42 replies to this topic

[aaronlx]

Hi all,

Thought its time I should start a build thread to continue on from Jakes ICV build. Car is now in Perth and has been since Dec 2019. Bit of a back story how i got the car, was on holiday with the missus over in Sanctuary Cove, Brissy and scrolling through facebook and it popped up. Id been keen on an lx hatch ever since i was a kid, as my old man had a papaya orange car (still in the family now). I got in touch with Jake and told him id fly a guy over to him, to check the car out for me. A good mate of mine Brodie Mitchell jumped on a plane shortly after and went and checked it out. Obviously the car has a full new chassis, Brodie owns a race fab shop here in Perth and did his studies in America and specializes in this stuff so it was a no brainer. Few calls later and the car was loaded onto a trailer to head back to Perth.

The plans for me were to chuck this car in the shed until my HQ skid car was finished but the bug to have a neat streeter was killing me, so the build started early.

The car rolled into Brodies workshop on the 22nd November 2023 with the plans to smash the fab work out and get this thing driving. 

WA engineering rules are a limiting factor with what we can do with the car so for now it will just be a carbied LS1/T56/9 inch rear end

Credit to Jake on the work he had done previously, alot of good work done and the car measured up fairly well on the lasers. Few minor adjustments to be done but all in all shes mint! 

Pretty cool to find out after buying the car that it was on here also.

 

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[aaronlx]

Next up was to chuck the mock up ls and t56 into the car and get it up on the chassis jig to work out where we are going to go with this chassis. With the laser setup on the car it was all go ahead. None of the major bars in the chassis needed moving. The one minor adjustment we needed to make was easy enough with making the LH 4 link brackets 2mm longer. We could have made the LH 4 link bars 2mm longer but since we are working from the start, its easier to make the adjustment in the brackets and not have to remember which bar is which, later on.

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[aaronlx]

Since the car will have to go through engineering, and me wanting to use the 19x13 simmons it came with, it leaves us no option but to build 2 diffs for the car, and using a set of 18x9.5 simmons for the rear to keep everyone happy engineering wise. The "good" diff will be a full sheetmetal job with 35 spline floaters, wilwood brakes, viking coilovers and a strange diff centre etc. Have also got an enemies racing aus anti roll bar kit to go in. Yet to work out what gears i will run. Most likely 3.9s. Still waiting on some parts to come for this but we will play the waiting game this time of year

The "engineering" diff will still be using floaters but with the correct length to suit the smaller simmons, same brake bracketry and everything else so it can be a bolt out bolt in swap over.

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[aaronlx]

While waiting for parts to arrive, and being T56 calls for a hydraulic clutch master, copied the same method as Heath and the malwood setup. We had some weld in boss' made up in mild steel. 20mm dia x 35mm long with M8 thread. Boss' are too long at 35mm but gives plenty of room to choose where you want it. As the car has no firewall at the moment and also no floor it was a perfect time to get under the dash and get drilling. Some simple cleaning up of the 6cyl rat trap pedal as Heaths thread and shes a good thing. Will try get a completed once its all back in.

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Edited by aaronlx, 19 December 2023 - 07:16 PM.

[Holdenbn74]

Love it, look forward to see it come to life 👌

[Shiney005]

It will be a good test of the rules here in W.A.  Is Brodie the engineer Aaron or is it someone else?

[Heath]

Hey Aaron, I'm so bloody excited about this build mate. Absolutely love it.

As per my message to you, I actually found that the Wilwood "compact" master cylinder (in 3/4" piston diameter) was really on a knife's edge with my setup to disengage the clutch.
I ended up using a "combination" one that was a little bit bigger... still used the same mounting bolts so your welded in threaded bushes should be fine. 

https://www.gmh-tora...atch/?p=1079425

Note: the low pressure side plumbing in mine was TIGHT... it would be well worth doing a dry-fit with your reservoir adaptor cap and make sure you can squeeze that in and get a hose on it before you call it done. I think I cut the adaptor cap down a bit in height and used a thin hose or something. But it does work perfectly in my car.

[FLY_LX]

Good luck Bud.

will be a big task getting that beast rego'ed

It's a shame you can't use BB chev or Big ass tyres out back in something like that, esp with a full chassis.

[aaronlx]

Love it, look forward to see it come to life 👌

Cheers mate, you and me both!

[aaronlx]

It will be a good test of the rules here in W.A. Is Brodie the engineer Aaron or is it someone else?

Yeah for sure, will have to go through a fair few tests before its given the all clear, but we will get there. No Brodie owns the fab shop that the car is in at the moment. For engineering we will be using Packard Automotive.

