Krusty rebuild

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lowbox
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Krusty rebuild

Post by lowbox »

Bought a 109 a week ago - LWB station wagon from TradeMe. Still don't know why I did it... Destined to be my beach fishing wagon and for camping with the kids. The kids immediately named it - Krusty

Anyway I thought I'd keep you posted on the rebuild. It's an unusual - South African Import not sure what year it is originally (can anyone tell this from chassis numbers?). Safari roof, short bonnet., Peugot bucket seats in the front, a toyota van bench in the rear, all with seat belts.

It was rebuilt in 1986 with galv chassis, a chevy 250 straight six (like a bigger holden) and a fairey overdrive. Has done about 50k miles since the rebuild but left outside to rot in the last few years. Also has a warn 10000 pound winch on a bullbar made from heavy plate. Diffs are salisburies, I think 4.7 diffs.

All the doors had rust - so did the bonnet. Have sourced one new door and a new bonnet from forward specs, the other doors are repairable and they are all at the panelbeater getting fixed and a lick of paint. The front doors had alloy tops so that's all good. All the window channels were moss farms so new ones going in.

One spring had collapsed so have got a set of parabolics and procomp shocks from marcel at mamaku 4WD. 2 leaf fronts /3 rears. Will upgrade the rears to 4's if they are too light.

Garry at Central motoring is checking everything out - including the faulty starter - thanks to the landy fan that helped me push start it! New plug points filters oils etc and i think it will need the weber carby cleaned up but we'll see. Brakes and steering will get a thorough going over.

Have found some new tyres - some all terrains on trademe - now I need some 16" wide rims with a decent amount of offset. Hopefully i will make it a lot more driveable.

Have got a pintle hook for the rear (to tow my army trailer) and a 12v air compressor I'll wire in hidden away somewhere. It has a second battery wired in under one of the sideways facing bench seats so I'll set up camping lights etc off that and replace the tired old battery as well.

Needs new door seals and a better way of fixing down the bonnet (two rubber straps at the moment - might get a SIII catch)

Aim to have it back on the road in a few weeks, it was still registered and WOFed (god knows how) when I bought it so that should all be plain sailing.

Now all I need is some disc brakes and a power steering conversion 8)
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SupraLux
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Post by SupraLux »

You Rover nuts just never learn... :roll: :lol: :lol:

...pics tho, sounds like it will be far more capable and pretty than your average fishing wagon...
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spanky
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Post by spanky »

the chev blue flame 6 will show you how to use gas!
vaughan
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lowbox
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Post by lowbox »

I have a 4.6 in my 90, I'll be interested to compare... ;-)

I'm not sure if it's a Blue Flame or a later one, it's a 250ci straight six from a chevy that looks like an HQ Holden, just badged Chevy. Has a single Weber on it.

Given that my missus has a V8 Disco, this will be the only non-V8 in our household - lucky we live close to work, school and a petrol station!
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NJV6
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Post by NJV6 »

lowbox wrote:I have a 4.6 in my 90


Tell us more......
SWB V6 Paj with one or two mods ;)
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lowbox
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Post by lowbox »

4.6 block from a HSE rangie - and my old 3.5 carbies and front end. New crank from a 3.9 I think so there was something to turn the dissie. Looks exactly like the old 3.5 - just goes a lot better. Extractors and a carb rejetting and it was good to go. Has oodles of torque.
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lowbox
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Post by lowbox »

The rebuild is getting closer... New custom radiator and front grille are in, and motor fired up first time (after months of sitting)
Changed the oil, which involved drilling out the sump plug - might not have been changed in a while...
New door seals are on (which involved the angle grinder)
New parabolics are on - but the left rear lean is still there. None of the mounts look altered so might drive it and see if it straightens up.
New battery and mounting brackets are in, lots of new bolts...
Doors are all resurrected, no rust in any of them now.
Still to do:
- nasty rust under pedal box (recent find...)
- ignition switch
- radiator shroud refitting
- waxoyl doors and re-fit trim
- cut and paste old panels so new ones not so obvious
- a thousand little things...
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lowbox
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Post by lowbox »

It's (finally) mobile! Still a few minor things to do - like trim the front guards where they rub on the 285's, and figure out what is draining the battery, but it's all set for xmas fishing expeditions!
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lowbox
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Re: Krusty rebuild

Post by lowbox »

Blew up the gearbox... now rebuilt and sounds a whole lot quieter.
Rust in both footwells is now gone
cut the wheelarches to fit the tires in, and aded a set of cheapo bushmaster flares
got a spare the same size
high idle turned down

goes fine on the beach, runs a bit cool even on a hot day though
the 285's and parabolics float over the sand really well
kids love travelling in it

still to do:
rust inhibiting oil underneath
alter spare wheel carrier to fit spare
fit cargo barrier
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mercutio
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Re: Krusty rebuild

Post by mercutio »

we need pics :D :D
my 4wd is not a truck

old mercedes never die but sometimes they do need some love

older cars are good,mercedes are better,older mercedes are the best
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lowbox
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Re: Krusty rebuild

Post by lowbox »

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lowbox
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Re: Krusty rebuild

Post by lowbox »

and now the carby is rebuilt... might idle properly now 8)
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