^Was wondering the same thing... great looking build and it's so beautiful there, would love to experience it some day.
Sam 2004 GXL 105 Series - build thread
- Thread starter mcgonical
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Great Story Sean.
- Thread starter
- #24
Thanks
Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback. It is amazing up the Cape. We went up there on a lap of Australia in 2010. We went back up there in 2012 with the mother-in-law to visit the area she took the family when Nadine was our daughter's age. A bit of history repeating. More bridges now than there were 30 years ago.
When friends of ours (folks we met on our trip in 2010) said they were going this year we didn't need asking twice (or even once) to come along. There's something about Cape York that gets in your system.
The camper is pretty much the last word in off road camper trailers here in Australia - the Track Trailer TVan. It's been up the Cape on our last 2 trips and we've found that it will go anywhere the car can get to. This year we managed the trip with no fuss but last year we were on the winch plenty of times in tough tracks and the trailer just followed everywhere.
On the specs list - the trailer has dual batteries (105 AH), a fridge and kitchen on one side and large storage spaces on the other side. The interior is very modern and comfortable that kind of cocoons you. Switches and fuses control lights, radio, inverter, power charging and interior fan. There's solar on the roof and vents for air flow. The bed is the most comfortable bed we own. If there's just a couple you can sleep on the bed without the tent section but with our daughter we always put out the tent. we rarely stay for more than a night at a camp so set-up and pack-up needs to be fast.
Set-up.
Traveling.
We've never had any water in apart from some minor sealing issues from new that I fixed with a bit of sikaflex. The next photo is from our 2012 trip to the Cape with our Prado. The photo is on the Frenchman's track and it's much worse than it looks in this shot. The camper followed along without complaint and I didn't know how the car was going to make it down to the crossing.
Hi Guys, thanks for the feedback. It is amazing up the Cape. We went up there on a lap of Australia in 2010. We went back up there in 2012 with the mother-in-law to visit the area she took the family when Nadine was our daughter's age. A bit of history repeating. More bridges now than there were 30 years ago.
When friends of ours (folks we met on our trip in 2010) said they were going this year we didn't need asking twice (or even once) to come along. There's something about Cape York that gets in your system.
The camper is pretty much the last word in off road camper trailers here in Australia - the Track Trailer TVan. It's been up the Cape on our last 2 trips and we've found that it will go anywhere the car can get to. This year we managed the trip with no fuss but last year we were on the winch plenty of times in tough tracks and the trailer just followed everywhere.
On the specs list - the trailer has dual batteries (105 AH), a fridge and kitchen on one side and large storage spaces on the other side. The interior is very modern and comfortable that kind of cocoons you. Switches and fuses control lights, radio, inverter, power charging and interior fan. There's solar on the roof and vents for air flow. The bed is the most comfortable bed we own. If there's just a couple you can sleep on the bed without the tent section but with our daughter we always put out the tent. we rarely stay for more than a night at a camp so set-up and pack-up needs to be fast.
Set-up.
Traveling.
We've never had any water in apart from some minor sealing issues from new that I fixed with a bit of sikaflex. The next photo is from our 2012 trip to the Cape with our Prado. The photo is on the Frenchman's track and it's much worse than it looks in this shot. The camper followed along without complaint and I didn't know how the car was going to make it down to the crossing.
- Thread starter
- #25
Drawers and squeaks
If there's something that drives me nuts it's rattles and squeaks in the car and I had plenty of kilometres to be annoyed on the way home from the Cape as the drawer box had developed a squeak through the lateral wobbling caused by the load they carried (inc. jerry cans on the side). I had plenty of time to imagine a design change to fix the problem and so it wasn't long after we returned when I got stuck into them.
I made up this frame to go inside the drawers and primed it aluminium (that's the colour I had).
The little tabs that stick through at the top are to mount a cargo barrier above the drawers. Since I wanted to retain access to the electrics mounted on the rear of the drawers I didn't want to put a cargo barrier across the front of it.
