Daihatsu Fourtrak Project - Rust don’t live here anymore

[Matty]

ive used them for years at work. Fucking horrible things 😆

What an end result though! Top work

[Back_For_More]

Jaw just hit the floor..... That is just amazing work under there. 

Fantastic job fella..... Many, many pats on the back 

[High Jetter]

Stunning work and attention to detail. I am in awe of people who can restore at this level. 

[rickvw72]

The long and winding road

that leads

to more

metal splinters

but with optimism 

and a bit of welding

we can rebuild

the mighty Daihatsu 

bigger

and better

 

[N Dentressangle]

That looks brilliant. Gorgeous welding skillz too! And the finish looks better than factory.

I'd be well proud of that.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Amazing work. Did you create the outer sill sections yourself? As for the sheer quantity of rust, do you know the history of the Fourtrak - did the previous owner use the Fourtrak in a salt mine?! 

It almost seems a shame to cover uo your quality work with plastic trims...

[rickvw72]

Long overdue update:

Interior welding completed, and seam sealed up (this left it all 20 different colours:

Under back seat area, much new steel here

Several types of primer on the inner arches

so I painted it blue

a Fourtrak with a boot floor 

started to put the trim back in, after drowning the innner bits in Dynax S50 cavity wax.

refitted the roll cage and seat belt mounts for the rear seat belts.

Quick flash back to what this all looks like:

Fourtrak with the structural strength of an apple pie

Fourtrak chassis. Which is good.

would have been better if there was a floor above it

when people say “just grind it back til you find clean steel” what they are really saying is “I’ve never owned a Fourtrak”

So, I’m still going with this crap pile.

And I’m even putting it back together.

Even my mates think I’ll finish it now, they’re more supportive now, after originally being a bit “WTF you doing you maniac” for a fair while.

[rickvw72]

Rebuilds continuing

roll cage and seatbelts in

luxurious trim and carpets fitted, my vax machine looks worried at the tone of the carpets.

rear seats in now too, again when the vax calms down I’ll carry on.

—-

Quick progress montage, from the beginning

BEFORE:

Under the rear seat and floor when I took out the trim

 Inner arch to boot floor seam. You can just about see rot around the roll cage and seat belt mounts here on top of the arch.

floors and inner arch (all pics drivers side btw)

DURING:

removed the bad stuff

added some good stuff 

All this floor ties together in the rear arch

Ground up and primed the interior started to look promising

inside came together 

solid!

then shiny 

Not to neglect the under side

epoxy resin primer 

3M Schultz final coating.

looks nicer without the carpets.

 

 

[rickvw72]

Log of work so far:

- Replace rear chassis crossmember

- repair rear chassis legs both sides

- fabricate and replace rear chassis spring hangers

- repair and refurbish rear suspension arms

- o/s rear arch tub, (5) repairs

- n/s rear arch tub (4) repairs

- fabricate floor sections for car floor and boot floor

- fabricate and replace floor crossmember’s both sides 

- Fabricate inner sills (both sides)

- Fabricate / repair middle strengthening sill

- Fit outer sills (bought these on eBay, very impressed)

- repair both rear inner and outer wheelarches

-fabricate rear inner wing metalwork around fuel filler pipes

- fabricate inner and outer rear pockets (behind rear bumper corners) both sides

- strip and clean underside

- rust treat underside (used only bilt hamber)

- heavy zinc primer over weld joints/ seam seal

-epoxy prime underside 

- shultz underside

- paint interior

- put back together 

——

whats left

- every brake and fuel pipes knackered

- repair front panel (started, not finished)

- prep and paint bodywork outer repairs like sills, arches

- put front back together

- Finish interior (front seats really)

- mega service (all oils / belts)

- new clutch and gearbox leak (common issue)

- new shocks / exhaust

- sort fuel tank out 

 

As I said to the Mrs a few years ago “I’m might weld it up, but I’m not gonna restore it”