Tom's Uterus - Manual + Bench seat

[Tom_1569]

Model: 1996 VS Ute

Colour: White

Engine: V6

Engine mods: None - Vic Red P-Plater

Exterior: 3" 5 Post bullbar

Gearbox: 5-speed Manual

Diff: Stock, LSD?

Brakes: VE V8 322mm Twin Piston Calipers + Slotted and dimpled rotors upfront, with Reco Calipers and Slotted and Dimpled rotors up the back, pulls up hard.

Suspension: Heavy Duty/Raised springs with KYB shocks in the front, standard in the back. Nolathane Bushes throughout.

Wheels: 17" 5-spoke.

Interior: Floor shift manual, with a bench seat, Custom made RM Williams Seat covers, Im not a big fan of the RM Williams stuff, but these seat covers look and feel awesome, the previous owner had them custom made.

Stereo: Pioneer MP3 headunit, that supports my handsfree, thats all I need.

Completed Mods:
Dual Battery system next to the fuel tank, with 4 X 12v Sockets in each corner of the tub for lighting, tools etc.

Future Mods:
Hunchback Toolbox
Full Tonneau cover (Has one for lader racks at the moment)
Ladder racks for the cover, to hold my Kayak with the swag still laid out.

Other Info:
Car was originally purchased from a member on here, and has been my daily since, just before I bought it, it had new heater core, and all new front bushes. It drives very tight, and so far its the only car I've been 100% happy to drive, I'm very fussy
Since buying it, I've pulled all the stickers off, I originally left the front RM Williams sticker on, but new windscreen now. Sideskirts will also stay off because I kept smacking my ankles on them, and I think they look abit gay.


Before I bought it, with the side skirt lights on.


Front angle, before I bought it.


Half way home, admiring the "little nudge bar".


The interior, will get a better pic.


Looking Roadworthy.


New springs and shocks, which raised it 100mm So it now sits level and gives me some ground clearance.


Front angle with new shocks and springs.


The damage from some wanker throwing something at me as we travel at 100km/h in opposite directions, not even on the road two weeks.

[f1tzy]

Whats a bullbat? lol

[Tom_1569]

Whats a bullbat? lol

Accidently clicked enter which submitted it for review for a mod, no chance to finish or fix up.... Will fix post 1 now.

[fuzzy2308]

got any pix tom?

[Tom_1569]

got any pix tom?

Post one updated

[fuzzy2308]

looks heaps clearner (and not insest) with out the bullbar. its a nice ute. did it set u back much?

[Tom_1569]

looks heaps clearner (and not insest) with out the bullbar. its a nice ute. did it set u back much?

Lol, Im suprised it took so long for the incest comments to come out
Nah I agree it looks heaps cleaner without, but its just not practicle for me at the moment. Im driving roo infested roads nearly every day, and had to many close calls in the the VT and VK. To put comprehensive insurance on the ute is $2000 a year, plus $1400 excess, which to be honest the only reason Id have it, is incase I hit a roo. So for now its insured with 3rd Party, and a bullbar
[EDIT[ Nah got it reasonably cheap I think. I spent nearly a year looking for this combination (bench + manual) that wasnt flogged out.

[xxNoblexx]

looks great mate, mad respect for the vs ute+bench seat+manual combo

good luck with it all

[Tom_1569]

looks great mate, mad respect for the vs ute+bench seat+manual combo

good luck with it all

Thanks, yeah definitly the best combo Good luck with yours.

[Tom_1569]

Dual Battery setup Phase 1.
All wiring laid out, and fuse box wired. Box secured.
Going to be running a Battery Isolator, a battery isolator switch in the cabin to turn it off complety, circuit breaker, with each 12volt socket having a fuse, so should be pretty fool proof. Just got to wait on the rest of the gear to show up (about 2 weeks) before I can get it finished.

[Tom_1569]

Interior shot, Very clean for a Ute.



Wiring Diagram for my Auxiliary setup, hopefully fool proof lol.

[Tom_1569]

Oh and its claim to fame

[Tom_1569]

What the sockets look like, 1 in each corner of the tub on the removeable side panels bit so no permanent damge.


Isolator switch in the cab, only bit that looks really out of place.


Wiring under the bonnet.


