I have been talking recently to an engine builder re the 4g54 & looking at deleting balance shafts, balancing crank, looking at heads, valves/springs and compression ratios, cam and carby options. The idea with the 4g63 dohc is that i can leapfrog all that development work and tune up a better power/torque curve with an aftermarket computer. cost wise, it will probably be much the same either way, but more expensive in the exhaust dept with the swap and potentially in the wiring and conversion mods i have in mind. I do like the idea of keeping the yellow one original and rebuilding the 4g54 will be more straightforward so will probably go that way. Which leaves the door open for a better go at the 4g63 in the blue one when i do something with it.
Blue ute was a lot of work over several years starting in 2002 when i was a bit inspired by the Rodeo's at the time. I was trying to modernize and produce something that might have been a 'factory GSR' model. It was always intended to have a tub tray but couldn't find one. The front bar is a modified version of the mid 90's triton bar and the indicator/park lights to suit. The grille is custom made from a foam pattern to suit. I have a mould for each of those. Guards and bonnet were fibreglass also- i still have those moulds but I'm going to remake them- guards will be a straight copy, bonnet will be something along the lines of Pennyman's Geronimo but i will most likely copy a standard bonnet to start that process off.