Hahahaha - MINI - ME :-)
DIRTBAG FINALLY HAS A TORANA.....SORT OF?
Started by
_dirtbag_
, Aug 18 2010 10:34 PM
542 replies to this topic
#477
_Gunmetal LH_
_Gunmetal LH_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 01:08 PM
So you'll have a VH45 just sitting there...
And you were thinking about an engine change?
...
Hmmmmm...
And you were thinking about an engine change?
...
Hmmmmm...
Edited by Gunmetal LH, 22 April 2011 - 01:09 PM.
#478
Stinga
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- Name:Stinga
- Location:Wollongong, NSW
- Car:HD Holden ute, and sedan, UC torana
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 02:11 PM
dont want that vh45 going to waste... better keep this thread going(hint hint)
#479
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 03:22 PM
Why the change of plans with the bird???
#480
_dirtbag_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 05:11 PM
Why the change of plans with the bird???
a ) it's an auto. Yawn.
b ) Got a scary quote to get it wired up, and no one else around here wants to know about anything that isn't a broken tail light. I'm sure there are great auto sparkies out there, they just don't live near me : (
So if anyone wants a VH45 with gearbox, loom and computer, it'll just be sitting there getting bored. I made a sump with a rear pan too to fit it into the firebird, so will fit over most early holden crossmembers.
Edited by dirtbag, 22 April 2011 - 05:12 PM.
#481
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 06:21 PM
Hmmm wonder if it would fit in my Super Super Bug....
To pity its from the wrong jap manufacturer.
Toyota > Everything else
To pity its from the wrong jap manufacturer.
Toyota > Everything else
Edited by Bomber Watson, 22 April 2011 - 06:22 PM.
#482
_Liam_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 07:16 PM
And on a different note, my new toy arrived yesterday. It's a Dean Warbird. Lovely : )
Don't spose you are a Pantera fan Tim?
What do you like to play mate?
I own an ESP 24 fret quilted maple with floyd rose and EMG's its wicked! \m/
#483
_dirtbag_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 07:42 PM
Yeah I don't mind pantera. Dimebag was a damn fine guitarist!
Lately though I'm more into insomnium, dark funeral, Amon Amarth, darkest hour, in flames etc.
I've collected a few guitars over the years but the 2 deans I have are in the top 5 :-). I also have a legacy guitar with emg's and it's a Gibson firebird copy. Nice beast.
If I remember I'll post some pics of my axes over the weekend.
Lately though I'm more into insomnium, dark funeral, Amon Amarth, darkest hour, in flames etc.
I've collected a few guitars over the years but the 2 deans I have are in the top 5 :-). I also have a legacy guitar with emg's and it's a Gibson firebird copy. Nice beast.
If I remember I'll post some pics of my axes over the weekend.
#484
_nos050_
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Posted 22 April 2011 - 09:03 PM
hey tim have you tryed pete at platnum rewire hes not that far from you he might be able to help out with the rewire on the vh45 in to the bird let me no if you want hes number.
#485
_dirtbag_
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Posted 12 May 2011 - 06:47 PM
Hey Rick. I think that's who we dealt with when I was working at Central Park Street Rods. Pete did pretty good work but was a bit unreliable and pretty dear, but I guess for specialist work you have to pay the price.
Well I still think I like the idea of using the 308 and 5 speed in the firebird even though it's not as interesting a conversion as the nissan motor, but it's a manual and that's all that counts. : )
I just thought I'd throw some pics in here. I've been driving the old ute a fair bit, rain or shine, and with my workshop on a dirt road and a fairly consistent amount of rain lately the old beast is starting to look a bit crusty : )
The pic doesn't do the grubbiness justice, but it's pretty funny.
If your torana isn't covered in dirt and mud then you're just not driving it enough!!!
This is a better shot of the filth : )
Then something really weird happened. I washed it!!!!!! That's just not like me at all.
This pic is just here because I like it : )
Well there is no actual update, as I haven't done any work to the car for ages. Having too much fun driving it : )
I think I'll be keeping this one forever. It's fun having a car that no one else does : )
Well I still think I like the idea of using the 308 and 5 speed in the firebird even though it's not as interesting a conversion as the nissan motor, but it's a manual and that's all that counts. : )
I just thought I'd throw some pics in here. I've been driving the old ute a fair bit, rain or shine, and with my workshop on a dirt road and a fairly consistent amount of rain lately the old beast is starting to look a bit crusty : )
The pic doesn't do the grubbiness justice, but it's pretty funny.