Here's how it looks with the back re-installed.
I also took the opportunity of having them apart to split tube and tie down all the cables - more durable and looks neater.
The drawers are now much stronger laterally and hopefully no more squeaks; we're camping this weekend so it'll get a load test to verify the fix.
If there's something that drives me nuts it's rattles and squeaks in the car and I had plenty of kilometres to be annoyed on the way home from the Cape as the drawer box had developed a squeak through the lateral wobbling caused by the load they carried (inc. jerry cans on the side). I had plenty of time to imagine a design change to fix the problem and so it wasn't long after we returned when I got stuck into them.
I made up this frame to go inside the drawers and primed it aluminium (that's the colour I had).
The little tabs that stick through at the top are to mount a cargo barrier above the drawers. Since I wanted to retain access to the electrics mounted on the rear of the drawers I didn't want to put a cargo barrier across the front of it.
Here's how it looks with the back re-installed.
I also took the opportunity of having them apart to split tube and tie down all the cables - more durable and looks neater.
The drawers are now much stronger laterally and hopefully no more squeaks; we're camping this weekend so it'll get a load test to verify the fix.
- Thread starter
- #26
Cargo Barrier
We're caught up on the backlog of photos now. I've just finished the cargo barrier for the rear of the car. The design allows for the cargo barrier to be bolted to the tabs protruding through the drawers, linked to the metal frame in the drawers.
I've learned that I really suck at welding on this job. The frame itself is passable but welding the mesh to the frame came out looking awful and piss weak. I took to kicking the mesh and redoing the welds where ever they let go. Eventually I'd had a few goes at most joins.
Scrubbed down with the wire brush then sprayed a dark metallic grey.
A piece of flat steel (5mm) serves for the retainers to the top of the brackets. As with other designed on this site the brackets bolt to the hand grips in the rear - in my model this is a horizontal mount, hence the need for the twist in the steel.
I heated the metal and twisted it in the vice - turned out OK. Barrier in place.
With the placement of the barrier in this orientation the passengers are spared the view of the ugly welds. I have enough left overs, I think I'll do another one with better welds someday. The original design called for a bender and curved corners but the bender (or me) couldn't bend the 25mm tube...
We're caught up on the backlog of photos now. I've just finished the cargo barrier for the rear of the car. The design allows for the cargo barrier to be bolted to the tabs protruding through the drawers, linked to the metal frame in the drawers.
I've learned that I really suck at welding on this job. The frame itself is passable but welding the mesh to the frame came out looking awful and piss weak. I took to kicking the mesh and redoing the welds where ever they let go. Eventually I'd had a few goes at most joins.
Scrubbed down with the wire brush then sprayed a dark metallic grey.
A piece of flat steel (5mm) serves for the retainers to the top of the brackets. As with other designed on this site the brackets bolt to the hand grips in the rear - in my model this is a horizontal mount, hence the need for the twist in the steel.
I heated the metal and twisted it in the vice - turned out OK. Barrier in place.
With the placement of the barrier in this orientation the passengers are spared the view of the ugly welds. I have enough left overs, I think I'll do another one with better welds someday. The original design called for a bender and curved corners but the bender (or me) couldn't bend the 25mm tube...
- Thread starter
- #27
New story
The next trip we are planning is the Simpson Desert in 2015 and so we've decided to down-size and sell the camper to make our travelling lighter. After flip-flopping over whether to get an Oztent or a rooftop tent we ended up getting both somehow. The rooftop tent is a Gordigear unit in the larger size. This makes it very comfortable I hear - I don't know first hand as our daughter has me relegated to the downstairs accommodation.
Whilst I had liked the idea of the rapid set-up Oztent they are just too long to carry unless you can give them the entire roof length - so we elected to go with the Oztent tag along. This unit packs up smaller than the super quick models, zips onto our fox wing awning and is easy enough to erect.
The set-up works very well and provides some storage space to compliment the roof top tent. We camped here for 2 nights recently which made it worth the full set-up; on shorter stays Lily will sleep in the back of the car.
