Author Archives: robsworkshop

70’s Terra Jet 453E page1

March 3 2017

Going to build a Keeper :

This is #2.. of the 3 Terra Jets I had. # 1 was sold over a year ago.. Number 2 & 1 came together as a deal.

Number 2 is the one up front on the trailer.. And other than missing it’s body.. it’s very complete and almost in working condition.. ( if the motor ran ).

It would have looked like this one above.. except it was blue. However it looked like the one below when I rescued it.

There was shreds of the body still clinging to the tub. Just the head lights left ! I always figured this was the good one of the three.. it rolls , shifts and steers. And it has the better driveline. The third Terra Jet that I picked up from a different person gives me a body for this one.. a great running Honda 20 hp motor, and a lot of good parts. # 2 here has been sitting in the wings waiting ( two years) for it’s TIME. Now is the time.. so lets get going:

The first step is always… bring the project into the shop .. It’s not quite spring yet .. so I have a bit of time before all the spring stuff happens.. and then I would be too busy to do this project. I want to note here that I intend to use the best of the two Jets I have.. Whether it be the tubs , transmissions.. or any of the parts. TJ number two is a 1976 model, with a few extra features that are nice to have. The third TJ is a 1973, with the body, lots of good parts, and a good tub / frame with the bottom cut out.

Let’s Start:

But where to begin.. I pulled the wheels off.. and put the TJ up on stands. Then I got down and had a good look under the TJ.. well I found five cracks and holes.. and the underside looks like it was in WW II .. So we could be looking at a new bottom, and I’ve done that before.. looks like the frame is welded into this one too.. So.. I need to compare this tub to the one outside #3 TJ.. the bottom is already cut out.. And it’s all in pieces. This is what number three looks like..

And the tub looks better… But I still have to take the 76 apart.. I need the transmission no mater which tub I use. And taking things apart on something old and rusty is never easy.

The rear axle is the most fun! It is through the transmission with a long key.. and after all these years ..refuses to let go. We did get the hubs off with a torch, a puller and a lot of banging. And so far all the aluminum bearing holders are in great shape. Now I’ve seen others doing this and cracking the transmission case… so I’m trying a different way.. by pushing on the transmission final drive where the axle passes through.

I’m using a pipe that slides over the axle and presses on the transmission. And using the axle nut / washer to pull the axle out. This is proving to be very difficult. Finally I had enough and took a big hammer to the axle.. and it came out. All is good.. So we removed the steering and the front axles … and flipped the tub over to see EXACTLY how bad things were.

VERY BAD.. There was two fiberglass patches.. and a few places where I could just poke a hole with my finger.. Plus it’s bent up bad.. So I’m thinking the tub from the 73 jet is looking better and better… And the fact that it’s all apart and the bottom cut out is a time saver. looking like I will have a Frankenstein Terra Jet.. 73 and 76 parts. and Honda power.. new bottom.. yahoo. Here’s a quick video with a look at the better tub..

Transmission :

I took the time last night to clean the grime off the transmission we just removed. It had a bit of oil showing on the dipstick. Also functioned as it should.. So I figured all is good. Well maybe not !

Once cleaned I discovered that it had been welded to repair some cracks. so the big question here is dose it leak ? I will finish cleaning it good and fill the oil up and see. It’s now 3/4 full of oil.. and no leaks.. The axle seals look like new.. and lots of form-a-gasket was used. so I’m not taking it apart.. It’s good. On to other stuff…

The Tub:

I finished stripping all important stuff from the 76 tub. Even cut the frame out.. And it all got dragged outside. The tub from the 73 TJ got brought in and flipped over.. And its’ great..

Someone even painted the bottom of the frame ! BONUS ! Plus the metal is in way better condition.. A few patches are needed..

Which you can see in the above photo.. They did not know how to remove the steering and the chain tensioner.. so they cut holes ! Geeze.. oh well I can fix those.. it’s just more welding..

And time for a new page .. Rebuilding the tub

PAGE 2

1987 Dodge Raider 4×4 Page 3

Feb 24 2017

Other things to fix :

Now that the carburetor is changed over and working good.. It’s time to address some of the other things. And the first and somewhat urgent fix is the exhaust leak at the bottom of the header, where it joins the two into one pipe . It’s never good to have a leak in the exhaust system. Plus it can be noisy.. this wasn’t too noisy but you could hear it. So I thought it was simply the gasket that goes there.. And while trying to get the very rusted nuts off we sheared the studs.. Oh boy now we got a can of worms.. But I looked at it as an opportunity to remove the exhaust manifold and remove some more of the not needed stuff . So we pulled the both pieces of the exhaust out. And this turned out to be a very good thing.. because the leak was not the gasket ..but a crack in the pipe.

