WhangareiKE70

On the subject of Raptor, Carcolors/Union Hardware have a special on atm for all of Nov/Dec:

I apologise for my absence, tbh I didn't realise that I had missed it until I came in from the shed about 9:30. Got on a roll and got distracted.

Always welcome regardless, I turn up in my 01 Lexus more often than not. But I understand it's a long way to travel from Dargaville.

@morkster

Sounds good to me? @gibbon @ruff kunt automotive @rb drifter @MACKAZ @cypressphil

Be worth checking around, as Union Hardware have it listed on Trademe, and I know Whangarei Paint Centre have it on the shelf, so should be available elsewhere for you. As long as they are a Upol supplier they should have it/be able to get it.

If buying Raptor and you don't get some sort of hectic discount at Repco, I would recommend sourcing it elsewhere (Car Colours in North Shore if Auckland based, or Union Hardware in Wellington, they sell on TM and regularly do special deals). I did a price check recently as I can get it from Repco locally, 4L tintable is $429.90 at Union Hardware, $599 at Repco. Fairly significant difference, worth getting it shipped.

Yes, that's the plan atm if the wing mirrors aren't acceptable as they are, getting some aluminium bar stock abd making some basic extensions for the ones I have. That would be a problem for me as i am using the screen that it would be displayed on as my dash cluster too so that's all good. It isn't a major anyway, I have the rear vision mirror, just thought it might tidy up the interior a bit to not have it, as it doesn't see a huge amount with the spare mounted to the headboard. Haha all good, I appreciate it mate. I will be running both door mirrors (and as above maybe spacing them out a bit). Will throw the rear vision mirror on as I do have it and it does provide a limited amount of rear vision, and if money allows before it goes in for cert I may run a second rear vision camera that can be on at all times to a rear vision mirror screen thing (like this https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/car-parts-accessories/rear-view-cameras/listing/3303739906), If I go for something like the above I get the added advantage of having a dashcam built in, and I can change the angle of the one connected to the dash screen to be more of a towing camera with the towball in view, and just have it on a switch.

@cletus can I ask is this a cert or a wof issue? If it's a WOF issue, do you know who the WOF people on here are?

Can I suggest we have this next week if we are able? Also, as @bigfoot and I discussed at the last one, if we have an earlyish November meet then we can still have a December meet before the Xmas stuff starts. So I propose Wed 3/11 and Wed 1/12 meets? Potentially even doing something more Summery for the November/December ones if the weather allows.

Please stop, my wallet hurts every time Y61 axles are mentioned... let me live in denial a little longer.

Regarding Datsun 720 replica scratchbuilt (registered year 202x) Rear vision mirror q, if I have a reversing camera, do I need an interior rear view mirror? I have put on door mirrors too, and part of their rear vision is blocked by the tray, but this is fairly common on utes? You can still see down the side of the tray, but only on part of the mirror if this makes sense. I am thinking of maybe making some blocks at some point to space them out a little bit, but in the meantime is this ok?

@a.craw4d Yeah sorry there a few bits missing in those pics. It's basically one of these: https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/building-renovation/tools/hand-tools/vices-clamps-presses/listing/3289797513 You can see it on the pics of the link, but there's a bit of I think 10mm plate the width of the bender and about 80mm deep. Clamped down with G clamps. Other than the mod to make it slide in the bench, mine has had a piece of angle stitch welded along the length of the folding part (the part that the handles slide into) as they aren't the strongest out of the box. Also updated the G clamps to some beefier ones as those little ones have shitty casting and break, but also need a spanner to tighten. Sometimes add a couple of those big jaw vice grip type things to clamp the middle better when folding harder stuff. I've done up to 1.6mm in mine taking it easy and it does it fine. Having bent a few things in it now with the bench mount mod, I am happy it works well I can cut the part of the feet off that sticks out the side haha

Sounds like you're a man with a plan. Fuck I love everything about this truck.

Having the receiver hitch front and rear with cunningly planned wiring means a single winch can be used for recoveries in either direction, with the winch just set up on the cradle. Was something I thought about with my project but decided to just go with the more usual bumper mount as I had the space.

I say try again on the 29th. I am actually still a little sick and still wouldn't really feel comfortable hanging out in a social setting, given the current environment. Don't want to pass this thing on.

