wenisman

Thanks banjo, that cap looks the business. I know the Hyundai that you're talking about so I might see if I can find out more as well. For the mean time I've got a tridon call on there and it is holding the fumes in. just wrapping up the rear suspension... I'll have to harass the superpro support for a matching bushing but I'm excited for this suspension.

So I started putting the engine, and it's in a very rough condition. The radiator was completely clogged in the bottom with rusty gunk, I can't explain the water... The Thermostat housing was completely clogged as well and checking the water galleries they are rusted through. I tried putting some oil in the engine and tried cranking the engine by hand. It was very notchy when turning, and after a night a good chunk of the oil was sitting on my garage floor. So I'm not sure where the leak is... But I think the engine is shot. So I'm looking at retiring the old engine and doing a conversion.

I also spent a little time on the area around the locks. They had a halo effect from being pushed in, looks like they had been forced open with a screw driver I think. It was a tricky spot to try and hammer and dolly as I was hitting from inside the door with the dolly on the outside. But with the new lock in place it looks reasonable.

The front apron was bent inwards and the brace between the upper and lower radiator mounts was also bent. So I paint striped the front apron and got to work with the rubber mallet, hammer and dolly and some cardboard profiles I guestimated from the rest of the panel. The tears in the metal from the accident need to be welded up but the apron is looking ok. The next item was the brace. It was bent so much it resembled a banana, the only way I could straighten it was to clamp it in the vice and using and old plant holder as a long dolly I was able to keep the radius on the channel. You can see where I have been working to straighten it near the grill mount. I'll post up a pic once I paint strip and have it much straighter

Ok, for those interested a tridon TFL211 petrol cap is not a bad option of you have a ke26. It will get you out of a pinch anyhow ☺️

Thanks parrot, it does look like a LandCruiser cap now you mention it. The joys of buying after market, but that Celica cap looks like it might work too. Time to go measure a few things

Thanks banjo, I will have a look around. I thought about the flap, but you're spot on as the caps suit just proud. I was thinking something like the old Holden fuel caps that covered the space completely. https://www.kingswoodcountry.com.au/buy/holden-fuel-petrol-cap-locking-all-hd-hr-hk-ht-hg/SL15

So the completed set of steering and suspension for the front is looking ok. I feel like I should have painted the lock nuts on the tie rods so I'll go back and fix that. And now the new petrol cap is in place I'll start thinking how I can fab something to make it look better.... Suggestions welcome 🤗

Thanks ae25, I was just about to update this thread as I measured it at 51mm. This puts it just short of being able to put a wilwood kit on. thanks for the advice, just getting a new diff or even shortening a diff is an expensive operation. But speaking to a few shops it's possible to get a Hilux diff shortened. I might as well make this the best build it can be. I haven't decided on engine, but it's looking like either a Ford duratec or Honda k20/4a

I also spent some time with the idler arm, the thread on it says enough, but the old one was seized on. I stripped the bolt getting it off... But the rubber bush was pretty much torn through which is not ideal. But I have a new 555 idler arm, it's once again rust converted, primed and painted in satin black. Whilst I was at it, the old locks were... I don't know how to describe it except to say some one has put a screw driver through all of them. So I tried the ace auto parts locks but the ignition barrel was wrong. However auto parts complex had the right locks for the job! I'll post up soon how they look, but they fitted... I am not happy with the look of the petrol cap but I'll fab something up

From the original photo the rear shocks were completely gone as the car was sagging in the rear. So I have replaced the rear shocks with some kyb shocks for now... I'll post up a bit later with my adventure down suspension lane The rear shocks were stuck in their compressed state, but once the kyb shocks went in the car went back to a neutral stance with a little weight assistance. So I marked the new shocks and started on the new shock brake combo. That's a mission but I think it will work out

I'm not sure I'll keep up with Sebastian in terms of love/dedication as his build is epic! but I'll keep you updated.