The crack is right up against the weld.. That will not do so I welded the crack up and drilled and tapped out the studs… got new studs & nuts.. Also welded shut a hole where the pipe came off for the silly reed valve.. ( pollution control stuff). The new carb has no place to hook up that stuff.. so it’s doing nothing but taking up space. Plus it could be another exhaust leak down the road.. When all is done I should have a very quiet Raider.

Isn’t that pretty ! This is going to put the rest of the motor to shame.. You can see my plug for where the pipe was.. Oh and the heat shield will not go back on.. it’s only real purpose was to provide warm air to the air intake.. Again no place for that.

Well I’m all done that job.. and the exhaust is going out the back where it should.. That crosses a few things of the list.. It’s good to drive till the weather is warmer.

Nov 2017

Well I did get the brakes done,, And used the Raider for most of the summer.. then I put it up[ for sale.. It’s sold now to someone I know and he wanted a good hunting buggy.. Prefect.. That chapter closed !

1987 Dodge Raider 4×4 Page 2

Feb 22 2017

It’s February… Late February.. And the Carb kit is here !

And this is what I got.. A conversion kit. I would not say complete, because it’s not.. I’ve had to make some bits and buy some bits. So I made room in the shop for the Raider to sneak in.. And set to work removing all the crap that the Mikuni carb needed to work.. All the vacuum lines and electric sensors… gone.

This is after I installed the adapter plates for the Weber. And that was after I plugged some holes. The old carb had coolant flowing through.. so I had to plug those off. I got nice little nipples to plug the vacuum manifold. And I needed to deal with the return vent line from the fuel tank. I bought a new fuel filter that had the place for that vent line so problem solved. But there’s more things to figure out. Despite being told this kit worked for the auto transmission.. there was no way to hook up the kick down cable to the throttle. I had to invent something ..

A bicycle brake cable with a crimp on terminal.. hey it works! Took me an hour to figure it out.. But I was determined.

So here’s how it all looks .. that round thingy is a fuel pressure regulator.. adjustable too. The instructions don’t say much ..but they did say that fuel pressure needs to be 2.5 psi.. so that is the solution. One power wire to the choke and we are off and running…

Test Drive:

WOW.. I can’t believe the power now.. That old carb was a dog. The Raider is zippy.. and the shifts are good too.. initially the idle was too high. The spring was having trouble pulling the throttle back.. so I tweaked the cables a bit and got that to work. The motor idles at 800 rpm like it should now.. So back into the shop to tidy things up and check it all over.

And that is where we are at.. Here’s the finished install. I fixed a few other things while the Raider was warm and dry.. The wipers would never park properly. . So I pulled the motor out and repositioned the drive arm.. fixed ! I also installed the day time running lights that I’ve had for a bit.. last fall I wired the switch up and now we have lights too.

AND.. I made a video of the whole thing…

Time for a new page…

Page 3 Other fixes:

1987 Dodge Raider 4×4

Oct 2 2016

The replacement for the mini truck ! And the Rav 4 too.

It’s quite nice.. more room, automatic, goes faster, has more power. Could seat 4, and the steering wheel is on the proper side. This is a 1987 Dodge Raider.. or Mitsubishi Montero. 262657 kms. While not the prettiest girl in the room.. but maybe the most capable. As a 4×4 these are reportedly as good as a Jeep or Landrover. I’m not a fan of Mitsubishi motors. But this one runs great.. These 2.6 liter 4 cylinder motors were used in a few dodge vehicles from the eighties. So I’m quietly optimistic.

I like the full door on the back. Makes getting things in and out easy. And a trailer hitch is needed for what I do.. because this is not a pick-up I will have to tow a trailer for packing yard waste and mowers. Those are heavy steel bumpers too. The black paint is faded but not rusted. I’ve only driven the Raider a short distance. Today I will go get it and bring it home.. that’s about 40 kms on the highway. So we will see how that goes.

I put just a one day permit on the Raider.. mostly to get it home from Greenwood. It did ok on the highway.. not too fast. As expected it drove like a true short wheel base off road vehicle. The tires are old , so there’s some handling due to that. I drove it around town today.. and in town it’s great. In fact I went down a very rough road. That suspension seat is so cool.. Wow. great ride for the driver.

