The Story Of A Vit.

[r-nottz]

Had a few hours on the truck again earlier.


Just general messing around seeing how things are and what's left to do.


I made a stupid mistake on my half and popped the end of a driveshaft knuckle out the end of its can thingy, I done it before on a old Vitara and popped it back in fine but this one doesn't want to go in so I may have to buy a new shaft, but these things happen.

I got the rear springs in and new shocks all lovley jubbly too, also put.my winch bumper back on to see if id have any sag / drop on the front luckily didn't loose hardly any lift so the springs must be behaving.


Nothing else to report really, was hoping to have it somewhere near finished now but with me having to buy a new van and Christmas etc I'm a little behind, the truck started stright off the key though after sitting for a month or two, that made me smile haha

Have some pictures!

And yes I need front camber correction bolts!

[r-nottz]

Right its been a while, now Christmas is finally out the way and money is slowly coming in again I can pick up where I left off.

For a long time I had the idea in my head of running tubular front wings braced into the front bumper, however with this came a few obstacles, how to finish the tops, how to get it fitted neatly etc, also I was going to run them off my box sills which eventually would of got in the way when my external cage gets fabbed and fitted so standard front wings it was.

I've been trolling ebay and local ads for a set for a while now, I didn't fancy spending £120 on a pair to cut them up so they can accommodate the box sills and front bumper.

Happily for me a set came up near my house and I made a offer for £30 that the seller excepted so off I went to get them this morning.


Got em and got to work, chopped them about got them sitting right and painted them, also painted the rest of the outside of the truck (apart from the roof) and finished painting the inner arches black so all in all a productive day!

I need to get and finish the inside now a good days painting should take care of that then the glass, harnesses, lights etc can go back on

Have some pictures





You can see the amount of metal I had to cut away to allow for the box sills in picture below












Some of you may of spotted a front axel in the back of my van, its off a Suzuki sj and its for my truck at some point as I'm planning a live axel conversion, not anytime soon but a friend of mine was breaking one and give me it so happy days.

Thanks for looking!

[r-nottz]

Finished early again today so the boss kindly let me go "job and knock" he's in a good mood lately which is handy as it gives me a some time to get some hours in on the truck.

I picked up were I left off with the interior painting this time concentrating on the front, there was plenty of sound deadening that I wanted to remove so bravely I picked up a hammer and smashed into it, it worked perfectly and it all came off in nice sized chunks!

After that I mixxed up some more grey paint, got my brush and proceeded covering everything.

The paint is quick drying so after half hour I got my 4" foam roller and second coated everything from the rear to the front. I was quite impressed with the finish the roller give me!

After a hour of letting it dry I bolted my Subaru seats in and sat the harnesses in them for something to do!

All sorted and happy I parked him in the garage and that was that.

Pictures we all love em!













Ta for looking

[r-nottz]

Another early finish today at work!

So off to the garage I went.

Finally sprayed the roof, so apart from the passenger wing (that I'm waiting to drill for the snorkel) the spraying is done!! YAY!!!!! I worked out the whole paint job including aerosol, metal paint, rollers, brushes, sand paper and tape cost me about £100 its by no means a amazing job but for an offroader and a garage job I'm happy with it!

I put the rear glass in and test fitted my composite doorcards, all look pretty good so again happy days!


I got a few pictures there not very good as my phone was a little dusty but you get the idea!











Comments welcome!

Cheers for looking

[Scott Plumpton]

Make me one o these door cards up then

[r-nottz]

Had a day on the truck today.

Finally finished fitting the front diff along with the drop brackets,extended shocks etc and the truck was back on 4 wheels for about 2 minutes.

Then I finally fitted the lower range rear diff to match the front along with the extended rear shocks, while I was there I undersealed the boot floor as it was right there when I dropped the old diff out.

I managed to twist and snap a 6" piece of brake line while swapping the lines over between diffs but these things happen

I also fitted my momo steering wheel and a spare cd player I had lying around in so all in all a good day was had.











Ta for looking

[r-nottz]

Been a while.

Had the front suspension set up out about 3 times because I wasn't happy with the front springs and the way they were sitting.

I bought 3 inch lift springs off 2 different companies that advertised them as being 3" springs, I wont mention the companys names because I received good customer service from both of them after the faults were pointed out.

1 set was way to stiff, the front shocks couldn't hardly move and the front of the truck was more like a go cart stiff wise. I left them on to settle for a while and they still were the same

Another set was wayyyyyy to long overly lifed it so driveshafts were impossible to get all the way back through the hub, the angle was terrible and the front was higher than the back.

So I went back to my merc springs that I had laying around, chopped a coil off and fitted them up, MUCH BETTER! The springness was loads better and the 3" lift i was so desperately after was finally achieved!

I also snapped up a mk1 vitara diesel steel front diff for £80 I'm just waiting on a Robb stoor crush collar.

I had a local engineering place make me up a harness bar for my harnesses. I'm not a fan of bolting harnesses to the floor and nor is my back! It sits right at the back on the C pillar were the old tops of the seat belt mounts are.


Ummm otherwise that's pretty much it.

Maybe be done in September??





[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/0h1yDiQ.jpg[/IMG

[r-nottz]

[Anton]

Looking great! Keep it up!