Some photos from the building process (2008-2009):
It all was done first in the computer, 3D of course. It's just cheaper to modify a drawing than a real car. General design must be well in place. Some components, as with the car, lack details.
Then you add the details.
Then came basic components like major frame beams. It's an interesting job to drill a 20mm hole through 5mm-thick stainless steel. One hour - one hole. If you're lucky.
When frame components are ready, installation is a fun and endless job. Major beams took two months for installation. Special thanks to Marek Pedak from Offroad Service who delivered car components while en route to other jobs. In this photo: rear beam with winches. Wooden poles model the wire rope path. With seven tons of pull you better be sure there's nothing in the way.
The wires are not small, and there are not a few wires needed! As usual, first I connected them wrong just to make life interesting.
Then you can set the frame together and align winch ropes through the frame. And then redo almost all steps three times, as there are always some tolerance, alignment or installation procedure issues.
Now the rubber meets the road. Will it work? Can the winch raise the car off the beams. Wow, it's cleared the ground!
Shiny new U-Fab Boats pontoons from Canada may now be attached to the frame.
Installation of the hydraulic pump into engine space required two companies' maximum effort and help from even more. All 127 kW of engine can be now transferred to the hydraulic pump. And free room around major components is 5mm at most. But thanks to
Hydroscand and Offroad Service, it's done!
The hydraulic fluid tank was a real test for my design skills. Fitted in place of one car battery, it has almost no straight edges. Finest Steel cut the plate and Spurtfaas welded it. The stainless steel fits perfectly to freed space to allow maximum capacity.
The hydraulic system was designed and built by
Hydroscand. Designer Margus Kukk giving a final inspection to the system.