Check out the “inclinometer” in the middle… yes it tells you when you are going up hill.. down hill.. and tipped ! Jeep don’t got one!.

Now for the stuff this Raider needs. The first is New tires! I got a good deal on all weather / all terrain tires. So as soon as I get them mounted.. then that will not be an issue. The carb will need some tweaking .., the choke is staying on too long., Are the gauges telling the truth? if so then the oil pressure is a bit low. The coolant temperature shows low.. but the motor seams hot ? The transmission fluid should be changed.. as well as the diffs. It’s good to “reset ” these things so there is no worries. It looks like the wiper motor was replaced .. but the wipers don’t stop in the park position.. so that will be a little project.

So I suppose this was considered a good stereo 30 years ago ? But it sucks now. I don’t think I can find my old cassette tapes ! Do I want to .. ? Any way the speakers are tired.. and I would like to use my satellite radio. Maybe next year I’ll deal with this. It wouldn’t be hard to change. However the mechanical stuff is top on the list. I also need to make sure the Raider is good for the trip to Quesnel. That is where my good friend goes hunting.. and this I’m going too.

Oct 6 2016: The new tires are on and I’ve checked out the brakes, tie rods, suspension and bearings. We also adjusted the choke and idle.. As well I’ve installed a mount for my off road GPS. and I’ve set up my Sirus radio too.

Oct 8 2016: I got a bit carried away while cleaning up some things… and installed a winch, LED flood lights, a second power plug, a USB charging port, and while I was at it .. a switch and wiring for my daytime running lights. ( yet to come),.

This is temporary , till I build a nice mount and bush guard.

The center console was the perfect place for these new conveniences. I now know how to remove the lower dash. Handy when I change the stereo, install the keyless locking system…

Carry on:

I drove the Raider to Kelowna and back on Sunday.. that was a good test for long hauling.. Found out that the fuel gauge is not much help.. It goes rather quickly to a quarter tank.. and stays there for awhile. But I got to test fuel consumption. The 60 ltr tank should get me about 450 kms.. on a good day. so I’ll make sure to record the kms and reset the trip. The choke is still an issue ! I either have cold start ability and high idle… or low idle and no choke.. I’ll keep trying to get it right. I replaced the fan belt today.. and I checked out the hubs.. to make sure they work.. Good to go. In two days I leave for a 10 hr drive to were my friend is camped.. towing the small trailer with my quad.. we will see how that goes.

Oct 24 2016:

Well I’m back from the Caribou adventure. Despite the minor inconveniences, The Raider did very well. I was towing a trailer with my quad in it. Weighing at least 800 + lbs.. The Raider can pull that.. but it really slowed down on the hills. Also fuel consumption was high. And since the gauge is not a lot of help.. I stopped lots for gas . Also for cold starts I would manually move the choke on, and then back it off once the motor was running good. This works good.

Here’s a photo of a different Raider. I took the Raider up to the hunting camp near Barkerville. We only spent a week there, I got to do some quading and some roaming around in the Raider too. Here’s the video I made….

And here’s the second one..

Raider in the willows

Most of the trails were badly over grown with willows.. Thank goodness for the skid pans ! The Raider can just push through. I’m impressed with it’s ruggedness. I drove through deep water.. up steep hills .. and over rocks.. no problem.

Things to Fix:

Fair enough.. you can’t buy a 30 year old vehicle and not expect to do some repairs. After driving the Raider for a long trip.. I find a few things.. So let’s start with the “much needed” and work down to the “just annoying”

The choke and vacuum lines: This should be working and it’s not.
Front brake rotors: Warped badly
Wipers won’t park: could be the relay.. or an adjustment .
Noisy exhaust system: Should be replaced.
A few rusty spots to fix ( holes) : Next spring
Stereo ! would be nice to swap that out.
Rear washer: you can hear the pump but nothing comes out.
hazard light switch: missing in action
Squeaking seat: needs to be removed and fixed.

Jan 2017:

After driving the Raider quite a bit since the trip up north, I’m getting used to the routine of setting the choke then backing it off. But it’s still annoying. Shouldn’t have to do that.. So I did some research and found a replacement carburetor kit for my 2.6 motor. It will cost me about $450. BUT it will simplify things tremendously. An electric choke.. not vacuum. And it comes with a new serviceable air cleaner. I can take all the electronic / vacuum crap and toss it. Money is tight so I’ll have to save up.. and that will fix the first and most important thing on the list.

