justaddmud's kja build (code named MK5)

[ianedwards]

Yea I think I'll go for the rough country ones, everything ive read points to them being really good. trouble is Ive got to replace all 4. I'll just put money by for them, Christmas has skinted me lol

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[justaddmud]

I am in the same boat, mine are knackered, but atleast now they are so knackered that they have now leaked all their fluid out and look like old shocks, plus with the car on leaf's it doesnt bounce on the bounce test

[ianedwards]

Tidy, I'm not sure what to do with my stings either. With the body and the vit 1.6 on the chassis the front springs look pretty um, flat. Dunno what it will be like when I put a winch on it as well lol.

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[michaerlgirraffe]

hello there.....reading with interest your kja build.....i actually bought this dropside before you when it was advertised on ebay from the gentleman down in kent and when i travelled down from yorkshire i had to cancel the sale as i could not fit into it to drive it home (6'4")....and those ridiculous seats that were fitted....anyway i loved the truck and was very sad and kept looking around for another suitable sj for my works vehicle.....i kept pondering over the lwb models and then another dropside came up for sale and i was determined to find a way the increase the cab space so i managed to locate a ifor williams alloy pick up canopy and took the plunge and bought the dropside that was advertised........you may have seen it on ebay (57,000 miler)....Anyway i took out the rear screen panel and reversed the pick up bed end panel to allow the curved section to face the bed allowing more clearance for the seats....converted the alloy canopy cover to fit and cut out the leading edge of canopy where it meets the cab....i now have oodles of space as it is a rather neat straight through pickup that is totally covered , secure and waterproof......

I have moved recently to northern portugal so after doing a major major service and fitting some very tidy new modulars with khumo mud terrains and a pair of mazda mx5 lowback seats i set off for portugal with the truck full of tackle for my wee workshop (i am a blacksmith)

the truck drove fabulous and never missed a beat and indeed still performs wonderfully....it gets me into the forests where the bigboys dont fit and is great during this present wet season we are having over here...Good luck with all your build plans and i am sure you will have a bundle of fun in it.....these trucks rock.....ps have tried to put up an image of my truck but it keeps saying my file is too big so hey ho

regards mike

[justaddmud]

Well hello there, and may i just say thankyou, for being tall wouldn't of got the truck if it wasn't for you and a guy in Hawaii

I must admit the space inside these is pretty tight, and those seats in there were apauling, that was pretty much the first thing i did, the new seats were much slimmer and mounted them so they could go back further, made a massive difference.

will be interested t see your conversion, It is something that although i like the sound of, i could never actually do as i would hate to cut about a rare classic like this, pretty much every mod i have done is reversible should i want to make it original again.

going back to my build, should have a new exhaust working rear foglight (need to find the wireing diagram for the zook, the haynes book of lies is rubbish) and will try fitting the new screen (that will be fun) then, i need to sort out the steering box, am having touble getting pulleys for the PAS so if the last breakers doesnt have what i need, I might have to resort to a new age electric PAS pump from a saxo/106/astra, then off to the MOT man

[justaddmud]

Right finally an update,

today i will mainly be sorting the Exhaust.



first we start by removing this pile of rotten restrictive rubbish, which left



a few bolts later, it looked more like this (under the bonnet anyway)



then we take one of these



it is normally found under the back of a mini, used to have them and loves the sound,

the next bit is a bit hazey as it all just happened, but basically i took a mondeo estate exhaust, cut it up in a few places, welded together, and bish bash bosh,



and a little on of a weld



made a mount out of an old golf anti roll bar link (always worth keeping random stuff like that)



and it exit's right about here (need to get a nice exhaust tip for it)



and finally a video



with that done, i was happy, so i started something else, not finished as i am having pump problems, but



its is hooked up so i can steer unassisted, but the pump issue is a problem

next step, either cut the bracket up to make it fit, or get an electric pump from a french shopping car

[ianedwards]

Those red poly bushes are back on eBay, £15 + £3.30 postage per axle.

Cheers Ian

[justaddmud]

Thanks Ian, just ordered a set (for the rear) will see what they are like and report

[ianedwards]

Tidy. Can't see any reason why they wouldn't be any good. Good value if they are.

Ian

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[justaddmud]

todays update. getting closer to mot time

made a little pannel for the new fog light switch, and Cut off switch, simple, but effective



you can also see 3 toggle switches above, these are for the front spots (over ride) rear bed lights and.....



nice slim, very good fitting electric fan, also quiet and low draw, also very effective almost see the temp gauge drop when you turn it on.

otherwise that was it, as i basically undone a lot of stuff i had done the other week

also, got the new screen fitted, got it all in, and was better than the old screen fitment, however was not perfectly straight, so i tried to straighten it, and broke the new screen AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!