476 replies to this topic

[Struggler]

BTW the LX doesn't have the reinforcing panel around the tail lights either.

OK, thanks, I thought it was just a UC specific mod. To be honest I wasn't sure if the rear cut I got was LH or LX either.

Good work Andrew. Looks a million bucks already : )

Being a guitarist and a bit of a Van Halen fan, I love the number plates

Thanks to you Dirt ! Without your thread I wouldn't have even thought of this mod, let alone got motivated enough to do it.
Glad you got the plates (I'm a big Van Halen fan), I usually have to explain them ! Pretty apt I reckon.

looking good andrew, still amazed at the pace you get through your projects.

the sl/e has come up a dream and was a neat car when i last saw it. How long until the UC will be back in action, what direction do you want to go with a new engine? will you make use of the blower manifold you have.....

as always a keen viewer of your work.
jim

Hi Jim, good to hear from you. I usually find it hard to get started on something but once I'm into it I really gather some momentum. Thanks for the comments on the VH. Hope to have this thing painted and running in about 6 months. As for the forced induction, we will have to wait and see !

[Struggler]

I know it's not a UC, but I hope my old car can help you to go with the barbados green decision. This thing was so ridiculously bright in the sun it was crazy : )

I'm glad you got busy and fixed the rear end, because the work you've done to the rest of the car deserves to be nowhere near a pair of UC tail lights

Maybe you want to go for a front spoiler extension too?? That way you can still keep the UC front. Plus I like making work for people : ) hehehe

So go on, something to do in all your spare time : ) I assume you're like me and have absolutely none!!!!

Maybe the paintjob needs to be red with white and black stripes like Eddies old Kramer

Look forward to seeing more of your work Andrew.

Thanks for the kind words. I am more than content to leave the UC front as is, should prompt heaps of questions from confused onlookers !

Thanks also for the Barbados Green pic, I really like it and I think its a bit brighter than the newer Ford colour "Citric Acid" that my wife suggested. I know what your saying about the spare time, a wise man once said "if you want something done ask a busy man", seems if you want to do something you will fit it in somewhere ! As for the Frankenstrat paint job, don't worry, I have looked at incorporating it somewhere !

Well Done mate. Good to see its worked out. I have just finished my UC hatch tail light graft too. If you decide to and need some tips on the front end conversion let me know. I did it the hard way. I wish I had read Dirtbags thread before I cut the front off! I reackon we are going to see a heap of 1 Tonners or trailers with UC tail lights in the next few years at the rate we are cutting them out.

Thanks Jason, You didn't hold back with the front end !! Funny you mention the oversupply of UC taillights, I went down to the local Holden Wrecker to get an old pair of LH/X tail lights to check gaps etc and he pointed me to a small pile on the shelf, next to a pile that would have been 4x as high of UC tail lights !! Maybe all the UC's have ended up at the wreckers ?? I have also seen UC tailights used on an F series Ford truck around WSID ! I had to look twice as they quite suited the huge rear of a car transporter ! Anyway thanks again for your help and advice, I wouldn't have even tried it without your and Dirtbags motivation and reassurances !

[Struggler]

I had a couple of spare hours this week and turned my attention to the engine bay. It was pretty much stock before with just the firewall lip mod and the folded lip on the rails cut off. I started by cutting out the battery tray and the same area on the other side of the bay...

 bay1.JPG   117.28K   33 downloads

I then made a cardboard template for that and the firewall (where the heater normally sits).

 templates.JPG   103.38K   33 downloads

Then transferred this to some 1.6mm sheet (yes it is thick but it doesn't distort as much when welded in).

 templates (1).JPG   117.8K   54 downloads

I then plonked them in to check the fit and tidied them up with a sanding disc until they were good.

 bay2.JPG   107.19K   70 downloads

The firewall plate is a quick and easy way to cover up all the holes etc left by the heater. The thicker sheet should also hold its shape and shouldn't bow, looking great with a coat of paint. Sharp eyes will also notice I trimmed the rails right back to a 4 or 5mm lip and I now have mounts for an engine plate. You may also notice the 2 whopping holes in the inner guards, that is to fit these....

 pipesout.JPG   109.57K   66 downloads

I got these pipes second hand a while ago. They are 1 3/4" 4:1's with 24" primaries and 3" collectors. A guy called John from Unique Performance in Windsor built them and they are quite ingenius. After passing through the inner guard they thread back under the chassis rail above the outrigger and head down beside the gearbox as a normal set of pipes would. They clear the front wheels at full lock and give heaps of room where its needed. Once I get it all back together and running I will whip them out and paint them or get them coated. The engine plate is really to stop the engine moving around as some of the clearances with these pipes look quite tight and I don't want it clanging around.

