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Thread: Aussie Prefect

  1. #21
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SimonG View Post
    Thanks Tim, I think I am enjoying the challenge more of having to find creative ways to save money rather than just buying everything new out of a catalogue.
    My philosophy is, I have a lot more time than money mate

    Cheers. Tim W.
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by v8pop View Post
    My philosophy is, I have a lot more time than money mate

    Cheers. Tim W.
    I am with you on that one

  3. #23
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    TIme to add a little more....
    Originally my plan was to use a turbo SR20 to power my car but found that people wanted over $2,000 for an engine needing a rebuild so I have decided to go for a V8. In Australia one of the most common cars is the Ford Falcon and they come with an option of an injected 5 litre Windsor. I was able to pick up a rebuildable engine for $100 and also found a C4 gearbox for the same price, so tat is sorted.


    The sump was in the wrong position so I looked around and found a used one off what i believe is an F100 and it has the hump at the rear.



    The later model engine mounts were not even close to fitting but I found that the mounts from an early 70's Falcon were ideal and you can see them fitted above. As the engine was drained of oil to fit the sump I started fabricating the mounts by tipping the engine upside down and splitting some box section to get the correct size to fit inside the mount. A crush tube was then added inside this and an MDF template of the crossmember allowed me to trim them at the ideal angle.







    The original mounts were then cut off the crossmember and new plates welded on to allow the engine to sit correctly with good clearance to the crossmember and firewall.



















    Next it was time to fit the gearbox and see how everything would fit with the centre crossmember. In Australia we must have a minimum of a k member but I was trying to fit in an x member for extra strength.



    It was immediately obvious that extra clearance was needed but I found a way to also incorporate a tailshaft loop, which is another requirement for registration.















    You will notice that this crossmember isn't welded directly to the frame. As my brother in law that is doing all the welding explained, welding directly to the frame may cause stress cracks so a plate is stitch welded to the frame and the the crossmember fully welded to the plate. This reduces fatigue and therefore cracking to the main frame rails.



    Well I am out of time for tonight but will add more details on the x member and gearbox crossmember construction.

  4. #24
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
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    Looking good Simon, $100 sounds a way better engine price mate.

    Cheers. Tim W.
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  5. #25
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    I am sure the finished exhaust note will sound a lot better than a turbo 4 too

  6. #26
    NSRA member Dusty's Avatar
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    Neat build.
    This is the second (of two) Aussie Prefect I have seen with a Pop boot, were they all this style?

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
    Neat build.
    This is the second (of two) Aussie Prefect I have seen with a Pop boot, were they all this style?
    As far as I know everything on the vehicle is standard for Australia

  8. #28
    NSRA member Dusty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SimonG View Post
    As far as I know everything on the vehicle is standard for Australia
    I've learnt something new today, thank you.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dusty View Post
    I've learnt something new today, thank you.
    I always think it is a good day when I learn something new, and us aussies are always a little different to the rest of the world

  10. #30
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    The next piece of the puzzle is fitting the x member and gearbox mount so will let the pictures do the talking









    For the gearbox crossmember I made a template out of thinner sheet first and then split a length of box section to make the crossmember...





























    That,s all for now and is amazing how it seems so simple in the photos but there was a few sundays worth of work to make and assemble a simple piece.
    I will keep the updates coming as I have time and hope my work inspires others to get out in the shed. Easy for me to say I guess when we are at the start of winter here and it is a beautiful 26 degrees celcius during the day and a chilly, for us, 12 overnight

  11. #31
    NSRA member mygasser's Avatar
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    some very nice belt and braces work there and good to see someone else making the gearbox crossmember removeable. i don't get having to pull the entire engine and box to fix a faulty box because the crossmember is fixed like so many rods are. neil.

  12. #32
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    The last little bit of the chassis for now i to make an out rigger to support the old chassis in this area



    A double plate was welded to the chassis so that it could be drilled and taped for easy removal of the body and then the other end welded to the old chassis











    It was then time to drop the body back on and see how well it all fits







    The front guards need to be widened by about 50 mm so at the stage I am not sure if I will use a filler strip or just pump them out, but otherwise the body fitted perfectly. The body was sitting a little high so as there is no real floor in the car and we had an angle grinder we decided to channel it a little and it looks much better.








    The only remaining things to sort out for completion of the chassis are the front discs, brake lines and the tail shaft, but as these will all cost money I don't have I have decided to move onto the body work.

    I am planning on making it a 2 door by lengthening the front doors and whilst looking over them with my brother in law, we found some rust in the front ones and major damage to one rear one so we figured it would be best to start by removing the door skins. It seemed a little daunting at first but they are really only welded on the corners of the skin and spot welded in the window channel at the top, so after a few hours of careful prying we had them off and ready to repair and lengthen the inner structure.














    Well that has caught me up to where I am now and with school holiday upon us here in Australia I might not get much done, as I don't want to rush the next part of setting up the doors and B pillar.

  13. #33
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    Great work Simon, you are not wasting any time. Keep posting the updates.

  14. #34
    NSRA member crumble's Avatar
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    Well done its coming on very well
    Real steel

  15. #35
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    Thanks for the positive feed back and didn't have much shed time on the weekend, although just long enough to pass the point of no return and removed the B Pillar, so no turning back now on the 2 door conversion






  16. #36
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
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    Aye Simon, as said already, very well done, deffo no turning back now!! Its going to be a cool ride when it done mate.

    Cheers. Tim W.
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  17. #37
    NSRA member rem's Avatar
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    Can you just get a pair of Pop doors and fit them? Not sure if they are the same shape at the A-pillar, but everything else on the car looks similar?
    Sent from my Kitchen Table using a little box full of smoke and dangerous radio waves


    Shine is Fine

  18. #38
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    What's the plan with the doors? You gonna stretch the Prefects? Or as R.E.M has said use Pop doors? Either way remember to take pic's as you go. Here from you soon re frame and bit's.

  19. #39
    NSRA member mygasser's Avatar
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    I looked at the pics and thought it'd look cool if the 'c' post above the swage line was moved forward and the window frames of the 2 doors were joined together when stretching the doors. That way the upper 'b' post would lean forward in a kustom kind of way which would be different. I hope you get the drift of my ramblings even if you ignore them. Cheers, neil

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steveg View Post
    What's the plan with the doors? You gonna stretch the Prefects? Or as R.E.M has said use Pop doors? Either way remember to take pic's as you go. Here from you soon re frame and bit's.
    Sorry, just re-read the thread where you already said, late reading never good.

    "I am planning on making it a 2 door by lengthening the front doors"


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