The Mighty Boy

Interestingly it isn't a DODGE or FARGO.

A bit of history first. FARGO trucks were built in Canada using parts made in the USA so they could be exported to the British Commonwealth and get reduced Duties when entering the Country. Also my name is Rod Garnett so FARGO (on my case stands for F****ng Awesome Rod Garnett Original. Plus my Dad drove one.

This is actually a Mitsubishi L300 SA Express van. I couldn't modify a genuine DODGE A100 to be like the Little Red Wagon from the 60's. Google it. Totally nuts.

I figured out I could build this and get it registered. It took 18 months to build and 9 months to get through Engineering and Rego. NSW registers around 10 ICV's per year so it's very rare.

I agree the driver is the first on the scene and for that reason I won't take it down a drag strip. All the calculators say it should run low10's to high 9 seconds.

Everywhere it goes people take photos, whether stopped at the traffic lights or driving along.

The best thing is I did everything except shortening one axle shaft.

It tried to kill me about 7 years ago when I started it whilst standing behind it (shorted out a relay) and it backed up and crushed be against a Range Rover. Broke my Pelvis and Tailbone and I had 3 months in bed to recover.

I love it dearly and My 99 year old Mum has ridden in it more than my wife.

At 72 I've had 2 standard cars in my life and both are Mercedes ML wagons that aren't worth modifying.

Rod

Your ingenuity and engineering are outstanding.

Funny thing is Lang that my Father wouldn't let me be a mechanic. I still thank him.

I was an Insurance underwriter (Prestige cars) and cars have been my passion all my life.

I've raced and Rallied and crashed and won a few events.

A bit like you always another challenge.

Right now I have the MightyBoy in bits a again, but each time it comes apart it goes back together a better vehicle.

I'd rather research my latest challenge than watch TV.

Zuffen wrote:

Funny thing is Lang that my Father wouldn't let me be a mechanic. I still thank him.

I was an Insurance underwriter (Prestige cars) and cars have been my passion all my life.

I've raced and Rallied and crashed and won a few events.

A bit like you always another challenge.

Right now I have the MightyBoy in bits a again, but each time it comes apart it goes back together a better vehicle.

I'd rather research my latest challenge than watch TV.

. 
Lounge chairs and TV's kill 100 times more people than Heron and Cigarette's put together, they should be banned

The bloody Herons also ate all the goldfish out of my pond but I did not feel threatened.

try saying that to a gold fish.

I don't spell well, but spell checker is worse.

I've just finished changing the rear suspension from trailing arms and coils to leaf springs. This entailed relocating a lot of the fuel system, relocate the battery, alter the fuel tank and filler pipe plus modifying the exhaust as they were all fitted when the leaf springs weren't there and now they want that spot. Fortunately the leaf spring mounts were left unaltered on the chassis rail so it was quite straight forward. I went with the Matiz trailing arms thinking they would improve the handling but getting the spring rate right was too difficult so we went back to the original leaf spring set up. The MightyBoy axle needed the stubs cut off and the Nissan hub carriers grafted on from the Matiz axle. This means the brakes are exactly the same as previously just the springing method has changed,

I'm now about the drop the engine/transmission to remove the steering rack (that leaks) and replace it with the original MightyBoy rack. It will need adaptors made to make it the correct width, plus it will change 14x1 thread to 14x1.5 thread. Then because the MightyBoy has an unassisted rack I'm fitting a Holden Barina steering column (with EPAS) to get the power steer back. Doing this meant I then need to make a new tensioner arrangement on the engine as the power steering pump will be deleted.

Whilst the motor is out I'll change the mounting on the throttle position sensor from screws to bolts so they can be undone in a tight space. By deleting the hydraulic power steer I end up with quite a bit of space under the bonnet. Well it's all relative. It will still be packed under there.

I've been most tardy in doing anything with the little car.

I had some work to do on my own custom car and also had a new driveway installed that meant working in the shed was a bit difficult.

On Tuesday I removed the drivetrain, it took around 3 hours, and removed the power steering pump and replace it with a tensioner pulley so the water pump would see some drive.

I also replaced the bolts holding the Throttle Position Sensor as with the tight engine bay we couldn't release the machine screws holding it on to adjust it.  It now has cap head bolts so it will be easier, but not easy.

I then removed the leaking Daewoo power rack and replaced it with a MightyBoy non=powered rack on new bracketry.

I'm waiting on some replacement parts (steering arms and rack boots) before the rack can go back in.

The next venture will be to remove the steering column and fabricate a new column incorporating the electric steering (EPAS) column from a Holden Barina.  This will solve the leaks.  If the electric column was made by Lucas it sure would leak, smoke.

I'm hoping I don't have to remove the dash to do the column, but I'm pretty sure I will have to remove it.

The EPAS needs a speed sensor signal so it is speed/load sensitive so it losses assist at speed.  This needs to come from a speedo or wheel probe.  I'm looking into using an ABS sensor as the hubs are set up for them.  I may have to vary the frequency of the signal, but that's another challenge.

One day it will all work.  Maybe?

Does the power steering just need a contact to open or close to turn of electric assist ?

Paul