BA front onto a AU

[Orbit]

HAS anyone put a BA front or skirts on a AU?

[stiddy]

yeah it has been done, 1 of the members on here has done it, cant remember who though.
But can i ask why?
why not just trade up and get an BA?

[Bucknaked]

The dude from New Zealand. Wish I could remember his screen name

[stiddy]

from memory it was a wagon aswell?

he said he had all sorts of grief doing it, not a bolt off, bolt on operation..

[T3man]

It is very difficult to put the BA front on to an AU - radiator support is different and requires fairly major surgery to get the guards and bonnet to fit up properly. The wheelbase is longer on the BA so the skirts would have to be cut - why not just use an AU bodykit. There's not that much difference in any case. If you've got money to throw at an AU I reckon a Rebel body kit and XR50 front looks as good as anything.

[stiddy]

Yeah but with everyone going XR50 or TE50 and Rebel kits these days it wont be long before a stock AU looks unique..
as much as I detest the idea of a BA front on an AU it really is unique and something different..

[Orbit]

haha, na not wanting to do it guys, just a random thought i had today.
have a TS50 kit coming my way at any rate, well once AWC finishes their carbon 3 piece hard top lol. not one for half measures, my interior, mags and suspension will be done at the same time, as will a AU build post.
lol. money is sitting there waiting to be spent.

[stiddy]

Sounds good, cant wait to see the outcome

[Casper]

The Dok has done it. Took a badly damaged AU wagon and stuck a BA nose on it.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/member.php?userid=2372

[Bucknaked]

I forgot about The Dok. But his was much more than a bolt up. Heaps of work on a trashed car. The results speak for themnselves

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

I forgot about The Dok. But his was much more than a bolt up. Heaps of work on a trashed car. The results speak for themnselves

Thanks, I get that all the time (forgot), even though it was crashed, it was still a huge job, I wouldn't do it on an undamaged car, but having said that, "it ain't no bolt on jobbie", thats why you dont see any/many around.

[superroo]

Funnily enough i was thinking about doing this to my au ute, as it's only the front quarter panels, bonnet, front bumper, and headlights that are different.
It's also easier on a ute in the respect that the wheelbase is pretty close (as no more than 10mm)

Cheers
PS: if i did do the swap i would either go along the lines of gt/pusuit front, of F6 front

[Mechan1k]

Not that easy ... I think the radiator supports were totally different as well.
As mentioned ... not a case of just unbolt and bolt on. There's a lot of ancilliary stuff that needs replacing as well.

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by superroo

Funnily enough i was thinking about doing this to my au ute, as it's only the front quarter panels, bonnet, front bumper, and headlights that are different.

Really? had I known that @2 yrs ago, I could have saved myself all the drama's of changing the rails-skirts-rad support-radiator-condensor, the list goes on, do your homework, it's not just what the eye's can see I can assure you. :

[chief]

Plus the bonnet locking mechanism, bonnet hinges and struts. It certainly does look good DOK.

[stiddy]

Originally Posted by The Dok

Really? had I known that @2 yrs ago, I could have saved myself all the drama's of changing the rails-skirts-rad support-radiator-condensor, the list goes on, do your homework, it's not just what the eye's can see I can assure you. :

so i take it that what you thought would be a bolt off bolt on operation turned into a nightmare?
or did you know that you had a big list of things needed doing to make it work?

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by stiddy

so i take it that what you thought would be a bolt off bolt on operation turned into a nightmare?
or did you know that you had a big list of things needed doing to make it work?

Good question. At the time I was lucky enough to be doing all the headlights for 00 motorsport (remember the "Green Eyed Monster") so when they were building Lowndes's new BA, see pic below (which he never raced), I had access to all the workshop areas so was quickly able to assess that it was not going to be a straight forward propisition, so it's fair to say I did lots of homework before tackling the job, but as Chief said, the bonnet hinges were 1 of the most difficult tasks as they're mounted in a different position on the bulkhead.

[auman]

Has anyone done this, I have a complete fibreglass front, te50 style f/g bar, boss au bonnet and au f/guards, au hinges etc..

just how hard will it be? Anyone? ..........

Stevo

[auman]

ba to xr au ute front

Has anyone done this, I have a complete fibreglass front, te50 style f/g bar, boss au bonnet and au f/guards, au hinges etc..

just how hard will it be? Anyone? ..........

Stevo

[KR1STO]

why you wanna go from BA to AU..?
i'm guessing either a BOSS or TURBO hey...?
good luck man!

[Coogs289]

Someone's been out with the shovel!
I've seen a BA XR front on an AU, but never the opposite.

[justa6]

a dude on boosted did it to his ute, i think the word's he used were " this was not an easy job"

[InfernoSR]

^^ dont like the 2tone effect he used...

[justa6]

you wouldn't. it is painted now. though not matt black unfortunately

[kenz]

Originally Posted by silverxr

a dude on boosted did it to his ute, i think the word's he used were " this was not an easy job"

I think he means he wants to do the opposite of that, he has a BA and wants to make it look like an AU?

[justa6]

ha ha i see, forget everything i have said.