Finally in an AU

[Jack91]

Hi all,

Got anxious last week and wanted my own car again (got a company car and just sold my EF) so thought Id try something different and ring the local taxi mobs seeing if they had any ba's coming out of contracts. Got a call back yesterday about a white au with 600K and factory gas just made its last call this morning. Bit hesitant at first with him saying $2000, so went around today and thought I'll offer him $1500 no higher but when I saw it its gotta be one of the best nick taxi's getting around. Went back to the office and said right $1500 I give you cash monday, but he wouldnt budge so eventually said fine $2000.

Dont have any pics as of yet but its got a year rego, factory gas, good nick, head unit still works and cloth interior, no major dings or scratches. So scored a little bargain I think, cars are still expensive in tassie well more so then the mainland but god cant wait to start the mods, got a few options though so what do other AU owners reckon?

Option 1 - Purposeful
Spotlights mounted on the roof
Roobar and spotties on the front
CB radio and all the rest
This is because Im going to take it to qld and back at the end of the year and those things will be useful and I do a lot of night driving on the highway 200km every 2nd friday then 200km home so spotties would be great

Option 2 - Nice (already have the materials for most of these)
18 inch mags
lowered
ba xr6 spoiler
Stripes? I remember seeing a cobra mockup that wasnt too bad and cheap to do
Respray
Exhaust (is it ok to go bigger more flowing exhaust on gas?)
And a secondary gas tank but stil have to find out about that and $ wise


So so glad to finally have an au, wont miss e series head gaskets thats for bloody sure

[fipcee]

Congrats on the purchase mate and welcome to the AU family. I hope you get as much enjoyment from your car that I, and others on this forum, get from ours. Oh a watch out for the mod bug, it bites real hard when you see what others have done to their cars

[Mr Hardware]

awesome mate! welcome to the ex-cab club. it's way better than some nongs reckon, and a really cheap way into an AU.

I like your ideas. But i say combine the two. that's what i have done, purposeful but nice at the same time. here's my recommendations:

Spotlights mounted on the roof - no, chews way, way too much fuel with drag
Roobar and spotties on the front - yeah, nice. don't underestimate the AU's high beam however. totally different light setup to the E-series. The e-series had a H1 bulb, the AU has the traditional H4 plus a H1 for high beam too. so maybe not necessary.
CB radio and all the rest - i heart my UHF
18 inch mags - forget it. your ride won't be the best with being an ex-cab, don't show up ALL the bumps. get some 16" factory mags or something.
lowered - no
ba xr6 spoiler - if you really want to
Stripes - looks lame if not done really, really well.
Respray - yes definitely. what colour is it now? if it is white, even the cheapest white respray will have it looking way, way better
Exhaust (is it ok to go bigger more flowing exhaust on gas?) - if you like and yes
And a secondary gas tank but stil have to find out about that and $ wise - no. how much gas do you want? if its dedicated gas then you have 90L usable, good for well over 700 highway kays, and if it's dual fuel then you're good for a combined 1100 highway kays easy

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

awesome mate! welcome to the ex-cab club. it's way better than some nongs reckon, and a really cheap way into an AU.

I like your ideas. But i say combine the two. that's what i have done, purposeful but nice at the same time. here's my recommendations:

Spotlights mounted on the roof - no, chews way, way too much fuel with drag
Roobar and spotties on the front - yeah, nice. don't underestimate the AU's high beam however. totally different light setup to the E-series. The e-series had a H1 bulb, the AU has the traditional H4 plus a H1 for high beam too. so maybe not necessary.
CB radio and all the rest - i heart my UHF
18 inch mags - forget it. your ride won't be the best with being an ex-cab, don't show up ALL the bumps. get some 16" factory mags or something.
lowered - no
ba xr6 spoiler - if you really want to
Stripes - looks lame if not done really, really well.
Respray - yes definitely. what colour is it now? if it is white, even the cheapest white respray will have it looking way, way better
Exhaust (is it ok to go bigger more flowing exhaust on gas?) - if you like and yes
And a secondary gas tank but stil have to find out about that and $ wise - no. how much gas do you want? if its dedicated gas then you have 90L usable, good for well over 700 highway kays, and if it's dual fuel then you're good for a combined 1100 highway kays easy

Thanks for the answers:

Good to hear that about the AU headlights
Im thinking about ba xr6 mags too, so if anyone has any for sale pm me
Every taxi Ive been in sounds rubbish and really tin can-ish, so would the exhaust just amplify this bad sound?
I didnt realise Id get that many k's to a tank of gas, I thought more like 250-300 so might give the other tank a miss if thats the case
I can get a temp. controlled booth for $30/day, and my dad is good with the gun so Ill see how I go, already got primer and clear so just 4 litres of paint
I dont mean lower it like sitting on its *** I mean just to make it level
Gonna make some calls about the paint today, should be able to knock over a closed door respray over a weekend.

