WhangareiKE70

In place. There really isn't any room to go thicker, it is hard up against the grill and the rad support framing, and I have already had to trim the grill a fair bit in behind. If I have to I can go for a taller intercooler and cut out the bottom of the grill, I will just have to come up with a way of hiding it. This is something I want to be hidden/subtle, unlike everything else on this build. EDIT: Also, fun fact, the engine is actually in the engine bay in the bottom photo, hahaha, shouldn't have any problems with air pockets in the cooling system at least?

I get that, that is why I put the post up, to be educated. I suppose I knew it wasn’t going to be optimal, just wanted to know if it was going to be a resounding “no, this won’t work at all”, in which case I would have to reassess. There was enough of a “maybe” for me to give it a go. I didn’t say I wasn’t hacking up the front, just not the grill... hahaha. But seriously, trying to find the balance between old school looks and 4wd practicalities (bullbar, winch, proper clearance etc) is difficult. I’m gonna try incorporate the factory bumper into the bullbar somehow.

Yeah, true, didn't think about that. Makes sense. Moral of the story is, I bought it, and it is now on its way to me. It will do for mock up, and once everything is running, I will soon discover if it is suitable or not. I hope it is because I don't want to cut the grill. I appreciate all the advice all the same. I will make sure to try and report back once the project runs. -Hayden

Intercooler core: 180x65= 11,700 mm2 Intercooler pipe: pi x radius squared= 3.1415 x (32.5x32.5) = 3.1415 x 1056.25 = 3,316.6 So cross sectional area of intercooler core is about 3.5x the piping. I can do math, just not performance engines. Will that difference be enough?

Hi all, Have tried looking, but couldn't find the info I was looking for. Looking at an intercooler for my RB25DET Datsun 720 project. Intercooler core size I am looking at (A2A) 500x180x65mm. https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1795400654 Engine is RB25DET, expected power somewhere around 300-350hp. Mostly on road driving, I am aware of the limitations of A2A in offroad environments. The main reason I am looking at this size is it will package neatly behind the grill with minimal/no clearancing, and allow for very short piping (around 1m total). Inlet/outlet size is 2.5" (63mm) which I have found info on, and believe to be sufficient? If someone believes otherwise feel free to chime in. It is early to be looking at this, but I am fabbing up the rad support so I have to make allowances for mounting the intercooler/oil cooler etc. It is hard to get good info on this subject as most cars running RB25DET engines have intercoolers sized for trucks that hang hectic low and scrape in the KFC drive through. If anyone could help or point in the direction of where/who to ask, that would be really appreciated.

Okeley dokeley, Did some more on this. Pulled the diff apart, as far as didn't take out axles or anything, just cosmetically, will check to see what it's like once it runs and go from there. Drained the oil and that looked fine, which was good, was honestly quite worried it would be half full with seawater. Put some new rotors on bacause shiny/old ones were shot and well past a skim to get them right Painted the rotors, baked them in the benchtop oven I conveniently already had (how cute) then kitted them out with new slide pins (only 1x cause it was munted), pistons, seals, etc. Shiny.... And all together. Shocks are RAW monotube 4" lift, should do the business. Wheel are new ROH 15x8 -22 with the secondhand 33x12.5R15s I acquired from @Stu They will do until it's done, didn't want to buy fresh rubber only to have it sit around and dry rot. The dummy engine, an RB25DE that doesn't have all its insides, long story, but it will do for mockup. Put it in the engine bay, got a couple of bellhousing bolts in just to get the faces together so I could see where it would sit. Which meant this had to happen... I will be incoroporating a hatch in the top of the gearbox tunnel to allow access to the rear plug/coil. The hole has been somewhat refined since I took this photo, and will need to be further dependant on intake and exhaust manifolds. I plan on running a forward facing plenum, but a cut n' shut may hug the block more and work better, I am not sure yet. If anyone has a Greddy type FFP on a RB25DET, if you could measure the distance from the intake flange face to the furthermost away point at both the front and rear of the manifold, that would be super helpful and appreciated. Not the best photo, but you can sort of see clearances will be minimal on intake (driver) side, exhaust should be fine (I hope) Heaps of clearance to the radiator at least in this position, this is with it just sitting there behind the rad support panel. Going to pick up this beast of a tray this afternoon, it has been made to suit a Safari ute conversion already so the mounts suit, it's almost perfect! Just need to shorten it a little at the head board end. Even comes with a 200l auxilliary tank if I ever feel like having $500 fuel bills. So that saves a lot of work adapting the other tray I had for the mounts, and is waaaaay more solidly built than the tray I had, so I am happy. Did this, which makes clearance for the front wheel/tyre, may need further trimming, will check once I can flex/articulate it, once the body is mounted. Trimmed this also, will be getting a tube/plate bumper eventually which will follow that line. Took this one as I was leaving the shed one day as I thought it looked tough, but also shows the rad support chop. (If anyone wants to buy the little gas/gasless welder in the picture here for a reasonable price, message me, it is getting in the way at the moment since I bought my new setup). The body is sitting slightly higher than the final height here as it is on the hoist, and I lifted it up, because I was test fitting these: This was after the first chop just to see that they would fit in the space I made, they got refined more, then I tacked the top on: Still needs some more refining, and a mirror image made for the other side, but I have a bench sander turning up this week that will make the job easier (easier to sand interior curves/straight lines) so moved on temporarily, and painted the rear half of the chassis. Will do the front half when I take apart the front for a freshen up, which will be once I have the rear back together. Makes it easier to move about should I need to move it/get it off the hoist if it can still roll on one set of wheels. After sanding: After a coat of POR15: Painted to just in front of the lower trailing arm mounts, so I can get the back end back together completely without worrying about getting paint on anything. And that is essentially where I am up to! Got to go and pick up that tray now, let me know what you think in the discussion (linked at TOTP). -Hayden.

