505 replies to this topic

[SmacT]

Love your car mate, superb attention to detail and great colour. Have you taken your concerns up with the wheel manufacturers? Chances are they will do something about it. You've got to be happy with what you've got on there, and I reckon they know the value of keeping people happy.

Also, my k-frame has two mounting holes, and apparently it was out of an L34. I will be mounting it on the bottom holes as i was advised. I'll grab a pic next time I'm at the paint shop of you still need one. I actually mounted the UCA on the top holes originally, but will move them back.

[Tyre biter]

Simon,
They are new and yes, I think they look the business on a Torana - must have IMO.
The pic isn't too great - the face is brilliant save for the paint dags.

Cruiza,
Great pic and whilst I hear you on Simmons - IMO they are best on an 80's car: VK and VL look sweet. With your 8's on the rears I wonder if I need to go to 10's now and your 8's seem to fill the flares pretty well. I'll have a play with that and if 8's do the job on the rear it will be better because it keeps the car within max allowable track increase and therefore roadworthy/legal.

SmacT,
Not yet spoken with Neals but will - again though, I don't think I should need to - these things are very, very expensive and surely deserved a closer eye prior to sending them out. Having said that, again I will say that I have found them to be great folks - readily willing to work with me to get a wheel that fits and provide me with just what I am after, and so I cannot fault them on that one iota.
Thanks for your offer to measure your K-Frame for me - I'll see what Ruts comes back with and let you know if I can impose upon you to have a look at yours.

Cheers, TB

[SmacT]

SmacT,
Not yet spoken with Neals but will - again though, I don't think I should need to - these things are very, very expensive and surely deserved a closer eye prior to sending them out. Having said that, again I will say that I have found them to be great folks - readily willing to work with me to get a wheel that fits and provide me with just what I am after, and so I cannot fault them on that one iota.
Thanks for your offer to measure your K-Frame for me - I'll see what Ruts comes back with and let you know if I can impose upon you to have a look at yours.

Yeah, I hear you. There's nothing worse than not getting something you have paid for. I was just suggesting they may make it better once it's discussed with them, and it sounds like you're going that route which is cool. I get you though - the damage has already been done.

[Tyre biter]

Just got the rear bumper on - bloody he'll what a PITA job for what seemed like a straight forward task...
Three goes at it - clearly need to get to know these cars better.
The LH Service Manual didn't help - it showed the bolts going through from the inside.
What I didn't appreciate was the pic had nil nuts depicted and I thought this an omission...
Tried that was and...fail - no way was I getting nuts on the bolts threaded from inside the car.
Clearly the brackets were supposed to be threaded but mine are'nt and so brackets off, bolts the other way but then the lower bolts wouldn't play.
Brackets off again, lower bolts turned around to the original orientation because I could get a nut on them and vwala!
Jeepers what a nightmare.
The best news of the day being the forum upgrades have allowed me to post - now to see if the site will take my post or time out or say the site is too busy and to try again later - fingers crossed...
Cheers TB

[Tyre biter]

Thanks to Ruts' thread I had a go at the flares today and surprisingly in comparison to my affixing the rear bumper it all went pretty well;





The other good news of the day is our trial fitting the new Hotwires overs Redslur's UPC brakes (same as mine) and they fitted up beautifully! Those wheels look fantastic on a white Torrie - makes me wonder (yet again) if I chose the right colour...


Thanks Gerry for your time this morning - much appreciated.
Cheers, TB

[Ruts]

They will look even better on a green one.

[Tyre biter]

Been a few weeks - wish I had lots to show for it but not much to be honest.

A few of the 'usual suspects' from the CTC kindly dropped around the other weekend and helped me get the car off of the trolley and onto some stands - thanks guys.

Been at the front suspension this weekend and started with getting new bushes pushed into the UCA and LCA together with the bottom ball joints pushed in - pretty happy with the result because my cheap arsed painting efforts remained intact throughout!

The ubiquitous lowering of the UCA mounts undertaken - from this;


Via this - elastic band and spare UCA rods to place holes;


To this;


And finally this;


And then I noticed this - the K Frame I removed from the car (not the original) has this bracket on the driver's side - centre of picture;


Whereas, my nice shiny one doesn't.....


Is that bracket important? What is it for?

I've got the hatch struts in and now the front bumper on but other than that - nothing more to report sorry.
That front bumper is a PITA - it sits higher at one end than the other and for no discernible reason - I'll have to get busy with a file and relieve and opening somewhat to get some adjustability into it.

The following step is to get the front springs in and then mount the K-frame into the car before starting on the rear end.
Turns out the Pedders springs I have (refer a previous post) are 60mm lower units than standard - hope this is okay.

I also need to get to my donor sedan down at CB's place and start pulling some bits from it - start with door mechanisms and the wiring I reckon.
In the meantime I have been enjoying a number of the build threads in here and learning heaps - thanks.

And oh, and I took delivery of the balance of my Hotwires some weeks back too - they look great. Here is a 8x15 and 10x15 to see;


Cheers, TB

[A9X]

The bracket is not important, it holds a plastic cover for the steering column

[Redslur]

Looks good mate.

Hope the springs are ok too. Easy enough to change if they aren't right. Were they the ones i suggested you try?

[Tyre biter]

Welby and Darren - thank you - that makes sense - I have heard of those covers but never seen any. I hear they are rare as rocking horse poo and pretty $$$ when they do come up - seems like I can just 'play on' as it were.

Gerry - thanks mate and yep, they are the ones we chatted about - height is between the OEM and those yellow ones whatever they were - can;t recall just now. Easy to change you say - I am stuffed for getting them in in the first place given the K-frame isn't in the car and neither is the engine and stuff to put weight onto it. I am really hoping CB has that booker rod thingo, or back to Pedders with some more $$$ to get it together for me.

Thanks also for your advice today with the upper ball-joint. I knew I was doing the right thing when I called but I had to run it past you because I couldn't for the life of me work out why the ring was on the small end of the rubber boot but the manufacturer had chosen not to put it on the wide end - just doesn't make sense to me and whilst I am sure there is a reasonable explanation for it, I just had to ask in case I'd missed something.

Cheers, TB

[A9X]

$$$ Really.

If you want one i'll post one over, took mine off when we cleaned up the k frame and i threw it in the parts box.

No use to me

[Redslur]

I was meaning when it is all back together they can be changed easily enough. They will be ok until then. If need be we can play with them later!

[Tyre biter]

$$$ Really.

If you want one i'll post one over, took mine off when we cleaned up the k frame and i threw it in the parts box.

No use to me

Very kind of you Welby, thank you.
If it is applicable to a LX SS then that would be great.
I'll flick you a PM.

I was meaning when it is all back together they can be changed easily enough. They will be ok until then. If need be we can play with them later!

Yeah Gerry, I got that. Just saying I'll have my hands full just getting these ones in let along changing them afterward. Good news is I have you to lean upon in moments like that. Thanks mate.

Cheers, TB

Edited by Tyre biter, 05 December 2011 - 06:33 PM.

[Toranamat69]

The bracket is not important, it holds a plastic cover for the steering column

Steel Cover

[A9X]

Steel it is.

it'll be in the post shortly