jamie077366 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Looks great, would be very scary seeing that in you’re mirror 👌 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 Finally getting some time to get back to doing some ‘car’ stuff. Busy weekend for me with a trip to South Wales to pick up my Monza, but managed on Friday to start on the axle conversion. Some will think I am mad pulling off the 4HA, but I want to use the Commodore GSE axle I have, as it’s more in keeping with original spec. Already have the lower arms (from a Holden) I got from Australia a couple of years back, just need to check measurements but it looks like I need to move the pick-up hangers back on chassis rail back by approximately 2” Just have to figure what I want to do with the 4link boxes now 🤔 They need to be made smaller for sure, perhaps removed completely 🤦♂️ Will start to strip old hangers etc off the Commodore axle on Monday Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Can’t you just lengthen the Holden bottom arms and keep the top arms on the 4 link. the commodore ones are way to short in any case to be effective 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 3 hours ago, Paul Barrett said: Can’t you just lengthen the Holden bottom arms and keep the top arms on the 4 link. the commodore ones are way to short in any case to be effective Yes for top arms, that is the plan to keep them, makes sense. But the pick-up points can be improved and if I use cranked arms, they can look virtually original. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 17 Author Share Posted March 17 Got a start on getting the original axle brackets removed off the Commodore axle today. What a piss about, the Oxy gas bottle was empty and getting a full one turned out to be a bit of issue as the local depot did not have any MIDI full, so wasted a couple of hours waiting for that 🤦♂️ I never knew how long it took to fill a bottle, always thought it would be a 15min task! Anyway, it’s a quick job to burn off the bulk off the bracket and grinding the welds down when it’s all still hot speeds up the whole process. I am not brave enough to burn the welds off 😂 Sent my basic cad file for one if the mounting blocks I need to machine shop, so hopefully next week I can fab the lower arms with the rod end bearings. Make more sense when I a mock it all up. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted March 17 Share Posted March 17 Bet you wish you’d just hacked at it with a few grinding discs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 17 Author Share Posted March 17 23 minutes ago, Paul Barrett said: Bet you wish you’d just hacked at it with a few grinding discs After the mess about all day year, but you know when your committed and told ‘not too long’ by counter staff 🙈 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 So busy start to the week for me. Finally got over to the Wirral to collect my seats and omg pictures do not do them justice. Jon done a cracking job indeed. If you’re looking for a retrim I definitely recommend this chap. https://www.1upholstery.co.uk A little progress on the rear axle swap. Got the CNC blocks done for mounting into the Holden Commodore lower arms to carry the front M20x1.5 Rosejoints. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) Great work👍 Avos are great, plenty of adjustments, played for hours, between settings and tyre pressure. Are you running anti roll bar, and stabilising bar one sided? Or Both? What calipers and discs are on the plan? Bought a wee plasma cutter from Lidl, great wee hobby machine, saved on about ten cutting disks and about 2 hrs. Was used to cut 4mm plate, very impressed. Edited March 23 by ®evo03 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 3 hours ago, ®evo03 said: Great work👍 Avos are great, plenty of adjustments, played for hours, between settings and tyre pressure. Are you running anti roll bar, and stabilising bar one sided? Or Both? What calipers and discs are on the plan? Bought a wee plasma cutter from Lidl, great wee hobby machine, saved on about ten cutting disks and about 2 hrs. Was used to cut 4mm plate, very impressed. Cheers 👍 The shocks was on when I got the car, but I notice one side has a bent rod 😬 So I probably will need to replace them . Are these even still available? If not it would be Bilsteins Was thinking about rear ARB over the weekend, and after a few comments from Simon Powell in this thread, I will not use a rear ARB. I tried to get one of those plasma cutters, all sold out around here, buyers grabbed 4/5 a time apparently and put them on eBay for +£100. had a lot of peoples in the fab shops saying how good they are(external air source). Probably end up with an Rtech machine, https://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/plasma-cutter-r-tech-p30c based on my experience with my MIG. But wanted to try the new Oxy/propane setup I got. It’s different to Oxy/Acetylene for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 Yes, Avo, great service, parts available. Just watch bottom bush, had to replace both. Also run bilsteins, buy, pay, and forget about them, pay for what you get. Lidl plasma is air assisted, great wee machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 Bit of progress today. That’s both lower arms finished and axle fully cleaned off ready for brackets. Have mad my measurements, so just got to get the brackets drawn up now and sent for laser cutting. Not 100% figured the rear bush yet though, it’s bloody hard without the old paperback catalogues with dimensions 🙈 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 For reference, I have gone with these https://ukwhitelineperformance.com/products/w61079-bushing-kit Will report on quality etc when they arrive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Pounsett Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 24 minutes ago, Jessopia74 said: For reference, I have gone with these https://ukwhitelineperformance.com/products/w61079-bushing-kit Will report on quality etc when they arrive Interesting 🤔. What car did you search for to find these? Opel Commodore isn’t an option. