LJ70 Build Thread!

[Ben]

4-Runner looks tidy Ed.

Looking forward to some trip reports from you soon.

Ben, have you ever been to the "best of all" lookout point near Springbrook? It's right on the border between Qld and NSW and looks south over NSW - on a clear day you can pick out Nimbin and Byron Bay, and you can see how the whole area is one gigantic crater. Pretty spesh.

Thanks Jim, not been there/seen that. Definitely have to check it out next time.

Always think of you when I'm drinking Tooheys dude. Spotted this cool label one lunch time in Byron on the back of a bottle.







This is one of my favorite quiet/no body knows about beaches in Byron.



Not easy to get to but well worth it to have the whole place to your self.







I spent hours in the sea waving jumping which was loads of fun.





The drive out was interesting as the dirt road was getting graded.



We had a wander up the light house.







View back over towards Byon.







After 4 days and 3 nights in Byron Bay we had met and made friends with some really cool people.

We met a German couple who were really cool on our second night out. Then the next night, we went out with our new German friends and we met a hot Austrian girl called Hanna and an American girl.

We drank and danced with them till 3am and had so much fun.

Hanna was having a house party the next night and invited us to the party. So we checked out of the hotel early and drove to her apartment in Surfers Paradise.

The house party was a lot of fun. There were people there from America, South Africa, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Austria, the UK and probably a few more places that I cant remember.

It was really cool to have people from so many different countries at the party, and I made friends with lots of them.



At 11pm we all jumped in mini buses and went to a really good club in the city where they were playing some really really good house music.

I met a really hot Canadian girl there.

The next afternoon when I eventually found my way back to Hanna's apartment, me Hanna and Martin went jet skiing.

Wow 1800cc of pure fun!

Me and Hanna shared a ski.





We rode for 40mins to a sand island and had a beer at a really cool bar and then rode back. It was Hanna's turn to be on the front on the way back and I think she must have been trying to scare me!

She was riding flat out and turning full lock left to right, id been doing the same but not quite as much as she seemed to. We hit some big waves and there were a few times I thought I might get thrown off.

Was great fun.





Afterwards we went for a meal and then me and Martin flew back to Melbourne. Yesterday we went into the city which was cold and raining. We had steak and beer and then last night went for an Italian meal which was really nice.

Martin has just left for the airport and I've got my last day off before I start my new job tomorrow. I'm ridiculously excited about the new job.

Need to sort my tools out today for the new job.

Life is Awesome out here, feeling very very happy!

The last week has been so much fun, just what I needed after a stressful previous few weeks/months.

Oh...................nearly forgot............Got some more 4x4 trips planned for over the next 2 months. Even got a snow trip or 2 booked in.

 

[Paddler Ed]

4-Runner looks tidy Ed.

Looking forward to some trip reports from you soon.

(snip)

Martin has just left for the airport and I've got my last day off before I start my new job tomorrow. I'm ridiculously excited about the new job.

Need to sort my tools out today for the new job.

Life is Awesome out here, feeling very very happy!

The last week has been so much fun, just what I needed after a stressful previous few weeks/months.

Oh...................nearly forgot............Got some more 4x4 trips planned for over the next 2 months. Even got a snow trip or 2 booked in.

Already been asked when am I off on a trip by the guys on the Volvo forum (most of whom have Toyota's of some description or another, although one has a Land Rover for his sins...) I suspect it'll be a trip around the back of Sydney unless I can persuede them to come up to Oxley Rivers National Park... or it'll be out around Ballarat in VIC again as there's a 60 series down there.

Good luck with the new job; I'm off to Armidale tomorrow to find somewhere to live now that we've worked out where our shipping is... and uni starts at the end of the week... nothing like Just In Time!

4x4 trips will be planned a bit more once Delz (GF) gets some work sorted, and we know what's going on. I know we've got a couple of runs down to Quirindi/Scone for some horse events, and the road to our friends property is 10km of dirt road and then 1.5km of dirt driveway... if it rains you aren't going anywhere because it's the Liverpool Plains and they just flood! Sometimes there's a shortcut over the top of the ridge to places, I know we've got to go to Taree to see some friends there and that's easiest (most fun) done via Barrington Tops and the dirt roads there... which may get some snow.

What's it dropping to at night with you? We're hovering around 0 most nights, and a high of about 15-18 during the day/

 

[Ben]

Cool.

Not sure what temp its dropping to at night, but it is cold. The days are averaging about 15 here in Melbourne.
The UK has been having warmer days and nights than here.

