Greetings from the deep south

[10YardTest]

Hi guys great forum been lurking for the last month or so since i bought my '85 L200.
As you can tell from the L200 name i am not in the states, i am down in New Zealand.
Bought this at 285000 km for cheap as it had been defected and banned from the road. I plan on fixing it up and using it as a work hack and quad bike hauler. It has had a respray before i got it which passes the 10 yard test but has quite a few runs that need cleaning up.
Have been cleaning up the front end with a bunch of Whiteline bushes and cutting out some rust on the floor while my country is in lockdown. Have also sandblasted and repainted the control arms while it was apart.
Anyway picture time. It is 2wd but up on stands at the moment.

24902

[tortron]

How good is dodge rams on rock auto eh

[10YardTest]

How good is dodge rams on rock auto eh
So damned good! Haha

[geezer101]

That's a shame it got stickered. No chance of getting it lifted and put back on the road? It has some weapons grade rust in the floor but no worse than the rats nest Tortron has been chopping out. It looks like a decent base for a fix'er and it's complete which saves headaches.

[10YardTest]

Yeah it is not as bad as tortrons that is for sure, have already cut out and plated the floor. The height was ok, its biggest issue i believe, was the inspectors did not want the PO to take it home for her husband to repair so they called the local cops and got the defect sticker put on. I fixed all the 'dangerous' play in the steering with a 12 dollar set of idler arm bushes.
Have a less smokey engine to install and reassemble the front arms then it is ready for reinspection.

[tortron]

The green sticker is pretty subjective. If they have a grudge against you you will get a fresh one every time they see you even with a new wof

[10YardTest]

This one is a pink sticker so even worse.
However i have had a yarn with the local police about it, they are happy enough that i am fixing it properly, helps that its a small town and i moved here a decade ago as a mechanic.

[10YardTest]

Well the good engine was toast, so ended up rebuilding another spare one. Front end all rebuilt with urethane bushes and fitted gen2 hubs with rebuilt calipers, new rotors and bearings. All legal and cruising around.

[geezer101]

That is good news! Also good that you know your way around a tool kit. Most trucks that could be saved end up being cut up and crushed because of the investment needed to make them decent again. Nice work :thumbup:

[10YardTest]

I would like to hope i know my way round a toolbox. Have been a mechanic for the last 18years. This was potentially one of the easier projects i have taken on, had a few hickups along the way but at least parts are available for these utes.

I did buy a donor ute that has more rust than steel, can see through the valance panel to the carpet haha, doors seem ok and i can keep the lights, grill, glass etc. Also a spare gearbox for the possible turbo in the future.
It is passed the point of saving, even the firewall has bog in it.

[tortron]

Sounds like my one!