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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:24 pm Post subject: Project ZuLander
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ok this is the writeup of my new build "Project ZuLander"
well as most of you know my last project was a diesel conversion in a vitara. well since then i started entering local tagging event's, and in a desire to get my truck to go places it couldn't and i was looking along the lines of fitting LR running gear including engine and box..
so i started to hunt around when i stumbled across a Discovery V8i fitted with LPG for a steel an ideal donor vehicle i though until we went to see it... well it was apparent the body had long passed it's best before, but the chassis apart from a slight bit of surface rust was perfect, so ££ was paid and the truck driven home. it didn't take long to decide that the chassis was to good to scrap and that a new body was the way forward
as the truck was mot'd and taxed for another 6months i decided to make the most and get used to the truck, it was soon apparent whilst out laning that the disco body was to big and bulky as i found out when i removed a rear quarter window :s
it wasn't long after we started taking it tagging, where it soon picked up alot of body damage to the point where i gave up fixing it and took it on a beaver tail to events.
so where to go with the body?
there are many different options available
Blitz
D-Lander
Tomcat
Tornado
Whitbread challenge frame
amongst many others, now i had a look and most of these kit's run in to a good few k's the whitbread kit is of a more reasonable cost but i was looking for something more weather proof as i'd like to use the truck for laning and trips away laning, also most of the kit's available have you cut off the rear chassis behind the axle, this i wanted to avoid cutting the chassis as it's an instant IVA test
so we looked into other ideas, one was to build a custom tubular body, but we thought it would be time consuming to make doors etc to seal it up. i was sugested that a possibility was to use a external cage from something like a suzuki as a base for a tubular body with doors from the same truck type.
then the penny dropped and the idea was formed, it was obvious which route we were to take. the vitara was nice and compact as where the landrover was big and bulky on a nice strong base, though both have soft wings and panels which dent when your trying to squeze in on a punch.
now the work is been done myself and my good friend neil at www.neilhandburyracing.co.uk
so the idea:
-to find a swb vitara body
-remove front inner and outer wings
-shorten the rear, enough to keep rear seats but loose space behine seats
- build a tubular front end, allowing maximum clearance
-build a tubular rear end like above
-relocate lpg tanks from under sills to rear end
-add third lpg tank to increase range
-loose petrol tank and replace with 20l reserve tank
-configure to start on lpg
-build external cage
-fit twin 6l air tanks
that was our general idea, as we started the project we decided on a couple of changes.
-decided to loose efi system
-loose lpg feedback system and mixer (due to backfiring on start spliting pieps)
-fit lpg (propane) carb from states, works simular to SU carb but with gas
- build the rear more like a pickup bed allowing enought room to mount twin tanks one either side and third to front of bed/under body depending on room (one 36l tank will be on a twoway switch to give a switchable reserve)
-remove roof panel, strengthen and replace with checker plate, (simplifys the shortening)
i expect there will be many more changes as we start to think more twisted thoughts but enought for now and onto the build....
i'll let the pictures do most of the talking here:
firstly the disco as i brought it, looks tidy but body is hanging
note the modded rear windows
this is a rough sketch plan i did on a tablet, this is to give us an idea to work from
these next pictures were taken straight after and event this was that last time the disco was complete....
as you can see she's quite battered
and the stripdown comences
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
Project Zulander |
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:25 pm Post subject:
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the chassis after, this is what we have to work with, using standard mounts and holes with no cutting allowed!
i expect quite a few may recognise the body as been atached to a SS member by the name of ben, these pics where taken at 0330am when we finally arrive back at the unit with the body
on closer inspection the floor plan of the body is in quite a bad state as are the arches, but we had been wondering allready about replacing the floor and have now decided to replace the sills with large box and the floor will be made of smaller box and alloy checker plate, the arches are to be chopped back and plated.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
Project Zulander |
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject:
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these next pics are of the test fit, the tunnel and a section of the floor have been cut away to allow us to asess and measure where the body will sit. we've opted to keep the body back slightly this is to allow the sills to match up with both the front and rear body mount outriggers and secondly it allows better access to the rear of the engine.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:27 pm Post subject:
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now the body is back off and the shortening starts, firstly neil welds in some angle across between the b pillars then a diagonal, this is to keep the body ridged whislt we shorten and replace the floor plan. the roof will stay atm solely to help keep the structure ridged, once the floor is done the roof will be replaced.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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g1oves Just got MTs
Joined: 08 May 2008 Odometer: 448 Location: Bolton, LANCS. 3.0L TD HILUX & 2.4 TD DCAB HILUX & 3.0ltr td trayback 4runner
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:04 am Post subject:
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i like it !!! you dont mess about do you !!!!
and i like the capri !! that yours ????
