Anyone got a VZ Cross 8 Crewman? (But now I have one :) )

[Fu Manchu]

Next is the Calais gloss black cluster surround.
Gave it a polish and it looks classy as.

Much better than the previous silver one.

Also been replacing the deteriorating loom foam wrapping everywhere possible. Also added extra where the looms touch the bodywork.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Of course, I bump the shifter boot and it comes apart. So remove the shifter and I break the clips on the side. I maybe should have heated them a bit before releasing them.

Interestingly, the selector indicator panel is marked VY2 AWD. This stuff looked like it had never had a screw turned until now, so I’m guessing Holden using old stock when building the car.

The spacing is different to regular 2WD models.

I thought, I can get screws through it and that should work, but the abs was too brittle and the whole situation just got worse.

What would be handy is a light aluminum frame with hooked up pins from it to hold the boot properly. Could be glued to the base with an automotive adhesive.

Heaps of grot on the base. Mould growing on the grot.

That will get a clean.

Ordered another panel and will paint it gloss black.

 

[dgp]

Awesome job Fu, a real credit to you

 

[Fu Manchu]

Made the speaker harness today for the passenger side. I hate those red butt connectors. They connect to the splitters though.

 

[Fu Manchu]

I also received the new old facia for the gear selector yesterday. Came from Eagle Hawke. (Mulga Bill’s Bicycle story always come to mind when I see Eagle Hawke mentioned)

That was fast as. Eagle Hawke to Perth in a few days. That’s good!

One on the right is the new old one. Has all the clips. All the boot pins. Just not black like the Cross8 one and a bit “How ya goin” anyway.

So time to paint.

Cleaned it back.

Primer and satin black.
Last of both cans so the finish was shite. So light sand. Compound and polish. Looked mint. Almost gloss black after that. You can see the low spots.

Yeah, so buffed up really nice. Wiped it back and rather than a soapy wash down to remove the residue. I used IPA and that dissolved the barely applied paint and fkd the whole lot!

Grr. Guess what I’m doing again tomorrow.

Before.

After.
Got this buffed up well too.

 

[Fu Manchu]

On a side note to fkn fast deliveries. Last Wednesday I bought an LS1 oil filler neck and cap on Amazon from Kentucky in the US. It arrived yesterday!

I could buy the same brand in Australia for 3 times the price. AC Delco Cap new for about ⅓ local price. Delivered faster to Perth than most parcels from the east coast! I’m still waiting for east coast parcels from 3 weeks ago to get here. (Except the one from Eagle Hawke)

 

[Fu Manchu]

Cross8 cable gear selector minus the trims etc.
Doesn’t go through the floor. Uses a cable like a BnM shifter.

 

[afstruct]

View attachment 215721

On a side note to fkn fast deliveries. Last Wednesday I bought an LS1 oil filler neck and cap on Amazon from Kentucky in the US. It arrived yesterday!

I could buy the same brand in Australia for 3 times the price. AC Delco Cap new for about ⅓ local price. Delivered faster to Perth than most parcels from the east coast! I’m still waiting for east coast parcels from 3 weeks ago to get here. (Except the one from Eagle Hawke)

Yeah deliveries within aus sxxk
Took 2 weeks for aus post ( just got today) to deliver seals for my fermenter , from Brisbane to Newcastle = a joke.

By the way doing a great jobs on the cross 8

 

[Fu Manchu]

Thanks for the kind words. I’m not getting enough time to just nail all this. Has been annoying me.

Rather than the big things like engine and paint, this project is all about the little things.

Engine is later.

Wiring the reverse camera at the moment. A super hard task on Crewman. Once that is done, I can focus on getting the inside together again... finally.

Then I’ll be doing a serious clean under the bonnet, the underneath.

New alternator required too, so looking at it, I’m thinking it’s power steering pump out to get to it?

I’ll be painting the brakes and rotors.

New antenna going on.

I’m going to leave off the rear wheel well covers to clean up in there.

It’s all going on longer than I thought, but doing the things I’d have spent years being annoyed by.

Can’t wait to have it out on a beach with the fam.

Also, this from yesterday
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/vy-vz-auto-gear-shift-trim-removal.285163/

 

[Fu Manchu]

Got all the door trims back on. Doors sound so solid when they close now.

Rechecked continuity on the harnesses and all the plugs I made.


Then this bloody gear selector trim. I’ve really struggled with this.
Yesterday was hotter than a sexy insta account. I applied some gloss black left over from the facias I painted. It dried to quick. Got some bubbles and wanted a few coats more. The bloody can crapped out and leaked everywhere. It had more orange peel than the veggie section at IGA. So I’ve had to make do.

Sanded it back this morning, compound buff and then a light polish. The compound might have taken too much off. Got some nasty imperfections through it. I’m not happy with it, but it’s going to have to do. It’s better than what was in the car.

What was in there, on the right. The glossier one replacing it on he left.