[85Drover]

G'day fellas,

Thinking about doing a SPOA conversion soon, throwing a vt comm. and hilux set of rears in. either with feroza or 323 springs and buying the rest of components to do the job, along with a 2" body lift or something of the sort.

Anything I should watch out for? Tips and advice? It's going onto my stock 85 Drover soft top aka 'GUMP'. I'm 16 and using GUMP as a learning tool as much as a toy.

Cheers.

[BUZOOKA]

being on nt diffs it would become very tippy anda body lift would only add to the hectic brown undies moments

so it could be a an idea to try and get hold of some wt diff might be a bit of help

but thats just my 2 cents on things to look out for others will be able to shed more light on the subject

[want33s]

If you plan on registering or driving "GUMP" on the road forget about VT motor and SOA.
You really don't need any more power than a 1.3 or 1.6 Zook motor can deliver...
SOA isn't necessary either... I'm currently running 32.8" tyres and will be 35" soon on SUA with 2" body lift and minor guardwork.

[Fatzook]

Do hilux or bundy diffs and suspension first.

Then completely forget about the crummydore motor.

Look into G16 vit motor, or if you really need more power look at the yota 4AGZE conversion. Same power as the VT donk, but half the weight.

[85Drover]

nah want33s, i meant vt comm and hilux rears as shockies for flex. My mistake on typing. I'm very happy with the 1.3 in it bought GUMP for $850, tiny bit of rust in the rear left hand side tub and surface rust in the floor panels. not to mention the 148k on the clock Planning on XJ Cherokee dark forest green paint and 215 or 225s for the meantime. Plenty more stuff I want to do but main prioritys atm are getting roady and rego worthy.

So, SOA won't pass roady in QLD?

Thanks again by the way guys, appreciate it.

[BUZOOKA]

well 31s r illegal in qld so is more then 2 inches of lift i believe

148km thou is nothing

fora n 85 that is low mine is over the 300k mark and its the same year

[85Drover]

" 148km thou is nothing "

Hence why I was, and still am, so stoked about the buy

There's plenty of 4x4's on the road with 31s up here (Cairns), a mate of mines step dad has just finished a Pootrol 4 door project; 351 chev, 37" BFG Mudders, 4" lift, roll cage etc. Looks schmick! He's also got this 3 wheeled monster sidecar mutation with a V6 comm donk and 37's. That thing is wacked.. haha i don't think either of them will ever be roadworthy or legal, but i dunno much about those levels of things.

I shall have to have a deeper look into modifications laws etc for up here.

Cheers.

[Highway-Star]

85Drover wrote:

G'day fellas,

Thinking about doing a SPOA conversion soon, throwing a vt comm. and hilux set of rears in. either with feroza or 323 springs and buying the rest of components to do the job, along with a 2" body lift or something of the sort.

Anything I should watch out for? Tips and advice? It's going onto my stock 85 Drover soft top aka 'GUMP'. I'm 16 and using GUMP as a learning tool as much as a toy.

Cheers.

You say your only learning?
I leant to drive in my fathers stock standard WT Sierra from when I was about 15. That scarred the crap out of me enough back then (then again I used to hate side angles lol). I think SOA should be left for when your used to the car, and know for sure with yourself that you want it. Don't get too carried away with the cool pics you see on the net .

See if you can get in contact with some locals with Sierras/Drovers, and check out what they have done to their cars, ask if you can ride with them; and see what your happy with (at least for a starting point).

[85Drover]

Yeah cheers Highway-Star,

My plans are mainly just for POSSIBLE future ideas. I had my first wheel with her last week, plows through anything ! That same day I took dads Jackeroo out for a bit of a play to find a swimming hole with him and that ended quickly. lol My main focus at the moment is on getting what little rust she has, out treating it with converter, welding or fibreglassing those slight holes and getting her to a point of roadworthyness and on to the road.
That means i have to buy new tyres (because the ones on there atm were manufactured in the early 90's) thinking 215s or 225s?, an alternator, (i've got a mate whose giving me an old 90A ford one) a paint job, thanks to the big burny thing up there, and little things like indicator housings etc.

All in good time. I don't want to have 31s really, too many other things to consider, and new parts put strains on the old ones which lead to having to replace more parts etc etc.

And will do, I'm always eyeing off any sierra's/drover's in the area Gives me more ideas for mine haha.

Cheers

[MrRocky]

you can get just as much flex s.p.u.a. and stay alot closer to the ground.
The only reason i would consider going spoa is if running over a 34" tyre.
Dont mod it till you learn how to drive it.