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Apr 26, 2011 11:44:44 GMT
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Awesome rascal mate ;D I found your worklog a few months ago, and didnt realize it was still current, assumed it was old as it seems impossible to find any recent worklogs on carrys/rascals. Kept checking back for inspiration and realized you had updated it Thanks for the comments Dude. Apologies for the lack of updates, but had other projects to work on recently like THIS ONE which I wanted to get finished in time to enjoy the summer as well as other work on other cars and play weekends to organise and run at the unit ;D Hopefully this little Rascal will be the main focus of my time down at the unit at the moment and I hope to get it 'on the road' sometime over the next month which means there should be more updates to come. ....those other wheels look mean if you can get them to fit with the sliding doors Yeah, I was surprised how well they worked on the car. I always loved the 'Vecs from the day I bought them and thought there would be nothing that could equal them in looks, but the MA61 rims really do work and will be staying along with the 'Vecs...I am going to look into getting the rear mounting faces machined down enough to clear the door with the fronts done to match. Maybe then a sandblast and some paint before putting tyres on them. Currently wishing to do something like this on my carry, do you have any idea how much you could cut the factory springs before you start hitting bump stops ect? Currently my carry is absolutely trucking at factory height, on 13" hotwires, but managed to pick up some spare factory springs for $30(New Zealand $) so keen to see what I can get out of cutting them down, or possibly compressed springs, but it is already a deathtrap without compressed unpredictable springs  To be honest, I can't remember how much to remove before running out of travel. I kept removing coils to get it as low as I wanted but by the time I realised that the shocks were out of travel and it still wasn't as low as I wanted I'd removed about 4.5 coils! That was with the bump stops cut right down too. Luckily because the coils don't need a spring compressor to remove the top mounts you can simply buzz the top mount off, chop some coil out, refit, check and repeat until you're happy with the height. I'd reckon you could easily lose two, possibly three coils without too much trouble. Any more and you're pretty much out of travel, hence why I went for custom made front struts. The rear is quite easy if you can find some Suzuki SJ rear springs and make some shackles too if you want adjustability. Combine with some lowering blocks and you're away. It's worth upgrading to some polybushes when doing this because the chances are that the leaf bushes are completely shot. Mine certainly were. I am about to fit some coilovers on the rear - I removed the helper spring the other day because it was hanging very low so now I am jsut running on one leaf which is very soft. Colilovers will mean I can stiffen it up again, using the leaf mainly as a locator for the axle. I took all my measurements and an original shock over to Pro-Tec last Thursday and should be collecting my custom rear coilovers sometime this week (fingers crossed) so I can get started getting the rear end finished including heavy duty mounts for the coilovers, removing the bump stop blocks from the chassis rails and setting the height. Updates will be forthcoming when this happens. Oh, and you thought about eyelids? Makes my carry look a bit more aggressive, as opposed to startled  Although yours already looks pretty aggressive  I think Dan knows me too well. Eyebrows really aren't my thing....over here in the UK they are very much a 'boy racer' modification and if you met me you'd understand why that's not really me (middle aged and keen on keeping things clean) Very recently we met up with some other guys from Retro Rides for breakfast and Alan (Count Pandamonium) turned up with his Lada which had some eyebrows a bit like that. Before he had chance to notice or say anything, Dan & I ripped them straight off which might sound a bit harsh, but was actually doing him a huge favour. The headlights have actually recently been tinted with 'fly eyes' kit - which is fairly subtle but just makes them tie in a bit better with the grey surround around the headlights. For anyone who saw the fly eyes badly fitted to the OS headlight, this was just an offcut which I'd simply 'slapped on' a month or so ago and has since been replaced properly and neatly. Hopefully some more updates to come this week when I pick up the coilovers. Some phonecalls will also be made to see about getting the MA61 rims machined to fit. |
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Apr 26, 2011 11:58:10 GMT
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Bruce, this is looking great, not tempted to satin the paint to match the fleet then?? must say I think it looks amazing on the supra rims, wouldnt have thought so, but it really works.. going to have to get down soon and check it out, i've only ever seen it covered in dust/parts.. lol keep up the good work fella... Thanks for the comments Dude, yeah, it would be good to see you down at the unit soon. It's still strange to me to see the Rascal not covered in a thick layer of dust and piled up with car parts. The other day I pulled it out into the yard to give me more room in the unit.....and it looked amazing 'out there' rather than being hidden in the corner of the unit. Can't wait to actually get it on the road - last taxed in 2001 so I think its due some time enjoying tarmac ;D Lawsy I reckon the colour is the best bit about it, if it was white i'd say yeah paint it but the colour makes the van. ^^ THIS ^^ was something I'd decided on very early on. I love the NATO green on the Delica and MX5, but that's because the original colours didn't do anything for me and the military colour works really well on those cars. The 'scrubs' green of the Rascal is pretty rare (like I've only ever seen one other Rascal in that colour - and that one is being broken!) and I just love the colour. When I first got it I did think of painting it NATO (before the Delica and MX5) but that was a very shortlived idea and the car will definitely be staying this colour. I will probably respray the van sometime because even though it looks quite good, I want it to be perfect so once the car is on the road, I can start turning my attention to the little bits of bodywork that need doing to get it to my standard. Scrubs green is staying ;D Currently wishing to do something like this on my carry, do you have any idea how much you could cut the factory springs before you start hitting bump stops ect? They don't have enough travel to get them low with the stock suspension, even if you sit them on the bumpstops. Thanks Dude, I think I was writing my response when you posted this. You can certainly lower them with a spring chop, but nowhere near as much I was looking for. |
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speedy88
Club Retro Rides Member
"Nice Cortina mate"
Posts: 2,302
Club RR Member Number: 118
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1988 Bedford Rascal: History.speedy88
@speedy88
Club Retro Rides Member 118
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Apr 30, 2011 17:21:41 GMT
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Sweet! Another brucey creation seeing the light of day. I'm aching to work on something different but I can see you're busy with the house etc atm. Feel free to fire off a text if you want an extra pair of hands on this.
