New guy from Mass with a 4G63 Ram 50 and now a GVR4

[4g63mightymax]

Good question. I guess one of us doesn't! Mine is missing the badge, but it know the guy that had it several years ago, and he said it was 1821. I think he still has the badge? I will double check with him and see what he says /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[LIV4PSI]

FWIW, it has been rumored that there are a couple duplicate badge numbers

 

[4g63mightymax]

I talked to some previous owners and it sounds like your white vr4 was rebadged with the one from my parts car. I'm not sure what number your car was originally. I think that is an old mystery. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I guess that answers the question though. Check nedsm for details (if you are a member there).

 

[4g63mightymax]

I'm converting this car back to LHD at the end of January (taking the day off work for the occasion!). If anybody is interested in the RHD parts let me know, because I don't want them. Otherwise, watch for picture updates. I'm cutting the entire firewall out and doing the LHD swap much cleaner than the RHD swap was done. I can't wait to start cutting!

 

[4g63mightymax]

Over the weekend I decided to start preparing for Friday's big event (swapping the car back to LHD). During this preparation, I discovered that swapping this car back to LHD is the best thing to happen to this car. Let's take a closer look at some of the "quality" work done by whoever swapped this car to RHD originally, shall we?

1) They didn't swap the whole firewall (just the part that mounts the brakes, clutch, steering, etc. The upper section was left alone), which meant even if I DID have a RHD HVAC box for the car (which I don't), it would never have worked. Instead of doing things properly, the HVAC inlet was covered with a steel plate, and coated with seam sealer. As you can see, the area is already rusting on the inside of the car, so clearly there were leaks allowing rain inside the car. Bummer right?

2) Speaking of booger welds. This is the crash bar that the steering column and dash mount to. The part that is visible from inside the car is booger welded to the max. The part that you can't easily see (the backside) isn't welded at all.

3) Like I said, the whole interior section of the firewall wasn't swapped, so they cut the LHD brackets off, flipped them all around, closed their eyes, and welded the brackets on the opposite side of the car without removing the paint.

4) And lastly, just to show you that things are about to get real. Here is a picture of the first cut.

Moral is: The RHD swap appeared good from the outside, and would have been fine for a race car or something, but there were too many scary surprises for my liking, and that is why it is all coming out.

More to come in the weeks ahead...

 

[4g63mightymax]

LHD swap begins. Anybody actually interested or no?

 

[the_underdog]

Quoting 4g63mightymax:
LHD swap begins. Anybody actually interested or no?



Hi Jeremy, we've met online before via your extremely helpful forum/4G63 wiring knowledge base. Thank you again for sharing so much helpful information over the years! Let me say, after seeing this thread and the scope of this project- you, sir, have freaking titanium balls. Good luck to you and I can't wait to see you bring this one back!

 

[4g63mightymax]

Thanks Tom! I appreciate the kind words! I will continue this post just for you! This is the point where things start to get interesting.

 

[FlyingEagle]

I think most people are biting their nails right now, but not so much their lip.

Takes guts, as underdog point out!

 

[4g63mightymax]

I spent a little more time on this today, and began the reconstruction process. Since the previous firewall was hacked in with the worst welding in history (and a whole lot of seam sealer), I was forced to start from scratch and rebuild the firewall piece by little tiny piece. I began with the flanges at the bottom of the firewall, on the engine side.

To do things nicely I had to get rid of all that was wrong and replace it with all that was right. I haven't welded anything in yet, so everything you see here is being held by gravity and will power. When I am ready to weld, everything will fit tight.

Anyway, here are some pics.

Next, I will do the middle flange. That one will be a hassle because the one I was hoping to use is pretty rusty. So I may have to make one from scratch. Yucko.

 

[4g63mightymax]

Things are being TIG'd back together:

 

[4g63mightymax]

Update: All lower firewall flanges are now welded on, and ground down smooth (mostly). Annnnnd I'm now 100% out of argon.

BUT: Next step - trimming the LHD firewall to fit. Oh shnap.

 

[MellowVR4]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[4g63mightymax]

Thanks! It will really start coming together soon because I get to install the big pieces next. I am totally pumped!

 

[MellowVR4]

Just getting those pieces back on is a challenge in itself, good job man.

 

[4g63mightymax]

TEST FIT. So far so good.

 

[Boostdtalon]

Looking good! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif

 

[4g63mightymax]

Just when you thought I gave up, I spent another hour on it. The top half of the firewall is fitted into place now. Now I need to do the bottom half. I'm thinking ~6 more hours of work before I weld it all in.

 

[Project_91Vr4]

You my friend are grabbing this project by the balls and I respect you for that most would of left this to rot or scrapped it and your are bringing it back to life to your liking this thing was not even race car worthy or at least safe lol keep up the great work and keep on posting also take a look at my gvr4 #1316

 

[4g63mightymax]

Well, I finally started to weld it in place last night, though I'm far from done.

Here is what it looks like as of 9:30 pm 3/27/14. You'll notice it looks nearly identical to the last picture I showed you, except dustier. This time though, it won't come out again /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Now maybe you are saying to yourself, "Jeremy, that doesn't look like much work, why did it take so long?" Well, the "new" firewall was crustier than a bus station, and the firewall is two layers thick. It was also full of compound curves, so it is sort of a complicated item to recreate and not have it look like amateur hour.