Red Targa Brumby

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:08 am

To clean out the housing you'd have to remove the torsion bars. Just be careful not to tear the rubbers or you'll be up for new ones. If you're happy enough with the height now, just leave it alone.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:47 pm

Thanks mate, I'll probably leave it alone for now, but I would like it a tad higher.

I'm hoping to get the guard sprayed up, swap out the ball joints and give it a good wash/detail this weekend. We'll see how I go

Cheers

Bennie

Rodeo4jake · Post by **Rodeo4jake** » Fri Mar 21, 2014 10:14 pm

G'day mate,
That's looking so much better than when you got it. When's the Brumby cruise gonna be on?

Cheers Jake

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:51 pm

Rodeo4jake wrote:G'day mate,
That's looking so much better than when you got it. When's the Brumby cruise gonna be on?

Once it's on the road any time we're available. AFAIK we're the only two northish of melb with a brumby on this forum...

But I know how to make it three

And thanks mate, it'll look loads better with a set of plates on it

Cheers

Bennie

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:50 pm

Work on this beast has slowed down quite a bit

I've been working on the rust under the windscreen, these are a couple of pics from about 5 weeks ago:

I'm pretty happy with the rust that's there as far as rust goes - not as much as I thought - and no holes!

So it's had an acid treatment (Rustbuster) and is now finally under the first coat of red oxide paint. Hopefully it'll get another coat tomorrow before a sealer coat of paint and the final colour paint that will more than likely be miss-matched to the rest of the vehicle - not that it matters as there are miss-matched panels on this vehicle already.

Also due to lack of equipment and time it's been done with a hand brush - namely to seal it up in the hope of someday being able to strip the whole vehicle back and giving it the "Silverbullet treatment"

I don't have pics, but I've also replaced the water pump with a new one, painted under the brake booster where there's been a previous brake fluid leak (same treatment as windscreen minus the acid treatment), replaced rear drum brakes with good second hand units.

Next up will be to replace the air circulation diaphragm as I used Redback's to replace the one on Sunnie the Brumby - now I've got another good one from a parts bomb to use.

Last bits on the list of things to do:
- re-adjust one rocker on the right hand bank;
- replace the rocker cover seals
- I might replace the gear selector shaft seal, I've got one but haven't made my mind up on that one yet...

Really looking forward to having this beast on the road!

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:16 pm

Rusty windscreen? what rust!

You got a good one, lucky it wasn't worse. You flatter me with "the Silverbullet treatment"

Do you mean the air circ diaphragm behind the 2 push buttons in the cab? Removing/replacing that panel is a real headache, if you don't dislodge the heater control cable trying to put it back together you will knock one of the vacuum lines off the see-saw push button arrangement

If you do the selector shaft seal make sure to post plenty of info, I've heard it can be a tricky job.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:18 pm

Silverbullet wrote:Rusty windscreen? what rust! You got a good one, lucky it wasn't worse. You flatter me with "the Silverbullet treatment"

I know right! I was very lucky and am glad I had to remove the windscreen, otherwise in the next year or five when I finally got around to doing the work it'd be a pot load worse!

The "Silverbullet treatment" - you've earned that respect mate - your work has been amazing on that wagon!

Silverbullet wrote:Do you mean the air circ diaphragm behind the 2 push buttons in the cab? Removing/replacing that panel is a real headache, if you don't dislodge the heater control cable trying to put it back together you will knock one of the vacuum lines off the see-saw push button arrangement

Yeah it is the one, but it's not located behind that two button panel - it's located behind and to the left of the glove box where the fan is.

Silverbullet wrote:If you do the selector shaft seal make sure to post plenty of info, I've heard it can be a tricky job.

I think the tricky bit will be the space I have to work with since the gearbox is still in the car. I'm still in two minds about it, but we'll see what happens!

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:15 pm

looking Good SB

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:38 pm

Tweety wrote:looking Good SB

Thanks mate. Getting there slowly!

All rusted/bare metal areas of concern are now under two coats of red oxide. I'm hoping to paint with the first top coat this week, might have the windscreen back in by next weekend - that would be awesome if I can pull that off!

The replacement front guard has been stripped back - learned something there - DON'T USE FLAPPER DISCS for this job!! The flapper on the grinder takes a little more than just paint

So my guard need some filler and sanding work done now

I'm going to get a can or two of "matched" paint for the final coat on the guard and around the windscreen. It'll look rough but it'll do the job. I'll just be happy to be cruising in a targa brumby that's got potential - it just needs to be mechanically sound

Cheers

Bennie

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:55 am

Ok, so matched paint isn't so matched

Dunno what I'm going to do there, ultimately a complete respray would be the best option but I don't have the time or the $$$$s for it

Redback did score a new steering knuckle though - it's got a new uni joint in it too. I'll get a pic when I can

Hoping to have the windscreen in this weekend and the whole vehicle ready for a RWC later next week, then rego shortly after the RWC certificate comes through.

Cheers

Bennie

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:21 am

D-Day for Redback... Currently in for a RWC.

Hoping for the best! I'd like this to pass first time. It drove beautifully this morning before it went in! Pretty stoked with that.

Cheers

Bennie

Proton mouse · Post by **Proton mouse** » Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:58 am

Ive been in the US for 7 weeks, good to come back and see such progress!
Good luck today!!
Now to finish my little red riding ute.....