Check out this enormous carp that my mate caught that weekend. Beauty!
The next trip we are planning is the Simpson Desert in 2015 and so we've decided to down-size and sell the camper to make our travelling lighter. After flip-flopping over whether to get an Oztent or a rooftop tent we ended up getting both somehow. The rooftop tent is a Gordigear unit in the larger size. This makes it very comfortable I hear - I don't know first hand as our daughter has me relegated to the downstairs accommodation.
Whilst I had liked the idea of the rapid set-up Oztent they are just too long to carry unless you can give them the entire roof length - so we elected to go with the Oztent tag along. This unit packs up smaller than the super quick models, zips onto our fox wing awning and is easy enough to erect.
The set-up works very well and provides some storage space to compliment the roof top tent. We camped here for 2 nights recently which made it worth the full set-up; on shorter stays Lily will sleep in the back of the car.
Check out this enormous carp that my mate caught that weekend. Beauty!
- Thread starter
- #28
Chainsaw mount
Now that we're downsizing room is more of a premium. A couple of items that were always needed close to hand and easy to store in the camper were my axe and chainsaw. The axe has been upgraded to a Fiskars jobby. I use the hollow shaft to good advantage in storing it down the side of the fridge - one bracket at the head and a steel tube locating the handle at the other end.
The axe is a good size for splitting and is really accessible in this location. Closer photo of the head bracket.
Since the axe shaft is hollow I mount a piece of tube steel deep in the drawers and padded it with tape. The axe slides over the steel tube and sits in the head bracket. The next corrugated road will tell the story on how well it stays put...
The chainsaw is something we always need to hand and I really don't want it or the fuel in the cabin. I've seen some rigs that mount the chainsaw over the spare wheel (on the carrier) and this is the setup I'm after. Whereas the setups I've seen on 4X4s mounts the saw horizontally I've seen a few on trail bikes and quads that mount them vertically and this is my preferred option.
I got stuck into Google Sketchup and knocked out a design and then off to the steel suppliers for some square tube.
Big-arsed mounting plate.
Three bolts to keep it connected to the carrier.
One removable post to make a platform above the spare tyre.
More bodgy welding (I'm getting good on the grinder faster than my welding is improving).
Underside:
Test fitting on the bench - figuring out where I need to mount loops for the straps.
I've tried this mini boss and my larger saw and both fit in OK. I'll need to sort something out so the scabbard stays put. Next job is to clean it up and attach it to the post. Then I plan on making some sort of area to the other side of the post for the fuel and 2 stroke mix.
Now that we're downsizing room is more of a premium. A couple of items that were always needed close to hand and easy to store in the camper were my axe and chainsaw. The axe has been upgraded to a Fiskars jobby. I use the hollow shaft to good advantage in storing it down the side of the fridge - one bracket at the head and a steel tube locating the handle at the other end.
The axe is a good size for splitting and is really accessible in this location. Closer photo of the head bracket.
Since the axe shaft is hollow I mount a piece of tube steel deep in the drawers and padded it with tape. The axe slides over the steel tube and sits in the head bracket. The next corrugated road will tell the story on how well it stays put...
The chainsaw is something we always need to hand and I really don't want it or the fuel in the cabin. I've seen some rigs that mount the chainsaw over the spare wheel (on the carrier) and this is the setup I'm after. Whereas the setups I've seen on 4X4s mounts the saw horizontally I've seen a few on trail bikes and quads that mount them vertically and this is my preferred option.
I got stuck into Google Sketchup and knocked out a design and then off to the steel suppliers for some square tube.
Big-arsed mounting plate.
Three bolts to keep it connected to the carrier.
One removable post to make a platform above the spare tyre.
More bodgy welding (I'm getting good on the grinder faster than my welding is improving).
Underside:
Test fitting on the bench - figuring out where I need to mount loops for the straps.
