Blast from the past

[Lynn]

Mickldo,

Hope you don't mind an outsider nosing in. I don't know anything about Aussie vehicles, but I have been keeping up with Rob Gray's Wothahellizat 1 & 2 builds.

Anyway, he shows pix of a WORT (weird off-road truck), as he calls 'em, that was made from an Austin bus body mounted on a Bedford truck chassis. I think it is really good looking, and wish I could come up with something like that over here. Click on the pic if you want more pix and info:



Just to say, have you considered dropping a bus body on a truck chassis?

 

[Mickldo]

Is Di-bond a 1mm aluminium/5mm foam/.7mm aluminium laminate? Or something like those dimensions. Anyway given the gear you're used to at work that sounds like a good option. There's a '99 FG (290kms) on ebay that finishes today maybe. Owner wants $20k. That's the sort of truck you're probably going to have to look at.

The boat is a 22' pontoon like a Suntrekker with a 90 4stroke. Not mine. I built the trailer for it and get the use of it in return for the labour. Massive trailer. $1200 just to get it galvanised.

Dibond

Dibond is made by Alucobond and is very similar but it is available in a wider range of colours and sizes.

A pontoon boat would be just about perfect for a day out on the Noosa River.

So does the guy who owns the boat know about your username? With a username like that I wouldn't be lending you my boat

 

[Mickldo]

Mickldo,

Hope you don't mind an outsider nosing in. I don't know anything about Aussie vehicles, but I have been keeping up with Rob Gray's Wothahellizat 1 & 2 builds.

Anyway, he shows pix of a WORT (weird off-road truck), as he calls 'em, that was made from an Austin bus body mounted on a Bedford truck chassis. I think it is really good looking, and wish I could come up with something like that over here. Click on the pic if you want more pix and info:



Just to say, have you considered dropping a bus body on a truck chassis?

G'day Lynn

The more the merrier. That's what these forums are all about.

Very cool camper pic. I love the old skool stuff.

I am looking at any option I can at the moment. I want to upgrade my cruiser/s but am nowhere near making my mind up yet. There are quite a few ideas I want to incorporate in the finished product but what platform I start with has got me stumped at the moment.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Sorry Mick don't know whats' going on. Im replying to your post and then after I post I see you have replied twice already. So the conversation is getting a bit disjointed.

OKA's >>> I'm sure there's alot of people who love 'em. All I'll say is the tour operators are all getting out of them and staying with NPS's and FG's. Lots of mismatched parts and the tour guys that were using them were upgrading the suspension anyway.

What would a typical SRW conversion cost if I couldn't find one already done?

What size tyres can be used?

I know on normal 4wds in Qld you can only go 15mm bigger in diameter. What needs to be done for it to be compliant?
Today 01:38 PM

SRW>>> Prices, talk to my boss. Don't want to selling stuff on the forum. Advice is fine.

Sizes >> Spoke a bit with Pattersonimages in the threads he posted on his FG twincab and also recently in other threads. Basically for an FG the go is Michelin XZL 100R/16 or alot of guys are going for the 19.5 in sizes from 265 to 305. NPS run the 19.5's. 15% rule doesn't apply to us cause we have the engineerlng data to support the bigger tyres and supply this for DOT. See the "SRW testing" Thread.

Actually we do the testing spoken about in that thread at the Maryborough airport. We just got the new model NPS 300 in and it looks like I'll be coming up to do the brake testing on it sometime before christmas, so I'll drop in.

 

[Mickldo]

Is Di-bond a 1mm aluminium/5mm foam/.7mm aluminium laminate? Or something like those dimensions. Anyway given the gear you're used to at work that sounds like a good option. There's a '99 FG (290kms) on ebay that finishes today maybe. Owner wants $20k. That's the sort of truck you're probably going to have to look at.

The boat is a 22' pontoon like a Suntrekker with a 90 4stroke. Not mine. I built the trailer for it and get the use of it in return for the labour. Massive trailer. $1200 just to get it galvanised.

Only Canter I could find is this '93 model camper

 

[Lynn]

G'day Lynn

The more the merrier.

Well, in that case, and just in case you haven't seen 'em before:

Wot 1:

Wot the 2nd (still under construction):

and his list of Other Worts

All those cool trucks make me want to move to Australia.

