[Gympietech]

Woooohooooo!

Now is the time for expense and hard work! I have been lurking here for a while, but FINALLY I can come out of the darkness, 'cos I have BOUGHT IT !!!

Buster is in a bit of a state, lots of body cancer, but none in the chassis.

GOOD POINTS:
DOT approved 351 Cleveland on straight gas
2 x 90 litre LPG tanks, one in tray, one underneath
Custom filled in rear window behind seats
Custom tray barwork - good for hanging Highlift
DOT approved 3 seater cab
Bl**dy solid front bar
2 inch dual exhaust after extractors
5 speed gearbox - have to check from what though

BAD POINTS:
Rust, rust, oh and did I mention rust?
4.1:1 ratio diffs - according to the plate - have to check this....
Rust
Was originally a 2.8 - is this a bad thing??
Rear bar brackets are weak as tinfoil (aaahhhh..welding alert!!)
Exhaust pipes come out below rear bar - not good setup for departure angle
Ummm.....rust..

Thats all I can think of ATM - will post pictures real soon. In anticipation of my purchase I have another MQ shorty sans the 2.8 and 2 MQ wagons for parts.

I'm relying on you guys for good advice and suggestions. I reckon I have a good starter, even with the cancer! What should I be looking at/for..and where? 33's fit no problem and there is no body lift.

As I said - pictures real soon!!

cheers,

Trevor

 

[MQ MAD]

351 in a SWB,
Fug,hold on to ya lunch box


Pics my good man,pics

edit,
should have 4.625 diffs if factory

 

[Gympietech]

Aahh...cameraphones.....here we go...

please ignore the busted-ass shed in the background - yet another project...

..sum total of my work so far - tonneau cover loops....

..Apparently the bonnet vents are from some flash Ford something-or-other..

So there you go, my project and future funmobile. Beats my daily driver, the maxed-out NE Pajero. BTW - anyone want to buy a '94 Magna wagon??

Trevor

 

[Gympietech]

MAD-man,

If the diffs are 4.625, I will be a very happy lad indeed!

Trevor

 

[MQ MAD]

Yes the bonnet top skin is from a Ford
XB/XC GS to be infact
Ya wanna flick that bonnet let me know

 

[neRok]

ive seen a few bonnets done that way, its pretty good imo.

 

[Gympietech]

Is the bonnet metal from the xb/xc fairly thick? 'Cos this bonnet is damn heavy. It has a hydraulic strut to assist opening, but is still a shoulder workout.

Will post engine pics soon btw...

Trevor.

 

[Gympietech]

OK engine pics...

Old gas setup apparently. What pro's and con's?

Am considering fabricating a new rear bar - basic with recovery points, relocating the gas filler to out-of-the way (it's where the towball should be!), including a 50mm tow reciever (properly) and maybe incorporating outlets for the two exhaust tips. Any comments?

Trevor.

.....and....should I keep the bonnet or sell it for way too much to the MAD-man?

 

[MQ MAD]

Depends how the skin graft on the bonnet was done as to why it would wiegh so much
The standard bonnets arent really light to start with(Both the Ford and the Nissan)

I do like the bonnet,it matches the bonnet thats on my XC

Send me some pics (PM)from underneath and ill tell how it was done

It could be heavy from a sheeeet load of bog to

RE LPG,
Best to consult your local LPG specialist as to an inspection and upto date testing

 

[Dazza MQ]

I to like that bonnet, it looks XC to me. like from a xc cobra.

See what you meen even rust in the fire wall.

Is the front bar steel?

Seeing that the fire wall not moded the 5 speed gearbox must be from the L2.8 motor.
At a gest.

 

[LordBug]

That bonnet looks mint!
And normally the shorties without the canopy look naked and weird to me, but yours looks really good with the barwork and the cover.

Looks rough, though she'll look the good when you've put a bit more love in

 

[BIGBLUQ]

hey mate,
iv got a set of 4.6 diffs here if yours not got them.(vic)

 

[Gympietech]

neRok you would know - how do I ID the gearbox?? I know I know it's probably on your wiki somewhere...outstanding work there BTW, very useful info you have collated - you have my thanks -.

Dazza the front bar is steel and bl**dy solid - I have not yet thought about the future winch arrangement but somehow maybe this bar should feature.

LordBug - rough is right! However, my wife hasn't heard me as enthusiastic about a vehicle since my second car, a VG VIP (R.I.P.). So as long as I get the fence finished, the new floor laid, the rest of the house painted and the garden shed bent back together, I am free to work on Buster!

MQ MAD, pics on the way tomorrow.

nisnv8, PM on the way.

Thanks for the feedback all, comments and suggestions welcome.

Trevor.

 

[Gympietech]

...also probably on neRok's site, what are the crownwheel/pinion teeth counts to calculate the diff ratios for the various MQ diffs? Now that I've asked i'm going to search!!

Trevor

 

[neRok]

take a photo of the gearbox, would be pretty easy to tell if its MQ gear. with the ratios, divide the number of teeth on the ring by the number on the pinion, thats the ratio (ie 37/8=4.625)

 

[Gympietech]

LOL thanks neRok, i'm too lazy to get the worklight out tonight, but I will take a pic tomorrow and post it.

Speaking of lazy, I found 3 pages of threads about the diff ratio calculations! I did actually know this, and considering I'll be cleaning out and changing the diff oil anyway at the very least, I would have gotten this done anyhoo... yeah I know I'm lazy...LOL

Trevor

 

[Gympietech]

...A previous owner has gone to the effort of flaring the guards for the look, but the lip is full of bog or fibreglass (feels like bog). Makes for a crap edge to screw the rubber flares to, which is why the drivers side flare is coming away. Any suggestions?

After being put on gas, the filler cap has been integrated back into the body. There is nothing there now, but I will check how it was done. I would have thought that with the effort put into the bodywork, it would have been better protected from rust! Maybe it has been sitting in someone's creek for a time? I will get closer pics of some rustspots and holes tomorrow.

Trevor.

 

[MQ MAD]

Fuel filler hole easy to check look from inside of car (behind rear cargo area trim)
Depending how thick the bog is on the guards,you need for the screws to be in metal,
So maybe longer screws

 

[neRok]

do a guard chop on the front, cut it back say 1 inch all around (more if your game, just gives more clearance), then cut slits into panel ~10mm and fold the edge over, so now you have a great area to screw to.
before:
during:
after:

 

[Gympietech]

..yep, seen this before neRok, I just liked the rounded lip look of Busters flares as they are, they just weren't done very well. Maybe if I pull the guards off my spare shorty and try and work the flares... actually that sounds like way too much work thinking about it... Ah well time to take some photos..

Trevor