[Ynot XR6]

Good choice(well any ford is),just swapped my 16" rims and 215-65/16 for 17"and 235-45/17,the rims were on a BA,the guy who absolutely hammered his cars(company),the tyres were half worn and for $500 complete with wheel alignment was bloody good buying.Not sure about Aussie but in NZ 16" tyres are not cheap,i.e goodyear nct5? were $280 each,where as my potenza re001 in 17" are $195 and a better tyre imho.I stuck cobra springs made in Christchurch to lower it about 50mm front and back,handles well.The tyre guys reckon 18" make the AU to harsh.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by DAVO_EF

Thanks for the answers:

Good to hear that about the AU headlights
Im thinking about ba xr6 mags too, so if anyone has any for sale pm me
Every taxi Ive been in sounds rubbish and really tin can-ish, so would the exhaust just amplify this bad sound?
I didnt realise Id get that many k's to a tank of gas, I thought more like 250-300 so might give the other tank a miss if thats the case
I can get a temp. controlled booth for $30/day, and my dad is good with the gun so Ill see how I go, already got primer and clear so just 4 litres of paint
I dont mean lower it like sitting on its *** I mean just to make it level
Gonna make some calls about the paint today, should be able to knock over a closed door respray over a weekend.

No worries mate
Yeah the EF/EL headlights were shockingly terrible. The AU headlights are vastly superior, especially if your polycarbonate is nice and clear and you've got some +50 bulbs (not stupid blue) in it.
BA XR6 mags would be mega sweet.
Yeah thats cos with LPG you basically never need to change your exhaust system. if i was you i'd put a cheap not too loud cat-back exhaust on, should make it lots better.
You'll get 300k to a tank if you've only got a behind-the-seats tank (~60L) and you're flat flooring it everywhere with the aircon on in really heavy traffic. Otherwise you'll get 400-500 easy, espeically if your car is egas. Is it egas?
Definitely paint it. Number 1 thing. Ps what colour is it now?
Ah yeah just drop it by an inch and a half in the rear, yeah probably a good idea. Just make sure that the rear is never, ever lower than the front. Measure from the wheel center to the wheel arch and report back.

ynot xr6, quite right. 18" is too big/harsh for a regular AU. 17" looks sufficient to fill the guards, but stay with 16" if you like your gutter-hopping, value for money, lower unsprung weight and ride comfort like i do

[DJM83]

Scratch the BA XR wheels try and get some AU Xr wheels as IMO BA wheels dont suit in 17' form

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

No worries mate
Yeah the EF/EL headlights were shockingly terrible. The AU headlights are vastly superior, especially if your polycarbonate is nice and clear and you've got some +50 bulbs (not stupid blue) in it.
BA XR6 mags would be mega sweet.
Yeah thats cos with LPG you basically never need to change your exhaust system. if i was you i'd put a cheap not too loud cat-back exhaust on, should make it lots better.
You'll get 300k to a tank if you've only got a behind-the-seats tank (~60L) and you're flat flooring it everywhere with the aircon on in really heavy traffic. Otherwise you'll get 400-500 easy, espeically if your car is egas. Is it egas?
Definitely paint it. Number 1 thing. Ps what colour is it now?
Ah yeah just drop it by an inch and a half in the rear, yeah probably a good idea. Just make sure that the rear is never, ever lower than the front. Measure from the wheel center to the wheel arch and report back.

ynot xr6, quite right. 18" is too big/harsh for a regular AU. 17" looks sufficient to fill the guards, but stay with 16" if you like your gutter-hopping, value for money, lower unsprung weight and ride comfort like i do

It is egas, Im going to see how it comes up with a buff first and go from there. This is EXACTLY the look I want to achieve minus the spoiler and gay tail lights:

http://i41.tinypic.com/2zixwe0.jpg

[Mr Hardware]

haha, looks just like my car except mines in regency red
its quite possible to make an ex-cab look very, very good.
cept mine has clear repeaters and the AUIII side-skirts.

[Jack91]

Did you have problems with interior dash lights on yours? Mine only light up a bees dick so I think somethings robbing the power or blown globes?

[blueoval]

Congrats on the purchase. Au's are a great ride. Enjoy it

[POELWYK]

congrats on the buy and welcome to the AU family