My Vc Wagon - RB30 Conversion
Here's some shots of my old girl...
I'm only the 3rd owner of it & shes in awesome condition body wise & interiors mint, the 1st owner re-powered it from a 4 cylinder boat anchor but he sure messed up the conversion. Used 4 cylinder mounts & had the engine 3 inches to far forward, i soon sorted that with a 6 cylinder k-frame. Its got a 173 in it with the 186s carb-manifold & factory twin branch headers going back to a celica 5 speed but I've made my mind up that shes going RB30. I was thinking of doing the conversion when i bought it but decided to sort what was in there, wish I'd bit the bullet and done it from the start but wont take much to get it done.
I'll put some pics up of when i bought it, in the engine bay shot you can see the funny position the engine was in.....
Last edited by GypsyNz; 19-01-2012 at 08:14 PM.
Well finaly got the 173 going sweet yesterday, valve seat recession so whipped the head off to find valves sunken into the head. Bought a 2nd hand head and chucked that on, finally running like a kitten for the 1st time since i bought it. Will sell all the running gear off once i get all the bits needed to convert her over to RB30 but least for now shes running mint.
Was going to go V6 but i've always wanted to do an RB conversion in an early girl so the times right to fire ahead.....
Last edited by GypsyNz; 16-11-2011 at 09:55 AM.
For your wiring this thread may help but its not a topic discussed in detail as any random can find out how to wire up and steal the car.
THE definitave V6 Conversion into VB, VC, VH & VK Thread (please post your knowledge)
Also refer to the V6 conversion sticky before posting new threads if you have questions, or do a search.
Sweet cheers for that, found a fair bit of info going through the threads on here so i reckon i should be able to sort it. And yeah theres some low lifes out there, just hunting for a parts car at pres then mission will be on.....
Well had the old girl out for a run this week & besides the front indicator falling off somewhere it runs mint, the old bugger that owned it originaly liked to tinker & i reckon hes had it out at some stage. I'm still finding stuff hes messed with lol, exhaust & that indicator to sort & she'll be road legal. Still going to do a V6 conversion but going to leave it for down the track a bit since shes running so good, will give me the chance to sort a lot of other things 1st. Looking at buying a mig this week then i'll be set, that engine bay enoys me. Its one area that lets the whole car down....
Thought id put some current pics up of as she sits.....
Last edited by GypsyNz; 25-10-2011 at 04:17 PM.
Having serious thoughts of maybe putting an Rb30 in her instead of the V6, complete Vl loom and dash etc. Its a job i could do in no time & with a lot less hassle. I no people will be thinking keep it old schools & put an 8 in it but im after something more modern & reliable, had a Vl turbo a few years back & never forgot it. Used to love these old 6's but they've sure had there day as far as im concerned.....
Well the V6 idea's out the window, i pick up an RB30 auto wagon tonight. Sweet runner so that's what will be getting fitted in to the old girl, will be using the complete Vl loom & dash to simplify things. Only 2 things I'll have to sort for the conversion are an auto cross member & figure out the heater, the Vc's have the fan in the center of the fire wall where as the Vl's on the left hand side. So just have to find out if i can use the Vc heater with the Vl loom & dash or cut & weld in the Vl fan section into the Vc, if anyone's done this before & no's how to get round this I'm all ears....
The parts wagon's a series 2 engine as well so if some where down the track i manage to get my hands on the turbo gear over here that's how she'll end up....
Been driving this for the last month while my daily's getting some well earned maintenance, got the old red 6 purring like a kitten so someones going to get a good buy when i pull it out. Just trying to figure out what colour where going to paint her so i can get some paint to do the engine bay, I'll do that 1st while I'm doing the conversion & get the rest painted down the track, thinking of a deep maroon or purple....
Cant wait to make a start on her i no that much, anyone out there got any knowledge on using the Vc heater with the Vl dash & loom would be awesome to.......
Well sold the Hotwires today so i'll be putting the Vl diff & front struts in the old girl over the next few days, hunting round for a set of alloys for the new stud pattern at pres. Got a few sniffing round the running gear so touch wood that might sell soon, i dont think it'll be long now before i start doing the conversion. Nearly got my daily all fixed up so once thats done its mission on......