[aaronlx]

Hey Aaron, I'm so bloody excited about this build mate. Absolutely love it.

As per my message to you, I actually found that the Wilwood "compact" master cylinder (in 3/4" piston diameter) was really on a knife's edge with my setup to disengage the clutch.
I ended up using a "combination" one that was a little bit bigger... still used the same mounting bolts so your welded in threaded bushes should be fine.
https://www.gmh-tora...atch/?p=1079425
Note: the low pressure side plumbing in mine was TIGHT... it would be well worth doing a dry-fit with your reservoir adaptor cap and make sure you can squeeze that in and get a hose on it before you call it done. I think I cut the adaptor cap down a bit in height and used a thin hose or something. But it does work perfectly in my car.

Your a bloody lifesaver after your message this morning i went straight down the workshop and measured against the factory master cylinder that was still bolted to the t56. I stripped them apart and measured the strokes on both. Im only 2mm shorter on the wilwood master, i will admit i did jump the gun and ordered this master after i saw your thread (maybe i should have read further). A mate is also running ls/t56 with this master and his clutch works well. Im going to run it, i think we will be ok. Fingers crossed

[aaronlx]

Good luck Bud.
will be a big task getting that beast rego'ed
It's a shame you can't use BB chev or Big ass tyres out back in something like that, esp with a full chassis.

It shouldnt be tooo bad hopefully. The 2 diff scenario will help alot with track/smaller wheels. All the other stuff is engineerable, just requires chassis torsion testing. We have added a handful of bars in the chassis also which ill post up soon. There will be decent rubber on the car after rego. It is setup to run 355/19s on the rear and can also fit a 28inch radial for pro street look if i like.

[aaronlx]

So next up while waiting for some bits to arrive for the rear end, it was time to attack one of the previous mentioned issues we found while inspecting the chassis. It was noticed that both the crossmembers/tailshaft loop had a very square edge to them and also had hairline cracks. It was assumed to be laser cut and welded without leaving any room for penetration so it was cut open to inspect. Which worked out well as it had to be changed anyway to fit a 3inch exhaust and modify the seat mounts. The front crossmember/gbox mount was cut open and fully welded inside, copper coated also and then 4 inch thickwall tube was welded in to allow 3inch exhaust with v bands to pass through

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[aaronlx]

The next task was to sort out the rear crossmember. Having been built the same way as the front crossmember, it was also given the treatment of cutting open and being fully welded and copper coated inside. We also decided not to retain the exhaust holes in the rear crossmember as it was built at a different height to the front and to also allow us to get the exhaust in and out easily in the middle of the car without having multiple v bands. While we were there, the sills also got fully welded both sides as they were just stitch welded before. I plan to drive this thing alot so i wanted them fully sealed.

Exhaust crossover has been tigged up with extra length on each end for now, will trim that to suit once the rest is built

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Edited by aaronlx, 21 December 2023 - 12:28 AM.

[aaronlx]

Now we get into the fun stuff! So after sorting out the crossmembers it was time to tin the tunnel. The tunnel that is pictured in primer came with the car and is a decent fit so we are using that. Gave it a quick sand and removed the minor surface rust from sitting. Wipe some easy phos over it and we are good to go. For added chassis strength/the need to relocate seat brackets/ floor pan rigidity we have added a handful of 1 1/4 chromoly bars diagonally in between the rails and door sill. The main reason for bars being diagonally installed is there was no diagonal support for the chassis in the event of an accident. Think of an empty box of beer in a square and you squash it. It just folds in on it self. Diagonal bars make that alot harder. The straight bars inboard of the chassis rails will pickup the inner seat mounts and also add floor pan support.

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[FLY_LX]

Really hooking into it. be finished in no time

[aaronlx]

While wanting to keep the cv8 seats the car was bought with for their forward flip function, they also have a really long travel on the sliders but i wanted to move them forward 4 inches to allow better access to the rear seats. The way the were originally setup i felt the position was good but would of been a mission in itself for someone to get in the back. Me being 6ft on the dot and still having good driving position and plenty of adjustment forward and back, we made the call to relocate the mounts. I did toy with the idea of getting rid of the electric motors for forward/back travel by converting the base to a base model vt seat with the manual handle on the front, but at a quick look, the seat mounts are different between the vt/vx and cv8. For now we will get them in the right spot and work from there.
We have made us some 15mm chromoly risers for the seats to sit on and bolt into to allow for carpet/sound deadening.

