[tonyevans]

One of the projects on my list is a fibreglass Hope-Star body to fit on a LJ50 chassis and it seems a shame to stop at one after going to all the trouble to make the prototype and mould so I have been trying to find some information on the laws for kit body's and there use these days but with no luck but then I don't really know where to look.

Anyone got any info they would like to share?

For those who don't know what I am talking about the Hope-Star was the for runner of the Suzuki LJ's and looked like this. As far as I have been able to find out there were only a handful made and only a couple survive.





HopeStar ON360

The vehicle was originally developed by the Hope Motor Company of Japan in 1967 and sold as the HopeStar ON360 from April 1968. It used a Mitsubishi 359 cc (21.9 cu in) air-cooled 2-stroke ME24 engine which produced 21 PS (15.4 kW). The rear axle was sourced from the Mitsubishi Colt 1000 and wheels were sourced from the Mitsubishi Jeep. It was a very basic two-seater vehicle with no doors, but a sturdy four-wheel drive system allowed it to go off-road. Top speed was 70 km/h (43 mph), 30 km/h in 4WD mode. The tiny Hope company sold very few ON360s, possibly as few as fifteen, although 100 ME24 engines were purchased[2][3]) and sold the design to Suzuki in 1968, after Mitsubishi declined to take over production.

[Red89]

Perhaps register it as an ICV ?

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... ochure.pdf

[missmyljdaze]

I couldnt see anything in the NSW ICV blurb about replacing a body,

probably best to write to the boss at your transport dept.

for what its worth- with hi-tech design of an LJ chassis and drive train- and its original style body, I doubt there would be much drama bolting a Hopestar replica body on the chassis.

Do you have any other pics? how close are the dimensions?

I wish I had thought of this years ago when my last LJ body fell apart!
but back then I didnt even know about Hopestars, or any LJ's other than the 50's and 80's
I will be following this closely! If it works out, I might have to nick one of Sideway's rejects!

stephen.

[sideways]

That LJ50v is just sitting waiting for you stephen.

A few years ago a guy I know started building a sand rail style buggy on a vw floorpan. He said it could be ticked off by an engineer and registered quite easily. He sold it unfinished. Last time I saw him he had a Toppolino without a body that he was building a boat tail speedster body for and trying to bget it classed as a hot rod for the more leinient mod rules.

Ask that mob that do fibreglass jeep bodys for LJs and Scats about the legealities?

[tonyevans]

OK - I have sent out a couple of emails to Engineers/testers on this and this is the first reply.

Q = Hi, I am trying to find out what the regulations are on putting a fibreglass body an a otherwise unmodified Suzuki LJ50/80 4WD.

I have searched the RTA but can not find where it is hidden - Can you point me in the right direction please?

Tony Evans

Reply = Not possible sorry. It can't be done legally.

Sent from my iPhone

[got_bar_work]

It can be done as there is a place at morriset that does differnt bodys for old cars

[missmyljdaze]

I would be asking where in the regulations it says you cant have a fibreglass replacement body.
Often bureaucrats will say no just to avoid a lot of paperwork.
There is a fibreglass fabrication company near me that made 'glass bodies for sierras that vaguely resemble flat fender jeeps (really out of all proportion type of vague) due to having to make front fenders much longer to comply with the "45 degrees up from the front hub" rule, a dodgy front bumper, roll cage and some other strange ADR related stuff.
But- they were able to make them legally (but a bit too pricey)

www.gksfibreglass.com.au (in the projects section)

Almost an entire prototype body could be built out of plywood on a simple steel frame, if it looks good- take a mould off the ply prototype (or just make the body out of ply and forget the fibreglass!)
With almost all the panels being flat- with few compound curves it wouldnt be that hard to do.
(pity I dont live in Lightning ridge, we could cobble up a body in no time)

I honestly do not see why ply cant be used for a body- as long as you do it properly.

stephen

[tonyevans]

Just got a reply from a second engineer and he wants to know more info on what I want to do - so it is not a "NO you can't" situation.

I also found a mob that make a version of the willy's Jeep for the Suzuki chassis (LJ56/80/sierra) so I have asked them what are the legal requirements in NSW. They also make heaps of replacement bodies for Land Cruisers, Patrol's and such. I can't imaging they do this for unregistrable cars only.

http://www.ozeastfibreglass4wd.com.au/bodykits.html

[303zuke]

And of course, you have the OzAmphibian Platypus, which is a fibreglass body on a Jimny, which would have to meet much newer versions of ADRs than an LJ50.

[missmyljdaze]

From what I remember, Australian design rules for vehicles built before 1986(ish) are the responsibility of state and territory governments to administer.
Vehicles built after 1986(ish) are the responsibility of the federal govt.
I might be a bit dodgy with the date- but I am pretty sure that its well after LJ's were made.
I am guessing there might be less flexability for later vehicles.

Western Australian "hot rod rules" apply only to the type of vehicles built before 1946 (IIRC)

Anyone able to tell me just what A.D.R's applied to LJ50/80's.
They should be on the ADR specification plate in the engine bay.

Any replacement body would have to meet these regulations- as a minimum.

stephen

[tonyevans]

I have a few LJ50 body's out the back - I will have a look later and see what I can find.

