DRIVE TRAIN CLEAN UP !!!!

Well it's been another month or two since the last update,  but trust me I haven't been relaxing. While concentrating on all the frame work lately I had also come to realised that I should turn my attention to the preparation of the up keep of the exposed chassis, engine and the alike. So I thought I'd prepare the chassis for a coat if paint, a quick but truthful pressure clean and a bit of wire brushing before a coat of metalfix
on the heavier rusted areas and metalfix 1000 on the lightly rusted areas. This treatment is very easy to work with as it is water base and will take any top coat,  the treatment works as a primer and also turns the rust into a phosphate in which eliminates the rust. Once this coat had cured I then sprayed a couple of coats of black, what a bloody difference it makes. I had also removed some unwanted items from the chassis and a Morse cable or two that I want to renew, saves the dramas down the track. Once happy with the top coat, I then turned to the radiator Assembly by removing for the treatment of a new one to take its place in the near future. Now with the radiator out and the radiator hoses in need of removal, I thought it would be a great time to service the engine, so in went some new air filters, fuel filters and engine and gear oil filters, drained and topped up the engine oil, replaced some hoses as well as the power steering suction hose that had already worn a hole from the pulley system. Once at this stage I had removed the thermostat cover and renewed the thermostat, gave the engine water a good flush and replemished the system with fresh coolant. The engine got a very good degrease and a bit of sanding before some engine enamel got applied, mind you this engine chewed up six large pressure packs.

As you can tell I have gone on a two colour paint job on the engine, just to give the good old 6BD1 Isuzu motor the enhancement that she needed (this old girl has only 286000 on the clock, so she has plenty of life left in her). I am now on the hunt for a radiator and some other items to finish of this area, but for now she sits under a nice thick tarp to keep the weather away and protect the engine while we finish of the frame works, which is also coming along quite well. From here I finished of the paneling works on the rear end with the fabrication of the rear engine air grill. I sourced some small sheet of vented metal, cut to size and framed it off with some 25mm flat bar, easy job, While working on the rear I had decided that the old rear bumper had to be replaced due to the condition it was in, so out come all the tools and as soon as i knew it we had the new bumper frame welded up, we used a bit of left over ACP panelling for the backing of the bumper. At this stage our kids were watching their daddy apply the final coats after test fitting all the new led lights and etc that were purchased for the job. After test fitting the items and the completed bumper, we had removed it for the completion of the rear end, we still need to prep and paint the entire back. But with all the rear bits on it makes the world of a difference on the rear end (even fabricated a new tow hitch). Check out all our photos page to see all the pics on the newest stages we are at, I will try and touch base soon.

Happy Travels or Builds.