It is actually an '88 but I put it over in this section as it is probably... technically this model year?

Ok so I was planning on just picking this bad boy up, driving it... um yeah that's pretty much it...

However when I got it home it seemed to leak water into the cab from multiple locations... which was a bit odd... so I thought sweet dismantle, track leaks.... plug... drive.

I wish, leaks were from a few holes around the place and by the time I had ground them all back the cab looked a bit swiss cheezy. now before I get told off the most likely outcome is that this will just get recabbed when I track one down/can afford the cash and time to do it and have it off the road so the repairs are less than ideal. However seeing as the chassis is 100% solid as a rock I am not super concerned that the hole in the drivers footwell is now made of corvette...

Anyway... plan is loosely a bit of a battle truck so it will feature matt Black paint with accents of ferrous oxide along with, for some EICM (Euro Import Cheese Market) flavour I am seriously contemplating orange wheels... not 100% which way this will work yet... orange steels with hubcaps (assuming I can find some) or black centres and orange dish on the aftermarket wheels or something in between. either way will be worrying about that after it is painted and re-warranted. along that line...

Ok... pics.. spread over a few posts for ease of something?


Pre me ****ing with it:

 

Then I started poking, prodding, grinding and generally making a nuisance of myself :doubt:



















Then I started patching... but that is an update for another day

 

Here's some pictures of bog... enjoy lol

 

Ok, update time... not too many words... some pics... sweet... primer filler... top coat... tray back on... not yet painted.

 

too many pics per post... so here is cab with paint and tray on but sans paint









Need to track down some blocks too... is gonna look hell high... anyway paint should be done by the end of this weekend... will then think about what Im doing regards wheels, height etc after that...

NB: isn't really all speckled like the pics would suggest... that is just dust from more sanding lol

 

awesome truck and i like ur plans for it, cant wait to see some more progress oh and right hand drive ftw!

 

Well, paint is on, ute is back together...

pics:











Swap some wheels about and off to try for a wof tomorrow, fingers crossed

 

total project, love the good progress!

 

Wow man thats looking alot better. Whats next?

 

great looking progress

 

thanks guys

Took if for a WOF (road worthiness thing we have down here) and failed on a few minor things, tyres, minor electrical stuff etc so have to get that sorted next week.

Then figure out what I am doing with the wheels regards to colour. then a basic static drop, blocks ((when I can afford some)+ maybe a leaf out)) and wind front down... after that... enjoy it for a while... oh and some sound of some sort... bloody deisel rattle is fine and dandy but need some choons!

 

nice job fixing all the cancer!

i'd be gutted to find that hidden under all that bog lol

aren't you only allowed to go 2" lower without needing it certed?

 

Cheers, can't use anything larger than a 2" block, however I can lower until 100mm from road surface to lowest "chassis" stearing/suspension component, not including exhaust and body work... so can come down a fair way just cant use big blocks to do it.

 

Hey bro dylan here from whakatane jus joined this site ya truck looks sweet now luv the matte .my mate has a 89 and its the same shape which i thort was weird. you dont no were any trays are do you? what springs are you going with in the front compressed or standed nz styles cuttys? haha.

 

Hey Dylan, cheers for the comments. Yeah the years/shapes were a bit all over the show here.. not sure why.

No idea where you would find a tray, I am quite lucky mine is in pretty ok nick.

Lowering wise, for the time being blocks in the back, maybe a leaf out, maybe reset the leaves. Front will just be wind down the torsion bars for the time being...

 

sorry man, but if thats how you repaired those rust holes, WTF!? you just bogged em up?
give it a year and itll crack out.
shoulda welded it up.

 

Glass then bog, only needs to last a year.. maybe less till I have the funds, or gain the skill to weld in the patches. in the meantime it will last just fine.

 

Holy crap, long time no update... mainly because I fail at being organised...

So, rusty bits are coming along nicely, respectable quantity of low has been achieved with reset leaves and blocks out back and wound down and re-indexed torsions up front.

Wheels have been replaced with some red steel things... well on the front at least, offset on the rear is a bit ****ed so I need to flare the back guards a little/come up with a new plan.

Anyway, have some pics:















kinda in need of a fresh coat of matt... may go satin but that is in the long term plan

 

Waits for flaming about rust lol.

Also I'm pondering smoothing/removing the rain gutters around the top edges of the roof, any major issues anyone can think of? Will they grind back or need welding etc after grind? anyone got pics of one without the gutters?

Also need to do something about fitting the rear wheels/tyres not sure a baseball/dolly flare will be enough... pondering some spats... hmmm

 

Mild update, finally got matching rear wheels on with the kindly help of a piece of pipe and a hammer...

Before:







After:





And one of it with the wheels all matching for once lol: