Thread: RRC ute conversion

Originally Posted by Corgie Carrier

What brackets are you talking about?

Post some pics and we should be able to help

Good luck with your progress.

My ute project will start in a couple of months

Cheers guys.

I'm going to have check that thread out on the laptop as the pictures aren't coming up on the phone.

These are brackets I am confused about. In the online instructions there isn't any mention of them.

The short angle pieces with one end sloped and the long square angle I am sure are brackets for the corners, one for the bottom and somewhere up the top.

There is one bracket missing(might be with the other gear) but the large square plate, medium plate and long sloped angle pieces are a mystery to me.

I have also decided that instead of building a tray straight away, I will just mount the tool box I made and will build a tray when in Adelaide. I have a feeling steel prices are cheaper there than in Katherine as well.

Originally Posted by rangieman

This might help
Rangie UTE Conversion

Unfortunately the picture aren't working.

Might have to find another thread.

Thanks for your help.

So it's been the better part of 16 months, but I have finally made some progress since moving back down south!

The extra motivation of the weekend and less pressure to finish retaining walls (because they are done!), means I have some time to get what I want done.

I managed to remove the doors, seats and roof. Disposed of the carpets and the dash. My neighbour is a automotive glass guy, so he removed the windscreen and is cutting up a piece of glass for the rear.

Next weekend I will be getting a updated D1 dash, console and front doors. I plan on making these fit with some of the required panels out of the donor Disco.

When I removed the front carpets I discovered a ton of rust in the footwell, not unlike many other rangies, so will add this repair to my list. I am thinking replacement panels would be a touch easier than fabricating without the proper equipment. Unless someone in Adelaide has a unused space I can borrow for a few months.

I have been able to get some pictures and help from the Rangie ute FB page and from that worked out how I should go about a "brace" or support for the rear and a channel to secure the roof at the rear. If I didn't run out of wire I probably would have been able to finish the support today.

Other than the interior and making up the supports, at night time when I can't make too much noise I have been slowly stripping it back to the shell. This will give me a chance to find all the rust.

I have been thinking about what colour to paint it as that isn't something that has popped up yet. Did think the standard dark green the later RRC's came out in, but also thought about a flat colour of some sort. Nothing outrageous though.

The only other thing that I need to get in order is the engine. I feel like the current combination won't last too long or even pass rego due as I don't know the engines history and it being a VM which are pretty heavy on maintenance. Did think about swapping in a 300TDi, but I haven't found a running one at the right price. That swap would be the easiest as I already have a R380 and all the diesel bits are already there. Would only really need the engine, cooling package and mounts to make it work.

Lots of things to do and think about. Let's see if I can at least get it back into a shape we all know by Christmas!

So one step forward, couple of hundred backward!

After getting some more welding wire, I jumped straight into finishing the back panel off. But as I was finishing it I could hear all sorts of noises.

It turns out (I think at least) that the heat was distorting the panel. I am aware of the importance of welding sheet metal panels in a evenly spaced manner. Something wasn't right, so I stepped back and it was like looking at the ocean. Full of ripples.

I ended up cutting it out, cleaning all the surfaces up and straightening the best I could. While cutting it out I cut the upper edges near the window first and noticed that the upright moved away from the panel around 5mm. Same on both sides. The friend I had help me get that far must have used a strap to pull the sides together, thinking the panels had to meet.

While it was off, I took the time to fit up the rear roof support. This was something I have been a bit worried about since fitting the rear panel.

Amazingly with a couple of test fits, I managed to fit a section of SHS in for the width and a piece of flat bar in a curve which matches that of the roof. So a small win there.

Just before I ran out of time, I placed the rear panel back and found many inventive ways to clamp it in place. Hopefully the next shot at it will have the wall back in place and me astarting on the rusty floors.

envious of your space... and the ute project. I wanted to do this to mine, no space though.

If I was doing one now I'd use a D1 or D2.

Can't beat the shape of a RRC and being a ute makes it even cooler.

I'll get time to start mine one day.
Last couple of years have been crazy at work.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

If I was doing one now I'd use a D1 or D2.

With all this time I'm almost itching to take to my D2 with the grinder and Hacksall, but space and money...

PA240033.jpg

I've looked long at this car, and it would be super easy.