G-Unicorn the Y61

[MB]

FWIW: Can anybody recall the last time a TB45 was loaded into the back of a Wagon


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[BrazilianY60]

I needed a cheap and relatively compact engine storing and moving solution as keeping it hanging on the engine hoist is only good in the short term. Looked over the internet for inspiration pictures and decided on a "frame down legs up" design.

The start of the frame:
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In-situ welding for careless measurements requirements:
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First unit. I ended up making a second one as well:
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Castors for the "moving solution" part of the requirements:
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Some left-over paint terribly applied with a brush (I can always tell it was the kids )
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Final product:
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I reckon this will also be helpful when tearing down all the peripherals of this TB45 and giving it a degreaser wash before transplanting it into the GU.
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The blue one will store my Silvertop.

[BrazilianY60]

Painted my faded hubcaps black. On my hands they came out great. On the wheels I am not so sure. I think I got used to the freewheel being exposed.

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[BrazilianY60]

Driving the GU the other day I noticed that when locking all doors from the drivers door (left for me) central locking, the passenger door (right for me) would toggle the chromed lock inside but the door could still be opened from the outside. Only way for it to really lock the right door was locking it from the outside with the key. Further investigation showed me that either manually or through the the central lock, the right door chromed lock would move to "close to the end" position but you could still press it a bit more and it would move a bit further, just like it had two stages. Sometimes pushing it to the very end would make the door really lock, sometimes not.,

This weekend I have finally disassembled the door and locks to investigate and repair it.

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For anyone looking to disassemble the GU4 door, this one and a half minute video fair dinkum:


After removing the dust cover, following the chrome lock, you can see that the lock's left-right movement goes into this boomerang lever that redirects it into up-down movement and then to the the actual lock.
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And down to the actual lock it goes:
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This is the lock mechanism together with the servo motor actuator. These are held together by only two screw.
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Gave the lock a good clean because that usually solves 90% of the issues, but this one was on the other 10% Further examining it, I noticed that there was a gap between the metal plate and the plastic body around the area of one locating pin.
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Closing the gap with hand pressure and cycling the lever a couple of times would make a clock spring click into position and further cycles would work perfectly. Releasing the pressure would allow the gap to form and such clock spring would pop out of position.
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The locating pin:
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The solution was to drill through the locating pin and passing a screw through it, to get rid of the gap.
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Works perfect now!

[mudnut]

The door locking mechanisms of the GU are well known to fail. This usually happens when the door is shut, so it is a real big job to open the door.

There are a few threads on here dealing with the issue. @growler2058 had his fail and had to do a lot of work to fix it.

[BrazilianY60]

Yeah, when I noticed the issue with mine, I started reading the threads here and found many indeed. Saw some desperate measures like drilling the B pillar and the likes.

But then I realized that the usual issue is for doors to stay locked while mine was not locking (well, at least from inside). And once people open their doors their solution seems to be replacing the lock mechanism, I could not understand exactly what happened to theirs, something about a plastic pin wearing out, but it seems the only solution was to replace the lock instead of fixing it.

[growler2058]

The door locking mechanisms of the GU are well known to fail. This usually happens when the door is shut, so it is a real big job to open the door.

There are a few threads on here dealing with the issue. @growler2058 had his fail and had to do a lot of work to fix it.

Mmmm bastard of a thing. After ripping the door lining off with a closed door, I had to smash the effer apart with a long cold chisel

[BrazilianY60]

The dashboard had already suffered the infamous bubbling issue and was wrapped in vinyl by the previous owner. The wrapping didn't resist the sun and shrunk a lot.

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I have used the instructions on the following YT video to disassemble the dash. This is absolute gold for anyone attempting this.

[BrazilianY60]

The starting point is the stereo/HVAC surrounding. There are two screws (red squares) and 6 plastic tabs. It is actually very easy to remove, prying around it with a plastic pry bar. I highly recommend using only plastic tools for all the prying involved as flat screw drivers and metal pry tools will definitely hurt the part being removed. Once the surrounding is out, disconnect all the plugs from the switches and controls you may have on yours. Next step would be removing the stereo, just 4 screws readily visible and the plugs on its back. I had mine already removed on the picture as I am trying to sort out some issues with it.

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Next, move to the center vents and the mini-glove-box. There are only these 3 screws visible on the front (I pointed out only two to avoid using the middle finger, I am a very polite lad LOL). Then, work around it with plastic pry bars and it comes out as a single piece.

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Next, the HVAC panel. Remove the four screws visible on the front and depress both tabs (red arrows) and press the HVAC panel just a little towards the firewall. The HVAC panel does not need to be removed and will stay on the car. The pressing is just to keep it clear from the dashboard when its time to pull it out.

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[BrazilianY60]

My GU is LHD, so the glove box is on the left side, but the screws and tabs are exactly on the same position (although mirrored). You see, I used as a reference a video from an RHD GU, and I can say it is exactly the same (mirrored).

Lets start with the glove box itself. With the lid closed, remove the two screws on the bottom. Open the lid and remove the four screws on the top and one on the side. Pull it gently and it will come out as a single piece.

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Onto the A-pillar: for the handle pry the two screw covers with a plastic tool and remove the two screws to remove the handle. Partially remove the weather strip, in the area from roof to floor. To remove the A-pillar cover, pull it outwards gently and once it pops out of the clips, pull it upwards gently. This revealed the coax cable to the roof aerial that came in my GU.

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Onto the vents: remove the screw on the bottom of the silver lower vent cover. Remove the nut that secures the dash lower end. Tuck your head under the dash and remove the screw that secures the lower vent piece from behind. I suggest a short screwdriver for this, as it is a very tight space.

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For the lower vent part to come out, some wiggling is necessary. Wiggling alone didn't work for me, though. I had also to tuck my hand under the dash around the lower vent piece to help depressing the metal tabs seen on the picture.

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Upper vent was easy, just some prying with the plastic tool and some wiggling. There is a small tab on the top of it that can be reached from the front, but mine came out without fooling with it.

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And the last part of the glove box side is the air-bag anchor bolt and its electrical plug. FIRST OF ALL, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY!
Remove the anchor bolt and unplug the yellow plug. I had a hard time figuring out where the latch for the yellow plug was. That is all it takes for the air-bag for now as it will stay bolted to the dashboard and will come out with it.

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