1960 Mk2 Consul Ute
By Jim Peall
Looks like the 60’s. Goes like the 00’s!!!!!
The plain for my Ute
is to repower it with a 3.8 V6 Holden Commodore motor and 4 speed auto. The
brakes up front are vented disc from a Nissan van with Holden VN callipers,
standard drums at the rear. It all works with a dual circuit master cylinder
from a Ford KA Laser (13/16) and only the front brakes. Being boosted with a
VH44 booster, this lives behind the seats with the battery and Nissan 720 fuel
tank (16 gallons)
I picked the Ute up in may 2008 it looked
better then it was but don’t they all, a little more rust and some very nice
repairs you think the ute was 48 years old by what was found after the 5 layers
of paint were stripped off, if you have to paint strip try a pink clean and
strip wheel on your 7” sander they are great.
As you can see in this photo a lot of floor
was replaced and a new trans tunnel fitted.
The chassis rails at the rear had to be
rebuilt where the tow bar ripped them apart and rust at the front of the left
rail near the spring hanger.
I moved the panel from behind the seat back
to make it into a king cab, the parcel shelf had rusted away, it gives you
heaps more leg room I’m 6 foot 7 inches tall and know about leg room.
The fire wall also got massaged to fit the
V6 in; also the radiator support panel is now a bolt in panel makes life so
easy to fit engines.
Now with all the paint gone it’s time to fit
the inside out, the seat riser is out of a Austin 1800 the seat are like lounge
chairs the fuel tank is Nissan 720 (16 gallons) with power booster (VH44) and
battery box. This area will have steel
panelling over it and go down to the
floor which will also act as a firewall and make it into the king cab area. The
whole lower left side had to be replaced now all it needs is a smear of auto
restoration paste. I tried to shorten down a auto column from a zephyr
but i was not happy with that so I now use a xj6 jag shifter and a tin cover which will be trimmed the same as the floor (red carpet) so it
blends in. There will also be air-conditioning / heater unit where the under
dash parcel tray used to live.
The Ford KA Laser master cylinder bolts straight up and standard push rod fits the only mod was to drill out the holes to suit the studs fitted to the firewall. The steering box has a support bracket that uses all 3 bolts to bolt to the steering box. The 3 pipes on the fire wall are fuel supply from a bosch motorsport pump, fuel return to tank and vacuum for the power booster. The nylon blocks that hold all the lines on the Ute are a cutting up board my wife so kindly donated to the build??
The fuel lines run next to the tunnel and
brake lines are lower, the black box with the fuel on the back has the bosch
motorsport injection pump inside. There is a bolt in tube cross member for
telescope shocks this bolts in using the lever arm bolt holes.
The last photo shows the stone guards to
protect the fuel and brake lines.
Until next time play safe.
Jim.
Update
January 2010
Back On Its Wheels
This is the reworked parcel shelf it does go
all the way to the floor when the other panel is fitted; this has given me
125mm more leg room.
Here is how the
telescopic shocks turned out, the top mount is a 50mm steam pipe and the tags
on the ends bolt to where the lever arm shocks bolted to and the lower is round
bar that has been drilled and taped for the bolt and then welded to the spring
plate.
Well
here it is back on its wheels.
Question? What did I get for Christmas?
Answer – a motor and gearbox in the Ute for
a total fit before coming out for paint.
Until next time play safe.
Jim.