I have also removed most of the steering and suspension. The bushes for the suspension where so shot that they literally crumbled and fell out when I jacked the car up. But following the labor of love I spent time with the wire brushes, a jug of degreaser and a few cans of wurths rust converter, primer and then Eastwood's top coat in satin black. A sneak peak of the suspension arms with superpro bushes

The tail gate is in a sad shape, there is much rust to be repaired and then a serious accident had seen the left have caved in and filled with bog. Following the bread crumbs I can see that the rear passenger fender had been replaced, and the internal panels are... Questionable as there were also covered in bog. So I have started on the tail gate and will post pictures soon.

Thanks banjo, I originally tried to purchase from them but they were out of stock at the time. They said they were changing owners and so things were a bit delayed. So I just made them.

The fender then needed the sheet metal work. the old aerial hole got welded up, it was a pretty nasty hole but it got welded up and once again file finished. The bottom off the fender behind the wheel was completely rusted out, I tried to get the fender patch panel from rare spares but they weren't in stock. So with some CAD (cardboard aided design) I cut a new peice from 0.8mm steel. Put it through the English wheel, the slip roller to get the right curve, then the swager to get the fold lips started. Once the old panel was cut off there was a lot of rust between the panel and the brace. So I sandblasted it and then applied some rust converter and weld through primer. And then tacked in place whilst I test fitted it back to the car. And obviously file finished I need to fix the panel gap, a line of weld should fix it at the point of the door.

The first panel to be restored was the passenger side fender, it was rusted and filled will big from an previous accident. But after a few minutes with the rubber mallet she was mostly straight But taking it further I matched the contour from the drivers side fender which required heat shrinks to bring it back into line. It is now file finished on the damaged section

So I have finally started on the restoration project for an 1974 Corolla ke26 wagon. He is affectionately called Kevin. Anyone please feel free to ask questions and I'll try to answer then as best I can. But I have started stripping the basic panels from the car. They have been acid dipped and coated in kephos to keep the rust at bay for now.

No I built them from scratch. I'm spending time at motorretro and they are teaching me to make the parts and old school panel beating and metal work.

The car has a fair bit of rust, I'm making patch panels and welding them in as I go. The front and rear shocks were collapsed so they are getting a complete rebuild. I should start a build post... I bought the ball joint press kit from super cheap. So it was a proper press. The press tube was a little shallow and left an impression on the bottom of the ball joint but it seemed only cosmetic. These were the ball joints, https://www.autosurplus.com.au/toyota-corolla-1200-1400-1600-ke20-ke25-ke26-lower~8943 But the new ones are ordered, so hopefully this weekend it'll be sorted

Yeah, I replaced both ball joints. The rubbers were gone on the old ones and whilst I had the suspension arm off the car is a good time to replace them. I'm actually just cleaning, painting and replacing anything that is perishable. I know the car want registered since 2014 and since all the bushes literally fell apart when I jacked the car up I'm guessing the steering/suspension is original with the car... Ill send the faulty one back, came from autosurplus as nos stock. So not sure of it's origins but it has '555 made in Japan' printed on the ball joint.

Actually playing with the ball joint, on the loose one I can push and pull the joint up and down. So I am calling it a dead ball joint. I'll have to run with the trupro for now

OnThanks altezza. I have taken the entire suspension arm out, cleaned it, painted it and just replaced the bushings and ball joints. But the new 555 ball joint is very loose. Like I can push it around with 1 finger. I tried pushing grease through both the new 555 ball joints. The loose ball joint the grease went through very easily. The tighter one the grease went through but mostly stayed in the bottom I'm just wondering if I should press out the loose ball joint, even though it's new and put a new ball joint in. I can only find trupro ball joints but they should be ok?

On a side note, I was replacing the lower ball joint on the suspension arm and again using 555. One of the ball joints is tight and requires some force to move. The other is very loose, I can move it around with just one finger. I'm wondering if the loose ball joint is defective, or since it's probably not going to move alot the loose joint might be ok?

Thanks for the feed back guys, that was very helpful and much appreciated. That self centred steering makes sense, and explains why the rubber is so torn around the ends. I was having banjos exact problem of things weren't lining up when I put them back on the car. So I have backed the nut off and I'll tighten it once it's all aligned. But I will see about what can be done with regards to getting a tapered bush arrangement