Builds Dale's Hj47 Ute

[Sporty Forty]

From what can only be described as a disappointing start, you have turned it around and have a very nice 47 there.

Do you have the name for the remote locking doo dacky from evilbay?.

 

[Dale]

Thanks Sporty. Here is a link to the fleabay kit
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321640246136?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Dale]

I bought a life proof belt clip and mounted it to my roof console (minus the clip) for my iPhone. I packed the top forward with a screw to angle the phone down a little.

 

[Dale]

Well it's been quite some time since I have updated this thread. I quit my FIFO job nearly 18mths ago & thought that being home every night instead of one week in five would give me more time to work on the ute. I was wrong. I think I'm busier with my new job. Anyway I thought I would post a few pics of what has been done over the last year or so.

Starting off with an oil change gone wrong, lol.

The instrument cluster was very dull at night so I removed the shrouds inside and fitted led bulbs. Just removing the shrouds alone would probably been good enough

Built a rack to mount the roof cage and awning to. Also fitted a simple battery system to power the fridge for the annual boys trip to Fraser Island.

 

[Dale]

Here is a vid from the boys trip to Fraser

 

[Dale]

Restored the heater box. Just a quick restoration. I will redo it properly later. Has sand all over already.

My new number plates arrived

 

[Dale]

I have a lot of rust coming through. The po painted over it on the cab and used a thick black coating on the chassis. Total con job. I picked up a chassis and tub that has spent its whole life in the outback and has next to no rust. Same year even the vin number is within about 30 numbers.

Came complete with some angry, hairy black spiders usually only found in our southern states

 

[Dale]

Storage area is short so I turned some parts into yard art

Welded up a frame to make working on the tub easier

 

[Dale]

This would have to be my favourite $5 mod

 

[Dale]

More recently I bought a stock bumper and fitted it. It shows off the iconic front end of 47 nicely but the farm gate bullbar gave good protection and piece of mind on country roads when dumb ass skippy decides to cross the road.

 

[Dale]

I finally got my new company car a couple of weeks ago. My choices were a new Isuzu 2x4 D-Max or the bosses 2 yr old 4x4 Hilux. Well the choice was very easy. Last weekend I threw the swag & dog in the back and caught up with an old friend for a weekend away of simple camping.

 

[Dale]

I picked up a couple of 60 series seats with canvas covers. The drivers seat bolted straight in but I had to swap the rails on the passenger seat. The frustrating part was I gave away a set of 40 series sliding rails a week ago leaving myself with only fixed rails. Since I took these pics yesterday I have cleaned the stains and washed the canvas covers.

 

[78fj40mg]

Dale, I love your console!

But I hate when this happens

 

[Dale]

I wasn't liking the look of the blue stripes so I cleaned up these canvas covers and put my Waeco seat cooler back in. Looks and feels much better.

 

[Dale]

My wife was very happy when I told her that the donor chassis was no longer killing the grass in the back yard. Her joy was short lived when she came home and found it was sitting in her park in the garage.
Really getting frustrated now at the slow pace this project is moving. I am amazed how unreliable people are in the 4wd industry. Especially when it comes to secondhand parts. Both buying and selling the amount of people that just don'y turn up, don't call back and don't do what they say they will is amazing. The same when buying new parts from shops. The attitude of these guys makes me wonder how they sell anything at all.

 

[cult45]

Been while since I checked in here. Sorry to hear about your PO woes, glad to hear about your new frame and cab. Blast those suckers, totally worth it. I know a few blokes with parts in Brisbane, PM if you feel like it and I'll put you in touch.

 

[tomanytoyotas]

I checked the new thermostat and it was ok (genuine Toyota). Put the old aftermarket one back in and it ran hot with that one too.

You said you replaced the sender it might read different if you put your old one back in

 

[Dale]

The body has only very small patches of rust which I had removed. Came up nice.

 

[Dale]

 

[Dale]

I took the chassis & body to the sandblasters yesterday. They gave me the tub back as they said I would be better off removing the tar matting from the footwells myself. Here is the 1st side. I couldn't be happier. No rust at all. I will do the other side tomorrow night. Only took about an hour but I slipped & peeled up my thumb nail so decided to call it a night.