[Johan Safari]

I will start off with what I did today....

Couldn't find a MQ manual pedal box, except for 1 that had literally more rust than metal left. But I had a GQ clutch pedal box... Which is not quite the same.

Going to need some work!

There I fixed it

Then I noticed that the brake master has been leaking for a while... But I do have a spare R34 Skyline booster and master which will be a huge upgrade and won't require me trying to fix the master seals today. And the same diameter master is a lot shorter too. Easy!

All fits exactly except the 4 bolts going through the firewall into the pedal box... more work!

It's in without too much hassle. Still need to find a new brake pedal rubber and trim it to size. Like factory!

And under the bonnet, everything just bolts up!

And now I own an automatic MQ Patrol with a clutch pedal....

 

[Johan Safari]

It all started a few weeks ago when I decided it time to change the auto box for a manual because there is just no fix for the ratio issue. 85KM/h in 1st gear at 7000rpm is no good. it sounds great but that's all.
I found the right combination of parts and spent some time collecting the bits.

Lets start with the rear diff. Yes it from a coil vehicle but it is a H233B with the correct 4.65 ratio which also gives me way better options for lockers...

Plasma cutter fixed that problem!

Also rebuild the rear drums while it's easy...

Weld on some perches

And wheel it out for installation

More fabrications since the new diff tubes is 75mm compared to the MQ 90mm

There I fixed it...

But but but.... the pumpkin is in the center now

to be continued....

 

[Johan Safari]

I upgraded my jack stands... On the lowest setting the wheels are just off the ground. And my trolley jack goes just high enough to get it there. So nice

3 pedal auto

 

[Ethanissan]

Looks awesome already! Gives me confidence to get a set of coil GQ or GU diffs and modify them for leafs...

Also I know how good of a feeling it is to finally see 3 pedals in the MQ instead of 2, fits the footwell much better

 

[Johan Safari]

Looks awesome already! Gives me confidence to get a set of coil GQ or GU diffs and modify them for leafs...

Only problem with GQ diffs are that they are too wide...

 

[Ethanissan]

Only problem with GQ diffs are that they are too wide...

No problem with some extra track width, legalities maybe, but put on some positive offset rims and it’s fixed, easier on the wheel bearings too as you can get the same width with less offset.
That’s my opinion anyway


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[Johan Safari]

Off to pulling out front seats and carpets to start the preparation for the new gear leavers. I will probably have to cut one side of the transmission tunnel because the new hi-low lever is on the left now. But I have the transmission cover plates and boots to make it easy to cover up and make it look factory again.

 

[Johan Safari]

No problem with some extra track width, legalities maybe, but put on some positive offset rims and it’s fixed, easier on the wheel bearings too as you can get the same width with less offset.
That’s my opinion anyway


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Yes the wider track is a benefit as well as positive offset rims. You are going to need some really wide flares to make it legal. Not sure how hard it is or expensive to get these new rims. Myself I am trying to make it look as close to original as possible.
Another problem is the steering linkages on the GQ front diff, unless you swap over the MQ bits...

 

[Ethanissan]

Yes the wider track is a benefit as well as positive offset rims. You are going to need some really wide flares to make it legal. Not sure how hard it is or expensive to get these new rims. Myself I am trying to make it look as close to original as possible.
Another problem is the steering linkages on the GQ front diff, unless you swap over the MQ bits...

Out of curiosity, what did your new rear diff come out of? As you say it was a coil diff, which would make me think GQ, but it's also got drum brakes and looks like the right width to match the MQ?

 

[Johan Safari]

Out of curiosity, what did your new rear diff come out of? As you say it was a coil diff, which would make me think GQ, but it's also got drum brakes and looks like the right width to match the MQ?

I know of only 2 other vehicles that used the narrow H233b diffs. One is the leave sprung Navara V6 D21 (maybe D22) and the late nineties Spanish built Terrano 2 which is a coil rear suspension and where I got my diff from.

Last night I changed the gearbox and transfer oil ready to go. At the same time finding a nice balancing point to lift the gearbox through the floor shifter hole inside the cabin.

 

[Johan Safari]

The brake upgrade is awesome. Haven't tried it yet, but it feels for the 1st time ever that it will lock all 4 wheels on a sealed road. Nice!
The funny thing is that I already try to use the clutch.... which just drops down to the lowest position.... Having a clutch pedal just feels right!

 

[Insannigq]

No problem with some extra track width, legalities maybe, but put on some positive offset rims and it’s fixed, easier on the wheel bearings too as you can get the same width with less offset.
That’s my opinion anyway


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Leafy gqs had mq guards, the diffs are same width. I have a h233 front from a leafy ute for my mk

 

[Ethanissan]

Leafy gqs had mq guards, the diffs are same width. I have a h233 front from a leafy ute for my mk

Leafy GQ diffs are about 10mm wider either side than MQ diffs. Coil GQ diffs are significantly wider though.


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[Insannigq]

T

Leafy GQ diffs are about 10mm wider either side than MQ diffs. Coil GQ diffs are significantly wider though.


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There ya go, minor amount bigger, to beef up the front end thats brilliant, if you need to go bigger then a h233 your doing something wrong 😅

 

[Johan Safari]

T

There ya go, minor amount bigger, to beef up the front end thats brilliant, if you need to go bigger then a h233 your doing something wrong

Good info about the GQ leavy front diff. If my next upgrade overpowers the C200 I will probably have to upgrade that. Again the choice of e/air lockers for the H233B are way better than for the C200. I do have an ARB front locker but since it older than 8 years, there aren't and spares available anymore. No way I will buy another.

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[Johan Safari]

Guess what I will be doing tomorrow... Wish me luck

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[Ethanissan]

Would a factory manual MQ cover plate be any help? I've got one spare if you want to see if you can make it work. I know the levers are on opposite sides, but there's a chance you could mount it the other way round?

 

[Johan Safari]

Would a factory manual MQ cover plate be any help? I've got one spare if you want to see if you can make it work. I know the levers are on opposite sides, but there's a chance you could mount it the other way round?

Thanks Ethan, but probably not as my measurements indicate that I will have to use my angle grinder to enlarge that hole. If I am wrong and it somehow ends up smack in the middle, it may help. But I noticed on my current plate that there are a stamped area to the left identical to the right that you can cut out. I did however notice that on the new gearbox, the levers are not in those spots. Slightly further back from my measurements.

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[Johan Safari]

Wasted some time on Saturday past to hunt down the correct spigot bush wrongly supplied. Couldn't find the correct part so I modified the one I had, wasting even more time. So yes the gearbox is almost mated to the engine, just needed a little more muscle power to pop it in. Will probably try again tonight. Then the last big job will be to modify and fit the new GQ cross member to the MQ frame. Sits in the same spot as the L28 gearbox mounts, but with a different bolt pattern.

 

[Johan Safari]

Pulled the old auto / transfer combo out... took some time because there are so many bits and pieces...
And the total length of both gearboxes are the same... And the auto gearbox and the manual have mounting point exactly the same distance from the bell housing.

They they gave me the wrong part... right part number but too big. Had to manually work it down to fit.

New clutch plate fitted

New release bearing fitted

And then the struggle started... This gearbox is too big and heavy to man handle... Engine crane through the hole in the floor did the trick

1st glimpse top side...

Bolted up to the RB and the back supported by the jack stand.... Gearbox mounts in. Now just to modify the GQ cross member to fit the MQ chassis rails....