376 replies to this topic

[orangeLJ]

sort of off topic for this thread,
Commodore diff will fit under the bum without any modification to width now.

If we then get wheels with some negative? offest (as in not much dish) we will be able to fit some fairly decent sixed rubber under there, on a standard borgy diff from a VN-VS commodore (which means disc brakes etc)

[76lxhatch]

Depends on whether you intend on towing or carrying a big load with it much, the drums are more than enough braking power otherwise and the Salisbury is a good diff

[orangeLJ]

Im talking about the flared LJ dude! haha. Its going to be a track car.
I was sitting there reading your post getting confused until I remembered this thread was about the Ute!

The ute isn't getting anything special like that!

[76lxhatch]

Well that would explain why the comment was off topic!

[orangeLJ]

Cant believe I missed ^^ from Julian!

Got it all home safely mate! had to nip down the road with the trailer to borrow a mates engine crane, Karlie was a bit upset that it took me another hour to go have a chat and pick it up though!


Its resting in the laundry at the moment, Im thinking of just whacking a gas grind cam in it, and throwing the thing straight in the ute, atleast I would know it had been recoed at some stage (where as the one in the car looks to be a wreckers special- compression on the tappet covers)

Thanks heaps for the engine though! will come in handy somewhere along the line, and its worth masses of good karma in your direction! haha.

My rares bits arrived last week, managed to con mum into going to the post office and getting the package (its shut when we leave for work and well and truly shut when we get home!)

So Im going to make a 100% decision on the motor dilema then fit the radiator support (its only temporary bolted on at the moment)

Edited by orangeLJ, 01 September 2009 - 08:58 AM.

[orangeLJ]

got bored and had a spare 15 minutes on saturday.

so threw some of the front panels on (got sick of seeing the radiator support dirty and feeling the need to clean it!)



Sits nice and low at the front!



got a call from a bloke today offering me a very decent amount for the rolla, (fathers day kind of killed any sale oppotunities on the weekend, people wernt out looking at cars)

Getting back to me tonight, so that money will finish this once the torry is done!

ohhh and just to keep the dog theme in here-

[DanWA]

Some sort of inspiration for you, my father-in-laws "gts" ute which was $200 at a wrecker a couple years back

[orangeLJ]

Yeah, trying to hide it from the neighbours mello!! haha.

The apron is just a spare one (ive got 3, 1 very good one, one very shit one and that mediocre one)

Nice ute Dan, I was never really into the H series utes, but since I deceided to get one, Ive become addicted!

I cant wait to get it all in primer.

Im going to GMH black the insides of the front gaurds once the repairs are done.

This thing is taking a back seat ride for a few weeks till the torana is up and running again.

Edited by orangeLJ, 08 September 2009 - 08:45 AM.

[76lxhatch]

Looking good! They are a great vehicle to work on, everything is so easy.

This was my baby, spent a couple of years rebuilding it from the ground up:

[orangeLJ]

Very nice! love the colour!

Im not too sure on the GTS front lips though (for mine, looks good on yours)

I really like the twin headlight fronts over the big single headlights like the statesmans etc.

Im stuck with what colour to paint my grille.

Im doing a batch of 2pack silver (for my torana grille, and trim bits for the racecar) and was thinking of just doing the ute grille too.

But now Im not too sure!

anyone have any pictures of a white ute with a silver or black grille?

[orangeLJ]

its kind of taken a back seat to the torana/s at the moment, but as soon as I get Gary's wedding out of the way, I will be straight back into it.

Its sitting with the bonnet and gaurds on it, under the carport at home.

Major hold up is the front gaurds, just need to cut the rust and weld in the repair sections.

[orangeLJ]

Spent a couple hourse yesterday working on one of the front gaurds.

Cut the rusty lower section, welded in the new outer skin, cut and bent a panel to replace the rusty inner skin

and then bogged the seam over to get the lines right.

Came up prety good (no where near perfect, but its not going to be a perfect car, plus, gaurds are easy to replace!)

pics later.

[mr5000]

im still hunting a ute or one tonner gonna need one soon my roof racks i had in storange wont fit the stato and its a bit hard to carry ladders on a statesman

[orangeLJ]

Whole car is basically in primer now.

Doors were given 3 more coats of hi-fill, nose can was finished and hi-filled, Gaurds were rubbed and hi-filled.

Got some more photos to throw up, will more then likely do it tonight at uni.

Getting closer!

[orangeLJ]

Gaurds are full of bog (not from me, I just added to it!)

Nosecone is 80% straight, bit of bog in one side, but im not fussed.

Doors are straight as, only a bit of fine bog that I put in them.

Moving the car tonight, swapping the motor later this week (putting in a recoed 253 I got from Julian (torana) )

if the weather is good on the weekend, I'll be blowing some white on all the door gaps, underside of the bonnet, inner side of the gaurds/doors etc.

Then its just a good blocking and paint the outside.

Should be on the road within a month from now.

Seat is going to the trimmers one day next week, just need to make sure I can fit it with the supra shifter.

All that it needs then is some lowering blocks, a new balljoint on one side and rego!

[orangeLJ]

Did its first burnout last night... (didnt want to go up the trailer ramps!)

backing it onto the trailer was a bit hair raising though, no mirrors, no seat etc, makes for interesting reversing.

[mr5000]

old plastic 25 litre drums work good for seats

[orangeLJ]

Well had a big weekend progress wise-

Things I accomplished-

- engine swapped over, plugs, leads, rebuilt dizzy (new points and condensor, new rotor button, new cap etc) oil change etc
- panels all etched, door gaps done etc

Only dramas we ran into with the whole lot was not being able to get oil pressure with the new motor (the one I got from Julian, recoed 253, I still owe him a carton for it)

Turned out the oil pump was stuffed, had a valve stuck shut. So we swapped the other pump from the original motor and away we went.
Turns out it has a stainless steel exhaust too (I hadnt really gotten under the car until I was undoing the extractors) single 2.5inch system, genie headers etc.

Has a hole in the radiator though, so a good excuse to get the radiator pulled down cleaned and recoed.

Threw my old K&N filter on it (with the shiny chrome top)too.

Paintwork went well too, managed to score a couple hours of sunshine and avoid the spitting rain. panels can be hung now, body can be blocked and a few spots filled (pin holes etc) and its painting time! 2 weeks and it will be getting painted.

Ohh ended up going with glacier white (some torana in it now)

anyway, pictures-

old 253 out




new one in (dont mind my old man, he was dicking around)

[orangeLJ]

sure am... but of course, Im totally not violating EPA regulations and Im definitely painting it in a booth somewhere.... ummmmm yeah...

[orangeLJ]

Decided the tickled 308 option isnt what we want from the ute now too.

going to start poking around and see if I can find a decent price on a LSX engine, and see whats available conversion wise to fit the ute.

Was thinking of going down the finding a wrecked VX SS route and using the bits from it, straight over onto the ute. Might end up cheaper in the long run (would have all the aircon/ Power steering bits etc) but from memory its not worth spending the time to try and adapt the brakes and crap from it?

Would mean going back to Auto, but that I can handle.

Im off to google LS1 powered HQ-WBs.

Wont be for a few months at least (maybe april/may next year) but doesnt hurt to be well researched and keep an eye out for things.

Also looks like I might have picked up a set of simmons from a mate too.

15x8 inch, gold centres with polished lips.

He cant remember if they are commodore or HQ pattern though.

Edited by orangeLJ, 19 October 2009 - 09:41 AM.