dmulally

The first three things on the list I need to sort: The carb is leaking and doesn't inspire confidence. I might look at replacing it with a new carter single barrel. The generator has a rooted bearing. Makes an awful noise. I was worried it was the water pump but that seems fine although it does need new rad hoses. As you can see here there is a stuck valve. I have soaked it with loads of oil last night and this morning. I'm reluctant to hit it with a hammer just yet.

With help from @cubastreet we managed to get this thing started. I have 5 billion other projects but with the Imp going into tinkering retirement I don't mind having this to play on. The plan will be to put it on farm rego to move between the quarry and my two properties. I have no idea what it can carry but if it can manage 3.5 tonnes I'll use it to cart my dozer around. If it can't, I'll put a tipping bed on it. I know from driving it, it feels like a truck. Zero suspension travel. One thing I have no idea about is how to get a truck back on the road having been out of rego. Although I do have a couple of shreds of evidence it was registered back in the day floating around the cab. I'd love to do a chassis swap and lower it but I can only imagine that would be an LVV nightmare. So I'll probably go the path of least resistance here.

I fired up the Imp this morning to go and get some bread from the shops. As per usual I was hit on by a couple of boomers and the Imp performed flawlessly. I did notice that the WOF is due next month and I don't think I could be bothered renewing it. I know it will pass but I simply don't drive it enough. Time to put this thread on hold for a while whilst I clear out some more pressing projects. I already have a new motorbike engine for it (VTX1300 V-twin Honda) but frankly it works perfectly fine as it is. I always thought I'd blow the engine but in the thousand or so miles I have put on it over the last year it really hasn't skipped a beat on the road. The fuel economy is criminally good. Anyway, please enjoy a couple of pics before it goes for a long sleep and thanks for stopping by.

Nah I'm just bored. I haven't heard anything about truck mods. I want the path of least resistance.

Yep. Reckon the cab will fit on that Isuzu of yours?

Right then. So I have an old Morris cab over from the 60's. Minimal paperwork. Rego long since dead. The goal is to get it onto farm rego as I only need it to scoot to the quarry and back and between my two properties. I would like it to go through at least one COF for my own peace of mind and the guys at the local truck place are really helpful. If I can't get the current engine to run (Straight 6 petrol) I want to swap it for an Isuzu NPR engine and box I have floating around which is a similar HP but a lot more reliable. I understand how car LVV works but have no idea about trucks. Which order/sequence should I look at tackling things in?

Probably not but if it gets you on the road etc. I'll give you a ping.

I have a 4BE1 and MXA 5 speed in the shed as it happens.

Yeah stuff that. I'll get another dozer thanks. Or maybe I'll get a project truck and by the time I get it on the road in 30 years the rules may have changed.

Do you need a TSL even if lugging around your own crap? I'm looking to get a tipper or flat feck on farm rego to haul my 3T dozer. If I need a TSL maybe I should just get a second dozer and chain it up.

Blimey. My 66 C20 is only 100kgs heavier than that and sports a truck diff.

A side mirror on the door means you're looking over your shoulder every time you see who is tailgating you this time. Took the opportunity to drill a hole in the bonnet for an easier glance behind me. Only problem in an Imp is that everybody looks like a truck running you down!

Still have to put some chrome on and the rear window rubber. Then it will be me and a paint brush for a couple of weeks getting inside sorted. I should probably order a carpet kit whilst I'm at it.

Slapped some colour on it this morning. How I paint is I do a very light coat and go a little heavier over anywhere that has rubbed through the primer. Then one full wet coat. Then walk away briskly to clean the gun for a few hours so I don't get tempted to "fix" mistakes.

@smokin'joe saved the day by sending me a starter motor. I greased it up and gave it a restoration in a can and it works perfectly. Now I can get it outside to wet sand and ready for round 2 of painting. Like a rat with a gold tooth in there.

Changed the solenoid with a spare I had in the parts bin and nothing doing. So took out the starter and it has a nasty crack on the case. Time to find a new one. Also spent a couple hours sanding off the topcoat. Starting with 360 grit and work my way back up. Few weeks left to go on that one just to get back to where I started which is nice. Lots of imperfections to tidy up along the way so not all bad. I do have other projects I really would rather be doing however.

So I mentioned that painting in Spring was fun. I have a very small window of which I can paint in before the wind and humidity get out of hand. It's usually between 0700-0800. Today was one of those days where everything was going too well until I pulled the trigger. Thankfully I had only just started so it will only mean not having to rub back the whole car. I did get a nasty run too so I'm using this as an opportunity. And as these things go, it stopped raining after about 30 seconds. It was just one of those fuck you's from the skies. I'll probably paint it inside I think and just deal with the dust nibs and overspray over everything. This should have been a 20 minute job. Ahh well shit happens. Let's hope I have enough paint left to finish it. but I'm willing to bet I dont. I'll try again next week when I'm not so down on it.

It's the starter. Might need a bigger hammer.

So have got the imp in primer. The paint was about 2 years old so had to thin it right down. Which is good because it means less sanding. By less I mean none at all. I went out to hit it with some colour and half the sticky tape has blown off and it's just too windy. Too windy for Johnny Cutcorners himself. Also looks like the starter solenoid has shat itself too. Just a single click when hitting the tit now. I had to get back to work so I'll pop out later with a hammer to negotiate with it. Lucky I have a hill so can clutch start it.

Painting outside in the Wairarapa in spring is a lot of fun.

Ruh roh...another non running project followed me home

Yep that's the one. I won't be going back there again. I was blown away by how great Total Bodyshop were. Worth the cost of petrol and Petone traffic shithousery. If I can get this POS running I'll cruise to your place in it.

The AJ6 is a wonderful engine. If they were easily adapted to a manual gearbox I'd love on. So much power on tap. The XK engine is lovely is you're a billionaire who doesn't mind oil leaks. Speaking of XJ6 oily lumps... Old mate up the road pops over every now and again to have a chat whilst I'm tinkering on the dozer or something. Really nice guy. He said he has a tractor at home that his dad bought new and I can have for free. So I bobble up in the imp and have a look. It's a David Brown petrol and upon pulling out the dipstick a jet of water came out. So I politely declined that one. But he mentioned an old car of his he hasn't started in years that nobody but an idiot would want. Jokes on him isn't it? Automatic sadly but has been converted to the afore mentioned XK engine which is pretty cool.

The XJS isn't a project. I turn the key and it goes. Drove to collect some parts off @Bearded Baldy at Taupo and got 9l/100 with the AJ6. Lovely car. I prob could start a thread on the S-type. That needs a loooot of work.