And Because I now can

[westbad]

liking the duel battery system mate, might have to do something like that with my ute.

[westbad]

Oh and its claim to fame

Did they ever catch the idiots that did this to your ute..??

[tristanjp]

lol, as if they would have.

[Tom_1569]

liking the duel battery system mate, might have to do something like that with my ute.

Yeah Im loving the dual battery system, its already come in handy for running the work light when I had my main battery disconnected, will be awesome when camping.
If you do do something similar, dont buy a dual battery system, I got prices from 250+ for a boxed system that only had enough wire to do it under the bonnet, and it didnt come with circuit breaker, battery box, or anything, msot didnt have a switch either.
So for the 250+ kits your getting, bout $10 worth of wire, a $25 Isolator, and a few crimps etc.

Did they ever catch the idiots that did this to your ute..??

Nah, I rang the police about 3 or 4 minutes after it happened, gave them the exact details of the car and where it was heading (it was heading straight into a town with a manned station, but some how they managed to miss it. But the local police who did the report etc were excellent abotu the entire situation, even complimented my driving haha

lol, as if they would have.

Haha yeah, pretty much, even if they caught him, I would have to prove he did it, which is a bit hard since there were only me and him around on that section of the highway at the time.

[Tom_1569]

Ute has now had two new o2 sensors fitted, and the ECU o2 sensor bit re-earther has per "ephects" workguide on here.

Yesterday it had Air,Fuel and oil filter replaced, oil change, and Genuine Spark plug leads and Bosch Super 4 Spark plugs fitted. Drives alot better, use to have a shudder on take off which I thought was the clutch, turns out it was a miss-fire under load, all sorted now


A quick snap I got of it whilst I was out taking some photos.

[SprJohno]

Looking good man and good to hear she is running smooth again
could you give me a run down on these sensor things and what they do? also why were you playing with that battering in the tray? and last thing just a quik run down on all the the add on you have done to your ute
cheers mate keep up the good work

[Tom_1569]

Looking good man and good to hear she is running smooth again
could you give me a run down on these sensor things and what they do? also why were you playing with that battering in the tray? and last thing just a quik run down on all the the add on you have done to your ute
cheers mate keep up the good work

Thanks,
The o2 sensors measure the oxygen comong out the exhaust and alter your fuel mixture accordingly. They are a standard item, and the VS V6 has one on each side of the y-pipe for the exhaust. Mine decided to break (causing fuel economy to go up about 4l/100km) it seems to be quite common, due to a bad earth for the sensors. "Ephect" did a work guide on a simple fix HERE, which is what I followed along with replacing the two sensors. If your sensros are broken they will trigger a fault code(engine light), so dont stress.

The battery in my tray next to the fuel tank is my dual battery. It runs the 4 12v sockets I have in the tub, which can be used for lights, fridges and various other 12volt accessories when Im out camping. The battery will charge when the car is running, but once the car is off it is isolated from my starting battery, so I can never flatten my starting battery, whilst out in the bush.

Thats about the only non-standard items on the ute at the moment, just over-maintain it and keep it up to scratch.

[fuzzy2308]

thats the cleanest interior ive seen in a vs ute ever.

[Jo3_Blo]

Yeh, I really quite like the neat clean interior!

Ute looks rather neat overall, good job. Too bad about the ******** in the 4WD though.

[Tom_1569]

thats the cleanest interior ive seen in a vs ute ever.

Thanks mate.

Yeh, I really quite like the neat clean interior!

Ute looks rather neat overall, good job. Too bad about the ******** in the 4WD though.

Thanks, Interior is slighty neater now, that long as cable was shitting me, so made up a custom one, a bees dick neater lol.

Update:
Sump/Bash Gaurd fitted, Stuck it up on the hoist and welded the nuts to the k-frame with the mig, so now its now its easy to remove it when its not on the hoist, Sump plug can be removed with its fitted, so thats a bonus


Made up this radio a while ago to run off the prawning battery, just altered it now to run off the 12v socket, great for camping/fishing Might swap it for the MP3 CD Head unit later on.


Photos from the JC Gippsland Cruise. Thanks to ephect.

[HoZy]

I really like that bash plate.... I need!

[HamaTime™]

What do you use/need the bull bar/bash plate for Tom?