Nice , love it

Much appreciated guys. I discovered today that it's definitly a marmite truck. As I pulled up outside Halfords a couple in their thirties appreciated the look. The wife even nudging the husband as they both then gave nodding approvals. Then an older couple walked past two seconds later and literally turned their noses up like it was painted with horse manure😁

Looks the part, really liking the Matt orange, the colour emphasises the arches even more and makes it much wider looking

I noticed that from the rendering. I remember being at school and being asked which car looked bigger out of two identical drawings. One black and one white. Everyone picked black. The contrast appears to shrink the truck, or, largen the black as you say.

Looks awesome!!

Cheers Rob. I'm not usually the type to name my cars. But I think this one is now called Tango.

Quote: Yoda wrote in post #331

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Cheers Rob. I'm not usually the type to name my cars. But I think this one is now called Basil.

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Raptor is tough. But not tough enough to stand up to being driven into a stone wall.


Also I spoke to Jo about a new arch but seems with uni he just can't accomdate it right now. So I think a set of these will be necessary. Werbung: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MITSUBISHI-L20...-/321582304626?

I'll have to modify them to fit my winch bumper. But that should be easy enough.

what ya done?

Nuts... Although would this be a bad time to say I think you missed a spot?

What's the story with the wall.... do you get teh weeks donkey ears?

I was driving home and the satnav asked me to leave the motorway to avoid an accident. I misread what it wanted me to do and ended up down a dead end single track road in pitch blackness. I found a side path / drive of some kind to turn around and decided I would be safer driving into it and reversing out. Given that a set of reverse lights provides little illumination. As I drove in there was a hidden low down stone wall. The rest I think explains itself.

Even with full beams and spots on I couldnt see the wall. It was hidden by a bush and was just too low. Should've gotten out and checked the area with my torch first.

Yes. I am a donkey.

Ah the old look before you leap into the invisible small wall conundrum. Drat.... although at least you now have a great excuse to comment on U-Pol's repairability

Which I will in due course.....

For now Ive gently sanded the area and filled the dent to stop any rust. Gives me time to decide what to do.

Repaint the whole thing yellow in LineX?

Hahahaha. I would be shocked if even Line X could withstand that.

Right I'm happy to report the V8 is finally being done.

I'm booked with these guys www.sunderland4x4.co.uk for end of Nov / early December. They've a fair bit of experience with the 1UZ-FE engine having built race cars and done transplants before. I've spoken to a few guys from the Southern Hemisphere and it turns out the most common way to do the conversion in a Mitsi is to use a 2.8 auto box and transfer case from a Pajero. Then swap the bell housing, torque converter, pump and input shafts from the Lexus box. This makes it almost as easy as the Hilux conversion. It turns out you can actually order a bell housing for your manual box from South Africa. Personally, all things considered I will go auto. Better ratios for cruising speeds and opens up room for you left foot in the cramp L200 foot well. The prop shaft will need cutting and rebalancing or I can try to find one from a 2.8 auto L200. Perhaps not that easy in this country but we'll see.

The first thing James at Sunderland4x4 has had me do is purchase a Spit-Tronics ECU and TCU (transmission control unit) from www.race-systems.co.uk. Andy who runs race systems is really nice and knows the guys at Sundrland4x4. He has to order it in a batch from South Africa and I just made his latest order which went out yesterday 😁 I tell you all the cool stuff is in SA, NZ, and OZ. This dispenses completely with the Lexus ECU and TCU and with the vast majority of the Lexus loom. Ultimately making the electrics an easier job and giving me an ECU which I can map at will. Once I learn how.

I've got a fair few options with engine suppliers. These days there are several companies or people braking down LS400's and putting the engine, box, loom, ECU, all ancillaries and other stuff you might want into a 'kit' and delivered on a palet. It works out cheaper and less time consuming than buying a donor car yourself. In my case it saves me money not paying the guys to dismantle an LS400. I should be purchasing a lot in the next few days. One chap is calling me tomorrow. He's the last one I wanted to speak to before making my decision.

The engine dress up will be done by me. I may not be able to get it done before hand but I will buy a dress up kit and get the rocker covers and intake painted. So it's no rush to do it all prior. I'd rather spend the money on getting the job done then see where we are at.

The specs on the engine change dependant on which year you go for. But they are all strong and super reliable. In needing to order the ECU I've had to commit to going pre-VVTi. So I'll be either 254 or 261 bhp. The target initially is to reach 300bhp. Easily done without much more than I will have. Possibly achievable with a performance intake (which I can take from my engine now), SS exhaust (which James will build) and some decent headers which again I can order from SA or OZ. Beyond that I might need to consider drivetrain mods. We'll see. Drive it, break it, rebuild it stronger is my mantra.

Before anyone asks, yes the brakes will be done. Not at the same time. We'll do the conversion first then see what's what. Most of the conversions that take place do nothing with the brakes. I think it depends on how you plan to drive. Personally I will do them. But I don't know what yet and my current brakes are in perfectly good enough shape to handle a V8 if you drive sensibly. But brakes will be the first thing I do afterwards.

Think that covers it all for now. I'll update as I buy stuff in.

cool man u are going to town cant wait to see the truck maybe on the 20th.

as for brakes depends on what size wheels u will be running too

I'm on 10x15's right now but I may go to 8x15's so that I can fit 35's. But that won't be until after the conversion. I wouldn't like the idea of gearing down a 4D56 on 35's. Slow enough as it is. A shogun rear axel conversion is one idea. The I can run discs at the back.

yeh i dont think I would go 35's on mine well maybe on truck 2 as i dont use it for towing

problem is discs at the back dont help that much with the stopping IMO mate as most of the stopping power comes from the front when going forwards , it helps a bit but its never going be like a F1 car and with 15's u cant even get bigger discs

Brakes only need doing if your going to rally race it or drive like a tit. But I can't imagine your going to do that in a 2 tonne truck.
Looking forward to seeing the build as I've already got the 2.8 box in mine. I want to see how complicated it gets.

u got the auto box too mallinman

Exactly Maliman. I have no intention of driving like a muppet. But better brakes are never a bad idea irrespective of how much power you have.

The difficult bit from what I understand is the electronics. In the Southern Hemisphere this is not an uncommon conversion. I've found pajeros, L200's and Delicas with the same 1UZ-FE engine. My understanding is that keeping the Lexus electronics is where it gets tricky.

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #348

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u got the auto box too mallinman

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