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Hey, so I'm gonna start a build for my long-term project.
To give you a bit of background, this is my daily, 97 Holden Rodeo, bought it as my first car in '06, bog stock. We've had some ups and downs, and I love it to bits, but it's time to take things up a notch. The bottom photo is as it sits now, cracking sumps on a set of 16x8 Rays P-Volks, with the plaque stating they were made in '92. Probably my most prized possession right now, and the first set of real wheels I've owned.
The thingy in the back is a crane for my wheelchair, I'm restricted to driving an auto truck of some description, because I need to carry my chair in the back, and I don't do clutch pedals.
Anyway, a couple of years ago I got myself a project.
$8500 bought me a farm spec 1990 Rodeo with 300xxx k's, a mis-matched alloy tray, a bench seat in the front and a free Fear Factory CD in the head unit.
... and a fairly fresh, single-turbo vvti 1JZ under the bonnet.
It's auto of course, running an ebay turbo, Power FC, upgraded fuel pump and injectors of unknown size, and it made 268rwhp on 17psi
with a dodgy tune and a horrible exhaust (clogged cat, close to 90-degree bends in it).
It's a start.
Swapped the stock buckets from my daily into it, so I could take a corner without sliding across to the driver's side.
Got sick of looking at the hand controller for speed readout, got me a speedo (I live in a rural town about 600km north of Brisbane, the shop only had this 300km speedo in stock).
Trans cooler is going to end up smashed, I just know it.
Sacked it, flipped leafs, tortion bars wound down, zero dollars spent, worst ride quality ever, zero surprises there.
Also got a styleside tub.
Since then, Ive done little bits here and there, but I'm really just biding my time.
Gave it a paint job, with a $40 electric spray gun. Rattle cans would have come out better, but you live and learn. Got a purpose-built front bar from Stillen in the US, noone here has ever seen one before. So stoked with it. Also some fresh d-window steelies, 17x9, zero offset. Load-rated tyres on the back cos the 5-0 are anal about that in my town. Here's how it sits now.
Put a camel on the side, cos I grew up in Alice Springs in the dead centre of Australia. So the desert is in my blood. Or something. My buddy took it for a drive to the seaside. The windscreen wipers come on when you boost it.
This thing purrs around town, and doesn't mind being thrashed on private roads... But it has some serious electrical issues. Im thinking of getting the whole thing rewired and probably ditching the Power FC for a Haltech.
Plans are being put into motion for coilovers all round, hopefully an S13 IRS grafted into the rear, big brakes, 5-stud conversion for rim choice, a proper coat of paint, put my wheelchair crane in the back and daily the shit out of it.
The next pics I upload will hopefully be of it sitting on a chassis bench, prepped for suspension surgery.
Progress is slow because I can't do too much of the work on this thing myself, but bear with me. I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I'm probably gonna need your advice/help/criticism/shoulder to cry on down the track.
Much love,
Archie
To give you a bit of background, this is my daily, 97 Holden Rodeo, bought it as my first car in '06, bog stock. We've had some ups and downs, and I love it to bits, but it's time to take things up a notch. The bottom photo is as it sits now, cracking sumps on a set of 16x8 Rays P-Volks, with the plaque stating they were made in '92. Probably my most prized possession right now, and the first set of real wheels I've owned.
The thingy in the back is a crane for my wheelchair, I'm restricted to driving an auto truck of some description, because I need to carry my chair in the back, and I don't do clutch pedals.
Anyway, a couple of years ago I got myself a project.
$8500 bought me a farm spec 1990 Rodeo with 300xxx k's, a mis-matched alloy tray, a bench seat in the front and a free Fear Factory CD in the head unit.
... and a fairly fresh, single-turbo vvti 1JZ under the bonnet.
It's auto of course, running an ebay turbo, Power FC, upgraded fuel pump and injectors of unknown size, and it made 268rwhp on 17psi
with a dodgy tune and a horrible exhaust (clogged cat, close to 90-degree bends in it).It's a start.
Swapped the stock buckets from my daily into it, so I could take a corner without sliding across to the driver's side.
Got sick of looking at the hand controller for speed readout, got me a speedo (I live in a rural town about 600km north of Brisbane, the shop only had this 300km speedo in stock).
Trans cooler is going to end up smashed, I just know it.
Sacked it, flipped leafs, tortion bars wound down, zero dollars spent, worst ride quality ever, zero surprises there.
Also got a styleside tub.
Since then, Ive done little bits here and there, but I'm really just biding my time.
Gave it a paint job, with a $40 electric spray gun. Rattle cans would have come out better, but you live and learn. Got a purpose-built front bar from Stillen in the US, noone here has ever seen one before. So stoked with it. Also some fresh d-window steelies, 17x9, zero offset. Load-rated tyres on the back cos the 5-0 are anal about that in my town. Here's how it sits now.
Put a camel on the side, cos I grew up in Alice Springs in the dead centre of Australia. So the desert is in my blood. Or something. My buddy took it for a drive to the seaside. The windscreen wipers come on when you boost it.
This thing purrs around town, and doesn't mind being thrashed on private roads... But it has some serious electrical issues. Im thinking of getting the whole thing rewired and probably ditching the Power FC for a Haltech.
Plans are being put into motion for coilovers all round, hopefully an S13 IRS grafted into the rear, big brakes, 5-stud conversion for rim choice, a proper coat of paint, put my wheelchair crane in the back and daily the shit out of it.
The next pics I upload will hopefully be of it sitting on a chassis bench, prepped for suspension surgery.
Progress is slow because I can't do too much of the work on this thing myself, but bear with me. I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I'm probably gonna need your advice/help/criticism/shoulder to cry on down the track.
Much love,
Archie
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