365 weeks...

[mackthegood]

I don't believe it.  What do you do in your tea break? ... Build a couple of houses?  Damn good work.
Mack

[GOA350]

Jason,
        Are the new chassis rails at the rear going to run straight through to the back or are you going to radius it around back onto the original rail? I know you need to take into consideration the bumper bar mounting position and behind the back wheel but it would be stronger and neater if it was staight through or at least radiused into an S shaped, not just welded to the side of the rail.
   This is just a comment/ suggestion, not a critisism, i think you are doing a brilliant job and wish you all the best for the rest of the job and are really looking forward to seeing the finished product in the flesh. You have obviously put plenty of planning into this project, going by how much work you are getting done, or maybe you started this a while ago and have been holding out on us all.
  Anyway good luck with the rest of it and look forward to seeing you and Sonja very soon,
                                                 Cheers Scott

[JB]

Hey Scott,

I will take all sort of information on board as its the only way to learn how to do this sort of thing.

From the photos on there you cant really see what i have done with regard to the rear of the rails, as you have suggested with the S shape this is what I have tried to achieve. When i cut out the original rail I welded a piece of 50 x 3mm down the rail to give me a bit ore thikness to weld to and to make a staggered transition from 1.6 to 3mm. Then when i welded the new piece to it I made plug welds on the inside of the rail before completing the outside. All of these suggestions came from the engineer that I am using as it is him that has to approve it.
To give it a little more strength, only as a consequence... The fuel tank support that i have made is 40 x 40 x 3mm steel and this will be fully welded in and picks up the rear of the new chassis rails that are on there now.
What still needs to be done is another crossmember just in front of the fuel tank support to take the coil over shocks that will be incorporated onto the diff. 

Hopefully this reads as i have it in my head, and mate feel free to send any suggestions you like... your trophy winner sits in the shed proudly 

And to answer your other question... the official start date on the blue ute was March 2nd... I did get the donor car before I had the ute.. probably by a couple of months. Just this time I have a little more of an idea on the bits that I need. They say the second one is easier... 

I really want to get to the Orange Nats to see everyone again... Will see what happens if i get a new job that I am after.

Cheers
Jason.

[JB]

I got a radiator core from a mate at a radiator shop, said that the tanks on commodores fail more than the cores leaving a perfectly good core for free for m to play with.
50 x 50 x 3 mm alloy tube cut up to make the tanks and some round for the piping.
Ready to send for welding when I can find the alloy cap attachment.



Stubs and bearings prepared for the front end.

[FC427]

Have a look at A & K engineering I bought one for my aluminium radiator from them ebay number  170296352895 that will get you to one of there necks and then just take a look at there other items as they have a couple of different alloy necks hope this helps ......FC427.....

[JB]

Thanks for that, bought one straight up. 

[JB]

286 days to go... Been at it most of the weekend.

Bought a VS wiper motor and made a bracket to suit.



Fitted the instrument cluster, and tidied up behind the steering column.





One for Kathi... Dead dog... got a bit much for him today.



Then today decided to fill a hole I had... This was left over 3mm sheet, a bit of an overkill but it is what I had laying around.





Tuesday hopefully the tubs back in.

[NosFEratu]

You certainly don't muck around Jason!  It's great to see your progress.  Seems like there's no stopping you at the moment as you're obviously extremely fired up and motivated to get it done - maybe it's really all to do with your "supervisor". 

Kathi   

[FC427]

Think we might change you name to Tank Man  with the 3mm plate  ......Are you going to suicide the doors  ......FC427.......

[JB]

Have been having fun doing the build, I guess thats why the progress and with my job I get days off during the week so can get to it... It's a shame that the car is an hour away so on the trusty bike I go... 

No going to do suicide doors, not my thing I guess... The 3mm plate was because the steel mob would only sell me a 1200 x 2400 sheet for the rails, so was not going to waste it. 

[EffCee]

Jason,

You are coming ahead in leaps and bounds, seems like you are on a mission! I too have the same deadline but I am not progressing as well as you. Great to see it taking shape. Well done.

Keith

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Great work Jason, it looks like you have deleted the rear "parcel shelf" will your seat be going further back for taller drivers or are there other obstacles? Just asking because at 6'4" I find the utes a little squeezy.

[JB]

Spot on Stinky,

Parcel shelf is gone, and it was mainly to do with the seats not my height (5'8"). In the Van the seats foul on the bottom part of the rear wall not giving enough room. But now they have plenty of room and if you were ever going to fit into a ute this would be the one.. 

Keith,

Even though I have only just recently started, I have been planning it for a while and all of the lessons learnt on the van have help me enormously in the build of the ute. The best thing that I ever did was when Chuck recommended a build book from the States called "Sick Fish" and this has been an excellent tool for me in doing the job, its a great read. I just go one day at a time and try to achieve something by the end of the day.

Cheers
Jason.

[Ed]

Nice Work Jas,

This ride needs bags! 

Cheers

Ed

[FX1975]

Hello Jason,
       Great biuld, could you please give me some info on the book you are referring to so as I can obtain a copy ie.author, publisher, supplier

                                    Any help appreciated
                                            Frank

[JB]

G'day Frank,

try http://www.buildbookusa.com

They have all of them here, not cheap I think I got 2 for $25 US plus postage.

Cheers
Jason.

[FX1975]

Thanks Jason, looks interesting

[FC0058]

Hi Jason

I knew it would not be long before you build another FE / FC, I am currently out of town with limited internet access so this has been my first chance for a while to feed my addiction to the forum. A big thanks to you for making my day and satisfying my addiction with on big FE/FC Fix.

Well done and keep up the great work.

Cheers Jim

[JB]

Decided to have a look at a birds nest...

Now have to squeeze this into the rear of the ute as I am trying to keep the engine bay clean, well as clean as i can.





Going to have a go at shortening the diff on Monday, so more shots to come.

[JB]

Only got one day at the Diff. Graham Jonsson helped me with his Lathe and we cut down the tubes on this to make sure that the ends mated straight again.

The amazing thing was how far out the tubes were... Nearly 4mm of of alignment. Has anyone else come across this before??

Anyway the brackets were removed and the tubes cut by 120mm each side.

Axles will be taken to an engineer to do the same.







Cant get back there until Friday week now but hopefully will get it all welded up again ready to fir to the car.

Jason.