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:17 am Post subject:
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lol, nope we don't do anything by halfs
it's one of our mates capri, it's a 3.0 v6 essex, we had it in for some custom work on the front and smoothing rear and side trim fixings and a custom cage.
theres more pic's here if you'd like to see
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115344&id=514413286&l=d8b5af4ef6
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:01 am Post subject:
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i forgot to add, here are some nice pic's of lot's of shiney metal
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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scotty wong Just got MTs
Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Odometer: 472 Location: kent
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:33 pm Post subject:
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interesting!! will enjoy this build.
scotty
__________________________________ if the truth can be told so as to understood it will be believed. jeep xj |
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Kitesurf Difflock Royalty
Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Odometer: 14197 Location: Luton, Beds
1994 Toyota Surf
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:
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You have another watcher. Looking forward to seeing your build progress.
__________________________________ Motorist who drove his 4x4 up Snowdon sentenced to appear on Top Gear. |
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4x4rick Off-Road Guru
Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Odometer: 1900 Location: J25 M25
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject:
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off topic slightly.........how much was the ali/checker plate £££££££££ per sheet
and lastly did you see the pic's when Ben took that body off
__________________________________ Most sports require only one ball -our sport require's two..........
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Jimmy Just got MTs
Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Odometer: 307 Location: Wirral, Cheshire
1992 Toyota Landcruiser
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject:
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Kitesurf wrote: | You have another watcher. Looking forward to seeing your build progress. |
Ditto
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject:
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4x4rick wrote: | off topic slightly.........how much was the ali/checker plate £££££££££ per sheet
and lastly did you see the pic's when Ben took that body off |
i'm not to sure on the price tbh, as we brought just over £500 worth of tube, box and sheet. as theres only really one stockist in the area that we knew would have the stuff we didn't shop around.
na didn't see any pic's i don't think, you got a link?
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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ciderdan Winch Assistant
Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Odometer: 94 Location: taunton, somerset
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Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:
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nice build john can wait to see it tagging. good luck.
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:19 am Post subject:
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well another part turned up today, this time it was the propane carb i've had shipped over from the states (cheapest way to buy), it's rated to cope with bigger/more powerful engines than mine, but will allow scope for further engine tuning in the future (next size down is on small side), this will simplify the engine bay wiring and make the engine less foulable to water
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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g1oves Just got MTs
Joined: 08 May 2008 Odometer: 448 Location: Bolton, LANCS. 3.0L TD HILUX & 2.4 TD DCAB HILUX & 3.0ltr td trayback 4runner
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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:
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THAT LOOKS NICE ,and not being a machanic i havn`t got clue were it goes !!!!!!!
reminds me of one of thoughs patato pealers you had in school
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RobotMan Just got MTs
Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Odometer: 251 Location: Bishop Auckland
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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:11 am Post subject:
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Jon,
Could you post up a link to where you got your propane carb from, it looks just the thing for my 'Mog and would save me having to repair my existing carb and find a petrol tank!
Nice build btw
__________________________________ Rob (Robotman) Taylor.
MonkeyMotorSport
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aniesigh Articulating
Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Odometer: 795 Location: north devon
1991 Suzuki Samurai
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:12 am Post subject:
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the propane carb was from Nash lift truck supply co in the Us ebay user Propane-kits
http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/propane-kits/
i brought a CA200-6-2 carb, this is a 200m-2-2 mixer with AT2-6 Thrtl body, there are many different combinations of both thrtl body and mixer, inc different mixer types both vary mainlt in diamentions of inlet/outlets. have a look at
http://www.teecoproducts.com/catalog/PDF%20Files_Catalog/IMPCO/IMPCO%202006%20CAT-200%20Series.pdf
scroll to page 4 for details of the different mixers and thrtl bodys, and page 2 for the full carb (mixer and body) combos
please note that some ebay sellers are listing mixers only (no throttle body!)
depending what size engine your using the carb i have might be to big, have a look at the impco training manual
http://www.impco-beru.nl/IMPCO%20Training%20Manual.pdf
scroll to page 91, this has table and equations (simple to use) to help you calculate which size of carb you'll need.
hope this helps.
aniesigh wrote: | did you by any chance buy that disco from north devon? looks like one that used to be parked down the road.
nice build by the way! what do you plan on using it for? (obviously offroading) but laning, P&P, challenge events? |
yea, it came from north devon can't remember the name of the place though, body had rotted out underneath before i brought it but for the price for a tidy v8 with lpg couldn't say no , going to be using it for a bit of everything really, been taking part in punch events once a month, can't see that keeping the chassis the same length is going to hold me back a couple months ago i finish second with it as in the battered pic's , we've decided more on a tubular pickup type bead on the back to keep a little storage room, and to make it that little bit more interesting
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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aniesigh Articulating
Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Odometer: 795 Location: north devon
1991 Suzuki Samurai
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:10 pm Post subject:
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Well we’ve got some more done on the truck, we’ve been busy bracing up the body across the doorframes so that we can remove the floor without risk of warping the body when we removed the floor.