Anyway next week I hope to weld the plates in, weld the rail lips back together and fill up a few holes in the bay currently sealed with grommets. I am not really after a show look, just tidying it up a bit so its neat. After seeing GOTPWR's engine bay I guess I got inspired !

Still haven't decided on the colour but the Barbados Green is looking good.

[Struggler]

Hi Dirt, I did study your engine bay before I started but you are way too keen for me !!
The pipes will hide/draw attention away from a lot of the real detail work and this car has to work for a living so the engine bay will be seeing a lot of action ! I also run hoses up through the chassis rails and need to get at them so will use some sort of cap to sit in the recesses. Also my panel beating skills aren't refined so I will leave the inner guards with their brake fitting pressings intact.

Thanks Dennis, that is exactly the kind of car I am trying to build, simple and straight to the point !! As for the Weetbix, my son consumes them as fast as I can toss them in the trolley at Woolies !

Thanks for the positive comments guys, it is appreciated.

[Struggler]

hi Struggler. ive got a bit of a strange request.

do you know what the name of the volvo wreckers was that you got your 15 stockies from? how much? im looking to get the same but in 16's but cant find them in SA

thanks

Hi DP, There are no strange questions, just strange answers !!

I got them off this bloke.....

Vince Harmer Automotive Services Volvo Specialist
19 Kemble Crt, Mitchell, ACT 2911

ph: (02) 6241 3851

I think I paid $35 ea for the steel ones, can't remember. He has mountains of rims there so you should be in luck.

[Struggler]

Hi Andrew, I had a look at your VL? engine bay yesterday, sweet mate, a real nice neat job.

Cheers
Al.

Thanks Alan, I hope your recuperating well. I was pretty happy with how the engine bay came up. Haven't seen the car for a few weeks now, the rain is hampering Scotty's efforts to put some paint on it. Hasn't hampered his efforts in smoking it up though I have heard !!

PS, its a VH (they all look similar without the lights in 'em) and has its own thread here.... http://www.gmh-toran...showtopic=47642

[Struggler]

I got some time over the last week to fill a few holes and start tacking in the plates. Note how the plate is folded over to make the front part of the rail look super smooth. Once welded in fully and ground back it should look nice and neat.

 bayl.JPG   60.4K   38 downloads

 bayr.JPG   69.8K   56 downloads

I cut out most of the firewall and left about a 25mm lip to locate and secure the plate. I used Sikaflex to glue it in and seal it and have tacked it into position as well. Once welded in it should be really hard to detect. I also knocked up a little jig to hold the gearbox up and protect the pump seal from flying metal, cut the top firewall lip back and removed the wiper motor...forever !!

 baywide.JPG   121.84K   48 downloads

I now have a full day of welding and grinding ahead of me to get it looking good. Hope to fit that in sometime next week.

[Struggler]

Got a few hours in this week and welded it all up and ground it smooth, it came up quite well. I now need to strip the front guards, headlights etc out and get the bay abrasive blasted.

Work has slowed down a bit as the VH SL/E is now home and I'm really keen to get it back together and on the road so the UC will probably sit for a few weeks now before I get back to it.

[Struggler]

Another quick update.....

I have fully stripped the car out and dropped the rolling shell off this afternoon to the sandblaster. I really should have got a pic of it but ran out of time (its school holidays and I have to keep the kids occupied !!).

Anyway I hope to pick it up tommorrow and drag it straight to the paint shop for a coat of etch primer before coming home again to load it up with bog and get it looking straight.

Hope to post some pics in the next couple of days.

[Struggler]

'fraid so.

The rear of the car needed paint due to the taillight conversion and the engine bay was getting blasted regardless so I figured the time was right for a colour change. The original paint was easily chipped and crows footed in a few areas so it is just smarter doing it properly and removing all the OE finish. I like the surface sandblasting leaves too.... great for paint to bite into !

There will be a couple of subtle changes to tidy it up a bit but for the most part the colour will be the most significant difference.

I will be just doing the rolling shell for now and get it sorted before doing the doors/guards etc 1 at a time as I get to them.

[Struggler]

colour?

ready for the summernats?

Still undecided on colour (I think Barbados Green will be too overpowering with no blackouts, might have to tone it down a bit.. maybe Jasmine Yellow ??) and I'm in no hurry... I doubt I'll make it to the Summernats. You ????

[LXCHEV]

Yeah what he said!

[Peter UC]

Jasmine yellow sounds good, I may be slightly biased however