Nominal

You can pull the springs apart and re-arch them yourself if you want to. A couple of ways: Easy Hard: Put the leaf down on a couple of steel blocks with a gap between them, and smack with a heavy hammer on the leaf above the gap. Work along the spring from front to back. Make sure you mark out the starting curve with chalk or something on the floor first. I need to do the rear leafs in my Holden, getting saggy after 40 years. One day!

No updates for a while. Have been tinkering away on various bits. Found that running the correct AFM (I had a couple sitting around) made a big difference. Had to adjust the mounting though as the connector was in a different location. Have done some more of the basic wiring (Alternator in particular). Doing a bit of panelwork at present as the budget is a bit tight, and this doesn't cost much. The front bumper is lowered so I've been making/fitting front guard extensions. Have these wheels on it temporarily, as I found one of them has cracked welds, making the whole set non-roadworthy. I needed the steel wheels back off this from my other car. Don't fit well, but look kind of neat.

I'm trying to resist the temptation to just drive up and down the road every day

Engine and box in chassis for test fire, before the body went back on. Coming together

Front suspension. Brakes have been upgraded since this pic. Still need to do something about bump stops. Rear brakes, 626/telstar discs slip over Hiace axles easily. 200sx calipers with integral handbrake mechanism

Quick 'closed road' test Damn intercooler piping keeps coming of the throttle body. Packaging is tricky with the upturned direction of the TB. I'm not sure if it is boost pressure, or the engine shifting on the mounts that is the issue, maybe a bit of both. Will have to try a better clamp there I think.

SR20DET, 5 speed, standard injection, standard turbo, front mount 'cooler. Front suspension is clubman/locost coilover style, with Cortina uprights and escort rack. Front brakes are Cressida discs, Subaru calipers on custom hubs. Rear is 5-link with coilovers on Hilux axle. Rear brakes are discs using 200sx calipers.

Finally got to take it for a quick drive down the road Lotsa fun. Going better now that I have the correct MAF on there. A bit scary-fast actually with no door etc. T>

RPU = Roadster Pickup for the acronymly challenged. Long term project, but at least my wiring and plumbing skills are sufficient. Currently sorting brake plumbing. Discussion

Yeah, it had extractors which I cut and shut to get at the starter motor once. Plenty loud for a paddock basher. I had a Chevette years ago that had an 18R-GU motor. Lotsa fun. Sold it though, last seen in lower grutt about 10 years ago. T.

Someone mention Chevette parts? Don't think there is much good left on it though... T.

Hilux head (non-LSD) weighs just under 25kg. I've just sold one on Trademe and need to consider shipping methods so I slung it on the scales. Should get the P.O ladies grunting [edit weight - duh]

At the moment it's just the Cortina (Mk3, Mk4? Not sure) dsics at the front. They'll probably do the job. I'm trying to freak out the Nissan boys, Morris boys, and my hot rod mates all at the same time

OK, here are some more pics. Apologies for the crappy quality. I've been buying parts instead of a digital camera. SR20DET red-top + 5 speed, all standard so far. Hilux diff, LSD, just checked centre & its a 4 spider! All custom suspension. Front is lotus-7 clone style with fabricated A-arms, coilovers, cortina uprights and discs, and escort rack. Rear is 5 link with coilovers. Chassis and suspension is pro-built by Graham Berry Race Cars. HR31 Skyline steering column. Underfloor brake and clutch. Body is cut-down Morrie van, roadster pickup style. 5 years and counting on this project. Currently getting driveshaft built, and AFM/intercooler piping organised. Current headache - fuel tank. Chassis/front suspension: Rear set-up: Side view with lowered bumper:

The one 6 stud axle I've got is about 40mm shorter than the 5 stud. Also one of the housings has an offset centre by about 10mm. I'm guessing that a 4WD hilux might have 6 studs, and an offset centre to work with a transfer box. This would mean 1 shorter and 1 longer axle. If so you could get two short axles and narrow 1 side of the diff only. You could gain a bit by shaving the inner end of the axle off and inserting it further onto the splines. I had this done with a TE51 diff a few years ago, but it was fairly pricey. Best get your tape measure out. Here's a pic of my project that has the hiace diff: SR20DET, etc. I live near sunny Otaki.

I've found the cheapest source is rusted-out Hiace vans. These are the same basic diff but are unlikely to be LSD. I think I've got an LSD centre here that I plan to use, but the crownwheel/pinion are rust pitted. Here's a pic of the splined end of a Hilux axle. It would need to be cut down into the thick area for re-splining. There seem to be shorter and longer axles, but some are 6 stud so watch out. I decided it was easier to widen the bodywork than narrow the axle. Here's a couple of pics of my disc-setup-in-progress. Discs are rears from a GD (?) Telstar that have the same stud pattern. Had to get the outer flange of the axles trimmed a little to fit inside the bisc hat. Calipers are S14 silvia rears that include a handbrake mechanism. Mounts are cut from 8mm plate. I still need to get spacers machined and welded to the mount plates.