Neils Frankenstein Ute

[FireKraka]

Dropped the springs into Rockingham Suspension and Spring Works this morning, they pulled them apart, cleaned them up, fitted new centre bolts and spring cushioners (the pads they go between the ends of each leaf to stop the rattle of the springs) and gave them a lick of paint all in an hour and a half and cost me $100
Very happy




Regards
Neil H

[Blacky]

saves buggerising around doing it yourself doesn't it !!

[FireKraka]

Sure does Blacky once he said the price I just siad here you go give me a call when I can pick them up

Drilled the holes in the pedal box for the 4 booster mounting studs, because of where the studs come through I have had to relieve the pedal box frame to be able to get the nuts on but I wont show that yet as I had to cut it with the plasma and I need to tidy it up a bit
It looks like it has more holes than swiss cheese.


Regards
Neil

[NoMAD]

looks like mine haha

good to see you were busy at work mate

cheers
Nathan

[FireKraka]

Well I got a little more done this weekend even though it was 35 deg in my shed with the airconditioner going on Saturday
Cleaned up the welds on the booster mod.

Gave it a coat of primer.

Mounted the pedal box and used the commodore automatic brake pedal and it looks like it will clear the steering column no worries, the end of the steering column will sit a little lower than that.

Modified the end off of a commodore booster to connect the 7" booster to the pedal, drilled and tapped it to screw on.

And for Blacky is the drawing of the plate but I would check all dimensions cause knowing me they are probably wrong.


Had the panel and paint guy (Keith) come and see progress yesterday, got the plan together of what I'm going to finish and what he will do and hopefully I'm still on track to get it to him mid January.

Regards
Neil

[Errol62]

Pedal looks tidy.


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[FireKraka]

Didn't really get much time this weekend but took friday off to try to get something done.
Finished off the steering column mounting floor plate, welded the 2 sections together and then fitted the expanded piece to fit the end of the column












Also moved and extended the tab on the brake pedal to activate the brake switch mounted in its original position.

And great news my wife came back from the post office on saturday with my paperwork giving me approval from the vehicle modification guys, everything was pretty good in the letter the only thing they didn't like was my wheel and tire sizes but my engineer had earlier siad they were fine and because I told them the engine had a cam they want a dyno report when I go to register it, I thought this was pretty hard seeing it is only a V6 and not some other monster, anyway at least I have approval.
Regards
Neil (FireKraka)

[Harv]

And great news my wife came back from the post office on saturday with my paperwork giving me approval from the vehicle modification guys, everything was pretty good in the letter the only thing they didn't like was my wheel and tire sizes but my engineer had earlier siad they were fine and because I told them the engine had a cam they want a dyno report when I go to register it, I thought this was pretty hard seeing it is only a V6 and not some other monster, anyway at least I have approval.

The engineering process can be frustrating. My engineer was not bothered at all that the 327 was lumpy, and punching out 300kW... just as long as it was a 327, and not a 350. The 350 is 1.5% too big for an EK according to the NCOP rules, so was a no-go (unless I wanted to do full chassis beam testing etc... then I could go as large as I wanted). I nearly came unglued when I admitted the motor was a 350 block (with 327 crank)... the only reason I didn't have to prove the stroke was because the engine builder was known to the engineer, and had supplied a build sheet. If I had of built it myself, it would have been disassembly time to prove crank stroke (either that or swap for the old smokey 327 I used to dummy everything up).

Cheers,
Harv

[FireKraka]

Hi Harv yes you are right the engineering process can be hell I'm lucky that my engineer is a pretty good guy it is the initial process over here that give me the headache, having to put the build sheet into the modification section of the road traffic authority and hope that they don't decide to make an example of you.
My V6 has had a lot of work done to it by the original owner and I have the receipts etc and have been inside it, stoke is original it has a little extra bore burt all the improvements seem to have been done in the heads and it has been decked fairly heavily all this said it is only putting out a little over what the VN VP VR V8 did so I don't see a drama however as I said I don't really want to have to strip it all down to prove this.

I should have just said it was not modified but then I think when they test drove it they may have found out that it wasn't

Regards
Neil

[FireKraka]

No update this week, life got in the way of work on Frank, but I was sick and tied of my air tools all over the place in the workshop so I made a rack for them.


Got a month and a half to go to get it to the body guy so better get on it.

Regards
FireKraka

[Errol62]

Jeez you're getting organised. Must say I like the idea how they hang. Finding wall space is the challenge at my place. That's why I store all my tools all over every horizontal surface in my shed.
Now pull your finger out and get on with it.


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[FireKraka]

Didn't get much time in the workshop this weekend but had to bite the bullet and start on the last really big rust repair in the floor. When I bought the body this area look ok, it had a couple of small repairs that I knew about but after I had it blasted, well you can see the result below.
Passenger side looking in (body is still on the rotiss on its side)

Looking up at the driveside

The worst area is from the cabin divider back to where the bottom of the seat frame is from side to side.

So they tell me "Fortune favours the brave" so out came the angle grinder, no going back now


Regards
Neil FireKraka

[Errol62]

Getting made up repair sections Neil? Looks like you only need the back inside quarters. Might not be too hard to bend something up out of 0.9mm sheet.
Cheers
Clay


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[FireKraka]

Hi Clay
I actually had Rare Spares rear replacement panels, although I don't particularly like there panels as I've said before, Taylors don't make the rears so no other choice.

Again not much time this weekend and Sunday it was 39 degrees out my way.
Saturday I was able to get the first side of the repair panel cut down and tacked in, yesterday I flipped the ute over so I can work on the other side (easier with it at the bottom instead of having to stand all day )
Then I need to make a trip to EKMart to get the hump cut that Blacky has or get one rolled up.

The grey blobs on the floor are where I had to weld up the multiple holes where I'm guessing they had buckets, obviously I need to give them a grind

Regards
Neil

[FireKraka]

Spent Saturday and Sunday morning fitting the second side of the repair and then welded it in now only the tunnel part and then a couple of minor pieces left in the floor and it will be done.
Still some holes in the firewall to weld up.
I welded up some holes in the subchassis that will not be needed and modified the cutout for the lower radiator hose, I layed the end back to allow for the curve in the hose.








Neil