I finally got the Raider into my Nephew’s shop.. He’s a mechanic with his own business. Normally any vehicle I get would have been in there way sooner.. But the Raider is driving fine .. even in the very cold winter we are having.. He wanted to clean the carbon out of the motor with the Motovac system.. Knowing that the Raider was driven with the choke on.. and dieseling a bit, he figured this would be a good place to start.. Well turns out there wasn’t much.. The dieseling is mostly caused by the high idle and the choke problems. We’ve got the plugs out so why not check the compression of the motor ? I was surprised to find 150 psi right across all four cylinders.. I think that’s good. The motor has 260,000 kms on it.. maybe it was rebuilt ? Well whatever .. this explains why it runs good.. no mater what the carb is doing. And not consuming lots of oil..

While there on the hoist .. it’s a great time to look things over.. The driveline is tight.. no bad rust.. no leaks.. I only found a few things:

Since it got cold the brake master cylinder is leaking.. So that needs to be replaced.
I’m missing the last foot of the tailpipe.. I knew this already. and it will get fixed too..
The exhaust seal between the header and the first pipe is leaking. That’s and easy fix..
The right side rear shock upper mount had been broken off.. and there is wire holding the shock on ! seams to have worked but I will fix..

That’s it ! well aside from the front brakes needing to be done.. And I would be sure to check the rears as well. I could start work on all this stuff if I finished up what’s in the shop now.. but It’s been cold and my ambition level is low.. Spring could be very busy !

Also of note: I’ve been collecting some of the bits and pieces I need to “pimp” out the Raider.. I have the keyless door lock system now.. and I bought a used but nice Kenwood stereo. AND I got some nice LED running lights . Once I get the carb kit.. I will start the fixing up.. and that will start a new page for this post..

I have the Weber Carb kit now.. so let’s start a new page… shall we.

Page 2

2003 Rally 200 QUAD

Aug 28 2016

Seamed like a good idea !

This is a photo from the web.. Same yellow Rally.. just all together.

This is the one I bought. The foot well was taken of to better access the motor. A bunch of other bits are in a box too. But it’s all there, and this was a running quad before the valve decided to say hello to the piston. Tires are worn . .. but holding air. The plastics are great, the seat has some stitching coming apart on one side. Everything else seams to be in fine shape. So I’m thinking it’s worth fixing the motor..

2003 vs 2005

Bombardier made the Rally 200 for a few years only. Designed as an entry level quad with some big quad features. Water cooled 4 stroke Rotax motor, hydraulic disc brakes. CVT drive . These are good stuff to have. 2003 was the first year, and the design was pretty cool for then. Instead of racks they molded in trays front and back. I like that.. but they quickly went back to racks the next year ? also the 2003 has a manual disc brake on the transmission .. and the 2005 has a hydraulic disc on the rear axle. Some little changes like moving the key and indicator lights up on a handle bar pod. Later I will take some photos of the two side by side..

It’s later ! Here’s the two together. See the wheel size. Which changes the height a bit. The racks make the red one look much taller.

So there are no plans for this quad YET.. I parked it and covered it in a safe place for now…

February 26 2017:

It’s seams impossible to find the top motor parts to repair the motor.. They just don’t make that size motor anymore and no one has even a used motor.. It is said that these are a weak motor and easily drop a valve. SO I have another plan.

1994 Yamaha Timber Wolf 250 4×4

This sad quad has been hanging out in the yard waiting to see if it’s worth fixing.. And there is one big question ? Does the motor run ? So we dragged in into the shop.. I removed all the wheels , plastics and racks. Today I’ll clean the carb, check the wiring and see if we have at least a motor.. Well it runs.. but not well enough to go through all the work to transplant the motor. so back to trying to get the motor parts.

Update : Years later… I finally got tired of the Rally 200 so I sold it cheap.

2005 Bombardier Rally 200 Quad

Aug 16 2016

Well this came up for sale .. at what I’m going to say was a very good price.. Seems not to much interest because it’s a two wheel drive Quad.