I don't know about this "like going into yards" business, makes us sound a bit dodgy up here in mighty Northland. I could be convinced to head there after work tomorrow afternoon for a look if Linden isn't already over that way? What model Navara is it and what parts were you looking for in particular? EDIT: I take it that it's the D22 listed on their stock list? EDIT EDIT: @Bluebird_U let me know by tonight so I can make sure I have the right gear if I need to get something.

On one hand, hell no. But on the other hand, it will probably need something like that haha. Had a quick squiz at the Car Construction manual and it said something about minimum of 30(?)% of the overall circumference of the wheel needs to be covered, so that means I can hopefully I can get away with having the front essentially uncovered, and just covering the top and back side of the tread. Was thinking something similar to the Smittybilt Jeep fenders, which are essentially a tube and plate construction, and join that to the front tube bumper I plan to build, I just need to allow for flex between the flare and guard, as the flare will be mounted to the chassis and the guard obviously to the body.

Discuss away. Let me know any advice, comments, suggestions you may have. I have many ideas but more ideas never hurt.. Stance for days. -Hayden

I did have a thread for this, but it didn't get worked on for several years, and I think it has gone. So, start again. (Picture here of Datsun when I first got it if I can find one) I have/had (depending how you look at it) a 1985 Datsun 720 4wd. It was gutless, it had rust, so it was a Datsun (not a Nissan haha). I thought I would pull it apart for some rust repairs and paint, that was (too) many years ago, it snowballed, I ended up disassembling the suspension, driveline, painting a lot of things, modifying the gearbox to accept an RB, bla bla bla. Then this year, I had been chipping away at it, I had finished study and finally had a decent job. And one day as I was doing something I looked at it and decided I wasn't going to be happy with it when it was done if I continued down the path I was on. I couldn't add too much power or things would explode. I couldn't get aftermarket parts to improve things like ride height and driveability (not easily or cheaply anyway). So I thought, "stuff it", and decided to just do what I wanted in the first place, and had always said I wouldn't do because of cost essentially, but yeah, now I'm just going to be irresponsible for a bit and throw money at this thing until it runs and drives and I am happy with it.. So the basic equation is: GQ/Y60 Patrol chassis and suspension, diffs etc. 4" suspension lift and all the goodies that go with that. + RD28 gearbox from RD28 factory patrol. + RB25DET from your friendly neighbourhood Ceffydrift/Skidline. + Datsun 720 King Cab body, with factory body mount points, adapt the chassis to suit. + 33x12.5 R15 tyres on -22 offset 15x8 steel wheels. + Flat deck because practicality (I do want to use this thing once it is done)/ease of adaptation to Patrol chassis, and adaptation to toolboxes etc. = Profit??? /more likely major losses. But profit in happiness. Have done some work so far, but a lot of time/money has gone into setting up my shed to make this project as easy/efficient as possible. I modified the roof in the shed: (Ignore thee strange writing on the walls, it's an old farm shed that has slowly been modified to be my garage, there are lots of .22 sized holes in the walls, and there were gas lines in the ground when we dug it out to put in the floor) So I could install a hoist, which has multiple uses: Lift it up to put it on a dolly, damn these things weigh a whole lot. On a dolly next to the gearbox from the Datsun with an RB25 front housing swapped onto it. Slight size difference. Patrol chassis in place. RD28 gearbox. Unfortunately this chassis originally had a TD42 (which it didn't come with, but there was no way I could use anyway as it was waaaaaaaaay too big), so the driveshafts don't work, but will have a look to see if Beattys Drivelines have any listings or if I can source replacement entire driveshafts to suit. Nissan Lego! With the body in about the only place it will go, i.e. engine will fit behind radiator support with radiator under the panel, gearstick in a useable position, etc. Will likely need to cut and box the firewall/tunnel. Had to cut out this bit as well as some of the seat support to let the transfer case shifter come through. With that cut out the shifter comes through the factory shifter hole, bit further back than normal, but still very useable, and with a slight tweak to the actual shifter the transfer case shifter will work fine and not rub on the passenger seat. The picture above is with the shifter in 4th so that is as close as it gets/have checked it in all gears. Currently tidying the rear diff: Painted in POR15, will get new rotors and rebuilt calipers shortly. Then will go back in once I buy the last pieces of the rear suspension lift, which will give me enough time to tidy/paint the rear of the chassis. Has an LSD which seems to be in good condition, which will do until it is on the road and then I can think about an air locker. Went to Auckland the other day, got some tyres from @Stu, bloody nice guy, nice to meet you in real life after all these years of seeing you on forums. Sharp price too. Pictured here with my parents flash new couch and a whole bunch of new free diving gear, was an expensive day all up haha. (Please excuse the twist in the tie down, I know, I'm embarrassed for me too) If you are thinking: "Gee, that looks like a fairly low offset wheel, and you are already putting them on a chassis that was designed for a significantly wider than the body than what is going back on it, are they going to fit?" Then the answer is "Yes?" Gonna have to make/buy (I don't know of any 200mm ish wide you can buy?) some fairrrrrrlllllllyyyy hectic flares, but I really don't want to reduce the offset, so that is what I am sticking with until such a time that I may be forced to do otherwise. They should be fine this way, will just be a case of trimming the sheet metal to suit. Look, honestly, if this were an exercise completely in practicality, then I would have failed. But mostly it's an exercise in "I do what I want", then deal with the fallout. So I call that a win! I get my new welder this week (HF TIG, MIG, Arc w/ spool gun) so looking forward to having a play with that, and potentially making a start on the design for the chassis to body mounts/posts, will make up something up then get them ok'ed by my local certifier and welded up fully by a mate I hope, my welds aren't up to crucial parts like this and I feel like there are better places to practice on. At the moment it is sitting on the hoist with the chassis on axle stands. I will make a discussion thread shortly and link to it at the top of this post, let me know your thoughts, constructive criticisms etc. I will try to keep this updated, I am good at taking photos of stuff usually as I do it, just terrible at actually putting those pictures up. Cheers, Hayden.

