ETS Drift Ute – Another week at work!

Whats been happening in the shed this week? Well read more to find out.

The engine mounts are done, after a lot of measuring and triple checking that the motor sat exactly where I needed it. The idea of an engine plate has been ditched for rubber insulation.

Internal sleeves tapped M8 run into the chassis utilising the factory Hilux holes.

Further body mounts run off the pillars, I will be making the windscreen support and firewall top section once I get a windscreen.

The last gearbox mount was a work of art and incorporated the hydro handbrake, since the engine was rubber mounted the gearbox had to be as well. Now to remake the hydro handbrake bracket.

The next thing on the list is the full rear subframe that will tie on the entire rear end. Its something I have taken inspiration from motocross bikes. Ive welded tabs in 6 positions, 2 on the bars that run up into the cab, 2 on the rear cradle mounts and 2 on the floor section that extends out of the cab. The entire rear subframe will be 1″ tube and will be removed with 6 bolts. All this will be carefully drawn so that it will be easy to remake if the wall tap does severe damage.

Ive ordered all the front end panels and now need to start shaping the rear fenders, im starting from scratch with the rear fenders as the guy who took on the job has become too busy to fit me in. Time to learn a thing or two about FRP moulding.