Project 80: Codename Grey Ghost

[Chris]

We're straying off topic here a bit but I could split the thread if needed. If there is interest in the battery box, I could get my fella to make some up for us. The size I went for takes a 1000MCA Numax with the twin posts. We'd have to have all the same size really so he could batch produce them. Cost? Hard to say but just below the £50 mark I'd guess. As I said they were stainless and came drilled for bolting in. Mine just pushes up against the chassis rail to avoid any wobblage. But you can shove it where you like. Let me know if there is a desire for these and we can start another thread. No need to commit absolutely, it's about interest at this stage.

Chris

 

[yogi]

I think its a brilliant idea, especially as they would really need to be stainless to avoid being a rust sink as such.

Batteries are big awkward potentially dangerous things at the best of times, so better out of the way like that. Count me in for one.

 

[Chris]

Quick update. Driver's seat back from the upholsterer today. £45 for a rebuild. Wouldn't say it felt like a brand new racing seat ro anything, but it's had the stuffing knocked back into it. Put all new LEDs into the dome lights, door puddle lights, sides, brakes and reversing positions. Have to say it takes 10 years of the car just putting bright white lights in. LEDs to go in the ARB bumper positions. I could put ballasts in and run LEDs in the winkies I suppose but how vain can I really be? Sides are good because they don't run your batteries down when you leave them on.

If it stays dry this weekend I shall get some more done


Standby Blue Leader ...

 

[warrenpfo]

Hey Chris i may well be up for a battery box depending on price and if it would go in the 100 as i would need to have a look.

As a side I put a combo side light and blinker both led and sealed units into my ARB and am very happy with the result. They came from Aus and am sure Ben could help. Cost 27aus from memory.

 

[Chris]

We've been there before if you recall Warren. The 80 and 100 apertures are different. Mine is tiny.. if you get me. Can't put both in there.

Noted on battery box.

 

[warrenpfo]

I could not get mine in there either so glued the unit from the rear so 50% is binker and 50% is drive light. you could not tell from the front that the light unit it larger than the hole.

Worth a read here.

http://www.lcool.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28292&highlight=led+side+light

 

[Ben]

Truck looks very smart Chris.

Love the ARB bull bar, looks great!

The battery box is a clever idea, but I think id rather put the 3rd battery under the bonnet if possible, rather than cutting a hole in the floor pan, for me that would be a last resort!

There is definitely room on an 80 series for 3 batteries. My house mate has 3 x 13" Optima's under the bonnet of his 80. There is also definitely room under the bonnet of 100 series's.

Hey Chris i may well be up for a battery box depending on price and if it would go in the 100 as i would need to have a look.

As a side I put a combo side light and blinker both led and sealed units into my ARB and am very happy with the result. They came from Aus and am sure Ben could help. Cost 27aus from memory.

Always happy to help.

 

[Chris]

You have to remember though Ben, that I run a rear winch, so it's better to have the cable run to the winch as short as possible. The charge cabling is pretty long but as it's drawing less than the winch, that makes sense to be the long run. I have not set my mind on a third battery yet to be fair. Do I really really need one? Why? My fridge has a cut off setting and how long would I be parked without the engine running?

 

[Ben]

Yeah good point, for a rear winch it does make more sense.

But most of the guys on here run their 80's and 100's as overlanding vehicles and don't run rear winches.

 

[Ben]

Regarding fridges.......................

I always leave the fridge on overnight when on trips and the car always starts the next day. Thats just with the original twin battery setup that it left the factory with.

I'm going to be fitting a 3rd battery under my bonnet with a super high tech duel battery system very soon.

 

[dyladams]

I personally would not rely on the main batteries to run the fridge especially if you are looking at using the truck as an overland vehicle. Ever tried to push start an 80 with a flat battery on dirt?

I have read a few articles on people battling to gain full charge on a split battery system when running fridges etc full time, even during long runs and to be honest I have also had some experience with it back home using a national luna system. Some say the ctek ds250 battery system is far better. None the less... I would want to keep the reliability of the truck separate from the nice to haves like fridges. (Even if I end up drinking warm beer )

 

[Chris]

I have run this fridge as a freezer for nearly a week off one battery. Then when it cut off, there was still 10 volts or so in there. I want to keep weight and complexity down. I could convert my starter to 12v and leave the second battery as a leisure unit. The 80 starts so easily, I think it unlikely to be crippled by the fridge. Also I don't intend to overland on my own, so there should always be a tow start available. Not saying I won't fit one, I am just keen not to fall into the 'oh you must have a ....' trap. Not fitting a snorkel either. What for? I'd rather carry spare air filters. After all, what goes down the snork, goes through the filter. Unless you fit a pre filter of course. It is so tempting to bolt on all the goodies and I love goodies, but I'd really like a truck that had just what it needed rather than what I'd like to fit. I am not planning to do the Congo in this thing. I would think that in all reality it will never stray that far from the tarmac. And where there is tarmac, there are shops, petrol stations, hotels etc. If I could do the trip in a Volvo estate, why would I need all the kit?