So what ! It runs great.. Has NO damage . Aside from 4 wheel drive .. it has all the good stuff. 4 stroke 200 cc water cooled motor. CVT drive. three hydraulic disc brakes. newish tires. Above is the photo in my yard before I even cleaned it.. It’s not perfect.. there are things to do. The battery needed to be charged.. the racks need new paint. and they have by-passed the starter solenoid with a big button ? So I’m going to take a few days and go over the Rally and adjust … fix … and add a few goodies.

Into the shop and start removing bits and pieces.. So far I’ve got a list of things that need fixing and things that bug me. And one thing that I did not see at first.. :

The front brake reservoir window is missing. Therefore no fluid .. no front brakes !
That hokey start button.. it’s wired directly to the starter, bypassing the solenoid. Why ?
The foam air filter is shot.. I’ll make a new one.
The front clip on the seat is loose. You can lift the seat there.
Battery could be bad..
The chain needs to be adjusted.
The rear wheels .. they have been mounted backwards to make the wheels wider ? not needed… Kids !

It’s not that big considering the price we paid. The first thing I did was cosmetic.. I removed the racks .. sanded them and welded a hook on each end.

There’s no plans to put a winch on this quad. And the paint was all scratched of the front and back bars.. so I installed these hooks to use for pulling on.

Then the four pieces got a new gray paint job. I removed even more parts from the Rally so I can get to some of the cleaning and wiring. Because first on my mind was the hard wired start button. I needed to know what was wrong with the factory start button. So I took it apart and found a broken solder connection. Simple fix. Meanwhile I’ve had the battery on charge .. three times and it tests out just on the verge of bad.. so a new battery was bought.. something we thought was going to happen anyway. Ok a little “pimpin” while things are apart.

What to do with that hole where the start button was ? A horn button of coarse.. And why not a power plug too. !

Routing the wires is easy when this much of the quad was apart.

And lets not forget the all important LED running light.

I’ve got the quad all back together now.. Replaced the window in the brake reservoir, Found out the chain has been adjusted to the limit.. so maybe a new chain. The rear wheels have to stay as they are .. the rims are not the original ones.. so the offset is too much inward if you turn them around. New battery installed. New foam air filter. I even replaced the gas line. I don’t like those clear hoses. It’s running good.

And Mo is liking the new ride.. just the right fit for her.. Remember the chain had a lot of play.. I bought a new chain.. made it the proper size and it fits perfect .. with the adjustment set back. So it will be easy to take up any slack. We now have a 100% working quad. Time to take it out for a run..

While I was looking for parts for the 2005 Rally, I came across a 2003 Rally being sold very cheap. The motor had a broken valve which also wrecked the piston. It looks fixable.. so I bought it and brought it home… See the new post 2003 Rally HERE.

Sept 28 2016… and we finally got to take out the two quads.. mostly to see if Mo likes this as a activity.. we had NO troubles.. BUT she feels that this is not her “thing”… so she want’s to sell it .. no need for two..

Small Tilt Deck Trailer

Aug 2016:

Realizing that ramps were not working good for lawn tractors.. I needed a small tilt deck trailer that could be towed by the Carry. This all was before I sold the Carry.

I bought this off a fella for $100. a few months back. It’s an old tent trailer frame. Which does not tilt, the tongue is a little bent, but the wheels and springs are like new..

And it has new lights ! BUT it’s seven feet wide.. I want the trailer to be only five feet wide. So time for some mods.

Here’s the frame after removing the wood. There is jack stands on all four corners.. Some are bent up, but all of them haft to go. I can use the bits I cut off to make the frame a bit stronger. I need the rear to be tapered and slim so it comes close to the ground when tilted. So I’m cutting off the rear bumper. The main frame is four feet wide. The wheels are another eight inches on both sides. So I will need narrow fenders.. and the lights will have to move forward so they don’t hit the ground.

Cut Cut Cut .. Weld Weld Weld…

I plan as I go. And so far it looks good.. I fear I’m adding more weight with all the extra metal.. But I don’t want a flimsy trailer.

I moved the axle to the top of the springs.. and that lowered the trailer by 4 or 5 inches. Now I’m concerned that the deck will hit the wheels.. Once I flip it back over I will see.

This took awhile to figure out.. and a few trips to the metal stash to find the right bits. But I got it.. very “over built ” tilt system for the hitch tongue. Then I flipped the trailer back on it’s wheels and could see two things.. The wheels are close to the deck.. So maybe small shallow fenders? And the deck is just a touch heavier on the front so it won’t stay in the tilt position. I was thinking of all kinds of ways to fix this.. adding weight to the rear.. no.. Finally I thought to tighten the hinge bolt ! Now it stays wherever you put it.