Ultimately I want to live on the East coast, Byron/Gold Coast/Brisbane that sort of area. The temperature up there is really good still, as can be seen in my pics could wear shorts everyday.

Just need to do the first 2 years here, then a few years in the mines, then buy some land on the East Coast and build a house.

 

[Ben]

Oh and you need to update your location Ed.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Cool.

Not sure what temp its dropping to at night, but it is cold. The days are averaging about 15 here in Melbourne.
The UK has been having warmer days and nights than here.

Ultimately I want to live on the East coast, Byron/Gold Coast/Brisbane that sort of area. The temperature up there is really good still, as can be seen in my pics could wear shorts everyday.

Just need to do the first 2 years here, then a few years in the mines, then buy some land on the East Coast and build a house.

We spent a lot of time on the East Coast; split between the NSW Central Coast and the North Coast. We've got friends who farm up in Coff's Harbour, and apart from the 1400mm of rain they had between the beginning of the year and April (when we saw them in the UK) I could cope with that...

Friends we're staying with at the moment used to farm out to the West of Brisvegas, up in the Lockyer Valley, so copped the Wivenhoe Damn f*ck up (for want of a better description) when it went wrong in 2010/11. Their house was under water, and their stuff that was in storage awaiting moving down to the Central Coast was under water as well...

Can take or leave the Gold Coast; it reminded me too much of Blackpool...

But yep, the North Coast is a nice bit to live on...

I'm sitting here in flanno shirt, flanno lined winter jeans and a fleece jumper with the fire on... helps make everyone back in the UK feel good though...

The problem is we're in an older farm house, and it's been "modernised"... ie they ripped out the fires in (nearly) every room, and the solid fuel range in the kitchen, and sealed up the veranda on 2 sides... the old way of building stuff worked well, especially if it's been insulated with modern materials...

Oh and on the changing my location... it took me long enough to change the time!

 

[fridayman]

You should also take a look at Cairns. We're here at the moment and can see ourselves living here. It is noticeable that everyone is very friendly here. We went for a swim at 4pm today and the water was great. Winter weather up here is just about perfect. Then drove back to the campsite during "rush hour" but didn't notice until my missus pointed it out.

 

[Paddler Ed]

You should also take a look at Cairns. We're here at the moment and can see ourselves living here. It is noticeable that everyone is very friendly here. We went for a swim at 4pm today and the water was great. Winter weather up here is just about perfect. Then drove back to the campsite during "rush hour" but didn't notice until my missus pointed it out.

There will always be plenty of building work every couple of years as the next cyclone hits it...

 

[Ben]

Well just done my first day in the new job and it went really well!!!

There were 2 4wd's in today to have snorkels fitted. I fitted one on a Vitara while the main mechanic fitted one on a 100 series.

I then spent the rest of the day working on a Suzuki Sierra that were restoring.

Tomorrow weve got a prototype rear bumper for a Grand Vitara coming back from the laser cutters. My boss is hiring a Grand Vitara for the day and I've got to tack weld the bumper together and make sure it fits on the hire car.

My boss will then order a 100 from the laser company and I will then weld them all up, then they will get powder coated and sold.

Loving the fact I'm going to be home at 4.05pm everyday.

Now I'm going to be working so few hours compared to what I'd normally do I can finally pull my finger out and get some work done on LJ.

Life is so bloody good right now!!!!!!!!!!!

You should also take a look at Cairns. We're here at the moment and can see ourselves living here. It is noticeable that everyone is very friendly here. We went for a swim at 4pm today and the water was great. Winter weather up here is just about perfect. Then drove back to the campsite during "rush hour" but didn't notice until my missus pointed it out.

Cairns is nice, I spent a week there in 09.

I will be back up there just after Christmas because my brother is coming over for 3 weeks, and no trip to OZ is complete without seeing the Great Barrier Reef!

I wouldn't want to live in Cairns though for a few reason.

Biggest would be the fact you cant swim in the Sea due to the salt water crocodiles and box jelly fish.

In the summer it gets uncomfortably sticky and humid.

It does have a great night life though, and the weather in winter (now) is perfect.

For me Byron Bay is the place id love to live in OZ, closely followed by Airlie Beach.

 

[sae70]

Looks like you had a great holiday Ben and sounds like the new job is made of dreams

When you're planning your house Ben, don't forget that I have three kids and we all like our own en-suit facilities the two boys will be OK in a room together, so long as it's a double

PS - Robert has asked to me ask you if the Sun rises and sets in the same direction as it does up here in the UK? Something to do with what he's doing at school at the moment

 

[Ben]

Steven the holiday was awesome!

