Rig Jnr's Build

[c-dale]

First time both awnings have been up together. Side for relaxing, rear for cooking. Worked a treat.


The draw system got its first real test too. Couple of things to take away from that.
1. Bolt them down! turns out the weight of a full fridge, draw and gear isn't enough to stop them bouncing around.
2. Draw needs some dividers to keep everything tidy.
3. Fridge plug needs to be higher or you pull it out accidently when using the fridge slide.

Still some work to go. I was rushed with the internal lights and am not 100% happy. Also have some mods and enhancements to make.

Some other minor mods were an actual bracket for the UHF ariel and some galvanised angle to mount the TREDs. I also scored a sweet box to put all the recovery gear. On the roof nice and handy.



MSA seat organisers are worth there weight in gold when you have little tackers in the back.

[c-dale]

No point letting a little rain get in the way of a good mod... Well hope fully good...





Matte black plasti dip. Touch dry in no time but soft-ish for 4 hours or so.

[c-dale]

Its well on its way. Sides all have 4 coats. Need a few more coats on the roof and then the front, between the cab and canopy needs doing but need a weekend at the old mans to take it off and paint it there.

[c-dale]

Well, Plasti Dip has worked an absolute treat on the flares but only lasted a week on the canopy. Put the bike rack on the canopy roof and it wore through. Also scratched off the back door. On the bright side it was pretty easy to pull the Plasti Dip off. So am currently working on a different solution. All going well will have some pics up tomorrow, if it doesn't go well... well it wont be at all easy to remove

Would I still recommend Plasti Dip? Yep, but for smaller item, such as flares

[c-dale]

Canopy is done and dusted. Pretty happy with how its all come together.

Ok, so details. Its far from pro so all those who paint for a living need not read on . After the plasti dip let go I pealed it all off and went to super cheap auto. Two tine of Satin Black Acrylic later and im set to go. So, first time I used a roller to lay the paint on. Found the roller was making the paint bubble so used a brush for the 2nd tin. This was a touch more successful. With two litres of paint now on the canopy it was time to tray and smooth it all out. Took to it for most of the day with wet and dry sandpaprer getting it smooth-ish. Then hit it with a few spray cans of satin black. Up close you can still see that its a little 'textured' but Im very happy with the outcome given it only cost me a couple of hundred to do it twice (plastidip and paint)

[viking shippy]

.

[c-dale]

To be honest Shippy, nope, no etch primer. If it peals it peals no real biggy as long as I get 12 months or so then I'm a happy camper. I just got sick of seeing the silver finish and not having it match the rest of the car. Long term I want the bonnet, roof and canopy vinyl wrapped so this is not a life of car solution. Its a home done jobbie, you can tell close up but not from a couple of metres away so all good.

One day I would love to know how to all this stuff properly and have the tools to do it. Till then I'll stear clear of the body work and only play with the stuff thats easy enough to fix without pro help

[viking shippy]

.

[c-dale]

Thanks for the advice Shippy. I am my own worst enemy with this sort of stuff, always cut corners. Will see how she holds up and deal with it when it starts to let go. Till then its now black

Would love to learn some new skills, time is my issue and that will only get harder in August when my 3rd is born. One day though. Given what I've seen on here a few weekends with some of the guys on here would be more valuable than a TAFE course. Fibre glassing comes to mind

[viking shippy]

No probs...yes I've a few glassing projects in the design stage ..aka (in my head)

[c-dale]

Went for a run through Glasshouse yesterday. Was good fun didnt get many happy snaps but a few good videos of my mates D2 and some puddle runs. Tested the flex of the Monster Rides gear, pretty happy with it



Was fun watching my eldest try get back in the car .

Had lunch at Coochin Creek and hit some tracks on that side of the highway. One was full of mud and bogholes. Reached the end to find a Pootrol pulling out a stuck Navara and a HiLux parked on the chicken track around this bog. The Pootrol and Navara got out of our way but the HiLux refused. Figured he thought he would have a laugh at our expense. My mate went through first. V8 D2 with a 3" lift running 33x12.5 Kuhmo KL71's a mad mud tyre. Needless to say he got through with limited drama but a bit of wheel spin. Next was my go, my 4x4 light is currently turning off when I select low range so not quite sure its working correctly. So selected 1st gear high range and lowered myself in. Got 1/2 way and she started to bog so just gave it pleanty. Mud and crap was flying everywhere. Was at this point I realised I hadn't wound up the windows got through the hole but the clean up will be a right royal pain in the arse. Pootrol tried to follow me back through and got stuck, haha.

