Sometimes I look back on the Hilux build and wonder how the hell I completed it, people speak about motivation, passion and other large words that express why they do things, I have never really figured out what drives me, what inspires me, but I know that when I am in the zone there is not much that can get in my way.
I am a visual person, so much so that half way through this build I was thinking about giving up, the shitty state that the chassis was in had me searching for the exit sign. Fastforward a few months and things are moving full steam ahead, all of that hard work is starting to show and things are shaping up nicely.
With only a few very minor things to complete in the engine bay I am visually motivated more than ever before, the lines and design of everything in this engine bay has me smiling from ear to ear.
This last week I made up all the coolant lines and started plumbing everything.
I used 32mm aluminium 90 degree bends to make up the bottom hose.
While also using the same tube for the upper hose.
While adding a bit of 4″ tube to create a swirl pot that acts a high fill and also bleed point.
I still struggle with alloy welding, I have tried everything but I think I may be asking a bit much from my $800 welder, what I do know is using new hardware on the welder handpiece almost always creates a cleaner weld.
While I was set up on AC I made up a nice 2.5L oil catch can.
Its out of the way and uses the two AN10 rocker breathers, the single AN8 block breather (the one that sits just below the 4th exhaust port and breathes from the sump) and an AN6 drain.
The drain has a small sump section to create a low point.
While the Auto Mate fittings finish everything off nicely, they may look familiar to you, these are the same ones I used on the Hilux build.
The hose is Pro-Lite 350 and its super light weight, I have never liked stainless braid, sure it has its purpose on high pressure lines but when your not needing that this nylon braid is super light and easy to route, it wont rub through anything it touches like stainless either. Dont let the crimp fittings put you off, once you cut the lines to length you simply slide the crimp collar over the braid, then slide the fitting in, its tight so you clock it to where you need it and then get your local hydraulic place to crimp them up, its easy and such a clean finish. I also have to say the blue suits this car so there you have it, more visual motivation for me!
No other dog deals with swarf like this one, shes a loyal steed.
So that pretty much wraps up the engine bay, I have strip everything off the motor now, get the fittings crimped, make sure everything is clean, then refit it all and get things ready to fire.
There is still a heap of work to do inside so maybe an early 2017 finish…. maybe, all I know is christmas break will be a sweet one because I am stoked on how this is turning out. Visual motivation?…… your looking at it.