Thanks Ben, I was thinking along those lines with the lowering blocks....

And no, in my haste to get things done I forgot completely about the bonnet! Have found out since that the air con drier is 1cm too high and hits as well. I am going to get everything else done now and deal with these two later, they don't stop me driving the car... still not happy though.

Cheers
RD

I still say put the leaf spring in from a one tonne ute and then use 3" lowering blocks in your wagons.

Good stuff. Don't know why I havn't seen this thread for a while but the last few pages have been a good read. The sniffer hose nearly always falls off as you put the dash back in. It's just in the wrong place - especially if you're doing the install by yourself - it just balances well at that point!

Good you fixed it!

Well done. What's the latest ETA for you taking people to their dance lessons?!

Hi fiend

I have noted a few do put the 1 tonne springs in but I do not want to. I have heard the ride is fairly harsh unloaded which is not something I want from a family cruiser. Besides, that's just more $$$ outlay.

And yes, that bloody sniffer hose was a bugger alright. You are 100% correct about doing it on your own, I had the dash balancing on all sorts of things when putting it in and didn't even consider the hoses!

I am having to move my drive down the road 'til much later or tomorrow. I am trying to put the EL wiring in the doors at the moment and the bloody heat today is killing me. I must have lost a gallon of sweat so far. Rear bumper is on, RH headlight is in, RH guard is back on, bonnet is on and closing. Still have the fan relay mount to do plus airbox and headlight on the left plus the front bumper. Then it is back inside for the interior fitting.

I really want it driving by the weekend because with mid 40's forecast for Sat and Sun I will not be doing anything outside during the day. Sat morn is a write off anyway with kids baseball. May consider doing real early 'til mid morning so I can ensure that I can make my daughters Monday dance class at 4pm

Cheers
RD

Hi Bruce,

If you look at pics of our wagon in my gallery you will see that we are running Lovel Lows up front with 2" blocks in the rear. We went with lows as the boss didn't want the harsher ride of Superlows.

Thanks Paul, that is the exact look I am after....

Now, an update of sorts.

I found a plce to stick the fan relays, just squashed it between the airbox and the headlight. Location was checked with the air con lines in to ensure no fowling.



And that pretty much finished up the engine bay, that is aside from the air con lines.




I need a custom aircon line from the compressor to the heater box. The original line was a strange one and wouldn't fit with the air box in. The EL one fits perfect but the end to the condensor is wrong. I'll find someone to make me a combo of the two, then the lines can go in.

I also finished up the dash and front part of the interior







The rear is still to be done.

To give a bit of variety, I also started the door conversion. Initially I just wanted the EL wiring in all doors, which I accomplished. Then today I decided to do more to the fronts, starting with the passenger door:



I transferred nearly everything out of the EL door considering I was installed door ajar sensors and while I didn't get a photo of what I used in this door, I did get one of what I am using in the drivers door:



As you see the pile includes the glass and track, even down to the lock assembly. In addition to this lot I also installed the power window reg. When converting the door I started following Bunter & Bens doco on the conversion only to find the ED's doors were already set up from the factory. I only had to relocate one of the plastic screw plates and everything regarding the trim fell into place! This is a late ED so must have had EF stuff installed......

On the outside I fitted the EL handle (yet to be painted Cardinal Red) and the mirror



With the mirror, I again followed Bunter & Bens doco on the subject however I changed things a bit. Rather then guesstimate the location of the rear hole, I put a blob of blue tack on the area, then "fitted" the mirror in place. Then I pressed down on the rear and removed the mirror, leaving an impression of the screw hole. Center punch right smack bang in the middle of that, drilled the holes and bingo, fitted first time!

The drivers door is done now as well so now the kids are jealous because Mum & Dad have power windows. I need to invest in some silicon spary for the channels to free them up a bit and maybe also greas the window mech.

