Ash 145 Report post Posted November 29, 2017 It has definitely worked at keeping my hands and mind busy. Ha, that's funny. My wife gives me a look of confusion. I was trying to explain the jig to her, she listened but must have thought I was from a different planet. 1 bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stangnet33 88 Report post Posted November 30, 2017 On 11/28/2017 at 11:38 PM, Ash said: I need that spark lit again. How about I come down there and kick you in the ars, then some beers :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted November 30, 2017 I'm always up for the beers! But I can be certain that once they start, nothing else productive will commence. haha 1 bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted December 29, 2017 I've been working my way through this truck chassis and I'm probably about 2/3's done. Some boxing is incomplete as I need to wait for both cab clearance and engineer to inspect. Otherwise the rear diff mounts are done except for some inner webbing which is waiting for fuel tank fitment. The left shock tower is mostly done, now to just repeat for the right side. The steering rack is mounted. And one of the 4 engine cradle mounts are done. Some bits are welded, others are just tacked. I didn't want to go too far with the welding in areas other than tricky or hard to get to places. I rolled it out of the shed today and here are some shots. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAC390 327 Report post Posted December 29, 2017 That truck is sure going to handle ,stop and go Nice work mate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 Both towers now done with a few welds left to complete. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 I'm guessing you guys don't have Crown Vics down under. They make it a pretty easy swap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 Nope, wish we did. We don't have anything like them. That wouldn't work with the Audi running gear anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 Yes, Audi. I gotta start paying attention. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 The power steering rack is over the top of the trans, that's probably the biggest different. But it would also be a big step backwards not using the Audi brakes. Our cars here tend to not incorporate the upper control arms into the cross member like it does on the Crown Vic. So you have to work a way around that which really isn't convenient. I had thought in the past about shipping a Crown Vic front clip over. That was until I got the Audi. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 Oh I'm familiar with the A4 having owned and changed the struts on it. Two upper control arms, per side? A real pita aligning and connecting them and the steering tie rod at once. But they handle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 7, 2018 That's it, here it is here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 Quote I was out near Mount Hope a few days ago and found you the perfect rat rod project. I think this would be awesome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAC390 327 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 Got Ash's name all over it . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 Oh yeah, I love that! I'm really liking the bullet holes. The landscape takes me back to my childhood too. 1 bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 I was seriously considering it all the way home. If the left side was in the same shape as the right it would be awesome. Unfortunately that side is a little too far gone. But the bullet holes would make it a great rod. I was thinking of using a V8 Explorer as the base. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 So many projects, so little time...... But it would be a lot of fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 Oh, what kind of vehicle is it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 12, 2018 59 minutes ago, bigmal said: I was seriously considering it all the way home. If the left side was in the same shape as the right it would be awesome. Unfortunately that side is a little too far gone. But the bullet holes would make it a great rod. I was thinking of using a V8 Explorer as the base. You're right, it's a shame about the left side. Too far gone. I used to have a couple of 2005 4.6 V8 Explorers. Their chassis is separate to their bodies which would make them ideal as a donor. Plus they have an alloy block which is really light. The weak link in them though is the auto box. Mine was not happy with me towing my boat. But throw a blower on the motor and you'd have all kinds of fun. And bloody hell they sound great! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted January 14, 2018 On 13/01/2018 at 10:37 AM, Ash said: You're right, it's a shame about the left side. Too far gone. I used to have a couple of 2005 4.6 V8 Explorers. Their chassis is separate to their bodies which would make them ideal as a donor. Plus they have an alloy block which is really light. The weak link in them though is the auto box. Mine was not happy with me towing my boat. But throw a blower on the motor and you'd have all kinds of fun. And bloody hell they sound great! I agree. I've had a 1998 V6, a 2002 V8 and a 2004 V8. I heard a lot about gearbox issues but had a really good run with mine. With the right exhaust they sound great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted January 14, 2018 On 13/01/2018 at 10:30 AM, Vicfreg said: Oh, what kind of vehicle is it? I have no idea. But it did look great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 14, 2018 9 minutes ago, bigmal said: I agree. I've had a 1998 V6, a 2002 V8 and a 2004 V8. I heard a lot about gearbox issues but had a really good run with mine. With the right exhaust they sound great. This was mine. My wife had a silver one. And I had another at one point for parts, as you can see in the photo. I loved them. They were so much better than our previous Ford Territory. The wife's had a twin exhaust system and it sounded brilliant. My black one just a straight through single. My boat was a big glass heavy thing, it was too much for it I believe. It towed it fine, no problem in the power department, I just cooked the gearbox on a trip to Forster one time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted January 14, 2018 1 minute ago, Ash said: This was mine. My wife had a silver one. And I had another at one point for parts, as you can see in the photo. I loved them. They were so much better than our previous Ford Territory. The wife's had a twin exhaust system and it sounded brilliant. My black one just a straight through single. My boat was a big glass heavy thing, it was too much for it I believe. It towed it fine, no problem in the power department, I just cooked the gearbox on a trip to Forster one time. My last one sounded the same. I can't understand why they weren't more popular over here. The bright side is they will be a very cheap donor car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted January 14, 2018 Oh definitely. I brought the one on the left from auction for from memory $1100 This was maybe 4 years or more ago. It only had about 100k on it and was a fully loaded model. I used it to repair the gearbox on my other one and made a really nice car out of the two. They were both exactly the same cars. I've seen them now go for around $500. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