If your torana isn't covered in dirt and mud then you're just not driving it enough!!!
This is a better shot of the filth : )
Then something really weird happened. I washed it!!!!!! That's just not like me at all.
This pic is just here because I like it : )
Well there is no actual update, as I haven't done any work to the car for ages. Having too much fun driving it : )
I think I'll be keeping this one forever. It's fun having a car that no one else does : )
Edited by dirtbag, 12 May 2011 - 06:48 PM.
#486
mitchg
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The guy with the Torailer
- Name:Mitch
- Location:Ingleburn, NSW
- Car:Was a '77 LX V6 Torana + Torailer now VX SS
- Joined: 19-May 07
Posted 19 June 2011 - 02:28 AM
#487
_SLR Torrie_
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 06:04 AM
Wonderful job on the ute Tim! Have always like matt black. Especially on utes.
Also, love the axe! I've got a black Dave Mustaine signature V.
Also, love the axe! I've got a black Dave Mustaine signature V.
#488
_dirtbag_
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Posted 19 June 2011 - 06:43 AM
not sure if you have seen this:
http://www.cardomain...4-holden-torana
Hi Mitch, yes that one has been around for years. Whoever built it did a great job, but to me it's all wrong. Hatch doors are waaaay too long for a ute, and the HQ bum is, well, off an HQ. Don't get me wrong, like I said they did a great job, it's just to me it looks all out of proportion with the big doors. That's why this one appeals to me so much.
Nice job on getting a Dave M flying V John. Tasty bit of gear there.
Edited by dirtbag, 19 June 2011 - 06:44 AM.
#489
_dirtbag_
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 02:35 AM
Well another really weird thing happened the other day. I washed the car again! That's odd for me seeing as I didn't even wash it for toranafest last year hahaha!
The tray was packed with dirt and crap so I even washed in there too!
The lovely chap named Paul donated me a stock m20 shifter as I wanted to have a play. When I was in sydney earlier in the year I went to the Blacktown medieval fair to check the jousting etc, and to hopefully pick up my new gearstick. Which I did.
The only problem I could think of was the new gearstick is quite long compared to the stock one so the travel on the stick would be annoying,
What I wanted to do was to modify the pivot ratio of the stock shifter to essentially make it a quick shift, but then fit the long shifter and hopefully it would just feel the same as standard.
With Paul providing me with another shifter it meant I could do the mods and if it didn't work how I wanted I could just fit my stock stick back in.
Here's the stick from Paul.
So all I want to do is make the length of the shifter rods under the pivot point of the shifter longer, meaning the top of the shifter doesn't have to be moved as far for the linkage to move the same distance. Does that make sense???
Anyway, I crawled under the car and saw that there was very little clearance under the shifter linkages on the shifter itself due to the gearbox mount, so I though if I raise where the shifter mounts to the gearbox, I can extend the shifter linkages the same amount and still have clearance.
I grabbed some longer 9/16 bolts the same thread as the ones that mount the stick to the box, and then got a few stock wheel nuts. 20mm thick spacers. Yes I should have machined something up, but I'm getting over the flu, have a sinus virus and heavy bronchitis, so easy is good : )
I then cut some 5mm flat bar into 20mm lengths and cut the shifter linkages and welded the flat bar in.
Look, before the critisism comes, and I'm happy for it to as it's usually pretty funny, this is just a test. If it works, great, if not the stock shifter goes back in. Being the the shifter links on the stick are fairly thick, I was able to get a good weld on both inner and outer surfaces, so this thing is not going to break. It's just very ugly. Much like me : )
I them cut the stick off at the angle I wanted the new stick to go on, welded a couple of pieces of 50x5mm flat together as I didn't have anything thicker lying around and drilled and tapped some holes to mount the stick.
Here's my bodgy wheel nut spacers.
And here's the new gearstick.
It's an unsharpened stainless blade with brass and bone handle. I LOVE IT!!!!!
Here's my old shifter taken out and sitting next to the modded one. There's not a lot of difference to look at being only 20mm adjustment, but when put in the vice to try the modded shifter feels brilliant! Much better than I thought it would.