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[aaronlx]

Keen eyes may have noticed the oval holes in the chassis tubes... similar idea we have done in my burnout car. Fuel lines will be run from the boot to engine, inside the chassis rail and and will pop out in the rear footwells and to the front via the 38mm oval holes. The car will be have a upper and lower floor pan so to say and the fuel lines will be hidden between the 2, from the boot to the engine bay. Fuel passenger side, electrical and brake lines on driver side.

Pic of the burnout car added if anyone likes hq's

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[aaronlx]

Really hooking into it. be finished in no time

Fingers crossed ill be cruising next year. The boys in the workshop have been into it since its been there. If we keep this pace up and keep the parts coming in she will be in a paint booth in no time!

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[aaronlx]

One of the parts orders had arrived mid week. The boys got started on the tubs. We went for a 30" radius edge tub. I want to run back seats still so we reduced the size from the previous cut out. Cant see it in the photos but there has been a 1/4inch rod bent and tacked to the inner edge of the guard. It has then been fully welded and cooled at the same time to stop warping. This then allows us to plate upto edge of the tub so that the rear tyres are completely sealed off from the rear quarter in the event of a tyre blowout etc. Ill grab some pics when i can. They will show it better

This week i have been ordering parts that may take a bit of time to arrive. I have ordered a gauge set through Heath which is slightly different to the normal order but same concept. Waiting on a steering column/firewall mount from Peter Nash and also a pair of billet bonnet hinges from Bliss. I did have my aeromotive fuel pump and coilovers arrive yesterday also which gives us more to crack on with.

Engine bay has been started also but are awaiting those parts mentioned above before we continue. Will be trying to squeeze 2inch primary down into the 4 to 1 3 inch collectors.

Have been trying to keep the updates "bit by bit" but this is essentially where we are upto with the car. This time of year will slow things down abit obviously but its steaming along fairly quick

I think its fair to say purists wont like the car but there really isnt much torana left to work with

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Edited by aaronlx, 22 December 2023 - 11:08 PM.

[Shiney005]

 For engineering we will be using Packard Automotive.

Only use them for the paperwork. They won't be doing any more mechanical work on my cars.

 

Your hatch may not appeal to the rivet counters (and I'm one of them!) but I love seeing just what is achievable these days. 

[aaronlx]

Keen eyes may have noticed the oval holes in the chassis tubes... similar idea we have done in my burnout car. Fuel lines will be run from the boot to engine, inside the chassis rail and and will pop out in the rear footwells and to the front via the 38mm oval holes. The car will be have a upper and lower floor pan so to say and the fuel lines will be hidden between the 2, from the boot to the engine bay. Fuel passenger side, electrical and brake lines on driver side.

Pic of the burnout car added if anyone likes hq's

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

[aaronlx]

Only use them for the paperwork. They won't be doing any more mechanical work on my cars.
 
Your hatch may not appeal to the rivet counters (and I'm one of them!) but I love seeing just what is achievable these days. 

Do you mind sharing what happened with Packard? Pm me if you can on here

[kudu]

Looks bloody awesome.... That drive line combo sounds fine, but I know you aussies have some blimmin funny rules on what sort of engine you can and cannot put in a car... And am I right in thinking that most states are different from each other? My question is.. could you build a car in a state that has more lenient rules and then just drive it back to the state you live in???

[Shiney005]

Do you mind sharing what happened with Packard? Pm me if you can on here

I got Packard to engineer a GVM upgrade on my Landcruiser, and this involved building a four inch wider rear diff housing, which was fine, but the Dana axles they installed were standard length. This meant that there was only 8mm of spline engaged into the Harrop centre.  This was a week before an 8 week trip to the NT.  To the credit of both Dana and Harrop, it made it to an isolated spot between Kununurra and Katherine (about 3,500 kays) before it let go.   

Anybody would be able to feel the splines engage when assembling a diff. Surely, when it only went in 8 mills they would have picked up that something wasn't right.   The wife will never let me forget that "holiday"!

When I contacted Packard they didn't give two craps. I never received an apology from any of them, and they put the blame on the axle supplier.  What a cop out.

 

Looks bloody awesome.... That drive line combo sounds fine, but I know you aussies have some blimmin funny rules on what sort of engine you can and cannot put in a car... And am I right in thinking that most states are different from each other? My question is.. could you build a car in a state that has more lenient rules and then just drive it back to the state you live in???

Nope. Buy a licenced car from interstate, and you have to get it over the pits when you get it home.  Engineered in a different state? Too bad. Get it done again.