505 replies to this topic

[Redslur]

I told TB that if he wanted a white one I would swap it for his green one :-) I love Mint julep.

By the way, LOVELY Hatch!

[Redslur]

Bloody double posts...

Edited by Redslur, 18 December 2011 - 08:08 PM.

[Tyre biter]

I told TB that if he wanted a white one I would swap it for his green one :-) I love Mint julep.

Done - when do we exchange keys and a Bill of Sale?
Cheers, TB

[Redslur]

When yours is back together mate. You don't get out of it that easily LOL...

[Tyre biter]

Always a catch with you Gerry...always a catch

[Tyre biter]

I've been trickling along with little things - I'm home playing Mr. Mom for my three kids these holidays and whilst on the surface it would suggest significant 'Torana Time' to be had, the reality is an 18 month old just doesn't give you a minute of rest because they are into absolutely everything! I feel like a Sydney Harbour Bridge painter - no sooner do I have crap and all sorts of surprises put away and cleaned up at one end of the house than I find myself at the other with more discombobulation facing me - and so on, and on, and on it goes - all day long!

Phew - it'sgood to get that out... I have in fact been able to get at least some 'Torrie Time' along the way - usualy during midday sleeps and I can report the front springs are painted and the suspension is now ready to have the springs installed - it is largely done and dusted - jeepers those domed shaped bump-stop rubbers on the UCA are a PITA arse to get seated aren't they!

Whilst procrastinating whilst working out how and when to fit the front springs, my attention turned to the steering rack and I started cleaning up the rack only to receive another lesson on what I don't know. I nicked the left hand rubber boot with the wire wheel and a semi-orange coloured oil (smelled like diff/gearbox oil) poured from inside. I ended up removing the boot and more oil has escaped but the flow now seems to have been quelled after the rack has likely hemorrhaged all of it's contents.

God bless the forum for I was able to find out all sorts of stuff about them - oil type, volume and that it seems likely for it to be 'normal' that oil is all through the outside of the rack (past the internal bush) and filling the boot - especially on the left side. Just to be sure; is this outcome indeed 'normal'?


I also stole a moment to dig out the fabriacted and adjustable trailing arms for the rear suspension. These parts came with the car and must be good because 'tosso' (the former owner) mentioned them a few times as being a good bit of kit in relation to being able to set one's pinion angle accurately. If I've learned anything - adjustablility and choices are not neccessarily a good thing and often folk, like myself, seem to merely mess things up when chasing a setting.

In any case, i found them to have some surface corrosion in places and so today I rubbed/wire wheeled down one pair before priming in readiness for the ubiquitous gloss black paint used on the undercarriage. I am a bit thrown by these units and exactly how they install, and so I posted another thread to clear up my lack of knowledge; http://www.gmh-toran...-trailing-arms/



I even got a moment to clean up and paint the UC steering arms kindly issued to me by CB - thanks mate!


Finally, thanks for the pics lxssv8 - your car looks fantastic - I appreciate the glimpse into the future.

Righto then, the next stop is to get the front suspension together and in the car, and so until then...

Cheers, TB

Edited by Tyre biter, 12 January 2012 - 09:03 PM.

[derrin71]

Great work mate,
Love looking at your thread as your car is a little ahead of mine and gives me something to keep me motivated.
And it's the right colour green too!!
Derrin.

[Tyre biter]

Can't say I recommend my latest achievement - a gulp full of Prepsol into one's stomach...
No particular need disclose the 'how' but I will nevertheless for the sake of a bit of humour.
I am sure those who have done something or nearly done something similar know the story oh too well; Hot day in the shed, open bottle of refreshment (whatever) nearby and adjacent the same, an open bottle of something else - insert 'Prepsol' here.
Cricket on the TV or similar distration and yep, you know the rest.
It's been several hours and the burps are still heavily tainted with a turps flavour...
And so I don't recommend it.
In fact, my not recommending it is right up there with my other nugget of life - never, ever, ever, ever...ever, wipe your arse with a KFC refresher towlette...
Cheers, TB

Edited by Tyre biter, 14 January 2012 - 08:27 PM.

[Tyre biter]

Yes, it bloody awful isn't it Bomber.
Redslur came around today to help me and whilst here, he opened the Prepsol for a wee task - the flashback was immediate and painful - I almost retched on the spot at merely the smell.