Here’s a view of the hinge. I purposely located it forward of the axle so the deck would drop down.. DUH.. the real hinge point is the wheels. So with the bolt tight things work fine.

Here’s the right side up view of my pin and pocket for the tongue. Very sturdy.. There’s a few more things to do before the deck wood goes back on.. Like these…

Tail light holders ! And a mount for the hand winch…

Yes a hand winch will sit atop this platform. Keep it simple and light .. I’ve got the tongue all fixed up with a spare tire mount a hoop for the safety chain.. And I used the best jack stand and welded it on the bottom of the tongue .. CAUSE I CAN.

Looks like this now.. The jack stand is adjustable for height and folds up to the tongue. The wiring is done too.

So now we have lights.. Oh and here’s what the winch looks like.

Just needs bolts and the strap… simple. So I’m ready for the plywood to go back on..

It’s a perfect 5 ft x 8 ft. and I had enough of the plywood . I also mounted the tie down rails that were in the box of the Carry. So it’s all done !

It’s sits level hooked up to the little truck. Good

And tilts nicely to the ground with only a 3/4 ” lip

A winch for the dead tractors & spare.. We are styln… I have the registration now and a new plate. Like everything else at time I sold the little trailer..

1989 Suzuki Carry mini truck Page 4

Aug 2016:

The Extra Stuff:

That makes the little guy mine.. OR.. Rob’s creative corner.. where I “pimp” my ride. I’ve already done some “pimpin” like the keyless locks, the new stereo. But.. I’ve got all the supplies to build a covered canopy for the back. Also I’ve got a new winch, the wiring and the metal for building a plug-in winch / bush bar.

Here’s is some of the stuff for the winch set up. The winch will be mounted to a hitch extension. This allows for a snow plow to still be plugged in.. or whatever ? This winch could be used on any vehicle with a 2 ” receiver. It will be operated by wireless remote, and just needs power.

And this is what I’ve come up with. looks a bit strange, but it’s designed to …. 1 – not hide the front license plate. 2- not sick out from the truck any further that necessary. 3- bush bar side extensions are plug-in and can be removed. The roller fair head mounts to the front, and of coarse you can still plug in a hitch.

Aug 2016:

Well I’ve put about 100 or more kms on the little bugger.. and there is a tiny oil leak .. I think from the oil filter.. Everything was on hold while we had our Camping / family reunion.. And the Carry was there..

But not pulling the fifth wheel.. Before I get back to finishing the Carry up.. I need my little trailer built so I can fetch tractors with the Carry.. So I’m pausing to do that …

Small Tilt Trailer

So I’m in no hurry to do those extras like the winch.. I’m using the truck every day for work.. I’ve done a new oil change and that fixed the little leak. Checked the timing , the hoses.. everything is good. And it’s running good too. This weekend my little truck will be in the car show at the City Park..

Here it is.. no prizes.. However someone saw it that wanted to buy it from me.. And a month later I have sold my little truck to a very happy guy. So on Sept 27 th 2016 I watched it drive away.. Going to miss it for sure.. was really handy. But time to move on..As I always do..

1989 Suzuki Carry mini truck Page 3

July 3 2016

Work on the BOX:

Time to improve the box…

Well here it is.. with the tie – down rails removed. First thing.. weld the many holes up.

Color Scheme:

On the first page I had a mock-up of what I would like to see.. Since then I worked on the plan a bit more. And of coarse the frame ended up black. But I still would like some gray too. So the head rack, hitches, winch mount and stake pockets will be grey. The bottom of the truck will be Orange as planed. Like this….

The plan is to build a removable winch for the front that incorporates a bush guard. It could be moved to the rear as well if needed there. The winch will be wireless remote. Better get back to working on the box..

Using a combination of Por 15 and undercoating, I sealed up the underside. In the photo you can see I have primed the parts that get the orange paint.

And this is the first coat of orange. I will flip the bed over to second coat. The weather was not cooperating , It was cool and the paint took forever to cure. so it’s an overnight job now. also the paint is very thin for covering.. even after 4 coats you can see through it. Very frustrating.

So I fought with the paint.. wasted a bunch.. got a fifth coat on there.. but it’s not smooth.. I said enough and will leave it like this.. It’s a truck.. I like the color of this Orange.. so I’ll buy more and carry on.