I've tried this mini boss and my larger saw and both fit in OK. I'll need to sort something out so the scabbard stays put. Next job is to clean it up and attach it to the post. Then I plan on making some sort of area to the other side of the post for the fuel and 2 stroke mix.
- Thread starter
- #29
Woohoo !!!
Look what's on its way to my garage...
Look what's on its way to my garage...
- Thread starter
- #30
The Beaudesert exhaust arrived during the week - 3" mandrel bent and fabricated to match the FTE motor and turbo that I'm swapping into the 105.
The engine crane arrived on Friday - just in the nick of time. All things going well I'll be home Sunday evening with the 1HD FTE on a trailer - then I can assemble the engine crane and get the motor off the trailer and into the garage.
No time to assemble the crane now though, we're off on the 5 hour drive north to start the strip down of the 100 series front cut.
The engine crane arrived on Friday - just in the nick of time. All things going well I'll be home Sunday evening with the 1HD FTE on a trailer - then I can assemble the engine crane and get the motor off the trailer and into the garage.
No time to assemble the crane now though, we're off on the 5 hour drive north to start the strip down of the 100 series front cut.
I'm really pretty envious of that trailer.
Your 100 is already very capable, the motor swap should be awesome.
Did you get the smoke smell completely out?
Your 100 is already very capable, the motor swap should be awesome.
Did you get the smoke smell completely out?
- Thread starter
- #32
The current motor is great...when the car is empty and there are no up-hills in sight. Add roof tent, bar work and drawers and the poor old 1HZ struggles. If the 1HD FTE swap lives up to the hype then it should be smooth and powerful, especially hooked up to the 5 speed auto.
The smoke smell is gone, I used the vinegar trick and that was pretty hopeless - you could smell the vinegar from outside of the car with the windows up! When you got inside the car smelled strongly of vinegar and a little of smoke. I brought some Meguiars Car Odor Eliminator from SuperCheap and it did the trick - used the entire spray bottle in one go. It got rid of the vinegar and smoke smell.
The smoke smell is gone, I used the vinegar trick and that was pretty hopeless - you could smell the vinegar from outside of the car with the windows up! When you got inside the car smelled strongly of vinegar and a little of smoke. I brought some Meguiars Car Odor Eliminator from SuperCheap and it did the trick - used the entire spray bottle in one go. It got rid of the vinegar and smoke smell.
- Thread starter
- #33
Drove 5 hours north to Maitland on Friday night so that we could begin the process of stripping down the front cut - Saturday morning we visited the family workshop and started in on the job.
The car on the hoist and ready to go.
There was some damage to the loom from the impact that wrote off the donor car. Mostly it was a side impact on the passenger side at the mid point at the car but there was also damage to the driver's side where it just clipped something with the lights that then went into do a lot of damage to the driver's side suspension.
The model I've purchased is a Kakadu so it has up-market air-conditioning and some other differences that hopefully will not pose a problem in mating the engine and loom with my 105 spec. This little air conditioning regular / controller piece is a lot more complicated that the standard issue 105 air con unit.
We labelled and photographed lots of the removal process as we went along - still, I think we need to get the swap done quickly before we forget how it all came apart. I was pretty pleased with the removal of the dash and loom, I only snapped one clip in the entire removal.
The parts bins filling up.
Lift off!
We cleaned out the entire loom from the interior and engine bay being careful to keep it undamaged. I had to remove the air conditioning in the dash to get the loom through the firewall. Not much left by the time we finished.
I've seen people cutting into their transmission tunnel to accommodate the auto transmission. The donor is a 2004 auto and my car is a 105 2004 manual - I'm hoping they're the same at the tunnel. Makes sense that they would be, still, I've kept the tunnel in case I need it as a template.
All hands on deck all day to get the donor car completely stripped down.
And onto the giant trailer for the long drive back to Canberra.
The car on the hoist and ready to go.