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Kev at Pro-Tech is a LEGEND!!! Picked these up yesterday:    14 stage adjustable damping, custom made for the Rascal and Bruce is a happy boy. Because (in Kev's own words) it's an unknown quantity regarding spring rates etc....I can change the springs FREE of charge anytime if I want longer/shorter ones or if I want to increase/decrease the spring rate. Not only that, if I find the shocks are too long for what I want, he will make me a new pair in a different length for FREE as long as these ones aren't damaged "You won't know until you get them fitted and the van on the floor if they are totally right for you - whatever you want to change, let me know and we'll do it" Like I say....LEGEND! Try getting that kind of service anywhere else?? |
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Ditch
Part of things
Posts: 283
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What a top fella, it's companies like them that let you feel your hard spent cash is a safe play.
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They are beautiful! I'm very tempted by a set of Protechs for the Locost, they come extremely highly recommended. Probably the double adjustable ones (when I've found £800 down the back of the sofa) just so I can have something else to fiddle with. The free springs thing is definitely something to take advantage of. Give me a call if you want any advice on working out which direction to go in |
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1997 TVR Chimaera
2009 Westfield Megabusa
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nofrills
Posted a lot
my wings are made of Steeeeeeeel!!!
Posts: 1,243
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He sounds awesome, now if only all companies were like that!
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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Great stuff. Those look amazing. I think this has settled where I'll be going to get shocks for the Mini.
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May 20, 2011 12:58:06 GMT
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wheels possibly still to be decided but it has got to stay it's original green enough said and pm on it's way |
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B-8-D
Posted a lot
down to one car!!
Posts: 4,038
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May 20, 2011 17:24:59 GMT
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yeah great down there arnt they..
ive got a pair of protechs going on the front of the viva.. will probe get my rears from there too..
si
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rodney
Posted a lot
https://www.facebook.com/RD-vehicle-transport-and-recovery-services-525622614268010/
Posts: 1,677
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Mar 20, 2012 16:40:29 GMT
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thats some serious service at the shock company!!, now all the van needs is a turbo |
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facebook: rodney dean / rd transport  |
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Mar 20, 2012 16:51:39 GMT
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What it needs now is an MOT. ;D Hopefully there'll be time at A52 this weekend to have a go at the brakes - possibly the last thing needing MOT attention IIRC. |
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Well, it's been a long, long time since I added anything to this thread, so I'll start with an apology: there are LOTS of updates I need to add, lots of blanks to fill in and photos to show...but they will have to wait for another day I'm afraid. I can't see me having the time to sift back through all the photos and post them up until after the Gathering.
However, yesterday, Jon (JonOvlov) and I pulled the little van out from the depths of Area 52 and got it back on the 2 post lift. Wheels off, bearings tightened, brakes bled and checked....we gave the van a once over....
......and then this happened......
I cannot begin to tell you how much of a grin this little thing puts on your face! The way it drives is just brilliant, the handling is a million miles from the originals wobbly cornering (this thing corners so damn flat!) and despite not actually going very fast, it's surprisingly nippy. And a real hoot!
I am so pleased the suspension has worked out so well, on the road it's really comfy - not bouncy and not wallowy either, just really nice. As for the sound from Rich's exhaust - boy that's an addictive noise!
I am sure there will be more videos to come very soon.
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You weren't tempted to give it the "good old Scandinavian flick"?
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Sweet, looks great on the move. Nice to see it up and running.
My old one was great fun, yours looks far more stable though.
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looks amazing! almost cartoon like |
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Love this, makes me want to press the ebay button
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nofrills
Posted a lot
my wings are made of Steeeeeeeel!!!
Posts: 1,243
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man there should be a "AWESOME" button to press, the thing is too cool for school!
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[*]
[*]
Although yours already looks pretty aggressive 