Although I almost feel like I need a holiday to get over the holiday.

I'm not 17 anymore and going out on the p155 and then getting 2-4 hours sleep every night for an entire week has left me feeling pretty tired.

The new job is really really good....................38 hour working week!

And working on 4wd's and welding all day.

En-suites?

The most important feature of the new house will be a huge workshop/garage!

I can confirm to Robert that the sun definitely rises in the East and sets in the West.

This is a pic posted today by the Aussie Overlanders who are driving from Sydney to London.

This is a pic taken from the West coast of Australia of the sun setting ie. looking West out to sea.

https://www.facebook.com/AussieOverlanders?fref=ts

 

[sae70]

Cool He'll be over the moon with that m8

En-suites?

The most important feature of the new house will be a huge workshop/garage!

Ah, so your after a bit of land with enough space for a very large workshop/barn and room to pitch a tent I'll start looking for Hotels then

 

[ModelMakerMan]

The most important feature of the new house will be a huge workshop/garage!

When I was looking at houses to buy the estate agent asked me what I was looking for I said "A large garage with an attached house", unfortunately these dont seem to exist so Ive had to settle for space to build a decent garage once I have the funds to do so.

Glad everything is going well for you, the job sounds awesome when can we start putting orders in?

 

[Ben]

Job is going really well. Getting paid to work on 4wd's all day/making parts for 4wd's is awesome!

I asked my boss today if staff get a discount.........................

He said yes but only if its for yourself.

I said cool I want a Doug's Tub, and he said you can have one!

As the company also supply and stock parts and accessories from all the other big Australian 4wd accessory manufactures, I'm hoping I will be able to get these parts at cost.

Not sure I will be able to negotiate a club discount but I will try once I've been there a little longer.

If Johnie decides he wants me to ship him some 40's/50's/60's/70's etc. back from here, there will be room in the container for other bits and pieces that I might be able to get cheap. Always happy to help people out if I can.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Sometimes the discount can be with the supplier... When I worked in outdoor shops I used to get trade -10% or so + VAT direct from suppliers.

Glad to here it's goin well though.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Mmmm lots of places I could live in Aus if the wife circumstances allowed, but personally I think Margaret River in WA would take the top spot.

Remember seeing that TED's label when I was out there, I had just started peeling it too but was waiting for someone to arrive which made it okay in my book ;-)

Don't know if you know... but the barrier reef is best seen from as far north as possible. We went out of Cape Tribulation in the Daintree (North end of the 2wd road on the coast) on our trip and our guide said if we were to go out of Cooktown it would be twice as colourful, but that what we saw was twice as colourful as what you'd see if you went out of Cairns. All to do with coral bleaching due to pollution of the water...

Good to see all the good times rolling on here and on facebook. Keep making me jealous though! See you in six years ;-) lol.

 

[Ben]

Awesome!

Havnt been to WA yet but I will.

I think I'd quite like to put all my stuff in storage and then spend a few years travelling and working my way round OZ. I drove half way round the continent in 09, but never got across to WA or down to Tassie.

Didnt know that about the reef, cheers dude. I will plan to go from Cook Town then instead. I went from Cairns and thought the Barrier Reef was spectacular, easily the most impressive natural thing I've ever seen, so looking forward to seeing it further North now.

Looking forward to having Christmas day with my brother on a beach some where.

Considering its winter here were still getting some really nice days.

Yesterday was gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky.

I did another 6 hours work on Michael's house yesterday, so thats paid the rent for the next week.



Let me know when your coming over. Ice colt bottles of TED here waiting for you man.

 

[Ben]

Oh almost forgot.............................

My boss is competing in a big 4wd competition this weekend and I'm going along to help.

Free entry and I will be camping.

Expect lots of pics.

 

[Chas]

Get those hot boots off Ben, I've found some suitable thongs,

 

[Ben]

I've just ordered some new parts for LJ.

Ordered a load of http://www.trail-gear.com/home parts from http://locktup4x4.com.au/.

Outer oil seals, diff pinion oil seal, and rear main oil seal will be ordered from Toyota tomorrow using my works discount.

Just need to go to the local bearing place then and use the company discount to get all the diff and wheel bearings I need.

The next trip has been given a rating as Hard and considering all the other trips I've done with the club here have been rated as Medium, I'm going to need the front locker refitted in time for the trip.

Michael is going to fit his longfield chromoly shafts and his 37"s on his 80 for the trip.

Weve got an awesome tube bender at work and I'm hoping my boss might let me use it to build myself an internal roll cage soon.

 

[Leopard]

Nice! Looking forward to the pics!