There was some damage to the loom from the impact that wrote off the donor car. Mostly it was a side impact on the passenger side at the mid point at the car but there was also damage to the driver's side where it just clipped something with the lights that then went into do a lot of damage to the driver's side suspension.
The model I've purchased is a Kakadu so it has up-market air-conditioning and some other differences that hopefully will not pose a problem in mating the engine and loom with my 105 spec. This little air conditioning regular / controller piece is a lot more complicated that the standard issue 105 air con unit.
We labelled and photographed lots of the removal process as we went along - still, I think we need to get the swap done quickly before we forget how it all came apart. I was pretty pleased with the removal of the dash and loom, I only snapped one clip in the entire removal.
The parts bins filling up.
Lift off!
We cleaned out the entire loom from the interior and engine bay being careful to keep it undamaged. I had to remove the air conditioning in the dash to get the loom through the firewall. Not much left by the time we finished.
I've seen people cutting into their transmission tunnel to accommodate the auto transmission. The donor is a 2004 auto and my car is a 105 2004 manual - I'm hoping they're the same at the tunnel. Makes sense that they would be, still, I've kept the tunnel in case I need it as a template.
All hands on deck all day to get the donor car completely stripped down.
And onto the giant trailer for the long drive back to Canberra.
Great read! Have to say you're building my, and probably most other's, dream Land Cruiser for dirt camping and exploring! Well almost...I'd add LHD to my dream list 
.
.
- Thread starter
- #35
As I look at all the pieces piling up in the garage I hope to myself that it's a dream machine and not an expensive nightmare. Thinking positive though and reading lots on here and LCOOL from other helpful members. I'm going to learn a lot on this project!
When we got the engine home on Sunday afternoon it was time to build the engine crane so I could get the engine off the back of the trailer and return it to the hire place.
Lily was very keen to help build the crane.
The engine was too far forward to reach with the crane so I used the ratchet straps to drag it back.
First practice lift with the crane was to pull out the auto and move it to the shed.
Then it was time for the big lift.
Once the engine was off the trailer I lowered it onto the crane base for stability and pushed it into the garage.
I bought an engine stand (900kg) as well and had planned to leave the new engine on the stand while I worked on it. 2 things that bother me though are how to get the engine onto the stand - the legs keep fouling when I try aligning the crane and stand. The second thing that I worry about is holding the entire weight of the engine on four bolts into the bell housing. First I have to source some bolts long enough to mount through the engine stand and into the block - I have 1 and need to find 3 more...
When we got the engine home on Sunday afternoon it was time to build the engine crane so I could get the engine off the back of the trailer and return it to the hire place.
Lily was very keen to help build the crane.
The engine was too far forward to reach with the crane so I used the ratchet straps to drag it back.
First practice lift with the crane was to pull out the auto and move it to the shed.
Then it was time for the big lift.
Once the engine was off the trailer I lowered it onto the crane base for stability and pushed it into the garage.
I bought an engine stand (900kg) as well and had planned to leave the new engine on the stand while I worked on it. 2 things that bother me though are how to get the engine onto the stand - the legs keep fouling when I try aligning the crane and stand. The second thing that I worry about is holding the entire weight of the engine on four bolts into the bell housing. First I have to source some bolts long enough to mount through the engine stand and into the block - I have 1 and need to find 3 more...
- Thread starter
- #36
The motor looks like it's worked hard - I've found a few smooth river pebble in amongst the exhaust manifold. I've pulled off the old dump pipe.
New dump pipe fitted. The turbo was missing one of the dump pipe nuts which could not have helped performance. I've replaced the nut and ordered a new gasket.
New dump pipe fitted. The turbo was missing one of the dump pipe nuts which could not have helped performance. I've replaced the nut and ordered a new gasket.
- Thread starter
- #37
Someone had tried to remove the transmission without first removing the starter motor - they bent the metal joining plate pretty well. I used a heavy steel plate and dolly to flatten it back down again, it came up pretty well.
