Hey out of interest did your engineer specify that the gearbox crossmember be attached to the chasis rails. I was told that one of the engineers in Vic was demanding this and at the moment mine just bolts through the floor to large backing plates.
Good luck with it!

You really need to find out what engine the MT8 was used on as they are built to suit specific engines. I bought one that was used on an an early EXA E15T and had to send the unit to Microtech for an EPROM change to suit my CA18DET. I also bought a brand new loom and the User Manual which all up cost me about $300 I think.
If the unit was used on a CA18DET then your laughing...if not then bank on additional cost to get it working!

So are these part numbers stamped into the panels or just a sticker? I spoke to the guy who sold the tailgate to me and he got it off another guy he knows who swears he bought it from Lismore Nissan and the tailgate was sent to me in the old Nissan box...but both the box and tailgate have been sitting in a shed for a few years and the box doesn't have the part number on it. I wonder if someone at the dealershiip swapped the original one for a taiwanese one and passed it off to the bloke.....either way I lose out in this deal. Now I've got two taiwanese tailgates. Looks like one will have to go on ebay. Anyone in Melbourne looking for a tailgate??

I'm pretty sure I've overpaid for a Taiwanese copy but want to know beyond all reasonable doubt. Because my original has several layers of paint and body deadner it is naturally a lot heavier than the new one.
So can't be sure just from the weight.

Hey just remembered that my original one has holes in it for the reflectors. Would all nissan ones have the reflector holes in them??

I was hoping it was one of the SSSUTE (MADDAT) jobs as they seem to be the best looking ones around....but I just got an SMS back from Brenton and he said its a cutdown Ford BA XR8 ute hardtop which needs hifill and paint to finish off. Apparently he's looking for offers around $1000.

Anybody bought a genuine nissan tailgate lately. I just bought a tailgate from a guy who told me it was genuine but it looks the same as the taiwanese one I already have.

I have an 85 ute and the original tailgate has a slightly wider top rail on it and also has the hooks for the tailgate chains welded on horizontally (when tailgate in closed position) wheras the taiwanese one has these hooks welded on vertically like a 'J'.

I'm interested in any way to confirm for sure whether my new tailgate is genuine or not. I know the top rails on the utes varied slightly in shape from the early to the late models but did the tailgates change to match (ie. is there an early and a late style of tailgate??
Any info appreciated.

Dave, I'm glad to see the CA back in the engine bay. Hope to see it in action at the Nats. I wish I could finish my conversion that quickly....maybe I need a working bee too! LOL

Evil, I've been thinking about doing the same thing to my ute to smooth off the rear. So will be interesting to see who has done what. But what I'd like to know also is has anyone found an easy way to hide the hinges at the bottom of the tailgate??

Because the CA is fuel injected it will require a return line plumbed back to the tank. Whilst it's not to difficult to modify the original tank for the return line, you will also need to pump the fuel at a much higher pressure...therefore you need to invest in an EFI fuel pump and a surge tank. The other option that a lot of us 1200 ute guys do is to fit an R31 Skyline tank up under the tray where the spare wheel normally sits.
This tank has an inbuilt EFI pump and internal baffles and means you are running a factory approved fuel container. However bear in mind that you need to weld on some RHS beams to bolt the tank to and get a new filler neck pipe to connect it up..so still a bit of mucking around. It does look a bit like a drop tank at the rear too, which you may or may not like.

I'm looking for the 'T' shaped 3-way pipe that the top radiator hose connects up to the engine block with. Not sure of the technical name! It is only a few inches long and would be easy to post. Mine is all corroded so I'm looking for a better one.
PM me with a price if you've got a good one there....Thanks