Turbo advice needed

[kitesurf_phil]

Me want that bullbar. Cool looking motor. Only bit I don't like is the chequer plate under the bull bar. Good luck with getting it (legally) on the road.

[fenman666]

cool lookin truck are you sure michael knight was not the previous owner careful which buttons you press

[wibblywobbly]

I quite agree!

Spent all day Friday removing mud flap extensions, the bull bar checker plate, unloading the wheels and sidesteps through the side door (can't lower back window yet cos privacy layer is peeling off and jams the window), cleaning the interior and some of the exterior. It's a lot of work!

Need advice on fitting rear fog light (see leccy section).

Established that the 'vents' that have replaced the passenger side front sidelight are dummies. The sidelight bulb is behind the mesh...I now need to either lash up a sidelight for the MOT or buy a whole new sidelight pod...bugger!

Might take the shortcut and get a professional to sort it all out for me!

Cheers

Rob G

[icsys]

Aftermarket composite bonnet with vent

I like that! I wonder if this will keep things cool under there during the summer? Are these available over here?

Judging from other threads on this topic I assumed that a 'scoop' would be the other way around to allow hot air to escape. Although i dont think it would look as cool facing backwards? Or has this motor got something hiding under the bonnet?

[Pete]

Looks a great truck Rob, well done. I bet you had 1 or 2 sleepless nights between buying and arriving!! What has the truck cost you in total then, from buying on E-bay to on the road?
Pete

[marky]

i think colt seavers owned it

[bensonsnuts]

Exhaust don't look standard, bonnet scoop 2.4? looks lifted, looks/sounds like it has had a bit of stuff done on it.

Thats not the exhaust , its a leaf blower

Must have belonged to the Tokyo Parks & Gardens Dept.

[wibblywobbly]

What did it cost?

Well all that I will say is that it cost me 'well under' £4k to get it parked outside of my house, all in, from Japan to here.

However, before you all start emailing Japanese agents, I really should say that there are two things to consider:

1. This is a one-off and I have never seen anything built to this spec before or since. I bought it on the strength of 4 photo's and knew nothing else about it. It could have arrived at Southampton docks in a basket, and I had no guarantees whatsoever? Yes it was a risk, and if the motor blows next week then I will know exactly what that risk was! To be honest I was gobsmacked when the guy at the docks turned the ignition key and it started. I then drove it 100 miles home without any heart attacks. Maybe I was lucky?

2. All of the work to convert it to UK spec to get it through an MOT has to be done by yours truly. This is more of a pain than it sounds, especially as Mr Surf San has modified various bits that are not easy to un-modify. It is not quite as easy as rolling up at a UK dealer, handing over my cash and driving off - oh that it were!

I am taking the view that if this Surf was blasted around the Japanese countryside and beaches without blowing up then it is arguably less likely to do so now. In theory the water channels won't be clogged. (Although I do wonder if a climate that never goes below freezing would encourage owners to use straight water instead of anti-freeze containing anti-corrosion properties? - Is this why so many heads go bang?).

I should also mention that although there isn't a single dent anywhere on the thing, the paint needs a workover, and there are a few brush marks on the arches. Luckily I have a friend with a spray shop!

It is now Sunday, I have to go back to work tomorrow, and that means that I won't be able to work on it for another week......bu**er!!

[Pete]

You must be craving to get the truck out and see what it can do. Keep us informed on how you get on with mot etc. In Japan they get temperatures way below freezing. Some areas get thick snow. Mine had a ski rack on when it came, and winter tyres (see other threads on how good they were.........not ) but apparently they do not use salt on the roads, they use volcanic ash, hence the lack of corosion. I'm sure you've read all the cooling system flushing threads etc; a must do in my opinion. I think maybe neglect is a more probable cause for head problems, and from the descriptions you give it is no neglected truck !! so once again, good luck, and have some great fun in it.
Pete