WhangareiKE70

I am mind blanking at the moment, I will come back and edit this when I remember/look it up, not at home right now. EDIT: @Raizer this is it here. https://www.chevpac.co.nz/catalogue/page/mig-welders_WOR_S236_C457/mig-welder-200a-mig-mag-1ph-multi-mig-wd-mig200m_WMG100120?p=1 Was sceptical at first as it was not 'name brand', but have used it plenty now and has been a good machine. Only used MIG so far as I haven't gotten around to buying an Argon bottle just yet. That looks a bit better than the el cheapo one I had to be fair to Bunnings welders. I would personally check out your local engineering supplies store though, I got mine through Donovans here in Whangarei and they had the best selection by far that I could find locally, and good advice for a novice like myself. Plus the price was good for what I got, I felt. Welding anything 3mm+ like you often would in an engineering shop is very different to panel steel, you want the fine controls I find as the difference between just the right setting and too hot/cold is very minor I find. Also prep is key so you should be well sorted for that. DISCLAIMER: I am very much a learner, everything I say is from my own experience, which compared to a lot of people (especially on here) is very limited. But I thought my perspective may be helpful, as is that of a learner.

If you are looking to buy a welder for panel work, as with any tool, buy the best one you can afford. I am only learning to weld at the moment, I started trying probably a couple of years ago and I had a cheap Bunnings welder, and could not get it to do even half decent welds. Someone better than me almost definitely could have made it do good welds, but as a learner I just couldn't get it to do what I wanted. It was enough to make me stop trying for a while honestly. Now that I have a good machine, it makes learning 1,000,000x easier. It is easy to adjust settings etc with amperage, wire feed speed, gas coverage etc, they are all continuously variable and you can make fine adjustments, not just 1-5 or whatever it was on my cheap one. Mine was fairly spendy for a home use machine at $1500 but is multi process (stick, H/F tig and MIG/MAG) but even the difference between a $200 welder and a $4-500 welder is huge.

Fair point. Any idea who is a good supplier to buy UJs from?

Question regarding steering setups for my 720/Safari mashup. I have the NZCCM, and it has this section: Essentially my question is: The pair of UJs (1 either side of the intermediate shaft) would be supported at the firewall, and the steering box. Is that what it's asking for, or some sort of inline bearing on the intermediate shaft? Probably an obvious answer but I wasn't sure. If the answer is a support on the intermediate shaft, then do I need to incorporate some degree of movement (i.e. rubber mounting) as it is a cab on frame and there will be a degree of flex? Or is that negligible and it can just be hard mounted? Thanks in advance.

I am also sad there is no TD42. But they are genuinely about 150mm longer than an RB25, and I have already had to cut the firewall to get that engine far enough back, while still maintaining room (just) for he radiator/fans. It was a very genuine consideration. I have the NZCCM, and it has this section: Which is essentially my question. The pair of UJs (1 either side of the intermediate shaft) would be supported at the firewall, and the steering box. Is that what it's asking for, or some sort of inline bearing on the intermediate shaft? I will post the question in the cert thread too but I wasn't sure if it belonged there or in the technical thread. Hence the confusion in my second post. Cheers for the input guys/now I want a TD42 again.

I will get a better photo when I get home but that gives you an idea. The body is hovering about half a meter over the chassis on the hoist. The angle of the photo is deceiving, but it has to travel approx 150mm across over the 4-500mm between the steering box and the firewall. I connected it up (without the steering column not bolted in as it was too long) and the angle was harsh to say the least, the rag joint wasn't happy. As I said, I will get a better photo hopefully tonight which should explain it better, and you can tell me if I'm being dumb, and what the obvious fix is if there is one. -Hayden

Another bumpity bump. Hopefully someone has some experience with custom steering setups and can advise?. Haven't looked much more at this since the original post, but I have figured out that the spline is the same between the 720 and Safari.

Making the trip from Whangarei on the Saturday, meant to be a hot day at this stage so that will be good. Would be good to meet some of y'all if you're around and put faces to names. I should really change my username as I haven't had a KE70 for a looong time. WhangareiHiace maybe? Haha

This might be basic but have you tried a different aux cord? Could only be getting mono not stereo through the cord? I have had a similar problem with a faulty cord before.

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.