Runnercommo8060

[Struth]

Originally Posted by 2003jeep

The color does grow on yah, to bad you could not get the cage built but at least its been chopped cut and rebuilt-ish. Glad you were OK.

Thanks Dude, the colour is growing on me more as more black gets introduced to the mix.



Mostly back together with some more cutting and polishing to happen, should be ready mid next week. They offered Saturday but my barwork wont be recoated by then so I said let's aim for Wednesday,

[Struth]

Well it's 99% back together and we have a desert trip planned in 4 weeks, so I better pull my finger out and wire the winch, put the second battery back in, etc,







Cheers

[roco]

just read the full build there from start to finnish, all i can say is awesome.

i hav a soft spot for toyotas and yours is the finnest example ive seen, would love to build something similar one day. keep up the good work,

[Struth]

Thanks Roco, it is an ongoing project, just rewiring the engine bay this week.

Cheers

[Descent Gilly]

This thing is freakin cool

Well done mate

[Struth]

Thanks mate.

I gave the engine bay the once over just prior to a desert trip a month or so ago,

Old wiring



New wiring about 98% complete, a couple of little items left to tidy,


New console mount for guages and master switches going in today,


Cargo barrier has been trimmed, cleaned, painted and installed for good.




Drawers have been carpeted, and installed on new rollover proof brackets :lol:

[Struth]

New distribution box,


Battery in place and I just love having uncrowded battery terminals now,



And a new airbox,

Panel support,


With panel inserted,










Currently I am working with a local spring maker to get some lower and more slinky front coils made.

The car follows the front suspension way too much which gives it an unbalanced ride offroad, the rear 5 link does all the flexing and the body just rolls whichever way the front goes.

I also want it 1 to 1.5" lower.

Cheers

[Struth]

And of course in the Big Desert in Victoria. This is at the start of the border track which runs for 72km along the Victorian ans South Australian borders.

72km of 15 kmh bumps and overheated shocks

Colonel Mustard attempting to blend into the desert :lol:


And our 18kg spit roast,




A campfire


One of our camps in the morning


A mob of Emus coming to investigate our lunch stop


Some small dune work,




Our next big trip is 4 days into the Victorian Hi Country in November.

Cheers

[fal308]

I like what you've done with the engine bay. Very cool rig all-around. Also those desert trips look like fun!

[Flatline's Up!]

Looks very nice currently (I'm sure it's still going to be ongoing lol)
Attention to details level is very good and makes a good ride, great.
Congrats sir

[silverhorse]

Awesome build, Thanks for sharing!

[Struth]

Thanks guys, and yes it is ever ongoing.

Will be starting soon,

Better front panhard setup,

Better sump for the V8,

Currie bar,

3" exhaust system,

Gearbox re-build (it got filled with salt water in the Coorong and then driven for three weeks, yes I am a dickhead) didn't do the bearings or synchros any good at all

Cheers

[Struth]

Well started playing again,

have prepped my new panhard for the front so it can be placed forward of the diff instead of behind it. This will enable me to rebuild the sump as a rear pan because it has oil feed problems when doing steep rock crawling.







Also finally found some tired old 80 series rear springs and fitted them up, this brought the rear height down to something more sensible, then had the front coils reset in a furnace to drop the front 1". this has corrected the castor and made the steering a lot nicer.

Old height


New




Old


New

[silverhorse]

Great build , Love the rig! I assume you'll be leaving the tie rod behind the axle? Some guys over on MUD are talking about making some arms to move the steering components to the front of the axle.... on the 80's.

[Struth]

Originally Posted by silverhorse

Great build , Love the rig! I assume you'll be leaving the tie rod behind the axle? Some guys over on MUD are talking about making some arms to move the steering components to the front of the axle.... on the 80's.

If by tierod you mean the panhard rod then no it will be in front of the axle to allow me to build a better sump.

All other steering components are already in front of the axle.

Cheers

[Struth]

Handbrake time today, I haven't had a functioning handbrake for 2 years.

I struggled with how to run the brakes off one handbrake cable and use links or pulleys on the two cables that attach to the actual handbrake levers.

But then I realised I could shorten each of the existing two handbrake cables and use them almost as they were on the 4 Runner diff,

So I shortened the cables and mad a sleeve end,


Which is attached to the lower trailing arm via bolts for servicing purposes,


Then attached a bracket for a pulley to allow the cable from the lever to do a righty and meet the cable from the handbrake


Put it all back together and now I just need to join the two cables and then do the other side,

[Fordota]

Great work man! I love how this is kind of an expedition style build that can be driven anywhere!

[Struth]

Originally Posted by Fordota

Great work man! I love how this is kind of an expedition style build that can be driven anywhere!

I like that word "Expedition" seems to suit my build well, might have to start using that word

We have either "Tourers" or "Weekend Warriors" as descriptions down here and don't really have a word for a combination of the two, well we didn't, now we have "Expedition"

Cheers

[Struth]

I should have rebuilt my sump before this occured but life does not always work out in the correct order.





Fortunately I picked a locally produced engine so the required parts will be cheap enough.

Just need to finally build the rear bowl sump and fit the new panhard in front of the diff before I pull the engine out for a bottom end rebuild.

Cheers

[Struth]

The 4WD gods are smiling on me a little.

Turns out what I thought was a 308 front sump is actually a HQ rear sump 8)

Almost fits without mods,


Suspension needs to go up another 45mm once I adjust the mechanical stops to allow it and give me better uptravel on the front,


Sump just needs the front driver side of the bowl tickled a little to acheive this,


So off to tickle the sump then I can start disconnecting the motor for removal