So I got under the car and stuck it all back together. One day I'll get around to buying a new front carpet so I can do a decent shifter surround but that's just how the car came. I did swap the old rubber boot for a vinyl one and also bought a new steering wheel as the chrome centre on the old one kept blinding me with sun reflection. Plus the new Sparco one was only $70 on ebay and bolted straight onto my existing boss kit.
I know it's a personal taste thing with things like this, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out (apart from the carpet and shifter boot) and even though the stick is nearly 5 inches longer than the old one, the mods I made to the shifter still have it shift a lot nicer than it used to.
Next thing I want to do is paint the dash. I really don't like the woodgrain so one day I'll pull it all out, prep it and vinyl dye it black.
So that's about all I've done to this thing over the last year apart from drive it nearly every day.
I even took it down to the local PCYC car show yesterday. Had a good time. Plenty of nice cars there.
This little 68 semi auto beetle is another VW I built for the guy who I'm building the V8 kombi for. It's a cool ratty beast : )
So anyway, if any of you guys still run stock shifters and have access to a welder I really recommend this easy mod. It feels like a different car, and would be even better as far as quick shifts go if you run the stock length shifter.
The tray was packed with dirt and crap so I even washed in there too!
The lovely chap named Paul donated me a stock m20 shifter as I wanted to have a play. When I was in sydney earlier in the year I went to the Blacktown medieval fair to check the jousting etc, and to hopefully pick up my new gearstick. Which I did.
The only problem I could think of was the new gearstick is quite long compared to the stock one so the travel on the stick would be annoying,
What I wanted to do was to modify the pivot ratio of the stock shifter to essentially make it a quick shift, but then fit the long shifter and hopefully it would just feel the same as standard.
With Paul providing me with another shifter it meant I could do the mods and if it didn't work how I wanted I could just fit my stock stick back in.
Here's the stick from Paul.
So all I want to do is make the length of the shifter rods under the pivot point of the shifter longer, meaning the top of the shifter doesn't have to be moved as far for the linkage to move the same distance. Does that make sense???
Anyway, I crawled under the car and saw that there was very little clearance under the shifter linkages on the shifter itself due to the gearbox mount, so I though if I raise where the shifter mounts to the gearbox, I can extend the shifter linkages the same amount and still have clearance.
I grabbed some longer 9/16 bolts the same thread as the ones that mount the stick to the box, and then got a few stock wheel nuts. 20mm thick spacers. Yes I should have machined something up, but I'm getting over the flu, have a sinus virus and heavy bronchitis, so easy is good : )
I then cut some 5mm flat bar into 20mm lengths and cut the shifter linkages and welded the flat bar in.
Look, before the critisism comes, and I'm happy for it to as it's usually pretty funny, this is just a test. If it works, great, if not the stock shifter goes back in. Being the the shifter links on the stick are fairly thick, I was able to get a good weld on both inner and outer surfaces, so this thing is not going to break. It's just very ugly. Much like me : )
I them cut the stick off at the angle I wanted the new stick to go on, welded a couple of pieces of 50x5mm flat together as I didn't have anything thicker lying around and drilled and tapped some holes to mount the stick.
Here's my bodgy wheel nut spacers.
And here's the new gearstick.
It's an unsharpened stainless blade with brass and bone handle. I LOVE IT!!!!!
Here's my old shifter taken out and sitting next to the modded one. There's not a lot of difference to look at being only 20mm adjustment, but when put in the vice to try the modded shifter feels brilliant! Much better than I thought it would.
So I got under the car and stuck it all back together. One day I'll get around to buying a new front carpet so I can do a decent shifter surround but that's just how the car came. I did swap the old rubber boot for a vinyl one and also bought a new steering wheel as the chrome centre on the old one kept blinding me with sun reflection. Plus the new Sparco one was only $70 on ebay and bolted straight onto my existing boss kit.
I know it's a personal taste thing with things like this, but I couldn't be happier with how it turned out (apart from the carpet and shifter boot) and even though the stick is nearly 5 inches longer than the old one, the mods I made to the shifter still have it shift a lot nicer than it used to.
Next thing I want to do is paint the dash. I really don't like the woodgrain so one day I'll pull it all out, prep it and vinyl dye it black.
So that's about all I've done to this thing over the last year apart from drive it nearly every day.
I even took it down to the local PCYC car show yesterday. Had a good time. Plenty of nice cars there.
