Resto Project - VS Charged Ute

[Rusty]

Decided to go hunting for power steering leak.

Removed pulley and found little to no oil around the housing.

A bit of buildup around the low pressure hose and found it had a shagged clip. Replaced the clip and gave everything a good degrease. Time should tell me if I have a further issue.

Windows coming out today as I'm picking up my free tinted glass tomorrow.

Now leaning towards a rip shifter instead of t bar. Install would prob be easier and the shifter should be more effective than standard. Only bugger is that I have a 4l60e and from memory the "e" means electronic component meaning a rip shifter or a like are not as effective or instant as the ones without.

It'd be a bit hairy through corners too

 

[VS_Pete]

It'd be a bit hairy through corners too

Just the way we like it lol

 

[Rusty]

Installed the two freebie tinted windows. Was one hell of a job removing and installing them without scratching the tint. Looks heaps better with darker tint and now need to tint the smaller windows.

Picked up the handbrake and will tackle the conversion tomorrow. Shouldn't be too tricky

Also picked up a t bar but will likely go with semi manualised auto ratchet shifter thingo of some sort. Q

 

[UP THE RED VS]

Nice very interested in the hand brake because I need to do the same thing eventually haha

 

[Rusty]

Thanks mate.

Am halfway through it at the moment.

So far I've had to chuck the ute up on ramps and released handbrake.

Crawled underneath and disconnected spring front handbrake mechanism. Removed the two thirteen mil nuts holding on the u shackle tensioner part.

Undone two thirteen mil bolts from underneath holding the handbrake mechanism in the tunnel to find they are hitting the driveshaft and can't be removed.

Undone the two thirteen mil bolts holding the bracket that centres the tail shaft. Move tail shaft across and removed the two started bolts.

Having a smoke break now and will tackle the rest soon. The mechanism in the tunnel should slide out now and should be a fairly straight forward install.

The new handbrake should slide in with two bolts from the cabin into the tunnel and bolts straight up using existing u shackle type setup.

Once that's done the handbrake sensor thingo will need to be rewired and the old handbrake removed and patched.

So far so good. Apologies if errors above. Middle of the night.....

 

[Rusty]

Mission accomplished.


Everything in pic is wired up and functioning. Need a new centre console as the one I have was just for mock up. Still undecided on shifter options.

 

[Rusty]

Here's how she sits at the moment.
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Found these in the doors. Sound quality is incredible with the amp and sub. Apparently they were fairly high quality speakers at the time.



Found that standard t bar will not fit as the driveline appears to sit higher and closer to the tunnel in the ute?? I could prob lower it but it's a great excuse for a rip shifter or alike. Need to find one that fits in the standard place without too much modifying.

Scribbled a To Do list on the tool box in the wee hours of last night:

New cluster surround with boost gauge
New floor console - shagged mock console currently installed
Power window switches - convert to standard floor console
Power steering pump - shagged
R/h window regulator - currently removed
R/h scuff plate - need one without handbrake provision
Steering wheel surround - minus column shift crap
Install bumper support bar - been lazy
Clean surface rust strut towers - may be an excuse to drop front and bag rear
Amp fuse - looks old
Swap boost gauge and install in dash -
Fix and paint l h skirt - fibreglass spider webbing
R/h pillar trim ( delete gauge)
Wire hand brake release light
Hvac adjustment
Adjust glovebox - sagging a lil due to computer inside
Delete extra seatbelt - column shift delete
Shifter - no idea what sort yet
Stereo - install my double din or go single if it can run all the speakers etc
Sway bar bush - not bad but not perfect
Tint quarter glass - looks like ass with dark windows
Wire up fog lights
Buy a whiteboard......

Above is more for my reference

 

[Rusty]

Semi productive day

Extended the wiring from the old handbrake to the new handbrake. The little reminder light works now!

Sanded back the side skirt - hopefully pickup paint in the next few days


Removed the seat belt clip thingo from when it was column shift and put standard in.

Got a better shot of sub install with seat out. Amp and sub is a pretty tidy install that looks almost factory

 

[UP THE RED VS]

Sub looks mint, any more pics of install??

 

[Rusty]

Only other pic I have is this one


Runs a crossover network (whatever that is), sub behind seat, amp behind other seat with alpine old school minidisc head unit. Supposedly top of line 10 years ago and does sound great. I'm presuming I'll find tweeters somewhere too