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GQ epic build

37K views 170 replies 36 participants last post by  poomba2hd 
#1 ·
Hi All,

Long time lurker around the patrol 4x4 traps, gathering a bunch of information and leaching my way to some sort of result with the build i am working on.
Thought it was time to give a little back. So i will start the process of posting my build from where it was, to where it is now, and then bit by bit as i finish it off.

I have found so many have done similar things separately, but not to many give good detail. I won't go into great detail, as a picture tells a thousand words, but i'll answer as many questions as i can.

A very basic overview of the car is an LS1 powered, 4 linked patrol. i was pretty much over the prices people are charging for something and decided to do the build myself. Completely custom.

I was aiming for very capable bush car, that i could tour with if i wanted. Very hard to achieve.

I'll put a post up as often as i can, starting from the very start. It was only a small humble project that has now turned into a fully fully fabricated ground up rebuild.

So here goes.

I brought the car a dirty GQ. It was a TB42 carb with 5 speed, Wagon, fairly basic usual mods.
Was not happy with the horrendous fuel consumption, and incredible lack of anything related to power... So this happened.

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(i like to put my head under heavy objects)



After removing the anchor, I thought this car might need an engine:


Installed it by fabbing up some chassis posts, and used Landcruiser mounts. These mounts are in the car for engineers, i also have a captive mount i am fabbing up to replace one side so donk doesn't go walk about...


 
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#2 ·
After getting the engine where i wanted it, it was time to tackle probably the most difficult, and generally poorly executed part of the conversion... i didn't like any of the headers i had seen for this conversion...



So i made my own...



Tight fit.



Proof that i can't weld thin wall for cr@p
 
#3 ·
So i finished up the headders, and sent them to the ceramic coaters... 2 week turnaround, must be the season for it...
All the while the engine bay was bugging the crap out of me... so it was time for some love...





Came up pretty sweet, and kept me busy until These arrived back from HPC..



Very happy...
 
#4 ·
This is where the project took real turn and went from a simple LS1 setup, to a full build... This is where the wallet started to open up, and the welder started to earn it's place in the garage...







First step, Fix the most common PITA problem GQ's have... Spring perch..



and while the body is off, it's time to start thinking about suspension...



some fancy 2" lifted rear shock mounts..



A lick of paint...


And meanwhile, the LS1 gets some love... and by love i mean cammed up, cleaned up, chained up etc...




And the end result...
 
#10 ·
Will top rear shock mounts come up through the floor? Or are you cutting the cab into a ute?
Cool build.
 
#11 ·
Thanks All,
I'll get to the suspension soon, and the final stance. But the teaser is: 37" grapplers, 2" ride height lift, 2" body lift with 6"+ King shocks (12" stroke)

And with the body lift, the Shock mounts sit under the rear of the wagon.. Just. they are lifted exactly 2.3" allowing for flex in the rubber mounts. so it will all sit neat.
 
#12 ·
Righto, So with the body off, and all this new found suspension travel, i quickly figured the standard Panhard setup will just not do...

So i start wit a long arm setup...
1-3/4 x 8mm wall thickness CrMo Long arms... exactly 300mm longer than standard.






Cut up the old mounts, and added some new crush tube to the chassis..





Added some pretty looking mounts...







Didn't come up too bad...
Oh and one more poser pic of my headders on the LS1 to boot...

 
#13 ·
So then a long arm setup turned into a 4-link setup...







And now the triangulation part starts to kick in... Took some work, but got there in the end.. also using some adjustable upper control arms (had these made, as i don't have anything that will cut a thread..

I decided on adjustable despite less strength, as it just made pinion angle setup so much easier...





By the way, the copper coloured paint is weld through primer... not a dodgy attempt at colour scheme...
 
#14 ·
I know there are a lot of photos and not much description. I am not one for massive amounts of typing, but i am happy to answer any questions that people may have.

I have also pretty much jigged up most of what i have made, so can make it all again. The headders are hugely labor intensive but with 1-3/4 primaries, they should give some good results with the cam and a decent tune...
 
#15 ·
So while the suspension is getting some love, it's time to take a look back at the drive train.

Ls1 gets the treatment with bell housing, Spun button race duty clutch, H/D Flywheel, ARP blots etc etc.
I am very happy, although i need to separate as i am not certain the throw out fork is sitting where i want it for a good pedal feel. An easy fix...





 
#16 ·
long range fuel tank fabbed up with custom mounts and installed...



Terrible pic but you get the idea...

another 4link pic...




so, after the 4-link was setup correctly, it was time to turn my attention to the diff... and by turn attention to, i mean junk the GQ diffs, source a couple of GU diffs, Wack some air lockers and 4.3's in, and start welding up some steel so i don't end up with expensive bananas..


Rear with 4-link truss and some bracing to cope with the twist around the center, and a bash plate on the pumpkin...





And the front, Laminated, gussets round the knuckles, Bash plate on the pumpkin etc etc...

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They were sandblasted and i painted them yesterday.
I'll post pics up end of the week...

Some sneaky picks of donk in chassis...



Complete with GU steering box



also showing 2" extended front shock mount...



So that brings me up to current. I can get pics of stuff you may have questions of later in the week.

As it sits now the mod list is:

Long range tank
Extended front and rear shock mounts
Locked, laminated and fully reco'd 4.3 gu diffs
4-link with long arm setup
reinorced front and rear spring perches
Lifting chassis brace 4mm to allow for better 4-link articulation (in progress now)
Cruiser rear bump stops
Extended patrol bump stops
Gearbox x-member tuck (in progress now)
Captive gearbox and changing engine mount setup to run one side captive also (in progress now)
Chassis stripped, treated and coated (por-15)
some chassis bracing
Custom fuel and brake lines
Reco'd brake and clutch booster
cammed Ls1 conversion

And thats just the chassis... still plenty to go once body is back on.


Next update should show painted and assembled diffs installed sitting on dummy springs with kings shocks installed, with the final chassis mods complete.
Then comes some touch up paint, all the bolt-on back together, and finally an exhaust (dual 2.5")

Then the body goes back on and i can concentrate on things like looms, guard cuts, accessories, intake and get started on all the bar work...
 
#24 ·
Yeah, got a kid. has taken a while to get this far...
the upper chassis brackets need more?? it is 8mm plate at 180x250 wide... double pass seam welded.

i'll munt the chassis long before they move... standard brackets on the partol including the panhard, are all 3mm steel! or less!

the brackets are high in order to get the correct triangulation for the 4-link, for anti pitch and anti squat etc. i am looking for stable hill climb characteristics.

with the body lift i could afford to go above the rails, so tried to get the geometry as close as possible.
 
#26 ·
Mint welding and fabrication with the 4 link.
Do you do this for living?
 
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