Losh's VR Ute build thread

[vs-lover]

Anything above Exec luxury level is also getting near on impossible to find in SA now.

UPI (the rapers of cars) are lucky if they have one VR or VS come into their system every week between all 3 yards. I remember when they would have a new Calais arrive once a week, but now, absolutely nothing.

It probably doesn't help that other buyers of old cars are now offering much more cash than UPI does and thus why their stock levels are getting rather depleted now with many cars staying in their yards for over 6 months when once they hit the 3 month mark they were off to meet the Excavator to be torn apart so separate the steel from the ally etc.

 

[losh1971]

Would you like me to have a looksey? I know a few wreckers and people wrecking them around my state? Pm if you do

Yeah if you don't mind having a look, but please don't go out of your way. Even if I do find some, I don't know how to swap them so chances are they will sit around for a while. Having said that I do collect some parts for the one day I can fit them. The Stato door trims went on pretty quick but it took me over a year to connect up the lights. The white mirrors I bought a while back, and it took some time to fit them, but that required new door looms, so that was a fairly big job. Although the new mirrors would probably still be in the shed if the old left mirror didn't stop moving. I have a new good tail light housing to go one, but I need new LED reverse bulbs, but don't know where to get decent ones at decent price, Jaycar want over $30 each.
I'm still not finished getting the bar cover painted, so that probably won't go on this year as hoped. I want to sort out the slight damage in the rad lower support panel but not sure if it can be fixed or if it needs unpicking and a replacement welded in, which I do have but I can't weld. After Christmas was when I planned to finish the cosmetic stuff on the ute but not sure how much will get done as I need skilled labour and that costs money..... For what I want done parts will be fairly cheap in comparison to 10-12hrs labour at $100 an hour lol.

On another note, the heads will be ready by Monday arvo the machinist said. I told him I need no more delays as I will struggle to get another opportunity to have the heads fitted at the garage this side of Christmas, and I'm keen to see the improvements with the head work done. He has done most of the work, it's now just the porting that needs to be done, but there is probably four hours in that job alone.

 

[vr304]

Were you getting them milled for a bit more compression as well or just the port work and a freshen up?

 

[losh1971]

Were you getting them milled for a bit more compression as well or just the port work and a freshen up?

Yeah 10 thou

 

[losh1971]

Got the tub side rails back on today, I also got them and the roof buffed. Came out pretty reasonable. I found the orange pad clogged up a bit after doing a fair bit of work, it then leave marks that need to be buffed off with clean edge of the pad. I tried washing it in soapy warm water but it really didn't leave it clean enough. No idea how you get the compound and cut paint out of these as I'm sure they are not solvent safe?
I am yet to buff the mirrors as I just run out of time, and I have to go out for the work Christmas tea tonight. I have another one next weekend too, so gonna be hard to get everything done I need to get done. Buffing took me nearly two hours, by the time I set and packed up. I still need to finish the replacement manifold. I could have an hour or two in that, acid etching one last time as well as cleaning up the dags on the inlet ports.

Here is a couple of pics.

 

[losh1971]

Something I didn't mention was my tonneau bar mounts arrived a couple of days ago. I hope to get them riveted on tomorrow, I just need another pair of hands to make sure they go on in the right spot. I also ordered a new tonneau cover from Ute Gear Online. It will be interesting to see the quality. I only paid $109 and they were $99 a few weeks ago but they went up. Ebay listing was $129 so I went straight to the UGO site and bought it from there. I still have to strip and paint the tailgate rail unless the one I already have stripped comes out alright after the father in law has a look at it. I'm keen to get it on but I will need more paint anyway and then I need to find time to paint it.

I'm keen to try the new Turtle Wax ceramic wax but need to have a few hours spare to clay it and then apply the coating.

 

[Skylarking]

@losh1971 check out the video below, especially the bit about pads clogging and cleaning then starting at @ 12:10

 

[VS 5.0]

@losh1971 check out the video below, especially the bit about pads clogging and cleaning then starting at @ 12:10

TL;DR

Compressed air.

 

[Skylarking]

TL;DR

Compressed air.

But that’s such a quick answer
Wasn’t the 15 minutes of detailing video worth the wait and then of course you had to continue watching it
Call yourself a car enthusiast

 

[VS 5.0]

But that’s such a quick answer
Wasn’t the 15 minutes of detailing video worth the wait and then of course you had to continue watching it
Call yourself a car enthusiast

I've lost count of how many of his videos I've watched.