Good day out

[c-dale]

A few youtube vids of my mates D2, saldy he didn't press the on button hard enough with my run up the first hill and I didnt do the 2nd as U value my drivers side (the decent came within inches of taking out his)

[c-dale]

Spent the morning sorting out my new LED lightbars I have a 31" and 2 9" bars. The 31" is combo spot and flood and faces forward. The 2 9" bars are flood and at an appoximate 30 degree angle to the 31". Should give a very decent light spead and fills the gap between the roof and the roof rack nicely. They are just cheapies off ebay but considering they are 'offroad only' lights and wont see a huge amount of use I couldn't justify big $$$ for them.





Let there be light!



Hard to tell how good the light is during the day but they lit up the garage wall pretty good. Will have to suss em out next time I'm out at the oldies property.

Sadly my build is coming to an end have some tidy up on the draws to do, a little cosmetic work and the lokka I bought 2 years ago in a group buy to install then its baby and no cash so she will go into care and maintenance mode I do have an MN tub at my parents place though so in 12 months or so once the missus is back at work we might have another Tri Trailer in the making

[Bilbo]

I've just read through your build. Very nice ride.

I like the custom touches, the do it yourself and have a go, be different sort of attitude. This is what makes cars and projects different, gives others new ideas and shows that anything can be done if you put your mind to it.

[c-dale]

Thanks Bilbo,

I like my rigs to reflect be and be a bit different. Done a heap more custom stuff on this one then prior cars with one or two more steps

[Cowboy Dave]

Any chance of some close up pics so we can see how you mounted the light bars? Looks good.

[c-dale]

Here we go CD. Bear in mind this is not 100% complete yet, I have some tidy up to do to cover the bolts.

Mounts from under the rack.


Mounting above the rack.


Wiring.

[Cowboy Dave]

Maybe some dome nuts on top would be an easy way out?

[c-dale]

Good point CD, hadn't thought of that.

[FRDESP]

Nice build I was thinking about putting light bar on roof rack but does it spread a lot of light onto your bonnet. Is it distracting at all thanks

[c-dale]

Still to properly test em out FRDESP. I have only had them on a night for a few seconds in the driveway and the glare of the garage door was worse then anything coming off the bonnet .

Will be heading out country way in a couple of weekends so it will be nice and dark. I'll get a couple of happy snaps from inside the car so you can see the whats lit up. I'm thinking it will be ok though as the lights are set back 250 - 300mm from the edge of the windscreen and are pretty close to the roof so the roof should stop a fair amount of glare before it hits the bonnet.

Pictures tell a 1000 words so bare with me and I'll have some happy snaps in a couple of weeks. (live in a little complex and would prefer not to annoy the neighbours )

[Cowboy Dave]

Yeah the trick seems to be to get the bonnet into the shadow cast by the roof. Keep in mind though that in some states a lightbar on the roof will get you pinged by the boys in blue.

[FRDESP]

Look forward to seeing the pics. Thanks for the reply

[c-dale]

I must admit I'm not sure on the legalities in QLD. I know you are fine to have a single bar, centered and either below the headlights or 1200mm but unsure on roof lights.

I had my little spotties up there for ages with no issue but they had covers. As I said earlier these are offroad only lights and have been wired as such. They are independent of all other lighting on the car, ie: NOT linked to the highbeam. Other options are to unplug the anderson plug and only plug the in when offroad, a little annoying but proves to the police that they cannot be 'accidently' switched on while on road. Fabing some covers could also be an option.

Will wait and see what attention they may bring. Although the car has had a fair amount of work done its not over the top in, my opinion anyway, so hopefully, as long as I drive it sensibly, It'll fly under the radar so to speak

[Cowboy Dave]

Wasn't intending to cause you grief there mate, more for those thinking of copying to check their own locations. Pretty sure Boycee got done for his in SA but he might have been let off with a warning or something.