We attacked the floor with a more un-usual method well not so un-usual on here…. We turned the body upside down, as we decided this would make it easier to remover the floor and replace the sills.
The sills are made of a 80mmx80mmx3mm box doubled up and welded together off the truck
This is my mate Neil welding up the sills:
I even had a go at the welding up until now I had only used my little sip hobby welder whish I taught myself to use, I was very happy with the quality of my welding with a decent industrial mig , though I must say that neil had already setup the welder at this point
Now the following picture are of the sills resting in place on the body, we’ll tack them in place at the weekend and then test the body back on the chassis to make sure there right, after which we’ll weld them fully and then start on the floor.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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d86 Articulating
Joined: 27 Aug 2008 Odometer: 635 Location: bath,somerset,u.k.
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:25 pm Post subject:
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christ
tony
__________________________________ if at first you dont succed,give up and get somone else to do it.!! |
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:56 pm Post subject:
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yup, no half measures here
i forgot to say you can see in the pic's where the body has been shortened , though the arch flares will be going as the arch comes in a different place.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject:
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been a little bit since i posted been repairing my car after a mishap involving a truck back in oct, all sorted now and back to the build
i was trying to decide between bigger tyres and a locker, well decided my existing tyres where pretty cut up so would need replacing and that it was pointless buying the same size when i wanted bigger
so i ordered up a set of silverstone xtreme tyres from silverline, was chuffed with next day delivery
they look huge compaired to my old vit, and still look big compaired to existing wheels on the disco
have also ordered up new bushes, HD steering arms, turrets, shock mounts, cones, and a 2" lift with extended shocks.
plan is to weld sills to body and attach mounts to sills, weld in box to mark out tunnel/floor then whilst neils welds in floor plan, i'll strip down top a bare chassis so we can rub down and paint, then we'll re-build with all the new parts and start on the tube work.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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ciderdan Winch Assistant
Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Odometer: 94 Location: taunton, somerset
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:46 pm Post subject:
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looking good mate should be a beast out tagging. keep up the work
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject:
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Ok well we’re back to working on the truck again got all the new parts today, looking forward to the build up
Sat untop my tyre stack there is five but one is bolted on the truck
Umm, lot’s of new parts
All unpacked
And a close up
I’ve still got a few more bit’s and bobs to order up, but nearly there, have gone for terrafirma 2” med lift springs, along with the +2” shocks, skeleton turrets, standard height, dislocation cones back and front, and standard rear mounts, also I have a full set of standard bushes, and bolt’s, also a set of extended brake hoses.
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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(pete) Mud Obsessed
Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Odometer: 5806 Location: aldershot
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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:14 am Post subject:
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im looking forward to this write up/build its going to be a corker of a wagon
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nicks90 Mud Obsessed
Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Odometer: 2181
1995 Land Rover Defender
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Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:37 am Post subject:
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fantastic - really looking forward to you crackin on with this.
ps. dont use those blue shock boots, they just trap muddy water in them and corrode the shock shaft.
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jon.g1 Articulating
Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Odometer: 753 Location: Taunton, Somerset, UK
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Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:41 am Post subject:
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Well we done a lot more done last night , we’ve got the sills welded into place on the body, the old suspension has been removed, then finally we lifted the body onto the chassis, put the new 2” lift springs in place and put the new wheels and tyres on to get a idea of the final size of the truck, the pic’s don’t do it justice! Its going to be a beast
Also note this is the first time the shortened body has been on the chassis, the flares in the rear wing are to be removed, so going to look a little different in the end,
This is only a mock up atm, this is so we can start putting the floor together, once done the body will come back off and the chassis completely striped and painted
__________________________________ If you make it idiot proof...
They will make a better idiot!
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Mook Off-Road Guru
Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Odometer: 1106 Location: Basingrad
1995 Suzuki Samurai
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Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:55 pm Post subject:
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oh Gawd thats startin to look tasty!...........................................................................................................................................................................PAINT IT BLACK!
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muddymesser Mud Obsessed
Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Odometer: 7819 Location: preston
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject:
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Mook wrote: | oh Gawd thats startin to look tasty!...........................................................................................................................................................................PAINT IT BLACK! |
that doesnt suprise me
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