RX3UTE rebirth - throwback thing build

[shizzl]

Well she got washed and dropped off to the certifier. this paint just blings off in the sun, love it
 

I know there will be a couple of things that I only noticed when I dropped it off. Couple of grommets around the front brake lines and 3 P clips instead of the factory metal fold over tabs.

and I wasn’t aware that you need receipts for braided fuel line.

of course I never kept that, so I just purchased 4m of -6an ptfe that I’ll swap out just to not be a Kent. 
 

for a hardcore hotrod guy he actually thinks it’s awesome. But he did also rate the hunter. 
 

hoping the list doesn’t get too big.

 Did supply a flash drive of the build photos for the seat mounts, handbrake set up and anything else that was cunty to remove or covered up.

 

 

[shizzl]

Picked up the ute from the certifier tonight.

theres a list, but nothing major really. 
add some crush tubes into the fuel cell cradle, some p clips on the brake lines along the firewall (has the factory old metal fold over tabs), couple of grommets, a washer size increase here and there. That’s about it, other than the wilwood master being a shitbox.

 

need to get the brakes to function better. Fuck knows why it takes so much force to get it to do anything. Pedal ratio is 7:1, 1” bore which is what was recommended by everyone that offered advice on sizing.

 

everything other than the brakes can be knocked out in a day, so she’s so close to being in the road now.

 

so if anyone has any helpful advice on these shit brakes, I’m all ears

[shizzl]

List completed.

The night I got it home I jumped on the Tard and found a new 7/8” unit for $200. Sold !!

ivd fitted that up. It has more pedal throw and pressure, but has been pulling hard left. 
so I pulled the right caliper and it was all greasy/covered in fluid.

ive cleaned it all up and done a pad grind on a paver. Reassembled waiting for another test. 
 

 

[shizzl]

[shizzl]

Winmax, for max win. I hope.

 

[shizzl]

It seems I have totally underestimated how awesome a quality set of brakes pads can be. 
 

just bed in the winmax pads, like holy shit, it stops like a motherfka now, and pin straight, no pulling etc. 

 

this thing is insanely fun to drive now knowing I can stop when I need to.

pedal throw and feel is so perfect.

 

$271 worth of pads and a change in master size. Worth it

[shizzl]

That is all, thank you for your time

[shizzl]

Job done. Came out exceptionally good

[shizzl]

Decided to chuck the MS-01s back on.

boy I really do love these wheels.

i just purchased a set of barrels off Tim Woods son, Cooper.

7s for the front and 8s for the rear.

 

these from memory were 8.5 and 9, or 9 and 9.5.  I forgot. 
but it will allow for a narrower front tyre if I change to the 7s. 
 

and almost finished the upper console build. 
I bought a fancy head unit for it and made all of the mountings etc. the balsa ends up just being a skin and will be wrapped in black vinyl along with the rest of the console parts. 
 

I just need to play with mounting the e-fan display and cutting the hole for that, then it will be wrapped and finished off.

 

i fitted both under seat subs/amp combo things, and have a cabinet maker making up some speaker mounts for the 4” mids and the tweeters will sit next to them.

 

[shizzl]

Upper console completed and wrapped.

just need to wire ip the head unit once my speaker mounts are done.

ill get a hideaway am/fm antenna so i can crank the Breeze on long drives.

[shizzl]

Super hyped. 

[shizzl]

After driving to and from REunion last weekend I’ve decided it’s too quiet inside the cab.

so I’ll get the stereo running.

 

speakers acquired and picked up some mdf. 2hrs later and I have the 2 kick panel mounts made up at 54mm and slightly rounded in shape.

this takes the 6.5” mids.

i have a pair of 4” coaxial speakers I decided to put in between the seats.

so I made up a speaker box that sits on the tunnel and screwed into the rear panel. Fits nice and snug.

 

just needs more sanding, filling, sanding and covering. 
 

also had a very interesting message pop up in my inbox today which is exciting. Watch this space

[shizzl]

Finished off the speaker pods today.

got them sanded, wrapped and mounted.

speakers are fitted ready to go.

then decided that the black vinyl upper didn’t really match anything. I did plane to wrap the lower console but for some reason I cut it out of the tab.

so tan it all went. Rewrapped the upper, it actually came out tidier than the vinyl did. 
tomorrow I’ll tidy up the stereo wiring and mount the rear speaker pod and fit the 4” speakers. Decide where to put the tweeters then power it all up and see what happens. 
 

colours aren’t coming out right in the crappy lighting. I’ll retake a finished shot once it’s buttoned up and cleaned out. 
 

stoked

[shizzl]

Pumped with how the stereo install, pods and console wrap came out. 
I only have the fire extinguisher to mount now which will sit underneath the glovebox. 

[shizzl]

Decided that I was tired of the crap bonnet stay that wasn’t very stable of nice.

so I ordered some gas struts and chucked them on today.

job done, seems to work well. 
$80 upgrade. Sure I could have got them cheaper from pick a part, but these are new and fresh. 
 

Only one more thing I’d like to change on it now. 

[shizzl]

Great day for getting some shots taken of the ute. 
 

[shizzl]

How’s this for ticking off the 25 year dream.

that is everything ticked off that I set out to achieve back in 2001. 
 

time to drive the living shit out of this now

[shizzl]

Thought I would take the Mrs for a spin over to Thames for a drink.

keep forgetting how fun it is to be driving this. 
 

Thames is a great spot to go for a casual drive and a drink. Might do a mission up to Coromandel then down the coast through Whitianga one day.

 

 

[shizzl]

Well what can I say. 
being featured in performance car mag had been a dream that somewhat fueled the original build.

never expected this to ever be accomplished. 
this means I have ticked off everything I wanted with the original build.

4&rotor nats and award

fully road legal

ported

magazine feature.

 

must be time to sell then right???

nah, time for more driving and more events. 
 

cheers to all that offered advice and encouragement.

[shizzl]

First proper night drive in this thing.

hits all the right feels, just need to tick off the water view tunnel run now