Noosa Fibre glass say -

Tony
All our bodies are approved.We supply copies of the approvals with the kits.In NSW you have to get an auto engineer to inspect the completed instillation to ensure it has been fitted in accordance with our approvals.I am sorry but I dont know what the engineers charge for their inspection
Regards Alan Collins

And johnakzvehicleengineering who asked for pictures of both vehicles and can do engineering for ACT - NSW and VIC says -

Looks good, I don't thing you would have a problem getting it engineered for rego

[tonyevans]

missmyljdaze wrote:

From what I remember, Australian design rules for vehicles built before 1986(ish) are the responsibility of state and territory governments to administer.
Vehicles built after 1986(ish) are the responsibility of the federal govt.
I might be a bit dodgy with the date- but I am pretty sure that its well after LJ's were made.
I am guessing there might be less flexability for later vehicles.

Western Australian "hot rod rules" apply only to the type of vehicles built before 1946 (IIRC)

Anyone able to tell me just what A.D.R's applied to LJ50/80's.
They should be on the ADR specification plate in the engine bay.

Any replacement body would have to meet these regulations- as a minimum.

stephen

[got_bar_work]

I would say the body shoukd be designded by a composite engieneer
As u would need to Know wat type of glass to use where and how much
U could use fire retartant resien would prob make the rta more happy to sign off
If built right a fiberglass body would be stronger then a metal lj body and probly wouldnt weigh that much more
Ps the platypus isnt passed as a car yet it only has boat rego
Hes still jumping through hoops

[missmyljdaze]

the platypus is probably jumping through hoops because it is a commercial operation.
If you build more than 3 a year, there is a lot of red tape to comply with, in comparison to an "enthusiast" building a "one-of" with an individually constructed vehicle permit (ICV) from the transport dept.

At least- thats how it was explained to me a couple of years ago.

stephen

[tonyevans]

Got-bar-work ..... This is a hobby/personal thing NOT a commercial enterprise so the cost of a composite engineer is a ludicrous thing to consider I would rather drive it unregistered and cop the occasional fine if ever up here. I am just looking into it to see if it can bee registered for others. Seems a shame to make a mould just for one body but then there is always the unregistered off road crawler brigade that might be interested for something different.

missmyljdaze ...... Unfortunately ICV also requires the cost of a engineer throughout the project which means detailed drawings etc. and that is not my thing apart from the cost. with regard to your questions about sizes/images and weights I have a fair bit of stuff collected but have to sort it into a usable mess yet. The weight of a LJ50 tub would not be more than 100ks I would guess as I have been shifting one around the yard for months now - wherever I put it it's in the way next week - The front clip can be easily lifted so with the bonnet may 50kg including windscreen frame.

If you are seriously thinking of doing this maybe we shoud swap ideas by Email and post the results here.

Tony

[tonyevans]

I just got a reply from the horses mouth IE The RTA and they say -

Tony.

The modification would require certification by a licensed RMS certifier.

I have attached VSB 14, Section Body and Chassis as a guide only, the final determination will be up to the certifier.

Regards Kevin

If anyone wants a copy of this file I can email it to you.

I think combined with the response above from a licensed RMS certifier saying OK I guess that means it can be done without to much trouble

[crayzeeclown]

since you are looking at the possibility of a body swap how hard would it be to put a moke body on an lj 50 chassis

[missmyljdaze]

Hey Tony- I will be following this project closely if you go ahead,
I asked a few questions over here, got a bit of buck passing, and a little "sounds interesting- paperwork please" kind of answers.

Crayzeeclown- Moke-on-Zook has been done over here in W.A.
pics are on this forum somewhere.

stephen

[sideways]

I reckon you'd want a different front mount for the front clip with such a wide front clip.

[crayzeeclown]

Moke-on-Zook has been done over here in W.A.

i know its been done in the past but it hasnt been done for some time as rules have changed i am trying to find out how to do it legally here in qld as it is a bid hard. So far as much as i can gather the adr rules apply to the latter of the combination. And there is no way the moke body would stand up to 1990 adr's hence why i was asking

[missmyljdaze]

I will take a [poorly] educated guess and say that the same ADR's probably apply to both since they were mostly built around the same time.
Best to give your state transport dept. a call and throw a few questions at them- and dig up the West Aussie bloke for tips about his conversion.
Or- even better, find an LJ with a dead body, and once Tony has built his replica Hopestar 360 body, make use of his moulds for another body
[what I hope to do]
LJ's with rotted bodies are pretty common.........

stephen

[tonyevans]

sideways wrote:

I reckon you'd want a different front mount for the front clip with such a wide front clip.

Same width it is on a LJ50 chssis ??????????????????

[tonyevans]

OK - from the RTA - If it is replacement bolt on panels as in the kits for holdens etc - No engineer required as long as they meet the ADR for thickness etc.

If it is a whole body - Engineer and the guy I have been talking to in ACT says "No Problems" he can do it for NSW, ACT and Vic.

Result = It will be a go'er but not for a while as I have the 2 LJ50's to restore first. I am in the process of making a mould for LJ50 Bonnets.

[Verm1n]

tonyevans wrote:

OK - from the RTA - If it is replacement bolt on panels as in the kits for holdens etc - No engineer required as long as they meet the ADR for thickness etc.

If it is a whole body - Engineer and the guy I have been talking to in ACT says "No Problems" he can do it for NSW, ACT and Vic.

Result = It will be a go'er but not for a while as I have the 2 LJ50's to restore first. I am in the process of making a mould for LJ50 Bonnets.

About time someone makes a mould of the 50 bonnet.. Looks like I don't have to make one now.. Haha I will prob still end up making one mayb this year sometime.. Will prob do a run of 80 bonnets too

[tonyevans]

If I really believed that I would not make one

[Tagpole]

Found this in my travels overseas, LJ80 full fibreglass body kits

http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftech ... eileo.html

http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftechnik/lj.main.html