It's a "gunna" thread.... my thoughts on future mods

[DanXR6T]

Hey all,

Sitting at home the other day I looked across at my AU series 1 ute and thought...

"Hmm seeing as I now have a company 4WD and fuel card, that thing is a poor use of capital, I should sell it!"

Which I had fully intended on doing so, UNTIL I went down the Cairns motor show last weekend and came home with an "itch" so to speak (and no, not of the medical kind!!)...

I sat down and figured... hmm $1500 work expense claim, $500 rental bond refund, $350 tax return.... thats a lazy $2k that will just sit in my bank being useful reducing debt.. so now I'm going to spend it! (hey I'm 24, single, good job, I got at least another 5 years before I need to be responsible!)

My thoughts are:

1. I am striving for a balance between handling and practicality. Practicality for me is I drive regulary on crappy dirt roads, I still like to carry some load in the back at times, and am basically happy with standard-ish looking vehicles.

To this end I currently have 1-tonne suspension and 15" rims. I am looking at either XR or Low ride height. Front coil options are either King Springs or Whiteline Control. I'll probably retain the current front struts. For the rear it's either replacement King Low leafs or 1.5" lowering blocks. Lowering blocks will require 17" rims due to the lower shock mount. I was not really considering 17" rims, only 16" rims, so my best bet is lowered replacement leaf pack.

To keep it all legal, I won't change the ride height until I investigate the price of a mod plate for the suspension, which would be the only mod that I would need a plate for.

I am also looking at front and rear whiteline swaybars. Suspension mods I can do all myself, so I don't imagine this will cost all that much apart from parts.

2. Performance-wise, I currently have a 2.5" catback and SS inductions intake and K&N panel filter. Lame mods I know!

Bang for buck my first mods will be extractors, maybe PH4499's, and 3.7 diff gears. I already have LSD so I've been told it won't be a major labour job. Will put the 100km/h revs @ ~2150-2200 which is okay with me. Jaycar speedo corrector to fix the speedo, and I understand will shift the gear change points up, which I'm fine with (easy to lift the foot to make it change gear).

That will probably chew all my money, unless I have some left, in which I will be looking at a cam. Not sure what though. I'm not one to rev the tits off an engine, I would be happy with useable power up to 5000rpm.

Well that's my gunna thread. We'll see what I've done by the end of November!!

Anyone know any good Ford wreckers in the Cairns/Tablelands region?