I’m using spray on box liner that comes in a spray can.. it’s great stuff, and I can do the job quickly. I did run out with only a small patch left to go.. GRRR. Off to get another can.

With the bed of the box done.. we got busy and put it back on the truck. The wiring was all improved and a new trailer harness was installed. I’ve drove it around a bit and it seams the smoke has cleared. Once the rings and other bits get seated in this should be the case. I still hate the orange paint job on the side of the bed. I’m switching over to good old enamel paint. And I’m taking the time to brush it on carefully. Same for the orange.. I had a quart mixed to a bit lighter orange, and that’s what is going on the truck… by brush… carefully..

Here’s the tailgate with the first coat of orange. The white is done, three coats. I have also taken most of the dents out.. so it’s looking good. I’m thinking a black pin stripe dividing the orange and white.

Ok the box sides are done the stake sides are done..

The black pin stripe on the line between orange & white looks great. The spare tire is back in the proper place. Both batteries are hooked up. Still some little things to do.. but it’s usable now.

In fact there goes two bags of garbage… I can hardly wait to get going on the canopy.. But first there is more details.

The rear trailer hitch has been reworked. Lowered so the spare can be accessed, painted grey and mounted with heavier metal. Six bolts instead of Four. There’s my handy bumper / step plugged back in. Today I also got the aluminum plate cut and mounted to the tailgate.

Nice eh ! easier to load and unload over the tailgate now.

At this point the truck is done.. drives… got it’s bits and pieces back.. So everything now is fluff.. just stuff I would like to do but not really necessary. Like: tarp canopy, winch, I plan to finish the orange paint next month. I’m starting to build the winch mount.. We will CARRY on.. to a new page for this “extra” stuff.

On to PAGE 4

1989 Suzuki Carry mini truck Page 2

June 14 2016

Motor Install & Frame Paint:

Well not quite the same as the other projects. I have the good paint for the frame.. And it’s black. yup decided to keep it simple.. If I was to change to grey I would have to do a lot more painting. And the black undercoating that is all over could be a problem. As for the box.. need to fix the dents , paint the bottom orange, paint box liner inside, install stake pockets. I have also purchased new rims and tires for my little friend..

With a new motor and these.. we will be stylin.

Update on Motor:

So as it turns out it’s not easy getting parts for the motor in this truck. Apparently several of the internal parts were changed over the years …so.. the pistons I have take a longer connecting rod, narrow rings and a pressed in pin. The ring set that came with the truck are the wider / newer type. So I ordered a new set of pistons that the rings fit.. BUT the rods I have won’t work with the new pistons. Solution ! Get my old pistons machined to fit the new rings. And that only took an hour and $30. Wow ! Now it’s going back together.. So a new plan is to get the motor ready for install .. then do the frame. and today we got quite far.

Here’s the motor so far.. Still more bits to go on.. but it coming together quickly.

June 26 2016:

It really is time to get this truck back on the road.. So I’ve backed it into the shop and I’ve removed the fuel tank …getting ready for painting the frame. I’m using Por15 paint.. it’s the best at sealing the rust. Plus it’s a hard finish..

Here’s just the first coat. And with that I concentrated on the rusty parts. The important thing is to get the motor & trans back in.

Here’s the new battery box for the right side. This will hold another tractor battery and give me extra power for the winch. I’m installing a tube across the frame after the trans is back to hold the cables. No more attaching them to the underside of the box.

All painted now.. with the new wheels on the back. And the fuel tank back home , ( with four bolts instead of three). Ready for the motor… and the motor….

Is ready for the truck.. Tomorrows job ! The transmission is back on and most things ready..

The motor is in and running ! Ya hoo. Took a bit of fussing with the timing to get it running , but it’s all good now. Will it smoke ? Will it leak ? we will see. Here’s a new video..

Now there’s a few vent lines to hook up and some electrical stuff to do.

Electrical Stuff:

I had to remove the dash… which was a good thing.. Not only easier to get the wiring proper.. but the nut had come off the washer nozzle and very hard to reach. So that is fixed. I’ve installed a new stereo, a switch for the running lights , and new 12 volt power outlet.. and my favorite “keyless” locking.

I still need the find speakers that will work. I’m thinking motorcycle / ATV speakers would be a good choice. Because the space in the cab is tight.. And I decided not to put them on the door. So they have to be found. But for now everything is back in working order.. We even improved the battery hook -up wires. And better ground. So the box is next… New page for that…