Project Ernie

I'm now sat on my sofa in my new living room for the first time, few little jobs to do like fit the TV wall mount, sort some cables, set up my new office, reorganize all my tools and workshop - fit a new bathroom extractor fan, tile the kitchen and decorate it.

Then after my two ski holidays I'm going to get project ernie back rolling, but with just one engine

Nights will start getting lighter and the temps a little more mild, which goes a long way.

Get a move on

As I drive past blackwood on sunday afternoon I'll give you a little beep.

Well living room is now fully complete, TV and cabling is in, extractor fan done, my office is all setup:-





We go skiing tomorrow to scotland and god has brought us snow

Few more little jobs to finish off when I get back, get a few college assignments in then its workshop time

And while you wait, enjoy a nice little song:-



Can't beat a bit of abstract Zen t.v,

If you watch closely they seem to be passing some odd smoke about!

HighlyJetted wrote:Well living room is now fully complete, extractor fan done,

Intending on eating a few curries?

Be careful on the A9, are everywhere.

And, musically, i'll stick to AC/DC or Motley Crue.

What a drive, the last bit through the mountains is amazing.

I dunni know but I quite like like scotland.

Off to the alps for some quality ski time with the boys, see you all in a week

Cairngorms? Alps? No bloody wonder yer van's not finished!!!

Done some more bits on Ernie today, firstly started on my "Logi Boss steering wheel conversion"









I've removed all the added in wiring, then repaired the original wiring back to how it is suppose to be. Plus fixed the dreaded dodgy battery connector banjo which was falling off on mine too. Nice one soldered and crimped on.

Rewired the fuel pump as it has dodgy bits of wire added in. Stripped all the indicator/headlight/washer stalk switch assembly as the indicators didn't always work. Cleaned up the contacts and replaced a little spring which was rusted away to nothing.

Removed the after market aerial which was causing major water ingress thus rotting the floor. Then I've bust all the rust off the drives floor and painted it up with a couple of coats. Plus I've put a standard grill back on instead of that silly flush thing which blocks the air from getting to the radiator.

Next jobs:-
Try to get the fuel gauge to work
Get a fuel cap
Wash out the coolant system, bleed and fit a new cap.
Wire brush the wheels off and give them some paint.
Replace the front disks and pads
Change the oil, clean up/check the plugs
Shorten gear stick
Finish the Logi Boss steering wheel

Wahey, Ernie will live

Seen a set of oe plugs on Ebay for 8 quid posted( cant send the link as im on my phone)
My fuel cap seal isnt too clever and im going into my local factors today to see what they have( they have loads, and I may be able to match another cars one which may be esier/ cheaper to get)

Let me know what you find.

HighlyJetted wrote:Let me know what you find.

I found they have a listing for an aftermarket one, hoping to pick it up this afternoon and ill post up the make & part number. Didnt seem out the way at just over 13 quid?

Ace, what sort? Wonder if the MPV is the same as the pickup as the fuel tanks are different

I'm going to get some petrol, as I stole evey last drip out when I was broke early December...

Time to move Ernie into my garage

I think Ernie needs a 5th wheel

surely there is 5 already maybe 6?

Like this

http://www.etrailer.com/Fifth-Wheel/Curt/C16115.html

HighlyJetted wrote:Like this

http://www.etrailer.com/Fifth-Wheel/Curt/C16115.html

I know what a fifth wheel is I is a wheel builder you know

HighlyJetted wrote:I think Ernie needs a 5th wheel

I hear he's gettin 5.............

I know your playing silly sods Mr, so you do a proper good rim job then or just a rough tweaking?

Logi - 400 mile road trip on tuesday

Speaking of 5th wheels, think i'm going to cut the spare wheel cage out as it wont fit anyway.

I'll have to get some pictures up, bust most of the rust of the chassis, preped the fuel tank too. Going to get it painted up over the next few evenings.

I've cut the battery tray off, as it going on the drivers side instead - to make room for the new side exit exhaust

Just ordered some stainless braided fuel line too as it'll be on show since it going to be body-less

HighlyJetted wrote:I know your playing silly sods Mr, so you do a proper good rim job then or just a rough tweaking?

Little bit of column A, little bit of column B.

Check out the new rims

Set of five with pretty damn good tyres. Just tried one and they fit perfectly, not sure about the front while on the steering lock though.



Just given this one a quick cleaning up for 5 minutes..



They have pretty much zero kerbing, but have suffered from being 35 years old

And this is how far I have got on the chassis,

I have cut all the exhaust hangers, spare wheel brackets and any other surplus bits off the chassis.

Need to give it another quick once over with the rust buster then I'll paint it up.

But first I need to fix the brake bias controller

Theyre nice wheels, wonder where they came from...........

Ernie went on a little outing this evening, his big brother carried him down to the jet wash!

Looks like someone else has a pickup called ernie

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+classifieds/id/5134697/mistubishi+mini+van+pink+ernie#imageGallery

First coat of paint on the chassis Plus all of the surplus hangers and brackets are cut off. Exhaust removed.



New bracket welded onto the gearbox mount to support the handbrack cable splitting assembly.



Battery box relocated inside the chassis on the drivers side.



Brake bias controller stripped back, cleaned, all the piston inside free'd up. I am going to make an adjuster assembly so I can pretension the spring so it lets the back brakes work all the time.



New mountney steering wheel boss modified. All you have to do is cut the welds off the mountney one, smack the splined centre boss out, and the original daihatsu one fits the same hole perfectly. Then re-weld it back in place.



Thats todays jobs done

Good show young 'un Thats a whole lotta work, liking the steery wheel boss, puts mine to shame

Cant wait to see it with the wheels on, by the way 175/70's rub on full lock with my wheels so prob best to max at 165/65's? (plus the steering is fairly heavy with the 175's)