LJ Project "Rangi"

[UBZ]

Cut the cage and tub off ,
Then cab off for the first time in 12 odd years

[UBZ]

Quick exhaust mockup and out with the x-fer to finish the chassis welding

[UBZ]

Fuel lines in
Brake lines in - going replace these hard lines with new eventually
Fuel cell and battery box mockup sorted , and a plan is in place for the rear tub .

99% of the chassis welding and xfer mount welding is done , let’s just say it’s strong and I’m a really good grinder …….
Exhaust is progressing but waiting for a muffler from a mini to show up.

Next is gearbox out to check the clutch situation . Because I can’t remember what’s in there

And then the body can go back on temporarily to get the rear roll cage mounts positioned.

[fullthrottle]

Keep up the good work and progress.
I would call it 12 years of planning. I thought I was bad, LoL

[Trials]

Good to see this coming along, better late than never!

Just done a whole SJ410 trials truck build over the last year. It's cool to see putting all the different suzuki bits together to make the ultimate setup.

[UBZ]

Being able to drive him has motivation high
Maybe a little too high in the silly bugga category . The quary and the pond now have test lines thorough them

Moving onto to more pressing issues , I gathered enough energy to do one of the main remaining welding jobs .
Transmission tunnel mods are complete. Had to cut and move the tunnel top agian ….. as the shifter was hitting the jack shaft . Also took the time to remove a bit more rot







Driving about with no brakes is fun , but not in the happy wife category , so filled the lines and tried to bleed the brakes . After a lot of fuild on the floor I got all the connections actually tight and the brakes bleed some what . Still have to pump 3 times , so a lot of air still to come out. I am assuming the front brakes are the main culprit as the Vitara calipers sit with the bleed screw below the high point , but that’s a job for another day now .

Also some new yellow bling to resolve the bouncy back end



More importantly was to give Rangi his mojo back and after a quick flex up to check front wheel clearances it was time to make a start on the front grill and guards , a project long thought about , but relegated to the nice to have list for far too long



Still a work in progress , but coming together nicely

[UBZ]

New Year update

In true project fashion ….. being completely distracted from the logical priority list and order of events …..
Perusing eBay for parts you don’t need and came across this locally ….. I have never seen a LJ50 heater blower before ,a very rare bird indeed



Dreams of warm feet and fog free windshields ensued .
It got a positive Wife approval stamp , increasing likly hood of Wife trip participation.



Of course after all that , it didn’t fit …
Someone had but butchered the transmission tunnel ….
Some cut and glue fixed that , Add some excessive plumbing from the parts collection and the result was worth the effort .

Moving on to more important activities
Front and inner guard work has been progressing fast





Not a bad result for some old leftover shed flashings and a cut up Nissan Mu bonnet. Some seam sealer, when I get around to it should hide most of the bodge panel work



He Actually looks like and LJ again

Spent way too much time making headlight buckets to fit behind the cool grill . I probably would have done it completely differently if … I did it again , but hind sight after cut this glue that tech is just a nice to have .





Happy with the final outcome , headlights give Rangi his soul back



As a result of all that , the airbox got moved again , to its final home hopefully
happy with the engine bay layout , still need to add a washer bottle and upgrade the radiator overflow bottle…



Next job is pull it apart agian , guards off / body off…
Needs a big blaze up session with the glue gun on the bottom and back side of things .