Down to business; We got the K-Frame in today!
Bloody hell what a job, but having heard on here how hard and frustrating it can be, I found that with Gerry directing efforts it went pretty well actually;


There was a bit of bush mechanicing required, no less for the bolts that retain the rear K-Frame arms to the body. I turned my bucket of bolts upside down and inside out but alas, none to be found.

Questions arising:
a. The bolt is 5/8 right?
b. How long should it be?
c. Is it threaded the entire length or smooth for a portion, and
d. What grade tensile is it?

In any case we stuck something in there to hold it in place before turning our attention to my UPC 280mm AUIII Brake kit - went bloody well despite some fears I had having read a few things here;


After Gerry left I couldn't help myself and had to fit up a new Hotwire just to check clearances - that is what I told myself knowing full well it was okay after previously testing it on Gerry's car - the reality being that I just wanted to see what it looked like;


And so now it is time to turn my attention to the steering rack and again I have found some threads on here really interesting. I learned of greasing it as opposed to using SAE 140 oil and my local suspension shop said Castrol EPL O grease was best suited. I can't find any, and to order it in I have to pay for two 5kg drums! I'll keep looking I guess...

Finally, I just wanted to again say thanks Gerry - it is just great to finally have the front suspension back under it and we both know there is no way I would have gotten it done by myself - I would have fallen short on skills, effort required and patience...probably in that order too!

Cheers, TB

Edited by Tyre biter, 18 January 2012 - 04:26 PM.

[derrin71]

I Have a UPC 290mm kit as well and it fitted perfectly when i trial fitted it to the car.
Seems like people are only having issues with the 330mm kits.

[Redslur]

All good mate. The BBQ lunch and beers made it worth my while. As did the smile on your face after drving a Torana again LOL....

[Tyre biter]

Derrin,
Did you have to file the stub axle or the UPC bracket a tad at all?
I only ask because I had to, but it was a poofteenth of nothing and so yep - all is good with UPC it seems.
But yes, most commentary regarding poor fit, and parts clashing with others does seem to pertain to the 330mm jobbies.
I am no engineer and not even a mechanic by any means, but I do wonder if 330mm units are required - I've driven Gerry's car with the 280, 290, 287 or whatever millimetre units they are and it pulls up just fine - time, after time, after time. Indeed he gave me a steer just today as a friendly means to reinvigorate me. Not that I've gone sour, but I think he offered me the steer just to keep me motivated - goodness knows we run out of that at times in these re-builds.
I loved it.
But back to my quandry, maybe the 330mm units are important especially in track work but I found the two piston 287mm units to arrest the car just fine, and pedal feel is really, really good - probably better than the >430 rwhp VE monster I recently unloaded.

Thanks AD - very kind of you.
This experience proves that yet again I have never had an original idea in my life, even if by misadventure.
To learn that two fellas have now owned up to swallowing something untoward whilst squirreling away at their car is heartening to know - I am an idiot yes, but not the sole silly-billy it seems - perhaps we should start a club...or even a forum maybe
But bloody hell, whilst I learned via the Poison Information Hotline and the MDS which I Googled that it can be life threatening if you get it into your lungs via coughing or vomiting, jeepers that coolant can't be good to your stomach/body. I know folks use it to kill off one's neighbourly barking menace and do so often. Apparently whilst very effective as dogs reportedly love the taste of it and gulp it down, it is not a nice way to go, dog or not. I imagine the consequences to human consumption aren't particularly nice either. Tell me, did it 'repeat' for a while?

Cheers, TB

[Tyre biter]

All good mate. The BBQ lunch and beers made it worth my while. As did the smile on your face after drving a Torana again LOL....

