Anyone with FX/FJ restoration experience?

[Dacious]

Always loved those little round cars. Got a hankering to 'do one up' - pref. a ute. Not looking to do showcar or 100% restoration, more a streetable car that's usable and practical but would not be daily driven. It would however be a ground-up rebuild.

My aim is to do something sort of retro - a little lowered, some nice chromies, a warmed grey motor with shaved head, mild cam, extractors and sports exhaust but basically just clean and straight and a little rorty. I know I could drop a HR frontend and red motor in, but my aim is a mild '60's style streetcar like someone might have built and used in the period; with some sensible practical updates like maybe better seats and 12 volt electrics etc. Nothing extreme, just clean.

Other than the obviousl like checking for something where the body is more rust than metal, can anyone advise on obvious pitfalls and traps with these cars for the unwary?

[Wonky]

Given you're in Melbourne Dacious I'd try giving Chev a ring as there were some awesome examples at his big opening day on Saturday, so he would almost certainly know the right people to put you on to.

IMG_1740 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/swingtan/2618091202/)
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/gcovo/Chevs%20Opening/DSCN3460.jpg

[Dacious]

Yes the black one with the chrome trim rings on the widened wheels is the look. I'd like one in the sort of pastel light green or blue similar to the 50's Chev colours they came in.

I was thinking of meandering down there when I do the exhausts bit. Just getting the better brakes fitted this week.

[Wonky]

Yeah, love the look of that black one! :drool: Purposeful and mean without being over the top. Not that I'd say no to that lovely absolutely schmick blue one if someone gave it to me! :)

I haven't seen any of those cars at Chev's before but that doesn't mean to say they haven't been worked on there given I only go there once every week or two usually.

[Smitty]

can anyone advise on obvious pitfalls and traps with these cars for the unwary?

having done a couple....
and have the genuine GMH service manuals from that
go 12v, later FC style underpinnings
find a motortrimmer who likes the early ones
mechanicals are easy..grey motors are tops
and
be prepared to work on the paint (as in get rid of
the old enamel shite)..on that score a rotisserie is VERY helpful

other than that...rubbers and glass are a hassle
(rare spares stuff is only so good)

one tip...visit swap meets for bits!


hth

Smitty

[Dacious]

Thanks for that guys. I've read a couple of articles that say these are a good deal for the first-time restorer, and I'm competent enough to rebuild DOHC fours and 2-stroke bike motors, and make/mod vacuum tube guitar amps from scratch so I figure these should be a cakewalk.

Smitty, so the standard glass if available is worth polishing up? My brother's mate had a part ownership of Rare Spares at one time but I had heard that of them. Seems there's quite an industry of repro parts.

I thought of doing a TAFE bodyshop/hobby course to rebuild the body with. Dipping is probably the go to discover exactly what is metal and what is rust. I've done some basic fabric covering work with my amps so I thought I'd like to have a go at a tuck/roll interior myself. I was thinking a bucket/bench frrom something like a HK-HG. Used to be a great seat in the old Brougham.

[Smitty]

Smitty, so the standard glass if available is worth polishing up? My brother's mate had a part ownership of Rare Spares at one time but I had heard that of them. Seems there's quite an industry of repro parts.
.

front screens are (were?) available in laminated versions as new
side glass was ok in my case (only the drivers glass needed a polish)
back door glass and the rear screen in my case were perfect

only hassle may be getting them out in one piece
60 year old rubber can be hard as.....

hth

Smitty

[REDHOT SS]

A good trick to get laminated front screens with the tinted band is to buy a screen out of an International Acco truck and cut your FJ screens from that using the originals as a template. They may already be available to buy, but this is what we did many years ago to get laminated screens.

Cheers.

[Gee]

Dipping is probably the go to discover exactly what is metal and what is rust....

A lot of people seem to think that dipping is more trouble in the end, basically you'll never get all of the 'dip' out of body crevices - well at least until you notice it streaking down new paint.

New blast mediums such as soda or good old chemical stripping by hand being preferable.

Although I once had a chat with Drago from Sefton Smash about paint removal and he said that sand blasting can still be a good way to go. A) new processes are not as abrasive as they once were and B) the panels on earlier cars are harder/thicker than late model stuff where you would be more likely to get warping and hardening.

I felt a combination was the way to go, to save a few bob (and to have a reason to stuff about with the car) I've had a go myself with chemical stripping on hanging panels and anywhere else I wanted to have a preliminary look. Then soda blasted exterior of roof, rear quarters. Rust anywhere else wasn't a concern for me as I'd had the car for 15 years at this point and knew it well. But if by this stage I'd found enough to be concerned I wouldn't have hesitated to then use sand blasting on a firewall, the pan and inside a gutted car, along the rails, under rear quarter and individually on other components such as cross members, suspension bits, etc.

[Dacious]

Yeah, the plastic media blasting looks interesting, I'd probbly do a chemical strip to get as much of as poss to reduce costs, too.

The car I'm looking at ATM is definitely going to need rust repair and a last nut-and-bolt rebuiild, the rotisserie idea is definitely interesting too. Not least as I could wheel it around on the dollys.