Bump. Is this in the correct place? Should I have posted it in general car chat? -Hayden

Hi all, Looking at the steering setup of my Datsun/Patrol amalgamation, and as the patrol chassis is obviously wider than the original Datsun 720, the steering shaft is no longer a straight shot into the steering box. I understand this means running an intermediate shaft, but I have a few questions regarding this. A ) Does the angle of the intermediate steering shaft matter, or as long as it isn't too hectically sharp and the angles are the same is on the input and output then it's all good? B ) If the splines don't match for the steering box and the steering column, can you purchase/have made adaptors? If so where/who would do this? And at which UJ would the adaptation happen, or does it not matter? C ) Will the shaft to the steering wheel and the one to the steering box require some sort of support now? Any help or advise would be hugely appreciated, most of my experience thus far has been buying and bolting parts, this project is my first major foray into proper custom stuff. Nothing like jumping in the deep end aye? Cheers and thanks in advance. -Hayden.

He must have heard us talking, haha, I have a meeting with him set up for tomorrow morning. Did offer to bring beer in an email I sent so that may have been the clincher. @cletus I am most of the way through filling out "Form 4A- Concept Approval Application", is this the best thing to take to the meeting with me, or is a list of parts/brands/processes/materials I intend to use better? Or both? Also a seperate question/sort of related, in the application, it has a section for steering, which is not something I had overly considered, as it isn't something I would be dealing with just yet. Is it possible to retain the factory steering column from the Datsun 720, and just have the input shaft spline/length machined to suit the GQ Safari steering box? Or is there a more common way of doing this? It might even be the same spline for all I know but as I say not something I have thought of much until now, and I won't likely have the chance to check between now and tomorrow morning. I will be buying the CCM (on PDF) later today but I won't likely have time to fully read and understand that section by tomorrow either. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I get what you mean. I have already had a cert through him for my Mitsubishi Challenger so he knows me and I paid straight away, didn’t screw him around or anything, so I thought he would know I’m not a time waster. You might be on to something with the beer idea though. Always good for some brownie points haha

I have always been told to get in contact with your certifier before/during every step of a major project, what do I do if the only certifier near me isn't interested in discussing my new/not so new project? Essentially I am looking at putting my Datsun 720 body onto a GQ Safari chassis, which will end up being scratchbuilt, I got that much out of the LVVTA. Problem is I sort of want to know where to start and how to proceed in terms of keeping them in the loop, and being in Whangarei there is only one certifier who can certify that level of mods? I have been trying for months to get a hold of him, but he is never in his shop when I stop by (several times), when I ring him he is always busy, and he won't tee up a time to talk for 5 minutes about what he needs from me to essentially make my/his life easier. What is the recommendations of the OS community in regards to what to do? I could go with a certifier in Auckland but that means trailering it to him at various points in the build process (2-2.5 hours each way). I'm sure if I keep trying I will eventually get a hold of my local certifier, but if it is this difficult at the beginning I can imagine it may become a nightmare down the road.