183 replies to this topic

[76lxhatch]

You have too many toys!

Surely there is no such thing...

[turbo76lx]

I thought Victoria had some of the hardest rules. With the panel van i done i cut the chassis just behind the drivers seat and made a complete new rear end.

I stepped up the rail 90mm above the diff and narrowed each side by 40mm plus add a 9" and 4 link setup with air bags then added tubs and also stepped up the floor.

The engineer had no problems with this and he was one to follow the rules and make up a few extra one's when he felt like it (but i think that was just to get more money

out of me).

[turbo76lx]

Dirtbag - the v8 hatch is running a 308, trimatic and 9". The previous owner had twin 600's on the tunnel ram and only had a holley red fuel pump.

He ran it down the 1/4 a few times, it ran flat 13's on street tyres and at that time was running a t350 and 4.11 diff gears. He wondered why it was

running out of fuel at half track. Then the t350 gave up so he replaced it with a trimatic and at the same time decided to paint the car but then lost

interest and i ended up with it.

[turbo76lx]

The boot floor.
Needed some more room for the fuel tank so cut it out.



Folded up a fill in piece.

[turbo76lx]

The fuel tank, surge tank, carter lift pump and twin bosch 044 pumps. Might paint it black yet, stands out a bit.

[turbo76lx]

The front end. Just done the usual UC top arm, steering arms and rack with HQ stubs and brakes and used super pro bushes through out.

But one thing i did to give the brake calliper a bit more clearance was to turn a lip up on the top arm.

You can see the arm on the right hasn't been lipped yet, this gives the calliper clearance on full lock and even looks factory.




This is two UC L/H top arms one lipped and one not.

[76lxhatch]

That's a great idea, much better than cutting bits out and those arms can always do with a bit more rigidity

[Heath]

Is it possible to do that without special equipment? What was your method if you can explain it easily?

[turbo76lx]

Heath

The method.......



And yes i should put a new handle on that hammer.

You need something very solid to hammer against. My bench has a 10mm steel top with a small radius on the edge, you don't want a square edge.

A welding glove helps take out some of the shock when you are smashing the hell out of it. Basically you want to continue the lip on the side around to

the ball joint. I hit over about 8mm but hold about 10mm over the edge, don't try and hit it all over at once just work it a little bit at a time.

I went over it 5 times, the first run just knock it down 5 degrees to start with, this will determine where the fold will be. When finished hammering just

give it a light sand.

I only had to hit over 8mm but this was to suit a PBR cast calliper and the top arm in the lower RTS holes in the sub-frame different callipers may

need more folded over. Hope this is clear enough, the photos should give you the general idea.

[turbo76lx]

The diff - new 9+ housing, strange carrier, detroil locker, moser 35 spline axles with 1/2 studs and 1350 billiet yoke.

[turbo76lx]

Niterida, i didn't cut any of the arm only lipped the edge, most people just cut the arm for clearance or don't realise with HQ stubs and brake that on

full lock and full upper supension travel that the calliper will hit the upper arm. As for engineering the front lower arms on my panel van were cut

and welded, the engineer only make me get them crack tested (die pen'ed).

From vic roads Vehicle Standards Information

"Axles, Suspension and Steering Components
An Approval Certificate is required for any modification to axles, suspension or steering components.

Modifications to any of these components should be carried out be selecting production components which do not require cutting, heating, bending or welding.
However, where cutting, heating, bending or welding cannot be avoided, acceptable testing, which may include x-ray or other non destructive methods, must
be undertaken before an Approval Certificate can be issued."

[turbo76lx]

Rear lower trailing arms.



Rear brakes, used VN commodore discs and backing plates but had problems using the hand brake set up so used pintara callipers with the internal hand brake.

The pintara callipers are mounted to the rear of the disc but i needed them mounted to the front. So swapped the pistons and hand brake mechanism from left to right.

Original calliper



Modified calliper and brake set up.



Wrong photo, this one.

[Stinga]

Niterida, i didn't cut any of the arm only lipped the edge,

Its the shape of the lip that gives it strength. If you remove the lip you have to do something to regain the lost strength eg; weld a plate across the arm.

Its your car but I wouldn't do that to mine.

he didnt remove the lip though, he extended it?


i vote for the black tank to try and keep it a bit more stealth

[turbo76lx]

Wiring the computer was not something that i was looking forward to but it had to be done. I am using a VIPEC V88 computer, probably more than

what i need, all i know it's loom has about 70 wires.



Also made a mounting plate with extra fuses and relays which will all be mounted in the glove box.



The fun of wiring.....




And rewired the head lights as well.

[lxsstorana]

Nice progress and I'm glad you're doing the wiring as there's no way I'd try and do that.

Mick.

[turbo76lx]

Yes the wiring did do my head in. After reading the manual 6 time i think i worked it out. I know it starts and will idle so i must have done something right.

[turbo76lx]

The dash is in good condition so didn't want to cut it up. I had the speedo converted to electronic and all the other gauges calibrated.

The only thing that is a little out of place is the 3 gauges in the centre console, boost pressure, oil pressure and trans temp. One thing i

forgot to say is that i modified a trimatic shifter to work with the powerglide, just welded up the gates and filed them out. The rest of the

interior is stock.

A few photos of the guages.

[turbo76lx]

The rib under the bonnet was touching the turbo so cut and shut time.

[Heath]

Mmmmm really tasteful work. I like the gauge setup a lot - guages mounted in the middle of the car sitting flush with the dash always annoy me, nice that you've actually set it up that they point towards the driver and you haven't ruined the original look of the interior at all

Edited by Heath, 10 February 2010 - 01:33 PM.