376 replies to this topic

[orangeLJ]

Well I havent done much to the ute for a long time, just driven it and thats avout it, losing my job late last year anf still not being able to find a replacement has been a bit dreary.

But pulled my finger out this weekend and fixed the underdash rust. Pictures will come, but the passengers side was a little holey, nowhere near as bad as some, but cut it out, knocked up a new panel, rust converted it all, painted in rust proof epoxy enamel and all sealed.

Drivers side wasnt rusty, just a little surface rust and a leaky drain tube.

Off to buy some underlay tomorrow, carpet in a few weeks when I can save more cash.

Ive got some ideas for a bit of fun engine wise, cheap and 9psi worth of fun. But thata six months off.

Pics as soon as I can though.

[orangeLJ]

A few pictures, pictures in in the basic order they were taken

What I was greeted with when I pulled the vent out and stuck my head under-


Thankfully the inside of the plenum wasnt too bad, being an inland car has done it some good






Started cutting-




At this point I decided it was going to be easier to just cut the whole thing out and start from scratch, the round section where the vent bolted up was ok on the forward edge, but the rear was quite rusted and beyond any decent repair.

I didnt get any photos of the whole thing cut out, but you can see it vaguely in the next few pictures.


As an aside, this is the rust I still have to deal with in the next rebuild, its at the corner of the plenum infront of the passengers corner of the windscreen, I knew there was a repair there, it has SOME metal, but looks like a big bog wipe. seems solid for now, but will be fixed in 12 months when it gets a full off chassis rebuild (hopefully)


Once as much rust as possible was removed, I knocked up a template from paper, and transferred it onto some wax, single sheet cardboard as a final, shape holding template.


I then put an old VT bonnet to good use




cutting the large hole was the worst and most annoying part of the whole thing as I didnt have a complete section to copy from, so with a bit of farting about and luck I managed to get it spot on first go!
https://cache.gmh-torana.com.au/i71.photobucket.com/albums/i153/orangeLJ/2011-06-12_14-15-00_644.jpg[/IMG]

I made the repair in two sections as I couldnt see a way to bend the corner section in one piece (especially with my limited skill and knowledge when it comes to panel forming)

so here it is all welded in and ready for some rust converter and paint!






I also gave the drivers side a good hit of rust converter for the minor surface rust and some white rust kill enamel


and all fitted up



I know its not 100%, but doing it all upside down, with limited tools and bugger all skill in terms of making panels, I think it turned out ok! Its also leak free!

on the water note,

this was our street during the recent rain/flooding we had





and over the back fence (usually about 3ft-4ft deep drain)


At the peak this water was under the fence and only 4ft ffrom the back of the shed which was a bit hairy!

Edited by orangeLJ, 23 June 2011 - 06:02 PM.

[orangeLJ]

Just a couple! Haha, had the seat in too, so not heaps of room either haha

[lxsstorana]

Good repair Chris and I didn't realise you bought a waterfront property.

[orangeLJ]

Im thinking if we ever sell, I should put "part time full waterfrontage, just depends on weather"

The lake is still up 50cm, but nothing on what it got to at the peak, house is raised up about 1.2m, but the sheds only up about 8 inches via a thick slab

[orangeLJ]

Alright, td04l purchased last week, 4 barrell manifold bought for $30 wwith holley adapter today at cessnock swap, also bought a 650 holley, mech secondaries, really clean, off a running car wiyh.fuel lines for $80.

building my own carby hat so only need anotjer turbo now

[orangeLJ]

alright so saw this at motor ex and got me cranky! lol, someone beat me!





but rest assured, my setup will be lots more affordable and improvised! haha.

bought these at a swap meet



650 holley for $75 off a running driving car, was on a 351 clevo tunnel ram twin carby setup.

spreadbore manifold with holley adaptor plate $30


Picked this up on ebay-

td04l, no shaft play, $120+30 post to my door



on the hunt for a second one now.

Im going to need to get some flanges to suit, but so far so good!

I got some standard exhaust manifolds from Wayne (blown308) a while back, so going to use them upside down.

