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Firstly massive thanks to my dad! He finished off the back axle a right treat :D (He does read this :P )

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And then we chucked it under the car and I scratched my dads lovely paint with the U-bolts :ph34r:

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Then we pushed the car outside to turn it round to tackle the front axle. It was the first time its seen sunlight in quite a while!

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We have also got the front axle under the car and while not quite in the correct position it is pretty obvious there is quite the propshaft/sump packaging issue..... Hadnt quite realised how much the diff pinion would move compared to the series one! Anyways think I have found a way around the problem with yet another different sump.... Now I want a sump from a Land Cruiser amazon 100 series 4.7L V8 which I found out today fits my engine as well. It doesnt extend out to the drivers side of the engine which should resolve the clash. Pictures of the different sumps here http://onsills.com/OS2012/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1772 The one I think I need is the one in the second post. I currently have a rear sump version. The only problem is finding one! Anyone know of a good place to buy used Toyota parts? I am going to get a quote from a Toyota garage just to see what they say but not holding up my hopes...

Right gtg! Cheers

Jad

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Time for an update! Its been a while. This is because we have been going 1 step forward and 2 steps back! Well it now feels like we have made some progress, so that requires an update!

We are finally happy with the welding and the castor angle on the front axle! so its now been finished off and painted.

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The springs have also been cleaned up and are in surprisingly good condition like the rears were.

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This conversion also presents the problem of one U-bolt, next to the diff needing to be non standard. Currently we have made this one from 2 old ones. We are currently planning to make one (and a spare) out of new high tensile bar.

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My dad has posted on a welding forum with regards to how to make it. Cold or hot bending etc. If anyone has any ideas on what is best please message me.

The front wheel arches have also been tidied up by cutting down some defender arches and tucking and riveting them in. They did wrinkle a little as there were obviously not mean to fit here. The use of a heat gun and pressing them flat while cooling helped this somewhat.

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We have also started on the exhaust. We started in the middle :D Lord knows why. I think it was because it gave us something to aim for...

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I was hoping to get this completed before I started work again but as usual there has been other delays. (My Volvo's handbrake cable needed replacing and there was something else called Christmas shopping....) Also discovered today the Volvo's other handbrake cable, yes there are 2 :rolleyes: , is nearly rusted through and needs replacing. Oh well its all fun!

Cheers

Jad

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  • 2 weeks later...

Started some work on the exhaust now. was hoping to get some done at christmas but thats always the way!

So far just started the right hand side of the Y down to the Y Join. We were only working for about 5 hours so not a great deal done. Pics say the talking really...

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Ill be going home this coming friday to do some more so should hopefully get at least the Y pipe done and if not more. We have decided not to make the exhaust all the way to the end so that if I want to add another silencer this can be done. With the size of the current one being pretty small I can imagine this happening. Although we dont want to make it to quiet do we ;)

Jad

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Coming along nicely, think its a good idea waiting to add more silencers, although my experience says that you always want more silencer after a while of driving it. What sounds awesome when building it/ running around the house often gets annoying when cruising. One thing you could, is build the entire system with extra silencers that are removable with flanges either side, and put in a straight through pipe afterwards. This way you'll have the silencers for those long runs, or just when you get sick of the rumble :D But to remember that the further back the silencers are, the more lovely V8 rumble. So making the center ones removable sounds best IMO, but some people likes it the other way round, so of course all up to you :) I really do like the level of the fabrications you are doing to this. Makes the engine swap 'proper' and not a hack job. And I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are really looking forward to hearing it!

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Thanks Soren. I hope fabrication really is as good as it looks! Its the first time my dad and I have done something custom like this, having previously rebuilt mine and his defenders. Its nice to get good comments from people (I am also willing to take constructive criticism! :P )

I forgot to say the exhaust is all stainless (apart from the joints to the manifold) I was told all the exhaust would be 304 but when it arrived it was 316 and 304 but from some googling they appear to be quite similar so am not too bothered. I imagine at some point I will make some tubular stainless headers for the car and replace the mild steel connections but this will be after the car is finished and on the road. At this point I would like to just get it running! I dont know if anyone has seen the standard LS400 exhaust manifolds but they really are an abortion... Some horses should be easily extracted even from a not particularly well designed home made manifold compared to these.