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:44 pm

RWC done! Had to go back a second time with a replaced uni joint - I did both; I also forgot to top up the washer bottle and I only tightened one windscreen wiper down so only one was operational - what can I say, I got excited!

Monday is the day for the registration inspection - it's more about numbers and paperwork - and what the government loves - money and stamp duty!

Can't wait to have it on the road, I was hoping to have it for this weekend but the time slot I was chasing booked out before I could get back to it to confirm as I had to ask the boss for time off for the appointment...

Cheers

Bennie

PS I'll be sure to get some pics up very soon! Apologies for not having it done already!

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:46 pm

well done Scott. finally. you've worked hard on it.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:06 pm

Well, it's been sometime for an update! I unfortunately didn't have the photos organised to display so I didn't do an update when I "went nuts" on replies last week.

Redback is now registered. There was a silver lining in the dark cloud of having to wait until the Monday - something arrived in the mail on the Friday I wanted to get Redback rego'd; but that was at my parent's place. A quick road trip then wait until Monday and this was the result: VERY STOKED!

This was just after fitting the plates:

At home:

Near the fish ladder on the river:

In benders (the "stable" is full!)

Back with her new (younger) sister:

I've had a couple of issues to sort out - which was expected! First off she didn't seem very powerful, especially on the open road - a small hill and you're down shifting to try to keep speed. I played with the choke to try to get it open all the way as Subidoug suggested (I think!).

That didn't do much and it seemed to be getting even more sluggish until it got to the point it wouldn't rev out and sounded like it had a massive vacuum leak. After looking it over I ended up swapping out the Y pipe - the cat was shot and blocking itself.

"New" (off a parts bomb) Y pipe and Redback is a friggin' ROCKET as far as EA81s go! Now to sort the choke out and have a go at re-jetting the carb as per Willy's recommendations...

I love cruising in this thing! I would love a new paint job though... some day.

My new challenge "to myself" is to see how many consecutive days I can leave the roof glass stored behind the seats (and without using the garage for storage overnight). So far I've got two days done. I've got a towel to stop any dew or debris ending up in the cab...

Looking forward to kitting this out with a few bits - cruise, remote central locking, power steering and MPFI EFI the EA81 - we'll see about that last one...

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:42 pm

Man does that thing look sweet!

It's come a long long way from when you got it, top work! Legit personalized plates too, an extra bit of unique-ness. Are you going to leave the tray open? I see you don't have any pegs around the edges for a tonneu, you'd be forgiven for being cautious about drilling lots of holes in it too. Custom hard cover maybe?

Looking forward to seeing the other bits too, plenty of write ups I hope

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:27 pm

Silverbullet wrote:Man does that thing look sweet! It's come a long long way from when you got it, top work! Legit personalized plates too, an extra bit of unique-ness.

Yeah I couldn't believe those plates were still available! Couldn't help myself with those.
Redback isn't the greatest in the paint department - she really needs a good respray. The main thing is that she's straight in all the right places and only has a bit of rust in the tray area which I hope to tackle this summer when I get her back from dad (she's headed back to him once he's back from OS - he cooked his Rangie

)

Silverbullet wrote:Are you going to leave the tray open? I see you don't have any pegs around the edges for a tonneu, you'd be forgiven for being cautious about drilling lots of holes in it too. Custom hard cover maybe?

The tray will remain open. It did have a tonneau at some point but it's had the holes welded up - not a fantastic job from what I've seen inside the guards.

Silverbullet wrote:Looking forward to seeing the other bits too, plenty of write ups I hope

When they happen and I find the time to write it up they'll be here

Cheers

Bennie

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 10:00 pm

Re:respray. I've learned that time can produce wonderful things. A couple of years and opportunity might arise. You meet a guy that is good with a spray gun, you tell him you'll mask it all off and rub it down yourself and presto, he gives you a price you can afford.
Anyway its looking good and functional Scott.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:46 am

give yourself a slap on the back for bringing Redback to a former glory

a good one, to almost knock you to your feet

A simple $2 can of silver spray paint does wonders with std steel rims on a red ute - black sort of looks a bit of a shadow or something on them.

Your Y pipe replacement is 'just' MY not L Series ? If you were considering a Willy style non Y pipe to get the 2.0 EJ sound, be best to get it before rejetting ?

Reckon if Willy had a 4 WD option in his 2 dor, it would sound even more rexy - as the 4WD engage changes load on everything - changes note - on my EA81 anyway .

Love the plat3s - never seen a 3 represent a B before - does a great job !

Get it out there.
As for your dad - the cook - he needs a Watchdog device !

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:55 pm

steptoe wrote:Love the plat3s - never seen a 3 represent a B before - does a great job !

Get it out there.
As for your dad - the cook - he needs a Watchdog device !

Thanks mate.

Dad's looking into the watchdog device for all our vehicles. He tells me that Redback uses oil but doesn't drop it. A 5 day ~40km/h daily commute sees the dip stick go from the full mark to just a drop on the low side

Still goes well.

The Y pipe I swapped in was an '84 touring wagon Y pipe with cat converter. It hangs a bit lower due to the spacers for the exhaust recirc gear of the later engine but it does the job and runs like it should.

I wouldn't mine more of a subaru rumble from the exhaust but again that's just $$$s I don't want to spend on the vehicle!

Cheers

Bennie