Not as awesome and hectic as @Transom's beast, but I have one of those standard sized folders, they normally bolt to a bench and take up valuable bench space. I'd already done some strengthening mods, did a mod yesterday that I had been meaning to do for forever, took all of half an hour and most of that was finding the right size bit of box section. Just welded some box section to the feet of it, now it slides into the end of my welding/work bench. The bench weighs a lot so it is very sturdy once in there. Comes out easily, and I can hang it on the wall in between it's very occasional use, rather than having it in the way all the time.

No experience on those/TIG in general really, but one thing I will definitely be looking for on my next machine when I buy an AC/DC TIG is pre/post flow control for the argon and foot pedal control. It does have up/down slope control which is neat and somewhat compensates for the lack of foot control. This may adjust the pre/post flow based on the material thickness/type if I am reading the manual right, which would be good. Mine seems to just send it especially for post flow, which is a pain if you are tacking things as it uses way more argon than necessary.

So I did some more things, and continued my trend of not being mindful, and thus not taking a sufficient number of photos. But I did take some. First I made a plate to cover the mangled snorkel hole and make it prettier: I then tidied up the hole that was on the guard: Then welded it on and forgot to get a photo of the finished product. As you can see in the above photo I have cut off the old flare style around the arch for something a lot simpler, which is on and I also forgot to get a photo of. So I have ground back all those welds. The guards need a few more patches put in where old badges used to be (done some but not all), then some general panelbeating. Next mission was to get the body off to make exhaust stuff easier, make engine stuff easier, and also get it tidied up/finish welded etc and hopefully off for blasting in the nearish future. Make sure it is ready to get some paint when the warmer weather turns up. Getting the body off was a lot easier in the old shed as I had a hoist, but no 3 phase in the new shed meant it stayed at my parents place. One day I will install a single phase hoist, but that's a future expense that I can't justify/afford at the moment. So I got the chain block out, got some heavy angle from work, some chain and shackles and whipped up a lifting rig that can pick up on the pinch seams just behind the top of the A pillars, which is plenty strong for just the cab. However, the strop made it hang too low so I couldn't get enough height out of it. So I did a sketch and asked Bill at work to whip me up a chain block mount, which eventuated in this: Which meant I could mount it higher up and and straight to the beam. Used some hose clamps to attach a piece of dowel to the handle so i could operate it without having to lean over the body on a ladder. Body came off: If the parts turn up (some v-bands and a few 45 degree bends, the exhaust will finish being tacked together this weekend. Will do what I can on the body, but I get the feeling my argoshield is gonna run out if I get too into it, it's a bit low haha. Depending how keen he is and what the weather is like, I may get the old man to give me a hand with some engine work too (sump swapped, new water pump and timing kit etc).

Haha nah, I'm gonna sit it out. Gonna do some stuff at home, but even that may be a bust, I run out of energy real fast once I start coughing. Don't want to get anyone else sick. EDIT: I will see how I feel, but no promises made.

I know this has been covered here, but for the life of me I can not find it. Looking to buy a medium to good spray gun for primer. I am going to get the main shell blasted/primered all at once, but would like to be able to do doors/guards/small bits at home. If someone can point me in the right direction or even to the correct page of this thread, that would be amazing. TIA

Looks like I am missing another one, got a cough and don't want to spread my germs. Have fun yáll!

Ok so probably dumb question but I am gonna ask it anyway as I am not sure and want to clarify. I see things saying don't underseal things that are going to be shown to your certifier, as they may need you to scrape it off to show repairs etc. I am using Raptor liner as my top coat for my Datsun 4wd, does this mean I have to take it in for a pre-check in primer? It is a possibilty, as I will be taking the cab off to be blasted and I can take it back home via the certifiers but I am just confused really. Any clarifications on this? Also second question, regarding rego for the final product, which will be registered as a scratchbuilt. I still have both the chassis (Nissan Safari) and the body (Datsun 720) regos on hold and in my name, just in case, is this necessary? And I know they get thingy about tags being taken off for painting, does this still apply when a vehicle becomes scratchbuilt? TIA

Yeah I’ll take the jack/spare/shovel etc off for the cert. I’d say I’d take the roof tray and side bars off too but there are mounts for the exhaust on there and it might be taking the piss. Haha And I’ll keep an eye out for those twin pots in the meantime. I’m amazed they don’t make repo twin lot calipers for the GQ diff, there’s such a market. Thanks man! I’m glad it’s turning into something finally. I really threw myself in the deep end on this one haha

Definitely don't need wider track at all haha, in fact if I went to GU diffs I would have to buy lower offset wheels. The diffs that are on there now have fully rebuilt calipers, new disks, braided lines etc, so I will just get some really good pads and try it like that I guess?