while and then it was really only used
to go to church and back before I got it. It’s all pretty much in original condition, and I’ve always had a thing for the VKs. I was going to turn it into a Brock replica, but with the condition it’s in and the amount of Brock replicas kicking around, I decided to leave it mostly as-is.

How often do you get it out for a drive?

I drive it every weekend. I get home Friday night, jump out of my BT50 daily driver and straight into the Commodore. It’s still on full rego, because club plates would be no good to me – I wouldn’t be able to drive it enough!

You took it to Summernats this year; how did you go?

I had such an epic time. I’ve been to Summernats before, but this was the first time entering my own car, and I just had a blast driving it around and cruising. I met another guy at Summernats a few years ago with a VK in the same colour, which is basically a bigger brother on steroids with a V8 and so on. So we met up this year and cruised around a bit together. It was awesome watching people on the cruise route staring at two virtually identical VKs.

Holden VK Commodore SL engine

Where did your passion for cars start?

Ever since I’ve been little, all I’ve cared about is cars. Funnily enough, I was actually a Ford kid growing up, and Dad had a tubbed TE Cortina in the shed. I loved watching V8 Supercars as a kid, and I never played any sport or video games or anything like that; it was just cars, cars, cars.

What do you do for work?

I do resto work and paint; that’s what my apprenticeship is in. I do a lot of work for Damien ‘Chubby’ Lowe at his workshop; he has been awesome for me to learn stuff from.

Any future plans for the VK?

Well I was going to save for a house, but Chubby found me a 308, so I think we’ll probably stroke that out to a 355 and put some more power into it if my bank balance allows. All I’ve done so far is repaint the bumpers, wheels and added a few dress-up bits on the 202, so I’d probably get in there and shave the engine bay and go from there. I just don’t want it to snowball!

Do you have a dream build you’d love to do some day?

All I want is a mean weekender I can use all the time, but I have made sketches of a Chevelle or Nova I’d love to put together some day and take to Summernats and just have people drool all over it.

INFMUS

THE story behind the name of Dean’s VK is one of youthful indiscretion. Dean was driving his brother to the school formal and his brother wanted to see a burnout. “I couldn’t let him down, could I?” Dean laughs. So he lit it up – right in front of the cops sitting at the lights opposite. “It went viral on social media and everyone was asking about it; that’s why the plates are INFMUS. I learnt my lesson though; I don’t do that anymore!”

Aged around 21 or younger and have a neat ride? Send some pics and info to: Young Guns, Street Machine, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 or email us at: [email protected].

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