Won a new set of mags on Trademe auction sight yesterday, 16x8 ROH 5 spokes. Good score for $100, got given a set of 215/60/16's So should look sweet on the old girl for now. Picking them up today, just have to get the Vl diff & struts in now ;-)
Well motor and box are sold so the fun's about to begin, pulling the Rb out this week & the 173 & make a start on the conversion. Thinking i'll drop the Rb in so i can set everything up then pull it back out to paint the engine bay.....So missions on at last ;-)
Looks like it should be a good project. So your using the vl k frame?
Shes a keeper so she'll come up well, be using everything from the Vl. K-frame - brakes diff The whole 9 yards, she'll basically be a Vl wrapped in a Vc shell buy the time im done. Dropping diffs now, just had another quake so i've stopped for a bit, im in the eastern suburbs in Christchurch Nz so shes fun & games......
Ohh haha, bugger that, couldn't live down there! She'll be mint. Staying auto?
Yeah a shallow 4.8 7 k's away so rocked the shed pretty good lol, yeah staying auto. The trans in the parts wagons a minter, drove it home and gave it a good thrash to check everything out. Just got the Vl diff out so onto mine soon......
Well thats 2 diffs out, take the Mrs to work soon then its beer time. Just sat one of the new mags under the back, they sure suit her i reckon.......
Well motor & box are sold so be pulling them out this week, got the Vl diff in so that's one less job to do. The conversion's about to begin, just bought an engine crane last night to make things easier. Cut the front out of the Vl yesterday so be a piece of cake to get the motor & trans out of that, cant wait to have it all done & sorted but i wont be rushing. Do it once & do it right is my motto ;-)
Getting ready to pull the motor out of the parts wagon, shes half out now. Bit on at pres so finish that in the next couple of days, new owners picking the 173 up in the weekend so going to hall that out tomorrow after i pick up the engine crane i bought ;-)
Looks good mate, but I prefer the old wheels to be honest.
Cheers & yeah i was gutted bout the wheels to but they were Ht holden pattern, she was still on 4 cylinder brakes so was damn scarey to stop. So the wheels had to go for safety sake, wanting to get this new type of mag I've seen over here at some stage. They've got a black mesh center with chrome outer, look pretty similar to the old hotwires so that's the plan for down the tack a bit
Well 173's out, starting to do a bit to her now. Removed the battery tray today so got to clean that up and weld up some holes, started removing the brackets for the windscreen washers & overflow bottle. I'll use the Vl ones when shes all done, the Vl motors almost ready to lift out. Once that's out i'll kick that out of the shed & get the Vc in and strip out the interior & get the front off her. I'll hide as much of the wiring as possible as i go, going to see if i can get the fuse box under the dash but not sure if i'll get away with that from what i've read......
Getting a bit done here, so bloody hot though makes it fun. Motors out of the Vl and got that outside ready to strip, got the bottom radiator support off as well. Going to drop the front end & k-frame soon....
Got the Vc in the shed again so will start getting the front of her in the next couple of days and get the interior all stripped out as well, she's looking a little sad sitting there at the mo but will slowly get better from her on in. Missions on........
That isn't rust on the firewall either, had that factory black noise suppressant thing over the firewall. Was well glued on there as you can see, going to be fun getting that off Not lol
Been a busy day so only got a we bit done today, dont no if you guys over there get this problem but there's a rust trap in these early girls. Its just on the passenger side of the trans tunnel , found some rust there when i bought it so i knew there be rust in the floor & sure enough when i got the carpets out there it was
Wont be to hard to sort but a pain in the rear, i'll make sure she never rust's here again. One plus the parts wagons floors mint & seems to be the same shape so i'll be cutting the section out of that that i need.
Started getting the front of as well, finish that up tommorow then i can start cleaning things up & put the vl front end in.....
nice thread bro cant wait to see what she looks like with the rb
Cheers....She'll be mint with the rb in her, just getting ready to drop the old front end now. Fronts all stripped off her, once all that's done i'll hall the dash out. Need her going again by March 1st so missions on....
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