Moonhoper is reborn

[moonhopper]

I had this plan to build a trials truck,after having a club truck that was road worthy, it didnt blow my hair back anymore.
so i hunted for a project and this is what i found not the most interesting of starts but it was a start i also picked up the old roll cage to go with it

and away i went.
i added the original diffs that came with it and the front suspension will be using Rancho rs 5012 for secondary shock and reatached the rollcage and it started to look like something, after many phone calls with Dan Cowper the original builder of the vehicle many years ago and Hamish who once owned it i started to get to grips with what it was susposed to look like as i had no previous experience with building vehicles this is all trial and error manly error!. i have now managed to mount a 1300cc supercharged motor, sj413 gearbox with a kevlar 4 puck clutch using a toyota pressure plate and lj80 transfer case. have made mounts for rear xr250 shocks and radiator mount. the seat mounts have been made and new 32" tyres purchased so now it is looking like this


now i'm ready to make the floor pans and start on the body work and run all the pipes, i have since mounted the fuel cell and moved the air tank behined the seats, i hope to be completed by the last round in Napier in easter for my first play, so any suggestions or advice from guys who have done this before is much appreciated i have now fitted hydraulic steering. the guys from Enzed hose doctors have plumed up all the hoses for me, and have thrown in some sponsorship to go with it.

[Smurf]

That is one wicked looking toy.
Great work

[meatc]

lookin good. need lots of pics when you get time. get it finished first, thats most important.

what did you use for hydro steering? Did you get the oom and clutch cable?

Dan

[skid]

top effort dude, I wondered if it was the same moohopper that Dan built and won the National Championship in a few years ago.

Keep up the good work and we'll see ya out at the finals.

very nice

[moonhopper]

Thats the one, i have added a few new toys on it, now wth the super charger and hydraulic steering and gone to 32 inch tyres. hopefully will give it a bit more pep. the steering was from Dan its a 2 turn to lock Danfoss orbital, and a ram that Dan had made.having the guys from suvic run all the hoses this week so will add pics later, cheers and thanks i received loom and cable

[moonhopper]

i just finished all the hydralic hoses, radiator hose, brake lines, fuel lines. and have started to fit some of the panel work just need to run the electrics and have the muffler fited and i will be playing hopefully i will make the last round here is a couple of the latest pics

[De-Ranged]

hopefully i will make the last round

looks like I may not be competing... found out I've left it too long to get a comp licence, and I can't get word from the ORE club if I'm still a member and if my dues are paid to NZ4WDA, still trying to sort this fingers x'd
So if you need a hand to finish this beast lets see if we can get one of us there

Oh and thanks for the offer on the seats, I'd already spent the coin on the flash ones so I'll run them

[85BJ73]

Is this the truck with the motorcycle forks as suspension? If it is the one Hamish Auret campained year before last, I set up the air control to raise and lower each shock/fork individually!!
Cheers,
Shane

[moonhopper]

its the very same one, i have modified it since then, with a complete rebuild still the same principals behind the truck though. it will be great to have it running again. cheers Tony

[85BJ73]

let me know if ya wanna make the air system work again, and I will try to remeber how it worked or I might be able to come visit, and show ya what we did.
Shane

[KiwiBacon]

Very cool.

But we need videos.

[moonhopper]

that was the easy part, just had to make new valve connections on the new shocks and
then connected up air switches to my dive tank reg.Just need to adjust reg to allow more air presure. i will take short video of truck over the weekend

[85BJ73]

I had mounted a valve bank on it, so each leg could be raised and lowered individually, to help climbing over obsticles, also you could raise and lower one side at a time to help on sidlings You need stuff all pressure, or the seals in the forks will blow. We were trying to talk him into ditching the dive tank, too much weight, and running a small airbrake tank/compressor combo, but he never quite got there I think
If you want to know more let me know.
Shane

[moonhopper]

i could be keen to hear about the compresor combo more info

[85BJ73]

No prob at all, it is very simple. You will need a regulator that will let you go to 100 psi. The valve bank needs to be a return to centre, closed centre 3 position 4 bank valve. You run a hose from the compressor to a tank, from the tank split it into 4, then into one side of the valve bank. The airline then comes out the other side and on to the forks.
Here is the tricky part, when the valve is opened, we set it so the lever was pushed up, the air needs to flow from the tank to the forks. When le lever is pushed the other way, the air bleeds from the fork to the atmosphere. So you are actually setting it up slightly different to how most valves are used. From memory, I got the control bank from Compressed Air Controls in Hamilton, they were the most helpful.
Hope this helps,
Shane

[moonhopper]

Hey Shane, i have all the valves and hoses set that way but i dont think i have the pressure to run it properly i will contact the dive shop to adust my reg to let more air through, if i have p[roblems i will give you a call, cheers could be good to catch up after Easter to make sure i have done it properly though.

[moonhopper]

well its nearly completed just the carb to sort and weld on the brake levers, then bolt on the panels and it's play time

[petefj40]

Looks very impressive!
So when are we going to see some video of this thing in action?

[85BJ73]

Lookin good, you get the air system sorted or ya still want me to come over for a cruise?? From memory, I think Hamish had problems with pressure too, and he ran it higher than 100psi.
Cheers,
Shane

[moonhopper]

Hi Shane, i think i might need some help sorthing the air out, i can help with fuel costs if you want to come over.
cheers
tony

[85BJ73]

Okay, I have a busy weekend this weekend, but I will talk to the missus and see how soon we can come over. She likes visiting Napier, so it shouldn't be too hard to talk her into it.
Will PM ya and let ya know a couple off dates, and if it suits you too, we will be over.
Shane

[moonhopper]

sounds great we dont have much on the weekend of the 12-13th i will have both days of then, but whenever is best for you guys. cheers Tony

[85BJ73]

Have had a bit of a delay, we have to go to Auckland in a week or so for job interviews.....but as soon as we have recovered from that trip we will be over. The missus will drop me off at yours and go look at shops that way I won't feel rushed.

[85BJ73]

Change of plan again, we really don't wanna go to Auckland.....so I will talk to missus, trip 2 yours will be sooner than later

[moonhopper]

sounds good i will be working 6 days at the moment so will have sundays off, shops will still be open for the missus to look at.

cheers

[85BJ73]

Sounded good....until yesterday, went and did a charity trail ride, didn't come off, but was fkn close, upshot? Wrenched knee and ankle, awaiting doc's assessment, they reckon they have to wait for swelling to go down, I can't bend my knee, or move my ankle, let alone stand on it. Getting into a car....yeah right, but I can get into the 'cruiser, just can't drive it, as I can't use the clutch......as soon as I am mobile, I will be over.
Shane

[turoa]

does anyone have any pics or vids of the moonhopper trialling?

[skid]

does anyone have any pics or vids of the moonhopper trialling?

yup

[turoa]

does anyone have any pics or vids of the moonhopper trialling?

yup

can you email them to me?

[skid]

does anyone have any pics or vids of the moonhopper trialling?

yup

can you email them to me?

NUP