 

[Mickldo]

Sorry Mick don't know whats' going on. Im replying to your post and then after I post I see you have replied twice already. So the conversation is getting a bit disjointed.

OKA's >>> I'm sure there's alot of people who love 'em. All I'll say is the tour operators are all getting out of them and staying with NPS's and FG's. Lots of mismatched parts and the tour guys that were using them were upgrading the suspension anyway.



SRW>>> Prices, talk to my boss. Don't want to selling stuff on the forum. Advice is fine.

Sizes >> Spoke a bit with Pattersonimages in the threads he posted on his FG twincab and also recently in other threads. Basically for an FG the go is Michelin XZL 100R/16 or alot of guys are going for the 19.5 in sizes from 265 to 305. NPS run the 19.5's. 15% rule doesn't apply to us cause we have the engineerlng data to support the bigger tyres and supply this for DOT. See the "SRW testing" Thread.

Actually we do the testing spoken about in that thread at the Maryborough airport. We just got the new model NPS 300 in and it looks like I'll be coming up to do the brake testing on it sometime before christmas, so I'll drop in.

I leaning more towards the FG or NPS rather than the OKA too.

No worries about the prices. It can wait until I come down and visit your workshop.

We have three of the new model NPS 300 4x4s in our workshop at the moment that we are building for Ergon. The new wider chassis has stuffed up all of our tray layouts and rear winch fitments and has caused us to redesign quite a bit too.

 

[Mickldo]

Well, in that case, and just in case you haven't seen 'em before:

Wot 1:

Wot the 2nd (still under construction):

and his list of Other Worts

All those cool trucks make me want to move to Australia.

Very cool. Thanks for the links.

 

[whatcharterboat]

We have three of the new model NPS 300 4x4s in our workshop at the moment that we are building for Ergon. The new wider chassis has stuffed up all of our tray layouts and rear winch fitments and has caused us to redesign quite a bit too.

Us too. Not just the 850mm width but the old step in the chassis was a much better to work with than the new straight ones.

That Canter must have finished today. Don't think it came close to reserve so it might go back up. Had a tray and a 4.2 NA motor. We've had aftermarket turbos fitted to these and they go great. Actually they go great standard.

Thanks for the links Lynn. Our Army used to use the old Inters so there is a few older "WORTs" around. I've actually seen one with FG motor/box transfer cause the original motors really suck the juice.

 

[whatcharterboat]

he new wider chassis has stuffed up all of our tray layouts and rear winch fitments and has caused us to redesign quite a bit too.

You forgot to mention the "what tha" DPD that looks like a nuke reactor in the middle of the exhaust. Oh and a tip, dont play with the exhaust length or change the muffler setup. They don't like it at all.

With the old ones we would literally pull the chassis apart a make it whatever length we liked, put the crossmembers were we liked and refab/ upgrade everything else, air cleaner, exhaust, battery cradle, fuel tanks for ExPo type vehicles. The new Euro IV is going to change things quite alot.

 

[Mickldo]

Us too. Not just the 850mm width but the old step in the chassis was a much better to work with than the new straight ones.

That Canter must have finished today. Don't think it came close to reserve so it might go back up. Had a tray and a 4.2 NA motor. We've had aftermarket turbos fitted to these and they go great. Actually they go great standard.

Thanks for the links Lynn. Our Army used to use the old Inters so there is a few older "WORTs" around. I've actually seen one with FG motor/box transfer cause the original motors really suck the juice.

We fit rear mounted hydraulic capstan winches and Palfinger cranes to the trays. The wider chassis means we can't squeeze everything under there like we used to. I still haven't figured out where to stick the number plate with our design. It will probably have to get attached via a hinge under the taillights. Not ideal on an off-road truck but there is no other room left with all the other stuff that has to go there.

 

[Mickldo]

You forgot to mention the "what tha" DPD that looks like a nuke reactor in the middle of the exhaust. Oh and a tip, dont play with the exhaust length or change the muffler setup. They don't like it at all.

With the old ones we would literally pull the chassis apart a make it whatever length we liked, put the crossmembers were we liked and refab/ upgrade everything else, air cleaner, exhaust, battery cradle, fuel tanks for ExPo type vehicles. The new Euro IV is going to change things quite alot.