To drive it mate...it was just...well it releases one's inner six year old is all!
I mean, I got that often driving the SSV...well I should qualify that as we both know the VE wasn't driven all that often hence my neccessitating the need for jumper leads to always be at hand, but your Torrie is at another level again.
I can't describe it but it was just...well plain and simple, it was 'fun' - thank you mate.
Cheers, TB

[Tyre biter]

Yeah, thanks Yella.
That's who I spoke with - nice fella but he can only order in minimum amounts, and for EPL O grease that means 2 x 5kg tins.
He suggested a few other places but we'll see how that goes given they have to special order in the same amounts unless they carry it themselves which appears unlikely - seems EPL O Grease isn't a very commonly stocked thing.
Thanks anyways and cheers, TB

[derrin71]

Craig,
I had no issues with my stub axles or caliper bracket.
I can also sympathise with you about swallowing stuff.
I used to work in an exhaust shop where we also fitted 4wd accessories, i lost count of the number of timed that i swallowed petrol when syphoning fuel from one tank to another after fitting long range fuel tanks. The worst bit isn't the taste it's the fact that it returns every time you burp for the next day or two.

[Tyre biter]

Update time - I went into my Torana Parts lean-to and dug through all the crap that came with the car just to see what was what, and voila; a set of front and rear K-Mac 'Bathurst design' anti-sway bars! I then had a look at some threads on here which helped me work out what went where and I learned that remarkably nothing was seemingly missing (a first for this car), although some bits did have some surface corrosion. And so the past few days have been spent tidying those bits up and re-painting them before completing the installation this morning;




I figure that like the other bushes in the suspension system, the bolts on the anti-sway bar shouldn't be made tight until the car is at full weight and on its wheels otherwise the bushes in all the links might get chewed out some. Or have I figured incorrectly and it is fine to tighten everything up on the anti-sway bar?

On the rear K-Mac 'Bathurst Design' anti-sway bar set up; does anyone have photos to show how it all mounts up and/or any tips for the same please?

Whilst waiting for paint to dry on the anti-sway bar bits, I also spent the last couple of days cleaning up the grille - I only mention this because would you believe there are 106 rectangles in the SS grille? I know; I washed, then scrubbed, then sanded, then cleaned and then painted every one! Still, I think the result is pretty good - I still have to polish the alloy surround (ran out of Autosol). Here is the grille now pinned in place;


And yep - not happy with the position of the front spoiler either (too low) - more work to be done there to get it right and not sure how to tackle it save for taking some meat from the underside of the extension from the flair. If I don't do this, I can still mount the spoiler up higher under the grille but in profile the spoiler would then run uphill from the flair to the front if you get my meaning, and I think this would look ordinary - best to keep it level IMO. I just need to work out exactly how much and where to take some fibreglass out and this needs (for me) a bit of courage - the old measure one hundred times, cut once principle comes to mind - wish I observed it more than I have...

Finally, I have begun cleaning, servicing and re-painting my steering rack. Now, the steel bar between each rack end housing should be painted gloss black right? And the rack end housings should remain a plain alloy finish - right? If so, how do you get a consistent shade of alloy finish? I fear I won't ever because I used a wire wheel to clean the crap and paint off, and seemingly have 'disturbed' the surface whereby the finish will always be 'blotchy' if you get my meaning - see below;


Cheers, TB

[ls2lxhatch]

Pictures of the K-MAC rear mount rear swaybar, the drop links bolt to the chassis rails . The rear mount rear swaybar does not leave much room for exhaust pipes. I decided to use the K-MAC front mount rear swaybar instead (UC style).

There is a u-bolt that goes around the factory shock mount bolt to bolt the K-MAC bracket to the diff (where the g-clamp is in the photo). The other end of the K-MAC bracket slips over the shock mount bolt and is held on by the shock nut.

Edited by ls2lxhatch, 01 February 2012 - 11:06 PM.

[Tyre biter]

Bomber & mick64lh thanks;
Great ideas but to be honest, I can't see myself spending all that time doing that but it would come up beautifully either way. You are right, it probably is fine but whilst the photos don;t do it justice, the alloy ends are blotchy - I think this is the result of the wire wheel having to be turned in different directions to get at everything and it has sort of 'laid' the surface in different directions causing the light to reflect in different ways.

Yella;
Thanks also for those tips, and the headlight surrounds aren't in the car - that is just the black of the rad support panel behind - I painted it all black because I wanted it black inside the grille.

ls2lxhatch:
Once againy ou've been a big help. I'd better have a closer look at my rear sway bar and confirm if it is a rear mount or front mount. If rear; you say it doesn't leave much room for the exhaust pipes - do you mean not enough full stop, or the pipes need some bending to fit, or is it possible to fit them but just a PITA to get them through?

Cheers, TB