This little 68 semi auto beetle is another VW I built for the guy who I'm building the V8 kombi for. It's a cool ratty beast : )
So anyway, if any of you guys still run stock shifters and have access to a welder I really recommend this easy mod. It feels like a different car, and would be even better as far as quick shifts go if you run the stock length shifter.
#490
Collo
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 03:26 AM
Hahaha nice work on the shifter, can't say I've seen one like that before.
Will you be down for Toranafest this year?
Will you be down for Toranafest this year?
#491
_dirtbag_
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 03:33 AM
Not too sure. I'll be in sydney working that weekend so if I can get across for the day I'd love to. Wont have the ute there though. Flying down for the weekend.
#492
Collo
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 03:50 AM
No worries, mate. Might run into you if you make it here.
#493
gtrboyy
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Lotsa Posts!
- Location:SYDNEY,NSW
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 10:27 AM
Looks like car got Excalibur'd....
Few guys on www.performanceforums.com.au have done conversions with the vh45 might even been one or two turbo conversions.They'd be able to help you out with the wiring & also funny non pc bunch of smartarses.
Few guys on www.performanceforums.com.au have done conversions with the vh45 might even been one or two turbo conversions.They'd be able to help you out with the wiring & also funny non pc bunch of smartarses.
#494
SmacT
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Forum Fixture
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 01:22 PM
The only problem with the gearshifter mod, Dirtbag, is that wanna-be kings will keep breaking in and trying to extract the "sword". :-) More cool ingenuity, I like it.
#495
_AD_75_
_AD_75_
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 02:43 PM
Oh dear oh dear..looks like you went medieval on your poor cars ass.. 
Edited by AD_75, 13 August 2012 - 02:44 PM.
#496
_dirtbag_
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 03:27 PM
gtrboyy, that's good to know, although I've already pulled the VH45 out and mounted the 308 and (yawn) turbo 700. So if anyone wants a VH45 motor, box, ECU, loom, guages and rear pan sump it's all there ready to go : )
hahahahaha Sam, I have to say I'd find it really amusing, and a tad scary I guess, to see some big bearded lad in chain mail armour half hanging out of the car tugging on the gear stick hahahaha!!!!
Aido, yes I did go a little medieval. I like the fact that I bought the dagger from a medieval fair too. Was a great day. LOVED the jousting!!!!
Anyway, I've just come back from picking my daughter up from school in the ute as usual and I'm loving the simple mods I made to the shifter. It's so nice to change gears now even with the long stick. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to spend any money (like me) but still have something a bit better than stock. Go on guys, start cutting ; )
hahahahaha Sam, I have to say I'd find it really amusing, and a tad scary I guess, to see some big bearded lad in chain mail armour half hanging out of the car tugging on the gear stick hahahaha!!!!
Aido, yes I did go a little medieval. I like the fact that I bought the dagger from a medieval fair too. Was a great day. LOVED the jousting!!!!
Anyway, I've just come back from picking my daughter up from school in the ute as usual and I'm loving the simple mods I made to the shifter. It's so nice to change gears now even with the long stick. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to spend any money (like me) but still have something a bit better than stock. Go on guys, start cutting ; )
#497
its Paul
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Formerly lx8vd77
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 04:37 PM
You think this Paul fella, would have cleaned the shifter first, guess its easier to wrap it in a rag 
you need to get that shrunken head for a gearstick boot, then you'll be set.
you need to get that shrunken head for a gearstick boot, then you'll be set.
#498
_dirtbag_
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 06:36 PM
Yeah Paul you could have cleaned it, chromed it and then bedazzled it for me ; )
#499
a9x868
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maurice mead of hatchbacks
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- Location:perth miles n miles from shiney
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 10:59 PM
So anyway, if any of you guys still run stock shifters and have access to a welder I really recommend this easy mod. It feels like a different car, and would be even better as far as quick shifts go if you run the stock length shifter.
tim great work and pics
i have done this same mod a long time ago
but only about 400 km since rebuilding the hatch
i thought about this for a while and did it after reading
about brock driving a white a9x hatch at bathurst (road car)
and commenting how good it was but could be better
with a shorter throw on the gearshift
another plus is that the gearlever goes nowhere near the console in 2nd n 4th
so no more broken consoles
i agree the short shift is just fantastic and also recommend it to others
cheers davemc
#500
a9x868
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maurice mead of hatchbacks
- Name:facebook dave
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 11:02 PM
aaaaa
sorry just fixed the font size
sorry just fixed the font size
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