So on the shopping list-

Flanges
another turbo (have a few in the works)
silicon joiners
carby hat (in the works)
Boost gauge
Turbo oil feed and drainback lines +fittings
water lines
couple cheapo pod filters

and maybe a couple blow off valves

[orangeLJ]

Bought a second turbo today!

Full steam ahead!

[orangeLJ]

Second turbo


$100 jobbie, has a wee bit of shaft play, but housing isnt marked and its nothing major.

Just need to get the torana back together and then I might start playing with this setup properly.

Bought some other random bits for it, definitely going to be fun!

[orangeLJ]

Just should add just caus I have the photo lol, I had an "anti-ute" the other weekend, I work for a car dealership and we had a golf GTI pirelli edition on the lot (2nd hand car) so I took it home for the weekend, fun little thing and Karlie and I considered buying it instead of the planned SSV sportswagon. But luckily I came to my senses. Still, its was forking quick for what it was, definitely german (loves 150kph + speeds , just pulls and pulls way beyond that)

[orangeLJ]

Well decisions decisions...

Karlie wants new wheels for the ute, she is keen on Centreline "qualifier" wheels.

My dilema is 15" or 17"

If I go 17s, they are nearly an extra $100 per wheel,

BUT

235/45/17s are very easy to find, cheap and plentiful.

wide 15s are not so easy to find.

I want to run 8" rears and 7" fronts so im pretty well stuck with the choice


these are the wheels-
http://www.summitrac...CLL-7215803547/

Any opinions or suggestions?

[76lxhatch]

235/60s will fit nicely on 15x8s all round and look good

[MRLXSS]

Nice Wheels, I reckon 15's with big rubber!

225/50s on the front (I just bought a pair for like $290)

I reckon the spokes might look a bit thin when you step up to 17s

[orangeLJ]

I'd really need to see a set in 17s to see what they are like I think.

Wheels are so hard to pick, they really do make or break a car

[orangeLJ]

like these



from here-

http://forums.corral.net/forums/wheels-tires/1197565-centerline-competition-qualifiers-anyone.html

Edited by orangeLJ, 24 November 2011 - 01:26 PM.

[76lxhatch]

According to the posts on that site the offset is wrong though, they are better suited to later model GM (as you can see from the pic). It can be quite difficult to find nice wheels with the right offset for Holdens from US suppliers.

I can't quite see what size tyres those are but if you could fit something similar the proportions wouldn't be too bad at all - they're good (visually) because they don't have a massive spindly centre, there is some meat to the rim.

[orangeLJ]

I hadnt gotten as far as measuring offsets just yet, thats my main concern after picking a width and diameter.

Im going to pump the guards a wee bit too, as id like a fair bit of dish all round

[orangeLJ]

Well the poor old ute has taken a bit of a backseat lately, living under the carport outside is definitely not doing it any favours rust wise and a few of the previous owners short-cuts are starting to show their ugly heads in various spots.

Threw some chrome rocker covers on it that have been in the shed for AGES, degreased the crap out of the engine bay and engine, cleaned up the carby, couple new gaskets in it to stop the fuel drips, pissed of the PCV that was vaguely working.

Plans are to start stripping it later in the year (should have my shed up in a couple months, then it can move indoors and start stripping paint from the bad areas to see what I'm dealing with.

Going to start with the sills and around the rear window, then move through the rear 1/4s and finish with the scuttle panel (as it would require pulling the screen)

Hoping to keep it driveable for the most part (once a repair is done, covering it with some decent primer to seal it up) as I need to ferry the dog around every now and then in it.

I throw her in the rolla, but if she is going somewhere to get wet/muddy, the ute is the go to rig!


After the rust is fixed, then I'll start on the mechanicals (body off chassis, rebuild suspension, couple modifications to the rear setup etc) then LS1 auto conversion.

Thats atleast the end game at this point. Have decided on a colour for the respray, but that can wait till we actually get some body work underway!

[orangeLJ]

I just need to send some dims through to Marty up in QLD to find out about a dual inlet plenum for the carby, and sort out some oil feed and return lines, and the little 253 with have 6 psi up its butt (hopefully)

My biggest worry is the bag of gears hanging off the back of the motor though