So, currently the car looks like this:





The back in incredibly high at the moment, higher than when I drove in in there. I suspect (hope) it is because I had all the suspension out and it will settle a little after a drive. Sometime this weekend I hope to get some 2" lowering blocks to throw in when it is cooler next week.

Everything badly needs a clean so the interior will be shampooed, the outside pressure washed and then cut and polished once I have everything done.

Bye for now

Cheers
RD

Last edited by racedirector on Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.

looking good mate...

you can use the ed aircon lines with the el pump, thats what im using on my ed..
the one running to the firewall needs to be bent slightly towards the engine at the compressor...
but if you do it this way, be carefull as the pipe does crease easy if you bent it to much..

Thanks matey, getting there day by day. It is two weeks today that it used to be a stock ED, now it is an EL in an ED body



Yup, thats the one. It exits the pump at an angle and just annoys the airbox. I have the old engine from the ED sitting here so I will attach the line to that and see how how I go bending it. I did think of bending but wasn't sure how the pipe would react...

Cheers
RD

Yep, I bent mine too. I used a long piece of wood and just took it in careful steps untill it wasn't touching the airbox anymore.

The car is really coming together now RD. Good stuff mate.

I expect to see you and the ED down at Liverpool next Friday night.

Cheers
BenJ

So, bending it it is then, I'll try tomorrow in the shade. Then I can join her all up and get the air con gassed plus have the engine bay done.

Thanks matey - It sure is coming together now, lotsa little stuff left...

As for Liverpool, I was thinking the same thing depending on Rach's volley ball training. I at least have something to take down there now....

Cheers
RD

Both thumbs held high on this progress then. How about the height of that a*** end? Go hit a few speed bumps flat out.........

Congraulations, the car is looking great.

Love how the door handles look on it, in the photos the colour is close enough too.

Needs about 500kg of ballast in the rear, and then ride height will be perfect

Good progress Bruce, I remember when I put in my door trims and everything lined up perfectly seeing that mine is the same as yours. If you need some mags, I've got some ED Fairmont turbo blades here but they need tyres. I am very jealous of the neatness of your engine bay, especially the lack of any wires on the firewall and the drivers side shock tower, something that if I had more time, I would have tried to do as you did on yours.

Hey - RD - Didn't you put a mid or high series BEM in? Just wondering if you found a EF / EL power aerial to go with it and remembered to drop a wire or two from the aerial through to under the glove box so you can utilise the power aerial function on the instrument cluster..?...

In the photos your aerial is fully extended, so guess you've just got the standard old box E non powered version?

Thanks guys! I am very much hoping that the rear will drop a little once I get it on the road. And yup, we had a few speed bumps AND some gravel roads around which hopefully will do the job!

The door handles actually look quite good as they are, a bit of contrast you could say. I some light the handles are darker, in others they are lighter. With that said though, they will still become Cardinal Red


Thanks matey. Your ED wouldn't be a late '94 by chance would it? With the turbos, I have thought of it but at this stage I might hang on 'til some 16's/17's come along.... or even some grey NL Fairlane mags.

I too am loving the cleanness of the engine bay with all that damn wiring out of the way. Gotta love the EL's for that alne!


Nah matey, no leckie aerial, just a bog standard E series one. I was hoping to get one before putting that car back together but transport became a problem during the build. The inside wiring is all there and I have switch on the dash though (which presents a problem in itself), all ready for when I put an aerial in

On another note, I love my wife so much...... I needed to strip the EL's rear doors and with it being bloody hot today I was dreading the job. Rach says to me "bring them inside"!!! So 4 bolts later I have EL rear doors in our kitchen! Cool huh?

Cheers
RD

Man, I love your missus too... It's not even that hot over here and my missus has decided we're splitting up and she's kicking me out (again...)

Seems to happen every four weeks, pretty much on the nail.

Odd, but true... She hates anything to do with cars and since I am off work, I do nothing but cars... Ah well...

Next installment coming to you live from under a bridge with no broadband, just cellphone net access.