Thread: Sheerluck's project D3

Hmmm...

My D2 looked like that courtesy of a kangaroo. $9800 - insurance dollars later and I'll pick it up monday. About the same in parts.

UK eBay has headlights from £40 upwards, no need to pay $1000! I had a minor altercation with an immovable object that left me with a cracked headlamp on my RRS, £600 for a new one ($1000). Picked up a perfect 2nd and one off the bay for £100 (complete with the xenon ignitor etc). There's plenty of D3's being broken for spares so get all the small, easy to post stuff from the mother country, you'll likely save a fair bit.

Good luck with the rebuild

Originally Posted by Mike_S

UK eBay has headlights from £40 upwards, no need to pay $1000! I had a minor altercation with an immovable object that left me with a cracked headlamp on my RRS, £600 for a new one ($1000). Picked up a perfect 2nd and one off the bay for £100 (complete with the xenon ignitor etc). There's plenty of D3's being broken for spares so get all the small, easy to post stuff from the mother country, you'll likely save a fair bit.

Good luck with the rebuild

Thanks Mike.

The buying has started in earnest, with eBay giving up some bargains:
1 headlamp for $100
1 airbag sensor (LR genuine still in the packet) for 99 pence
1 driver's airbag, brand new for 40 pounds
Amongst others.......

Some sellers won't send to Aus, but my sister has been sending stuff on to me.

Need a few more bargains for the bill to drop significantly though.

In my kennards storage shed I have the bumper from my 2007 D3 which was replaced by ARB bullbar it is Zermatt silver. Also have the LR nudge bar sitting next to it.
I will be in Sydney briefly later this month and mid next month before heading back to the USA. If you have an interest in the items PM me.

Here are the picks.

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Get a D4 look a like grill

Originally Posted by Tombie

Get a D4 look a like grill

I quite like the "RRS Supercharged" style grille that a company on eBay are selling, I've stolen one of their pictures and attached it.

On a serious note, someone locally was selling a set of D4 bumpers and I did think about giving it a go to bolt them on.

Originally Posted by sheerluck

.....On a serious note, someone locally was selling a set of D4 bumpers and I did think about giving it a go to bolt them on.

Well, given I've been practically bed-ridden for the past couple of weeks, not much has happened. The new set of boots is here and ready to go on (a set of Coopers Zeon LTZ 285/60/18 that a forum member was selling), along with a few parts purchased locally.

However, I decided after much reading, measuring, pricing up and playing about with numbers that I'm going to give it the D4 dress up look. Having worked out that it was going to cost me about an extra $450 to do it, I thought stuff it, why not.

Normally I hate the "take one model and dress it up to look like something it's not" approach, like taking the body kit from a Falcon XR6 and putting it on a plain jane version, knowing that it will still only have the acceleration of a snail carrying some very heavy shopping. But in this case, the D4 look does appear more modern and fresh than the D3. And as they are quite similar under the skin it's worth a go.

I've bought a front and rear bumper for a D4 from a forum member, and as soon as they get here, (either by AULRO courier or otherwise) they'll be matched up. Rear bumper is quite simple from what I've read, with just the rear loom for the PDC needing changing. The front though, appears to be the challenge, with lights and grille needing alteration.

Some of the other parts - i need one LHF wheel arch moulding in standard dark grey which is $150, or some UK suppliers are selling a complete set of all 6 painted wheelarch mouldings for about $20 more. No-brainer really!

For the tailgate, the lower tailgate moulding can be changed for a painted one for $30, and the upper handle for $25.

However, changing the tail lamps for the D4 LED style is the killer at $500. But the front fogs balance that by being $50 each instead of $110 each.

I'm still working out how to punch the hole in the LHF guard to put the D4 style vent in there (the RHF will be covered by a snorkel), I had some ideas around creating a press mould out of some hardwood chunks I've got (some lumps of grey iron bark in the garage), using using my neighbour's 10 ton press to push the indent through.

My plans and costing for the rear wheel carrier are just about complete

Yes, some of these parts are coming from local suppliers, but some will be imported where the price difference is too big to justify. And there is also money budgeted to support some of the forum vendors too.

And yes, I do know that underneath it all, it will "only" ever be a D3, and not a D4.

And all of this is theory only, until I'm upright for long enough to get the couple of bits done that I need to on my D1 to be able to sell it, to have the money for the parts I need......