- Thread starter
- #38
Things I learned on the engine swap so far:
1.) A friend suggested that the new dump pipe will expose the transmission cooling lines to too much heat - I think he's right. I'll need to wrap the pipes or find some way to shield them, the clearances are very tight.
2.) I had very high hopes that the transmission tunnels would match given the vehicles are same year of manufacture. Sadly it is not to be and the transmission holes in the shot below (from the 1HD) are very different to my 105. The 105 has 2 large oval holes in the tunnel. I'll have to find a way to get this bit right or else the car will leak like a Nissan. I still have the front cut with the original holes and will need to find a way to use these in my car.
3.) The cross member for the 1HD is way longer than the one on my 105 manual - no way it will even come close to fitting. People on the forums have re-used their old cross member for the auto but I'm still not sure how this works. I guess this bit will be kept as a surprise until I have the auto in place and can take some measurements.
4.) The service items for the 1HD cost a bomb! Over $600 for the timing belt, water pump, oil seal, tensioner pulley and tensioner piston. It's a much easier job with the motor out - I found this great video of the process on youtube: .
Adding to the costs is the torque wrench I ordered to make sure I do the parts up to spec.
1.) A friend suggested that the new dump pipe will expose the transmission cooling lines to too much heat - I think he's right. I'll need to wrap the pipes or find some way to shield them, the clearances are very tight.
2.) I had very high hopes that the transmission tunnels would match given the vehicles are same year of manufacture. Sadly it is not to be and the transmission holes in the shot below (from the 1HD) are very different to my 105. The 105 has 2 large oval holes in the tunnel. I'll have to find a way to get this bit right or else the car will leak like a Nissan. I still have the front cut with the original holes and will need to find a way to use these in my car.
3.) The cross member for the 1HD is way longer than the one on my 105 manual - no way it will even come close to fitting. People on the forums have re-used their old cross member for the auto but I'm still not sure how this works. I guess this bit will be kept as a surprise until I have the auto in place and can take some measurements.
4.) The service items for the 1HD cost a bomb! Over $600 for the timing belt, water pump, oil seal, tensioner pulley and tensioner piston. It's a much easier job with the motor out - I found this great video of the process on youtube: .
Adding to the costs is the torque wrench I ordered to make sure I do the parts up to spec.
- Thread starter
- #39
Tonight I thought I'd knock over the rear main seal as a maintenance item while the engine is out - easy peasy. Well, not as easy peasy as I thought. The seal frame has bolts through the oil pan.
So the oil pan needs to come off so that I can remove the frame and the seal. You could probably pry the seal out of the frame with everything still installed - not sure how you'd go getting the new seal in undamaged. I've stuff one brand new seal on my Prado and don't want to make the same mistake again (they're not cheap).
I need to swap the oil pan later anyway for the one off my 105 as the drag link clearance is no good with the 1HD sump.
After trying to pry the bloody oil pan off the block I worried that there could be damage to the old sump or the block surface so I consulted the internets and they told me to use a thin paint scraper and run it around the silicone to break the glue. This worked a treat.
One sump removed.
Cleaned up the silicone on the block with a razor blade.
Ready to go with the new seal.
So the oil pan needs to come off so that I can remove the frame and the seal. You could probably pry the seal out of the frame with everything still installed - not sure how you'd go getting the new seal in undamaged. I've stuff one brand new seal on my Prado and don't want to make the same mistake again (they're not cheap).
I need to swap the oil pan later anyway for the one off my 105 as the drag link clearance is no good with the 1HD sump.
After trying to pry the bloody oil pan off the block I worried that there could be damage to the old sump or the block surface so I consulted the internets and they told me to use a thin paint scraper and run it around the silicone to break the glue. This worked a treat.
One sump removed.
Cleaned up the silicone on the block with a razor blade.
Ready to go with the new seal.
- Thread starter
- #40
Just reading the service manual (great timing) and one option presented by Mr Toyota is to pry out the seal with a screwdriver and replace it with the frame still attached to the block - very carefully. Sometimes I just make things difficult for myself...
