8 replies to this topic

[Fiend17]

Just got my second Brumby. I'm really wanting to do create something brilliant. I'm seeking some advice from you fine subie dudes on where to start.

[Niko]

Ichiban. Check their Brumby. Speak to El_Freddo, he knows those chassis's inside out. And GT Tony has a decent build.

[duncanm]

will an EZ fit ?

[Fiend17]

I've dealt with them before when I lived in Sydney. Good company. I'll start with stripping the old girl down and get her painted.

[Fiend17]

Maybe it won't and I'm just dreaming. Guess I'll stick to EJ20T STI.

[Fiend17]

Anybody completed a rear disc conversion?

[Beckers]

EJ for the win.

Just so much easier to fit in the engine bay.

[El_Freddo]

Nice. I'd love to get an EJ turbo into mine some day...

What do you know is needed for this conversion? I just don't want to write out a pile of stuff on the phone that you already know...

The EZ30 - well, it's been done before with the SVX six by Steve at Rising Sun's son automotive in Adeliade a number years back. He had the radiator in the tray area. I reckon with some custom fab work you could get a radiator out the front and still do a six in there.

Personally I'd also be looking at how to strengthen the chassis. I remember the Castlemaine rod shop used to make a set of chassis strengthening braces for the LC/LJ Toranas. Something like that would be the go for piece of mind and longevity of the body.

As for brakes. Definitely go the EJ brakes all round. Don't do an L series rear brake conversion as they're not as good as the EJ conversion by a very long shot. The problem is finding a crossbred conversion kit (no longer made anymore) or getting hold of a set of adaptor rear hubs as this is the key to the whole conversion. Everything else is easy once that part is sorted.

A fella in Vic on Ausubi and the USMB (dfoyl) recently made a new set of rear adaptor hubs for the MY and L series. I've also seen an old drum hub turned down to the specs required for the EJ hub and stud pattern. Some questioned the structural integrity of this setup due to the cast iron material used and the smaller stud pattern. The guy who made them said he'd not had any issues with fatigue or cracking of these hubs. A spigot adaptor needs to be added to this hub too.

Everything else is simply a matter of wiring, custom drive shafts up front for the brake conversion (rears stay the same), gearbox mounts, clutch setup (hydraulic master setup - several ways of doing it. One real agricultural way I've seen was retaining the cable that pulled on a lever arm that actuated the master cylinder. It could've been made to look better or hidden somewhere so it wasn't obvious. They had that setup in the redundant spare wheel well above the gearbox). The engine crossmember will need spacing down for a non lifted turbo job. I haven't seen it done on a NA EJ conversion from memory.

One guy I met on Facebook a few years ago has a sister brumby to the infamous Phar Lap brumby built by Tony Rigolli (can't remember his exact last name or spelling, easy to find if you really need it). Anyway this brumby is EJ turbo'd running on factory discs all round with some funky mix of front and rear calipers from other makes of vehicle to boost braking ability. It's all been engineered like this and is a real sleeper with the factory stud pattern!

Anyway, lots to look at and consider. I look forward to seeing where you're going with this build

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

EJ for the win.
Just so much easier to fit in the engine bay.

That depends on how wide the EZ is in comparison to the EJ turbo as the chassis rails need mods to fit the turbo engine. As does the engine cross member for the up pipe.

The EZ would be difficult in the radiator department, and possibly needs the chassis rail mods too.

Also a twin turbo brumby would be interesting - I know there was/is one for sale in WA in the project stage. But I haven't heard of any others with the twins.

Cheers

Bennie