Due to overwhelming pressure I have decided to do a thread for my Ute.

Ok, well maybe not overwhelming pressure, but lots of people……

Ok, so just one person asked. But I really wanted to do it, so here it is.

I bought my Ute in 2002 from a yard in Coopers Plains, QLD. It was advertised for $9500, and I paid $8500, plus I traded in my 120Y beater. It was a standard longreach, with 14” steelies, light truck tyres, supercheap plastic hubcaps and mud flaps, and a shiny supercheap tonneau cover that was not waterproof.
The paint was a bit iffy in places, and I could tell it had been fitted with a canopy at some stage. The back of the Ute was in very good nick, and it drove very nicely. The original log books were with the car, and said it was originally owned by the Qld police, in the accident investigation squad. I looked at quite a few XH’s, and this was the best for the price I could afford.

The first night I got it home I removed the butt ugly hub caps and mud flaps, and painted the steel rims with some silver, and fitted a set of XB GS chrome centres. Here’s how it looked for a while.



I then got a set of 15” EL steel rims and tyres, and fitted those, along with a set of front struts out of a wrecked EA, fitted with new shocks & pedders lowered front springs, and 2” lowering blocks in the rear. Now it sits and drives a lot nicer.




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Last edited by sooty72 on Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:23 pm, edited 19 times in total.

I scored a set of 17” x 8” CSA Prowlers, 2nd hand, for $500 with nuts and tyres. Two of the tyres were OK, and two were rooted, so I had to buy two new tyres. I got a pair of Nexen 3000 tyres, 235/45/17’s for $130.00 each fitted and balanced. I also bought a set of lock nuts, and got a wheel alignment. So I had nice wheels and good tyres for less than $800. Very happy with the look of these rims, and it rode a lot nicer, plus it handles like a cat on carpet. Very surprised with the grip level for a cheap tyre.





This is pretty much how it looks now, except the headlight protectors have been given the flick.

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Get some NF/NL or some DF/DL clear side repeaters, they look the exact same

Ah well done mate, the rain has set in! Is good to see it up close. its suprising how much a lowering and rims can make on a ride, and those headlights look pretty good too.

good to see another x series thread around the place, any future plans for it?

Thanks mate.

Next on the list is a T5 conversion, sick of breaking/destroying and replacing autos. I'm on my 3rd in two years!

I would like to respray it, just to tidy it up a bit, but the $$$ are a bit tight at the moment. Plus, it's a ute, so I will not be too fussy with it.

The If-money-was-no-object idea is for a built engine, with all the goodies, and a supercharger. (I miss my 429 everyday)
I like the idea of big HP in a street driven car. Oh well, I can only dream....

big HP in a street driven ute even better!

Looks Good. Love them XH Utes!

good to see a thread up for the two finally.
how'd the seats go by the way?

great to do all the front end work with out the rad support in the way hey, haha, did similar on my triton.

Hey, i have a 2 spare fairlane/ltd side repeaters if you want them. they are the good ones that are the same shape and all as yours as i have no need for them.

Thanks mate,
The seats are still awesome. The drivers seat pan actually cracked badly around the front mounts after about 6 weeks use. I replaced the pan with the one from my old seat, and used extra large washers to spread the load where the bolt holes cracked. All good now for over a year.
Not your fault, I blame the seat. Possibly due to the difference between your jockey-size build and my , lets say "curvy" build, the seat probably thought there was someone sitting in your lap. Maybe even two people.

Thanks Ash,
Those wheels really suit the ute, but I made the mistake of fitting them to the wagon for a while. Now the mrs wants them on there permanently, once the wagons finished. Which means I need to either find another set of 17" Prowlers, (fat chance) or find her something just as nice, so I can keep my wheels.

The ute does get a bit of love, when it all works well. When it plays up, it is a stinking green pile of puss.
Until I fix it, then I love it again.

Cool, thanks mate. I'll PM you with some details.

Ok, time to add a bit more to the thread.

Approx 3 years ago the engine started to die. It had been leaking from the front main for a while, but it started to get hot and was loosing water into number 5 bore. We had an EL ex-taxi at home as a parts car, so I removed that engine and stripped it to see what it was like. It turned out to be a late 98 EL hybrid engine, and the short engine was in really good nick. I gave it a good hone, cleaned everything, and re-assembled it with all new rings, bearings, Romac timing chain with vernier cam gear, new chain guides, Powerbond balancer and a JP hi volume oil pump.
The head was a bit iffy, so I got another thru work, and had it shaved to make it straight, fitted good valve springs and a crow 2222519 mild cam, along with new hla's. The guys tidied up the chambers, but left the ports stock. I fitted this engine to the ute, with help from my chief engineer.




This was my nephew, only 2 1/2 at the time, but very helpful.

I also fitted a set of 2nd hand Genies, with a 2 3/4" exhaust. It came from an EA wreck we have, so stops at the diff for now. Must get that sorted on day. It's only been three years....

Anyway, with the fresh engine, and the cam and exhaust it went like a shot dog, very happy with the improvement. Because I did 99% of the work myself, it only cost me $2k for the whole job.
I think the guys got a bit hungry on the surface grinder when they did my head, as she doesnt like 91 fuel. I run it on Shell 98 mosty of the time, and it seems happy.
A while later we scored a written off AVO NA Fairlane. It was pretty well screwed, and only a 3.9mpfi & auto. All the turbo gear was long gone, but I did score the AVO alloy air box, and the EA piping.


It goes a little better, and sounds a bit nicer. Plus, not many people have them, so it's something cool to have.

With the new found power, the old auto wasnt happy and was playing up. Eventually, it broke the first gear band on the way to Beaudesert. I had to drive the last 5 k's with only first gear. She pulled some big revs that morning, I tell you. My step dad heard me coming about 1 1/2 kays away. He could tell by the high revs that the auto was gone, so he was ready for me when I arrived. We had an ED Futura we bought for the aborted EA wagon job, so the auto from that was fitted to the ute. Once again, just let me say, I LOVE having a hoist to use any time I need it. After a day of solid work, it was all fitted and ready to go. Also, because it was an ED tranny, I now had a dipstick for the trans, (Who ever decided that you dont need a trans dipstick needs a swift kick up the a***) so that was a good thing. Unfortunately, after a short test drive where everything was fine, it turned out the ED trans also had broken a band! f**k, s**t, a***, BUGGER!
We removed it and a mate with a trans shop fixed it for me, and we re-fitted it the following weekend. It's been in for over year now, and is still working fine most days.

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Last edited by sooty72 on Mon May 24, 2010 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

Good stuff mate. Can't beat Frankenute! Transmisions seem to have been an issue tho lol. Glad to hear the headlight covers are gone

Frankenute! I love it!
I suppose it is. It has front struts and exhaust from an EA, Trans from an ED, engine from an EL, Air box from an NA, seats from an EF Fairmont, and it's an XH, which is already a bitsa from new....

The headlight covers seemed like a good idea at the time, but the love for them faded, and I think it looks better without them.

Last edited by sooty72 on Fri May 28, 2010 11:28 am, edited 1 time in total.