The only silencer I currently have is 4" by 12" on a 2.5" pipe so is more cherry bomb size than silencer! I was expecting to have the silencer further forward above the gbox X-member so did not think I had as much room. really could have got something bigger maybe 6" in diamter. I will probably be adding another one at the rear of the car just before it exits under the rear X-member.

Cheers

Jad

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Wooh I have half an exhaust! So we started in the middle... and then went to one side and then went to the other. All in all I'm very happy with it (as long as its gas tight....)

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Unfortunately we found out after we tacked it together that we couldnt take it out without lifting the gearbox a little :glare: But such is life. Hopefully we will put it in and it wont need to come out again.... Fat chance!

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I also managed to set myself on fire a little :ph34r:

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cheers

Jad

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Thanks guys.

The parts were from a few places and now I think about it I cant say its all 304 or 316 stainless as the Y-piece is from jetex... I called and asked them and was told its from the 300 series of metals but they didnt know which, so frankly it could be anything! but it wasnt magnetic :) I chose it cos to me it was the best flowing looking double 2.5" to single 2.5" pipe I could find.

The 45, 90 bends and silencer were from http://www.mijexhaust.com/ who told me everything was going to be 304 but turned out to be a mix of 316 and 304. Not really a problem but its always nice to be told the correct information.

The 30 degree bends down from the manifolds were from pipe werx They do a good variety of bends and 30 degrees doesnt seem all that common.

Unfortunately there are a couple of different wall thicknesses which wont be great for flow but the manifolds are such a poor design it doesnt bother me too much. If I ever get around to supercharge/turbo'ing it then the whole exhaust would probably be changed anyway! But that would be many years into the future :( and a number of other mods would need to be completed as well!

Cheers

Jad

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Looks great. can't wait to see this thing moving

I had a similar experience with mij... Brought a flex joint that was stated as being all stainless ( the only reason i brought from them).. and parts of it were mild steel. you will probably be able to identify the 316 once you do a few long runs as they will turn a slightly yellow.

Did you have any problems with distortion, i found stainless a bit of a night mare.

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I can identify the 316 cos it has it written on it :P

Did you send the part back? I have read very mixed reviews of their custom built exhaust on the internet that vary from brilliant to woeful. Not sure if they have changed hands a couple of times or if people just expect wildly different standards...

I havent noticed any distortion... although I havent tried to refit it yet after properly welding it! So I could be in for a right treat :unsure:

Jad

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Did have time, and ended up using it, fortunately it was on a section i plan replacing at some point. They did seem to operate under two names at one point.

Distortion was fairly mild, i only noticed on mine as i tried to blend out the welds on the side pipes for a invisible joint.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been cracking on with the hubs. I am (nearly) at a stage where I can bleed the brakes! :o But unfortunately the threads on one of the front hubs is a bit buggered so needs replacement. Will then be able to chuck that on, make 3 lengths of brake pipe, rear axle and front right brake, bleed them and I will be able to stop! so now just need to make it go.... Easy right? Anyway seams like a step forward so has made me happy :)

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Jad

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I went with coiler axles mainly so if/when I want to upgrade diffs etc it will be easier to get all the parts and what not. And they are stronger as standard so should hopefully live with the current engine OK....

Jad

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I went with coiler axles mainly so if/when I want to upgrade diffs etc it will be easier to get all the parts and what not. And they are stronger as standard so should hopefully live with the current engine OK....

Jad

Totally agree, and with the CV's in it'll be better for the LT230 now installed.....it's just the extra width that's putting me off at the minute.....Defender spats don't fit Series wings...

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That is another good point! I am using defender wings but without the spats. I plan on using low offset rims and more road bias tyres. I think these should be legal and pass an MOT fine?....

Jad

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