WB Commercial TONNER

Hi I'm new to this forum and am currently starting my panelvan but here is a shot of my one tonner!
it was a quick mainly closed door fix up as i needed it to be roadworthy and available to drive as its my only car.....
I intend to later down the track when I can do a real fix up and go absolutely all out but until then....its my everyday!


When I first got her at 16...


I did have the bench reupholstered due to cracks etc plus losing its comfort!


no more holes!


replacing sparks, leads, coils and covers are fun at 16 while your learning but I did my own carby......I was very surprised in myself haha was expecting it not to run!


I wish i could have V8!


after paint!!.....had to replace stone trays and drivers side door due to rust, closed door spray only cause i couldn't afford all through the cab and bay.


I got it home and was to scared to drive it for a week incase I or anyone else marked it! haha but then drove it and washed it nearly every day or two


Chucked some GTS rims on it to keep it classic looking

now in the process of making a tray for the old girl..

g day if you need a advice about building the tray just ask i make the things for a living just finished this the other day

Good looking old bus mate, tidy daily driver.

Cheers Rob

Got the tray back from powdercoating today a fair bit of dosh but i think well worth it.








now i cant wait for it to be marked so i can mount it all up!

You should name her Area 51!!! She's a classified area!

Keen to see the tray on here Jayke, be good to catch up one day I'm over in Wagga.

Cheers Rob

nice work there, wishing i could weld that good,

cheers guys
I'm pretty proud of it myself, I am kinda shocked how well it came up.....now it'll be never used as a tray again hahaha I DON'T WANNA MARK THE PRETTY PAINT!!

I ain't a fantastic welder myself but my teacher is an ex tradesman in the industry and has inspected all the work to make sure welds are penetrating equally and placed right and the proper size etc.

And yea mate any time your in Wagga give us a hola ! Its great to talk to a fellow enthusiast

looks the goods i like the fact that it dosent have a timber deck
i went to a car show down the local pub today and every tonner had a polished or clear coated timber tray 'says the man who has a polished timber tray in his hilux'

the powder coat will hold up well and looks tops

i take it flush mounted leds in the back for tail lights?

I was considering timber but then id have to re-coat it and sand it back and so on plus first thing i put down will mark it and reck it. Don't get me wrong i love a good timber bed but on a ute thatll be used for the purpose of carrying and hauling stuff I just rather a good powdercoat hahaha
Yea LED strips allllll the way

tested them today and they all work....if they didn't i think i'd cry hahaha burnt myself to many times with the soldering iron for them to just fail haha

WBsX2 wrote:I was considering timber but then id have to re-coat it and sand it back and so on plus first thing i put down will mark it and reck it. Don't get me wrong i love a good timber bed but on a ute thatll be used for the purpose of carrying and hauling stuff I just rather a good powdercoat hahaha
Yea LED strips allllll the way

tested them today and they all work....if they didn't i think i'd cry hahaha burnt myself to many times with the soldering iron for them to just fail haha

did you test them with a battery or with a the cars wiring ?

because i found the use of led taillights normaly requires restors or the easy option is to go buy a led flasher can solves so many problems

looks the goods with the leds in

I spun the tray around and backed the ute up to it and hooked up the wiring from the ute to the tray
all works well!! woooooh!!
Probably already has resistors cause my existing tail lights are LEDs as well
now i gotta wait two weeks for marking

WBsX2 wrote:I spun the tray around and backed the ute up to it and hooked up the wiring from the ute to the tray
all works well!! woooooh!!
Probably already has resistors cause my existing tail lights are LEDs as well
now i gotta wait two weeks for marking

marking? i take it was a hsc or tafe project?

Nice looking tonner mate.im a big fan of the old tonners. If you ever need a hand with anything let me know.

HSC Design and Tech. Major. So i figured using the school's resources such as cutting, welding and space would be easier then at my house so I "tweaked" some of the wording in my folio to justify how this tray "solves a problem" such as aesthetics and weight over the rear wheels adds traction.........unless i put my skinny stocks back on .....well the markers don't have to know that hahaha.

Thanks RAT BAG i'll let ya know if i ever need a hand, I'm always looking at ways to improve the old girl.

for a while i was always looking at keeping it original you know blue 202 M22 gearbox and everything else but recently been thinking of saving up some dosh and working a 308 or 253 or buying an LS1 or something to put in the tonner once i finish my green P's so in two years time.....anyone got an opinion on it? leave it original, beef it up, minor work to 202 what do reckon??

the tray is on and she now rides and looks better then ever!!



and i have decided to buy a 253 and gear box to go with it to rebuild and drop in her when i get my Fulls.
I don't know if its true but i was told if i use a blue 253 i wont need an engineers cert. to put it in because thats what the wb's came out with, is this true?? i have my doubts??

If you put in a blue 253 as issued with the WB you will not need an engineers certificate.
You will be required to get a NSW Blue Slip. This is to sight the installation and note the new engine number.
Once you have this, you take the blue slip and rego papers to the RTA. Job Done!

Regards, Smooth

even if she was bought with a 202??
also where can i grab a blue slip??
cheers

Yes, even if originally a 202 6cyl.
Blue Slips are obtained from authorised inspection stations. Typically the bigger mechanic shop about town (but not limited to them).
The RTA or whatever they call themselves these day (Roads and Runabouts Services) can advise you of a list of blue slip agents in your area.

Regards, Smooth

am planning on removing my original 253 and trimatic from my 84 WB panelvan
could supply it with crossmember, tailshaft, radiator and already has a 308 4 barrel manifold and carb fitted
so it would be a very simple bolt in when the time comes (if you're interested)

Although im not 100% sure if the tailshafts swap from vans/utes to tonners - i seem to remember someone saying there's a difference

thanks for the help guys
0488TINTER thanks for the offer i might take you up on it if the seller i have now falls through

Van tailshafts DONT FIT into one tonners. Blue 253's came from factory with four barrell manifolds and Quadrajets, you should be able to retain your current tailshaft and crossmember.

thanks for all the advice
I'm thinking of just keeping the 3.55 diff or maybe going to 3.36
not to sure

Depends what gearbox you end up running and what you want to use the vehicle for. 3.55 will give good take off but will be pretty revvy on the highway. 2.78 is a good highway cruiser ratio and the old 3.08 and 3.36 are reasonable all rounders.

the gear box i'm buying with the engine
and its an M21 or M20, which one is the v8 box?

Both are V8 boxes, M21's came out behind 308's and M20's came behind 253's. M20's also came out behind 6 cylinders the input shaft is different as are the ratios.
With a 4 speed a 3.55 will be revvy on the highway. 3000rpm@100kph.
3.08 is a good allrounder with a 4 speed.