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 5 minutes ago, Jonathan Pounsett said: Interesting 🤔. What car did you search for to find these? Opel Commodore isn’t an option. Yeah, I know ! The dimensions is what is what matters to me mostly, but the original link through came off Google search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 I’m keen to see this on the road and the power handling of the commy axle. looking at options for my commodore and pondering if it will cope with high power V8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 On 29/03/2023 at 12:58, Paul Barrett said: I’m keen to see this on the road and the power handling of the commy axle. looking at options for my commodore and pondering if it will cope with high power V8 Think it will be torque that kills the diff (weakest part ) but should be well upto the task of handling most NA options I will choose, thinking it would be around 300nm maximum So quick update on axle fitment. Need to have one of the brackets cganged slightly, the profile I did for the laser cutting was a bit if a guess for the shocker alignment and whilst I cut cut/weld/redrill the bracket to get it there, time/cost/ and having the dxf for the right thing is more important to me so it will be spot on when time comes to get it laser aligned. ‘Good news is the bushes I got do look to be 100% right. I now have a full kit for a std Commodore axle if someone wants to buy just message me. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 Busy with work, but we have got the Lathe wired in finally and had some setting up to do, finding tools etc. I forget how much messing about adjusting the bed can be! Anyway, making the bushings for the lower arm front mountings, to sit into the rod bearing and centralise it between the chassis hangers. Pleased with the progress so far. Taking Mrs away over weekend for her birthday, (got to keep her happy🥳), might get chance to mention the LS2 engine purchase I am sorting lol. But hopefully we will be ready to mount the axle next weekend fingers crossed Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 28 Author Share Posted April 28 Door cards have come back, nice 😎 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 (edited) Managed to get a few hours today on the car. Workshop looked like a Kaser Quest event at one stage with all the alignment I had going on lol. Loads of measurements, double checks, lasers and tears 😂 But it’s aligned and all tacked . Top arms & brackets measure up now and fit. Then I can set the angle. Anyone know if there is an aluminium diff cover for this Commodore axle? Want to keep a watts linkage and using a stronger cover would be preferred to some ugly brackets Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited May 1 by Jessopia74 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted May 14 Author Share Posted May 14 (edited) Little more progress this weekend. Started to reproduce the shape of the top arm boxes that was previously fitted to the car. These are Mk2 escort 4 link kit, so they are now way too much for just 2 top link pickups. Modding them to a far more robust shape and one that will compliment the Floorpan better. Still only a rough mock-up, but got the top arm measurement now, so will have a pair made up (both adjustable so that the diff nose angle can be also set) Also temp made up Panhard rod (cut &shut) until I can get a watts link bracket made. Still not decided yet, but think I will do away with the pick-up for it on the diff rear cover alone and fabricate a more robust bracket to carry the center pin for the bracket. Already have a full setup that will mount back on once I can get the pin on the axle. Not the best pictures, sorry Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited May 14 by Jessopia74 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 Chipping away. Few minor mundane things on the to do list (ever growing lol). Hope to get the laser cut plates for the Watts linkage mounting back next week so can mount up properly and top arm turnbuckles ordered too. Main task I got done was getting the steering arm ‘design’ sorted. Originals are useless, and getting 400 ones are not cheap. As my steering rack us also sitting a bit lower, I needed to kind if get my own design anyway to keep geometry right otherwise would suffer with terrible bump steer (bad). A bit of cutting, welding and Oxy/Prooane forging to get a shape. I am sure chopping a genuine Opel steering arm is not a popular option, but it will serve a greater good 😎 The longest time was messing getting the angle and measurements right so there is no change to steering during the suspension travel. Even with decent laser lines for reference it took longer than I expected. Anyway next step is to get the rather crude design/template 3D scanned and a design thrown into cad for CNC machine shop - sounds easy huh 😂 but then the design will be able to be slightly changed back for std steering rack position too. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 (edited) Hope I can help you with this: Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Commo steering knuckle, milling material away for the Manta/Ascona A steering arms Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Using one original threaded hole to measure the new one Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Be sure you can stil fit the calipers Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Holes threaded and bolts fitted Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited May 21 by H-400 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 Thanks Herman, no funny enough I did consider doing exactly that, or very very similar, but I still needed to drop the ball joint by another 15-20mm based on my lowered steering rack, so it would have meant using one of those ball joint extenders that I am not confident are good idea. Steering a brakes need to be 100% for me as I don’t care what bits DLL off the car (hopefully nothing lol) so long as I can safely steer it and slow it down 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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