Excellent build thread Bluey. Just finished reading and you have some a lot of helpful pics and comments in there. I have so much work ahead of me right now but its great to see other people finishing and finally enjoying using their truck. Converting to RHD was also something I had never even considered mainly because I didn't know dash panels were made in RHD. Although a quick search shows they can be very expensive. Another decision to consider . Didn't I see your video on youtube when I was searching for the Jag conversion?

 

Thanks mate. Yes, I do have a few youtube videos under my actual name.
My signature has a link to a blog page which has even gorier details about basically everything (including my opinions on such important things as peanut butter tim tams)
Lots more photos there.
I was deadset lucky to get a complete rhd dash in steel.
Yeah, I have loved the journey. 2 1/2 years to get to this stage.
I can honestly say it was worth the headaches, though I still have a fair way to go.
Still need engineer certification, but that appears to be almost in the bag.
Thanks for your reply
Peter

 

It seems strange that those jag front brakes are being overpowered by rear drums .
Are you sure the front calipers are functioning properly , have they been rebuilt ?
If they are functioning properly , you could fit an adjustable proportioning valve in the rear brake line to adjust pressure to the rear brakes .

 

Hi Scott. Yes, all should be good with front brakes. Had them fully reconditioned by brake shop a little while ago. The truck stops incredibly well under normal braking, but when slammed on, the rear wheels lock up. I spoke with Brake Pro in town and they said a valve in the rear line would probably fix it.
Cheers

 

Okay, great news gents! Engineer has just completed a rigorous brake testing regime on the truck and after the third attempt (rained first time, failed second, and after a bit of machining from Brake Pro in town (Wollongong NSW, Australia) a resounding success!



Next step is getting what we call down here a Blue Slip or unregistered vehicle inspection. Harrowing in its own right. But the brakes have come together beautifully

As a footnote: they didn't need to fit a valve in the rear brake lines. It just required some decent machining as they said there was a raised bit which may have been causing brake lock up. Whatever they did, worked. At least I didn't have to change wheel cylinders as I have just had these ones reconditioned.
Just FYI: The rear end is a 10 Bolt GM 8.5 diff circa mid sixties, drums.

 

Was the RHD conversion mandatory as part of the ADR's? Im planning to move to Melbourne in a couple years and would like to take mine with me.

 

Vehicles over 30 years old can stay as left hand drive in Australia. There are many left hand drive cars here. Some change sides as Bluey did because when driving on the highway left hand drive, it is hard to see if it is safe to overtake on the right hand side of vehicles ahead because of the restricted field of vision.

 

Thanks, thats good to know. I'm doing my best to make my build comply with the guidelines. You guys have some pretty tough restrictions in Oz.

 

Blue slip check went down fairly well. Found 28 issues. Some seemed too intimidating to think about but engineer said a number of them were not relevant to the truck (such as lockable steering) The inspector found a few that I wasn't aware of, one, particularly, being the shocks hitting the upper control arm on the Jag front end. I rectified this by cutting off the top half of the shock. That is, the dust cover and just left the steel stem there. Clears it fine now, and engineer is happy with that.

Few leaks that need addressing, bit of a tidy up on the firewall, put a few more brake line clamps along the way, get the rotten electronic windows to actually work properly, just general stuff, really

One thing I do have to get sorted is the rear spring bushes, as they have had it.
I am looking at a set of adjustable hangers from midfifty to solve my height problem and bush problem at same time.

 

Hello Peter,

congratulations with your progress. Sounds like you are really booming along now, pretty close to having it done. Great stuff. Which electric window kit do you have? Mine came with power windows but one was faulty, damaged gear. I got the Mid Fifty kit fitted and it works fine. Good luck with it all.

 

Hey, Nev. they're dolphin style ones. They are without doubt the worst part of the project by far. Cracked one glass. Dunno how. Was going up and down ok, then got stuck and next thing I know it has a great whopping crack across it. Now it doesn't want to go up properly any more. Goes down fine but gets stuck 3/4 of the way up. I'd go back to standard in a heartbeat

 

Hey Peter, I had trouble with my windows and the electric kit also. Driver's window broke in transit, and the window motor there also had a stripped gear I could not find a part for. I got a door glass made here with the broken one as a pattern, and was not real happy with it, seemed too small.

After a while I decided to get a door glass and window kit from Mid fifty. I figured that at least I would have the right size window glass. However we could not get it to work in the window properly, seemed too big in spots. After going over the instructions from Mid fifty again and again, I wondered if the PO had done the conversion to one piece glass right. He had not. As I remember where the door mirror mounting arm goes into the door, there is a screw (or 2) that have to be drilled out and replaced with something else in the kit. If you don't do that it obstructs the channel and the window will not move up the channel properly. He obviously couldn't get it to work so he cut the windows smaller so they would work.

Just one of the little surprises left by the builder. I don't suppose that is the problem is it. Although mine would be different as a 56 I guess. Good luck with it all, you are doing great and will no doubt have success with all the little remaining hassles soon and get out cruising. Oh by the way my windows work fine now, so persevere, I am sure you will sort it out.

 

Thanks mate. Much appreciated. Long way to go but that trip to the motor registry is looking more and more like a reality rather than a dream now.

 

Bit of an update, guys.
Bought some spring hangers and lowering shackles to drop the back down a few inches. Will be doing this over the weekend. I have about three or four fairly minor jobs to do and I have conned my big brother into coming over.
Beer and pizza does wonders!
With some luck and decent weather (which we are getting in spades) we should have everything ready for the inspection by Monday.

 

Hello Peter, how did you get on, have you had your inspection yet, did it go well? If you haven't made it there yet, good luck, I hope you get just rewards for your hard work with it.


Cheers