Hi All,
Thought I would get started on my build thread after procrastinating for a while.
It's going to be a long haul yet, still a lot of work to be done but can see some minor progress in the past few weeks getting me motivated again. Car had been sitting untouched for about 6 months until a few weeks ago.
The build so far is as follows:
'85 1200 Ute
CA18DET with CA 5 speed
Maddat trans tunnel and fitting kit.
Maddat R31 diff with 4.11 gears (LSD Centre still needs to be installed / built).
Maddat Brake booster / master.
CA18DET S13 brake calipers on 120Y struts. 250mm rotors.
15x4 Convo pros (offset looks OK, might need camber adjusters)
Rears will be measured and fitted once diff is installed.
Plans for build to be a weekend street / strip car eventually. Have most parts ready for build including fuel setup, new radiator, intercooler etc. Just need paint, a few more bucks thrown at it and the most difficult component... time!

Some pics of the progress so far.

Trans tunnel tacked in over the weekend, just have to finish shaping and get it welded up and inspected by the engineer. The next step is paint the engine bay and then the fun begins.

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Nice project. Will engineer sign off on tyres narrower than stock 155 wide?

Some pics of the car when I bought it. It was registered and I drove it for a few months until the rego ran out and then started on the build.

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Unfamilia,
I will not have these rims fitted until after Engineering. Legally they should pass roadworthy but the engineer might have different thoughts with the engine and brake conversions.
I bought them already so that I could make sure my strut and brake combo would work with these rims. So far it seems OK for offset and clearance.

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Love the rims!

Summer is the best time to get motivation :)

Some small progress over the past few weeks. Waiting for the welder to come out to finish off the trans tunnel and weld in the radiator support bars that my Engineer has asked me to install after cutting to suit the new radiator and inter cooler. Once that is complete and inspected it'll be out for paint.
Dummy fitted the aluminium radiator to check mounting points. Can't wait to get the thing painted, I'm sick of looking at the multi-coloured engine bay.
If anyone knows of a good painter they can recommend let me know.

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Also slightly new direction for the front end of this build with a set of Cusco S13 Coilovers , adjustable control arms and adjustable caster rods to be installed. So far looking OK to get through Engineering (I asked before jumping into it) but have to fit everything up and get it sorted first to decide if it's the direction I really want to go? If anyone has done it before that has some pointers, I'm all ears.
i have S13 adjustable control arms but have recently read about the AE86 arms being simple to fit up and shorter? Might be worth a look too as I'm concerned about the increase in track. I will have a bit of a play over the next few weeks and see how I go.

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Geez Elrich looks like there's a lot of us that are the same.I see you have also waited along time to get started --like me -- also the chap from the old school site --takes abit of reading and drooling over another 1200 like hey what am i doing this w/end ? ooh i know i'll get stuck into the ute.DAMN no carrots hangin' to motivate us --when u start u find out o shikes i hav'nt got e/thing i need for the job.I suppose one good thing it keeps u away from the watering holes and keeps u at home. I got another problem though --if i put my mind on job well thats what i do. I never move from eg. suspension to wiring and that makes it worse.Anyway good-luck and keep going

What size is you radiator ... Core ect ? How's does it fit with engine mounted and thermos in have you got good clearance ?

Quote:S13 strut/hub assembly will bolt up to the stock late 1200 H74 balljoint, keeping the LCA and steering arm stock. There was some talk that the "angle" of the balljoint was poor(?) so one guy used modified AE86 controls arms instead as the S13 LCAs are too long. See S13 Strut Swap

S13 struts on stock late-model 1200 (1976 and newer LCA/ball joint)