Modded or stock?

Post by **v840** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:08 am

I am in the process of selling my patrol and will buy a sierra as my DD and wheeling bus. The long term goal for the car is:

Yota diffs
Ext. WB
Engine conv.
Rear 4 link and coils or bags
33s
Exo
Pwr steer
Lockers
and so forth.

Now, the question I am posing is: Should I buy an already modded (lift, tyres etc) zook and continue doing it up from there or should I start with a complete (sub $1K) stocker and attack it from the start. All work will be done by me and unsuspecting mates.

All comments (or flamings) welcome. Let me have it!

Post by **nicbeer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:20 pm

Keeping this thing legal?

Sounds like a nice build. start with a LWB if you can.

going by what u are putting into it, look at either a modded one already with the engine upgrade or a stocker and do it from there. no point buying a lifted zook if u are turfing those bits anyway.

Nic

Post by **v840** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:39 pm

Yeah I want it road legal and engineered as it will still be my daily driver.

Ive read all about the LWB vs SWB and It seems the only advantage the LWB has is its extra length. Since Im going to extend the WB anyway I wasnt going to bother trying to hunt down a LWB. Have I missed something?

Its a good point about buying the lifted one. The only reason I was looking at an already modded one is so I can still take it out whilst Im parts gathering. I had planned to do the build in stages. Diffs first, then motor, then exo etc. etc.

Post by **nicbeer** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:55 pm

Depends on how much u want to extend also. LWB have more chassis to play with. Also depends if u want a ute/softtop/hardtop/combo.

Speak with transport dep and see what u are alowed also first. althou i believe u should be ok with what u want.

Nic

Post by **CanberraMav** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 1:56 pm

I would find one already modded.

You will pick up ones with diff locks, uhf etc for not much more than a stocker.

Parts are dead easy to get for them so slowly shop around the second hand market while you drive your partly modded rig around.

Post by **v840** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:05 pm

Dont care too much about soft/hard top. I guess Id take a hardtop over the soft just because they can be a PITA to live with but Im not overly concerned at all.

Im not against extending the chassis if I need to but Id probably prefer not to if I cant avoid it. I will be discussing all mods with an engineer before starting anything as I dont want to bust a nut making it all work and then being told its not legal.

I have pretty much everything I want in terms of accessories (UHF, HiLift, Hi mount winch, straps etc) sitting in my garage waiting to be bolted on. If I do get a stock one with Zook diffs I might have a crack at welding the rear up. I am leaning towards getting a pre-modded one so that I will be (almost) satisfied with it off road and wont be in a mad rush to pull it apart. Slow and steady wins the race

Post by **redzook** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:05 pm

way way cheaper to buy a modded one

how much u looking to spend overall

Post by **v840** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:33 pm

As little as possible

As I mentioned, I'll be taking my time and doing it in stages. Im not going to throw one big bundle of cash at it. More like lots of small bundles

At the end of the road Id like it to be under 10K but if it works out to be more I'll live with it. It's only money..... I'll always opt for "built properly" over "built cheaply". I understand that sometimes you have to spend to get quality.

Its a good point about it been cheaper but doing the build up myself and learning about the car is where its at for me. Working on my junk is a form of relaxtion for me.

Post by **redzook** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:40 pm

cool after building 2 cars similar specs to what ur wanting

ill tell u know if you can build them for under 10g ur doin damn well

i have one for sale if your intrested

Post by **v840** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:12 pm

I've read your build up threads and both your zooks have been killer. Would like to buy yours but I dont have that much to spend in one go so.........

Oh well, if I cant do it for less than 10 grand I guess I'll just have to get it as close as possible

before any major mods can happen I have to buy a mig

So Im still a ways off but it will happen.

Post by **super zook** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 6:11 pm

I bought a sub 1k zook WITHOUT connections and it was a farm hack so if you know someone who knows someone then your already better off. If i did it again I would by one with decent paint to start with, if you want to do some of the conversions on this site then dont get a 1 litre like me because the tunnel is narrower and harder to put different motor/gearbox configs in. If you want to get it engineered do it all at once because going through the process with the engineer and trans dept is a pain. become mates with your wrecker

some lessons ive learnt hope it helps.

Post by **built4thrashing** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:14 pm

deffinately get the LWB as they are more stable at climbing steep stuff and they have more room to put recovery gear.

Post by **v840** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:57 am

super zook wrote:I bought a sub 1k zook WITHOUT connections and it was a farm hack so if you know someone who knows someone then your already better off. If i did it again I would by one with decent paint to start with, if you want to do some of the conversions on this site then dont get a 1 litre like me because the tunnel is narrower and harder to put different motor/gearbox configs in. If you want to get it engineered do it all at once because going through the process with the engineer and trans dept is a pain. become mates with your wrecker

some lessons ive learnt hope it helps.

Cheers Super Zook. I will get it engineered all at once but I want the engineer to be in the loop on the build up from the get go so he knows whats been done and how. Thanks for the tip on the 1L trans. tunnel as well. I was prolly going to go for a 1.3L model anyway but its always handy to have tidbits of info like that. As for becoming mates with a wrecker, lets just say that I can get new parts cheaper than wrecked parts

.

built4thrashing, I agree that a LWB would have more room for recovery gear and would be more stable than a stock SWB but as Im planning to lengthen the WB Im not too fussed on the stability advantages of the LWB. If one comes along at the right price then maybe, but If none are available Im happy with the shortie.
As for storage room, again, not too fussed. I dont have that much gear that I need carting around and I rarely have passengers (just my dog) so its just not a major factor in vehicle choice for me.

Post by **built4thrashing** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 12:54 pm

on another note softops are cheaper and easier to fix if things go upside down. Everything just bolts on/off

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Modded or stock?

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