Oh yeah I forgot about that. Luckily our design calls for the exhaust to be out the back like it is so we don't have to modify it like we used to. It would be a PITA though if we needed to relocate it though.

You've heard about the bull bars having to be genuine Isuzu only for the air bags? Makes it hard when you need to fit a front winch cause Isuzu don't have one.

 

[sprale]

Bluebird school bus ExPo

Wish I had the time and space to put an ExPo project together.

Growing up, my father took a late 60s Bluebird school bus and converted it to an ExPo budget camper. He removed all but the front two rows on the driver side, added full cabinets and a vented gas stove to the passenger side. He built a full-sized bed transversely set across the rear with full-sized slide-outs below and a large rack above. A welder we know built a 2/3-length rack on top and a ladder up the driver's rear. She was tagged Elizabeth Ann across the side, painted purple after the conversion. 20 years later, the name is just starting to come through. I think she had a Ford V8 and a 2-speed rear axle. That was the first vehicle I ever drove.

Lookd something like this body:

I really enjoyed the trips we took in the Elizabeth Ann. We took trips across the US in her, usually with a few extra guests. Every year we lived in her for around a month or two in the summer when school let out. You would be surprised where you can go in one of those. My father says she got around 8mpg petrol.

I'd really like to build an ExPo like that, maybe on a shorty bus with a diesel engine. Traveling with hippies, I got to see quite a few creative bus conversions. Some had VW vans and even other bus bodies grafted to the top.

 

[whatcharterboat]

Mick

Yeah. We are looking at that now. You have to supply 2 bars for destructive testing and $3.5k per test. So at least $7k (plus the bars) to get a new "airbag" bullbar with a winch mount approved. We are probably going to have to go down that track soon. Seems like I only just finished making a jig for the old model winch mount. I like our bullbars over everyonelse's cause you don't have to tilt them when you tilt the cab.

You know the old 6x6 and 4x4 Army Inters that Lynn posted? They had a huge winch ( and I mean huge) mounted behind the transfer case and a turntable at the rear and a fairlead through the front bar. Maybe that would work on the new NPS. Just sucks having a winch there cause you can't watch the cable spool etc.

I went round Oz once in an old Landie with a PTO rear winch with a roller under it. I've always thought that was a great setup as long as the cable run forward is easy and maybe a syncronized fairlead to keep the cable neat. I used to do a lot of pipeline robotics and when we would reverse out of a pipe the umbilical cable would spool in sync with the reversing tractor so you didn't run over it and the fairlead would travel from side to side to keep it even across the drum.

Maybe I'm worrying to much. You know what I mean about not being able to see it down there behind the transfer case, don't you? Especially if your in chest deep water in croc country.A guide tube through the chassis rails too.

Have a read of the "How often do you use your winch thread?" Some good stuff in there. Be back on late tonight if you up.

 

[Mickldo]

Wish I had the time and space to put an ExPo project together.

Growing up, my father took a late 60s Bluebird school bus and converted it to an ExPo budget camper. He removed all but the front two rows on the driver side, added full cabinets and a vented gas stove to the passenger side. He built a full-sized bed transversely set across the rear with full-sized slide-outs below and a large rack above. A welder we know built a 2/3-length rack on top and a ladder up the driver's rear. She was tagged Elizabeth Ann across the side, painted purple after the conversion. 20 years later, the name is just starting to come through. I think she had a Ford V8 and a 2-speed rear axle. That was the first vehicle I ever drove.

Lookd something like this body:

I really enjoyed the trips we took in the Elizabeth Ann. We took trips across the US in her, usually with a few extra guests. Every year we lived in her for around a month or two in the summer when school let out. You would be surprised where you can go in one of those. My father says she got around 8mpg petrol.

I'd really like to build an ExPo like that, maybe on a shorty bus with a diesel engine. Traveling with hippies, I got to see quite a few creative bus conversions. Some had VW vans and even other bus bodies grafted to the top.

Yeah, that's the stuff. Growing up travelling around the country in a home built camper is what got me started. When I was a kid and everybody else was reading comics I was reading "Overlander" and "4x4 Australia" magazines and designing my own campers.