81 WB Van Build

[guitar1234]

Hi All,

Just thought I'd throw up a build thread for the WB my dad and I are building, its a long story and it has a long way to go but it'll be worth it overall...

So, dad bought the van in the early nineties to replace a Suzuki Carry that he rolled in a paddock inexplicably... it was purchased from a pub owner and it'd been used to cart kegs around so it had a somewhat sedate life. It was a stock belmont, no mods and was in need of glass after falling kegs had smashed out all the back windows. After 12ish years of ownership it'd received a couple of rebuilds and the blue 202 featured ARP racing pistons, a Hot Yella Terra Head and straight cut gears just because...Anyway, it was stock exterior wise, so dad had it painted and bought some new shoes for it
Picture 182.jpgPicture 180.jpgPicture 188.jpgPicture 185.jpg

It stayed this way for 6 months, then some pr!ck stole the wheels and car stayed stationary in storage outside for 6ish years. Which brings us to now. The outdoors pretty much killed the paint which is flaking off, but otherwise the car still runs and is pretty rust free, save for some surface here and there in the gutters. So the idea to rebuild it finally came to fruition after years of talking about it, and the van is now on the hoist inside and ready to tear into. The Plan for the rebuild will be listed below...

Exterior:
Keep it clean, repaint it white, repaint the bumpers a dark grey, no badges or stickers, simplicity will be key.

Wheels:
We have a few sets floating around, but if we want to stick to our plans then the 12 slotters that are on it now just won't do! I'm really keen on something like These below to contrast with the white body of the car, I really like the mesh look as it brings a more modern look to the car, if anyone has any pics of vans sporting similar wheels to below I'd love to see them!
image_521_flat_black_3_8_2.png

Interior:
This is the only part we're conflicted on. Stick with the bench seat? Buckets? If we were to fit buckets, then we have a pair of HJ GTS buckets that we could use which would have to be retrimmed, but I really like the idea of throwing some more modern VE SS/SSV/GTS Leather seats in it also. For the dash and steering wheel we have HJ GTS stuff sourced from a donor car, but dad likes the idea of a MOTEC ECU with a HUD so this could change. We'll also do a nice sound system, keep it stealthy and not have the headunit out in the open.

Suspension:
Will be upgraded to heavy duty stuff for better, less couch-like handling, and we'll completely rebuild every system possible, new bushes everywhere. We'll also lower it.

Drivetrain:
10 Diff Bolt from a HJ GTS running a 308 so it should be strong enough, it'll also be converted to disc brakes because we're in 2015, if we plan to do what we want to the engine, it'd be nice to be able to stop the thing too....

Engine:
The most important part! Most people understandably go for a V8, 350, 253, 308, 304, and they're rad for cheap and reliable power and cheap mods. But they're common, and variety is the spice of life, right? so we've sourced a VK Black EFI 202, which we plan to run supercharged, with forged and dished pistons, the steel rods and crank from the stock motor, polished, with a custom ECU and Coil-Over-Plug ignition setup, along with a fair bit of headwork, a better cam, roller rockers and lots of other things I've probably forgotten.

I'll be throwing pics up as we do more to it which won't be constant as I have Uni and other commitments, but once it hits winter I'm sure we'll be doing more and more to it! Any opinions, advice or thoughts can be commented below and would be appreciated!

[Alien DNA]

Welcome aboard guitar1234

Sweet looking WB.....you'll fit right in here with the WB

Nice driveline choice......cool to see something other than a V8....sounds like its going to move pretty well.

btw...whats your guitar of choice?

[guitar1234]

Welcome aboard guitar1234

Sweet looking WB.....you'll fit right in here with the WB

Nice driveline choice......cool to see something other than a V8....sounds like its going to move pretty well.

btw...whats your guitar of choice?

Thanks, Yeah it should go alright, I'm excited to say the least.

Ah I play an Epiphone Korina Flying V and have a few others, but like most shapes and kinds in general. Haha the username was something I came up with when I was 13 because it was easy to remember and I kinda never got around to changing it

[Alien DNA]

Korina is a great sounding timber yeah im partial to the V's myself....loving my jackson v atm.....generally use Ibanez Universes though.

[Vombil]

i play the piccolo

welcome dude

[Alien DNA]

mysandman band is on the way

[HZSM50]

G'day Guitar good to have another van owner here.

[HK1837]

Sounds like an interesting and different project. Just a few pointers that will help you:

HJ sedan diff won't fit. You'll need a HQ-WB V8 housing and swap the internals over. No need for rear disc brakes either, the WB drums should be more than good enough for the chassis' capabilities.
Stock black motor rods and crank are cast not forged steel.
You might find it hard to Engineer and hence pass rego a blown 202 in a WB. The stock VK EFI will be a snack as WB and VK are the same vintage, but a blower may complicate it to the point of not being registerable. What would easily pass though (although you have said you don't want a V8) is a 5.7L/350ci engine out of a HSV - basically a 304/308 stroker, and is as easy to fit as a VK EFI 202 is. In stock guise this should be a snack to Engineer and would probably be cheaper than building up a blown 202 if you get a good used engine and probably have more power. As would a blown V6 out of a VS or VT, bit more to fit though as it needs specialty parts whereas the Holden V8 will bolt straight in using 253/308 sump, pickup etc.

[guitar1234]

Sounds like an interesting and different project. Just a few pointers that will help you:

HJ sedan diff won't fit. You'll need a HQ-WB V8 housing and swap the internals over. No need for rear disc brakes either, the WB drums should be more than good enough for the chassis' capabilities.
Ok, just wondering how they are different? As for the disc brakes, its just something that'd be cool to do, not that it's ever going to really need them
Stock black motor rods and crank are cast not forged steel.
I'm aware of that, we chose to use them because they're the same spec as XU-1 rods and cranks
You might find it hard to Engineer and hence pass rego a blown 202 in a WB. The stock VK EFI will be a snack as WB and VK are the same vintage, but a blower may complicate it to the point of not being registerable. What would easily pass though (although you have said you don't want a V8) is a 5.7L/350ci engine out of a HSV - basically a 304/308 stroker, and is as easy to fit as a VK EFI 202 is. In stock guise this should be a snack to Engineer and would probably be cheaper than building up a blown 202 if you get a good used engine and probably have more power. As would a blown V6 out of a VS or VT, bit more to fit though as it needs specialty parts whereas the Holden V8 will bolt straight in using 253/308 sump, pickup etc.
Dad has a friend who has the same setup, albeit with a turbo, registered in a Torana, so we're working with his engineer to along the way

10 char...

And also, if all fails, there is another motor built for this under a bench at home, a stroked 304.

[wbute]

HJ buckets won't fit the WB bolt holes either. Keep an eye on using earlier series stuff in WB as they have a lot of metric bolts such as seat belts and seat mounts.
image.jpg
I know it's a bad resolution photo and this was in 94, but V5 Simmons on a 83 WB ute. So I guess bigger size rims will look similar. Personally I don't think 20" wheels really suit older style cars. But the beauty of cars is to build them how you want to.

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The sedan diff is a coil set up. You would need to mount leaf spring mounts to the diff. Can be done but easier just to use a ute/van diff.
Discs open you up to other issues with the hand brake as well. Plus you need to change the master cylinder to suit. It's all been done and is quite do-able.