Just trying to be objective.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I originally planned to put my 3rd 'fridge' battery on brackets on the sliders I haven't made yet but to now it goes between the fridge slide and seat backs in a steel box I made and is only fitted when the fridge is in and this works well for us. The fridge is the only thing running off it and there's a DC-DC charger keeps it charged on runs and a mains hookup lead and charger in the camping gear for when we're parked up for a few days and it's hot out in which case the fridge can be running almost constantly.

 

[AndyCook]

John - is the DC-DC charger significantly better than using a simple VSR ?

what mains charger do you use and what battery is it connected to and does it interfere with the DC-DC charger

I used a 10amp CTEK charger on our trips this year, where we had mains hookup - and ran it in "supply" mode connected to the leisure battery, but invariably the voltage activated the VSR so the starter battery was also receiving the supply voltage from the CTEK

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

John - is the DC-DC charger significantly better than using a simple VSR ?

what mains charger do you use and what battery is it connected to and does it interfere with the DC-DC charger

I used a 10amp CTEK charger on our trips this year, where we had mains hookup - and ran it in "supply" mode connected to the leisure battery, but invariably the voltage activated the VSR so the starter battery was also receiving the supply voltage from the CTEK

Yes DC-DC of some sort e.g. Sterling or CTEK is much better than simple VSR for this job imo. VSR works but significantly less capacity in batteries charged that way. I'm using an Elecsol battery I bought a few years ago mains charger is also Elecsol branded. Would probably go CTEK combo for DC-DC if starting again. 3 Anderson connectors on back bumper and a multiway outlet lead give me many options for charging config. Ask about the connectors in my grey 80 thread if you want more info, save messing up Chris' thread too much?

 

[AndyCook]

oops Sorry Chris

resumed battery-charger discussion on Jons build page.

 

[Chris]

Three, Two, One .... and we're back on topic. Well build fans, it's Sunday night so you know where I have been all day. No, not the pole dancing club. That's Wednesday nights. Cough.


Dunno what's going on with pics today. They have a mind of their own and keep repositioning themselves. Seriously, WTF is going on? You'll have to jump about a bit. I have tried three times and they're still all mixed up.

Decided to get the drawers out from under my feet. I keep using them as a work bench and that's criminal. So here goes for those of you with nothing better to so.

E M P T Y C A R Obviously, with it being a GS it has no rear seat to take to the tip. And no extra holes in the floor to let the water in. Or out. So straight in with the carcass.



Hmm first issue. Yes the holes in the cross member more or less line up with the tie down eyes, but they're 6mm. Reading your threads about corrugated roads, less than perfect tarmac and obviously the appalling road conditions to be found here in the UK, I wanted to do this build properly. No self tappers here, oh no. Even with the drawers in the right place, the holes in the cross member didn't line up 100%. You could see where Tony (the PO of the drawers) had come up against the same issue.



I wasn't having that. So off with the cross member - into the miller and hey presto, slots.



I then drilled out the 6mm top holes to take an 8mm thread. Ahh, proper bolts.

I also utilised the tie down brackets to A) close the holes, obviously and B) provide an anti-crush spacer so that when dogged up tight, the cross member doesn't just get squished. Nice.

Rather then then drill new holes in the floor pan where the second cross member is, I decided to use the other tie down hoop position. This time there would be 2 x 6mm bolts. Not too long later and some hybrid brackets were fitted. These stop the drawers from flipping up.



I pulled the quarter panel off whilst I was in there to put in a new door switch for the puddle lights. It just wasn't having it. We know they rust up inside. Sorted. But, I also came across some additional work. Seems that one of it's PO's had something fitted in the space. Maybe mobile comms stuff. But they had hacked out a huge piece of the cubby hole. Useless. Quick text to Webster's Wonderful World of Weclaimed Cwuiser Parts and a replacement has been sorted.



Here's the rest of the drawer units going in. Unfortunately Tony had modified a couple of the sections to suit his build. I either fit something in the same hole, or find a way to blank them off.

 

[AndyCook]

very nice

going to have a go at making a drawer unit like the AO system you have for my new Hilux project
using same style bearings
but wont be covering it in carpet, as the muddy dogs will make a mess of it !
will use Hexagrip / hexboard - that phenoyl coated ply

 

[Chris]

Also called Buffalo board. Travis Perkins sell it on their website.

 

[AndyCook]

One thing i wondered about the AO drawers and bearings, was how is main drawer "guided",
One of your photos shows nicely that there are bearings mounted horizontally to do that.

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