|
|
Post by scottj410 on Nov 5, 2012 16:29:19 GMT -1
Hey guys it's been a while since I've been on here but figured this would be the best place to ask.
Where do you guys source your panels from? I was looking at heading over to germany for some autoblecteile ones next summer as I now have 2 LJ80s to restore, both of which need new side and rear panels.
However from the pics I've seen some of the dimples and details on the panels don't look that great???
Anyone got any experience of those panels and are they worth buying?
Cheers
Scott
|
|
abdul
Administrator
GREEN LJ80s
Posts: 3,535
|
Post by abdul on Nov 6, 2012 19:34:46 GMT -1
the panels from Germany are exact copy's and are very good a bit pricey tho , depending what panels most u can make your self all the outer stuff rear wings ect are not hard to replicate most of the inners have a lot more shapes to them and if you are doing a full on restoration to std spec then the German copy's are fine , they are the only panels available  |
|
|
|
Post by scottj410 on Nov 6, 2012 21:40:31 GMT -1
Awesome cheers for the reply, out of interest have you used any of the German panels yourself?
Most look easy to make its just the dimples that I was mainly worried about as it might be a bit of a challenge to replicate those from scratch and the time it'd take me to make a hammer form I might as well just fork out the £100ish it is for each side unless you have any tips to make your own dimples.
There's also panels available from Columbia but I think shipping would make it far too expensive for those and they are even more pricey than the German panels.
Mines having a full on restoration back to stock and my dads in two minds whether or not to get a Weiss designs body for his as it is quite far gone.
|
|
abdul
Administrator
GREEN LJ80s
Posts: 3,535
|
Post by abdul on Nov 7, 2012 19:24:59 GMT -1
iv seen them but not used them look good tho , for the 3 corrugations on rear wings make templates of them and cut out using 2mm steel and drill them and spot weld on then just light grind the edges down to get the right shape , any parts from south America are very expensive to import i am looking to import a lj81 they have loads in chilli but they also have them in Canada would be alot cheaper to import , the ljs are cool iv got 8 here at min iv got stacks of parts but panels i keep for rebuilds , we dont use the lj mechanics any more as they dont hold up for 33inch tyres ,
|
|
|
|
Post by scottj410 on Nov 8, 2012 8:02:52 GMT -1
That's a good idea with the 2mm plate, I might just give that a go! Will work out a lot cheaper. I have properly started my restorations yet but already seem to be collecting hoards of spares for them but you might hear from me if I need any other bits if that's ok? I can imagine 33s are a bit of a push for the stock drivetrain ;D
Would love an lj81, there seems to be quite a few over in Australia as well.
|
|
abdul
Administrator
GREEN LJ80s
Posts: 3,535
|
Post by abdul on Nov 8, 2012 19:24:40 GMT -1
i hope to import a lj81 from Canada next spring , the only lj bits i use are the chassis, shells and fuel tank the rest gets shelved , they look great but to drive a std one is something else no brakes no stearing no power no comfort and as for selecting gears is a lucky guess if you get the right gear , have you had a drive of a std one yet do try one 1st you may want to mod it a bit m8
|
|
|
|
Post by scottj410 on Nov 8, 2012 20:44:39 GMT -1
No I havent had an opportunity to drive one yet. I was going to fit discs all round but that was the only mod I had planned. I know its going to be slow and not the best vehicle to drive but i want to keep it pretty original. I've already got the SJ as a modified toy  |
|
abdul
Administrator
GREEN LJ80s
Posts: 3,535
|
Post by abdul on Nov 9, 2012 16:19:27 GMT -1
i would fit a sj410 engine to give it a bit more get up and junk the steering set up and at least fit a sj one up front with steering bars and disc breaks are a must if u value life , years ago i had a lj front wheel and hub come of and over took me at 65mph on the A2 i just had to let it come to a stop as had no brakes it was a experience i wouldn't want to repeat , the good old lj centre nut came undone as it had no slit pin  |
|
|
|
Post by scottj410 on Nov 9, 2012 20:37:02 GMT -1
 sounds like one hell of a brown pants moment ;D I seem to remember my dad telling me a story about him driving along being overtaken by one of his wheels, have a feeling that might of been in his old Lj80? I've got plenty of spare sj steering set ups so will probably do that. Also have a f10 in the workshop but I'm gonna see what it's like with the f8 first, probably slow and gutless ;D We have been toying with putting something bigger and turbo'd in my dads one. Anything we do though we want it to be 100% bolt in so its easy to put back to stock, after all they are pretty rare in the UK now.
|
|
redneck
Site Supporter
Zombie Outbreak Response Team
Posts: 50
|
Post by redneck on Nov 12, 2012 2:34:44 GMT -1
My first LJ I bought unseen. Put a ported 410 head & carb on it & had the block bored out to 998cc to take the 410 crank & pistons. Then got it delivered to Abdul to restore the body and do the front disc brake conversion and put some 235/75/15 MTs on Dahatsu foutrack 7" rims which were all the rage in those days. I then towed it to the sprayers & once painted in Jurassic Park colours towed it home. I recon I spent best part of 2 grand.
I then decided to drive it to a friends a couple of miles away. This was the first time I drove it & remember thinking.... Oh crap ! Its awful and I've sunk all this money into it.
The steering & the gearbox were in the car but felt like they were partially in another dimension as they weren't really connected.
Unless your going to fully restore to original (using original panels) it I'd say you can have it look stock but upgrade all the mechanics. You might have to cut the tunnel & floor a bit but it will be worth it for the safety & driving experience.
|
|
sounds like one hell of a brown pants moment ;D I seem to remember my dad telling me a story about him driving along being overtaken by one of his wheels, have a feeling that might of been in his old Lj80?