Jolls VZ ute project

[Jolls]

Fingers, toes and curlies crossed!

 

[Jolls]

So - driving the beast to site this morning and the dash has frozen. Car runs fine so BCM etc are good. Indicators work and high beam indicator iluminates. Nothing else at all functions - the needles are frozen in the position they were in at the time. Fuses are good and I have power to them - I can only assume that the cluster itself has died.

This is the instrument cluster - ignition on engine off.
I will disconnect and reconnect it just to be sure it isn't a connection issue before I shell out the beer tokens fo ra replacement.

So a couple of questions?

1. Anyone else had this happen - can only find one thread on the site and they didn't follow up with a resolution.
2. Envious Customs no longer have stock - anyone got one for an SS laying about?
.

 

[Fu Manchu]

You can use any cluster. It just needs to be set up for your car. There quite a few that do it, and sending it over here to Envyous Customs is a great way because he is so experienced doing it.

Why not put a Berlina, Calais or Statesman cluster in? Fancy.

Is it the VY cluster or VZ? VY has a grey plug on the back.

 

[Jolls]

Hi Fu

It is a VZ Cluster - I have the old VY one up in the shed but it doesn't match. I called Jason and he simply doesn't do it anymore for the VY/VZ so Envyous Customs is out.

I thought about the higher spec clusters but opted for an SS one from LSXtreme simply because it has been tested and could be shipped immediately. They have been great with the ECU programming for the VZ and the drive by wire accelerator patch lead was great quality. For much the same price as a second hand one off ePay LSExtreme provide it set to the VIN and, with proof, the actual km on the odometer. I'm pretty sure I can do it all with the Tech 2 but opted for it programmed to make it plug and play. I will use the Tech 2 to set to the km the engine has done so I can track the engine life as opposed to the car.

She will go a bit faster too as the only dash they had available was a red one !

Cheers
Jolls

 

[Jolls]

Hi Team,

I received the cluster during the week. I didn't send the old one in to get the km matched as my plan is to have the odometer reflect the km on the refreshed donk. I can't adjust the km value unles I get the TIS austhorisation so from my read it simply adjust the cluster parameters to match the vehicle configuration and let the odometer run from zero. I then let the RMS know of the change and provide them with the km at changeover.

Is it possible for someone who has done this previously to confirm that unless I want to change the km from zero I can program the cluster to the vehicle without TIS authorisstion?

Thanks in advance for the advice. By the way the red cluster definitely looks faster than the silver one. I just wonder by how much .

Cheers Jolls

 

[Jolls]

The replacement of the instrument cluster was very simple. Popped the old one out and the new one it. Configured it with the Tech 2 and then put it police mode and configured the speedo by getting to 100km hr by the GPS and hitting the program button. Piece of train to a pissed digger!

The red provides a good contrast!

 

[Jolls]

Life has a habit of getting in the way of fun - not much progress on the old girl lately. We have been building all week and working on a three bedroom granny flat build out the back paddock of my own place on weekends - so no time for the VZ. She has been dutifully carrying timber and supplies. So taking a couple of weeks off to head up to the sunshine of Brisbane to pick up a JAWA Sirrocco Hybrid Camper and taking a couple of weeks to cruise down the coast.

Started prepping the Hilux for the trip yesterday - changed oils etc and while I Was at it gave the old girl a bit of TLC. Replaced the broken scuff plate and trim on the passenger side and put in a new seatbelt on the driver's side as the old one was starting to fray. While I was there took a shot of the new instrument cluster.

Internals are now in good shape - still no progress on the external.

As for her utility as a utility - runs great and sounds awesome and has a nice rock from the cam when stopped at the lights. The suspension is fantastic - she holds the road well and also carrys some decent loads so all in all quite happy - with the execption of a drone at around 12-1500 rpm. I have worked out that this is because she labours a little at that rev range using heaps more fuel. She is much happier at 2K and above - no drone - fuel savings as well. Just have to be travelling at 120 plus in 6th to be in that zone so we may have gone a little too high for day to day cam use as the Higway Patrol target the Barton Higway and Murrumbateman heavily.

Got some good news as well this morning - we beat the ACT speeding camera fines - all waived! So today just got even better!

Enough for now - have a great weekend!

 

[Jolls]

Hi All

So life has still been getting in the way - between rain and building not much has been acheived on the old girl.

The biggest change has been the fitting of a reversing camera and half of the steering wheel control (SWC) wiring. Old mate at SuperCrap only identified half of the SWC requirement so the rest is in the mail.

She is still dutifully doing the inglorious jobs in the business - taking crap to the tip and picking up general materials etc.

As a reward I have ordered some aluminium scuff plates for her off ePay. The plastic ones are a bit damaged so I am keen to replace them. I have not decided if they are too tacky or not - we will see what they look like once they turn up. Wife says it screams Mt Druitt Bogan (we both grew up there so I am not offended by the inference haha).

Once I have fitted them (or sent them to the scrappy) and the steering wheel controls are working I will be leaving the interior for the short term. Everything works and looks OK. I still need to get the original steering wheel recovered, paint the trim, throw in some new speakers and speaker covers and get the seats (at least the drivers side) redone. For now it is workable so I will shift my focus to the exterior; which is fugly!

I am about prep the hard lid from the old ute for paint; heaps of peel and cracking so it will have to go back to bare fibreglass. Not much fun in the prep there. I have ordered a letterbox grille so at least that decision is mage. I am tossing up between a fibreglass Monaro Bonnet or a adding a 2 inch reverse cowl to the exisiting one. I'm struggling with the decision but I am leaning towards the cowl - going back to my LJ/LH Torana days!

Paint wise I have decided on rubbing back the "house paint" and re-doing her in the original Heron White. The prep work required is significant and time is hard to come by so I am going to prep it panel by panel working from the front to the back and then pul here off the road and then do the final prep and paint. I have to build the shed and "spray booth" yet so we won't be rushing it.

I have also decided on adding a fibreglass two piece engine cover with SS on it. I am thinking of pulling the red colour from the new dash through the car as an accent. I am tossing up between painting them white with red SS or red with white SS. Whatever I decide I will paint them and the OTR at the same time we do the body.

I would also like to make rhe tub more usable - some decent adjustable tie down tracks or something similar. I have seen the ones out of the wagons - has anyone tried to fit them? If so how did it og - how do they look? Any ideas or thoughts on customising the tub would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers n Beers

Jolls

 

[harrop.senator]

Plug in 240v orbital sander and an interface on 180 grit is what you want. No pressure drop from a compressor , quite and like $50-100.

The fg-x bulge fits vz bonnet extremely easily and may be an option you'd not thought of.

 

[Jolls]

That does look good. I will do a bit more research.
I have the orbital sander and the paper ready to go. Just got to gat someone to print me some time!

cheers
Jolls