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HQ Statesman

Started by _nzstato_ , Jul 07 2010 09:30 AM

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323 replies to this topic

#1 _nzstato_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 09:30 AM

Hey there I thought I'd introduce myself to the forum. I'm currently rebuilding (not a torana) an HQ Statesman, and although I realise this is a torana forum I see that you guys appreciate a resto and there is some pretty skillful players on here. Plan to have a torana for the next build since I have a few things sitting in the shed which would be perfect for one..

Story behind it:
Bought it locally (Dunedin, NZ) from a guy who had it as a daily but had no $$$ to spend on it. After pulling it apart someone has attempted a resto (likely early 2000's) but did a pretty poor job on the body (bit of $$$ on the running gear though). The guy I bought it from had attempted a cheap respray in matt black...

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So I got it going again...
Rebuilt trimatic
New 600 holley
Electronic dizzy
Electric fans
Rebuilt the heads to run on unleaded
New rear brakes
Balanced driveshaft
Cut some rust out and a whole lot of little things.

So I've had it about a year in going condition and the running gear is A1

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Now since I have some time on my hands again its going for the full rebuild, it's now in a million pieces, here's some of the mess...
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And some of the usual dodgy rust repairs...
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So I've got a bit of work ahead for me yet, done a bit more than seen in the pics (need to take more). I'm also uploading vids to YouTube so you can also check it out here...

nzstato's youtube

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#2 _Barman_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 09:33 AM

Welcome to the forum, nice choice of car,good luck with the rebuild,
youl get plenty of support and help from here,
cheer Baz

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#3 Heath

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Name:Heath
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Posted 07 July 2010 - 10:18 AM

Nice vudeos :spoton:

Cheers for sharing, I've always liked HQ Statos (must all be locked up in sheds because you never see them on the road or at shows around here), and I really dig the second pic haha.

Without the matte black it should look grouse, wheels suit it nicely etc. What colour are you going to paint it?

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#4 _nzstato_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 11:32 AM

Thanks, might even post up a vid of 'fush and chups' if you're lucky. Yea all the statesmans seam to have been cut up years ago for the fronts/engines etc. There's a few kicking round in NZ (sadly bugger all toranas :cry:

) This one in particular was assembled in NZ and sat at the dealers till august 1975.

It was orginally that crappy yellow/gold with yinyl top. I want it to be a dark 'smokey' blue, tossing up whether to tint it, its gonna be a nice cruising car.

Cheers

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#5 Potta

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Name:Craig
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Posted 07 July 2010 - 12:14 PM

Looks like its gonna be awesome when its finished bro.

My mate had/has one of these sitting somewhere.

Not sure what he's doing with it but it was nice back in the day anyway.

It was a 308 auto with sky blue metallic paint and dragways.....mmmmm...

Welcome to the forum, I'll try not to make too many kiwi jokes hey bro.

Funny though, you don't seem to have an accent from what I've read so far. Posted Image

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#6 _nzstato_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 02:04 PM

This was on a local radio station and gets replayed alot, thought you guys might enjoy...

Making an Auzzie Cry

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#7 Potta

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 03:52 PM

Yeah, that's p!ss funny....

What's got me though, if the DJ can talk properly during the call, why can't he do it all the time? Posted Image

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#8 yel327

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 05:09 PM

Is it a Statesman or Chevrolet? Are you sure it was NZ assembled? I thought all HQ's destined for NZ were Dandenong or Pagewood assembled and then they were Chevrolet badged. Does it have an ADR plate?

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#9 _nzstato_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 07:43 PM

It's a statesman, and yes it is a NZ build. I'll post the tags tomorrow when I have time and yes, no ADR plate. There are a few Chevrolet 350 kicking around here, seen a nicely done one which lives not to far from my place. They come up for sale a surprising amount also.

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#10 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 07 July 2010 - 09:08 PM

My favorite model Holden besides LJ's....

Nice

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#11 _nzstato_

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Posted 08 July 2010 - 06:47 AM

Cheers Bomber, I like it cause it's different (if I has a dollar for every kingswood I saw with a 350 chev....). Here are the tags I promised you...

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This should translate to:

8 = GMH

S = Statesman Deville

69 = Sedan

T = 308 HC

C = 1973 build

Z7 = Code for built in NZ

71673 = Serial #

Q = HQ

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This plate I think is where any extra features were optioned, however I haven't been able to find out what code '411' refers to, maybe someone out there can help.

There is no ADR plate but the holes where it would be affixed are drilled.

The 308 in the car isn't original (doesnt have the 11QT prefix) but is an HT prefix block from a '70 HG.

Cheers

Edited by nzstato, 08 July 2010 - 06:48 AM.

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#12 GML-31

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Posted 08 July 2010 - 09:17 AM

HT prefix is torana mate

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#13 _nzstato_

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Posted 08 July 2010 - 09:38 AM

Sorry, should be this

308H30661, date K210 (HG, 21st Oct 1970)

Edited by nzstato, 08 July 2010 - 09:40 AM.

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#14 yel327

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Posted 08 July 2010 - 01:56 PM

Probably a Brougham engine, so close to Statesman!

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#15 _nzstato_

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Posted 08 July 2010 - 04:12 PM

Thought I'd add a few update photos since those ones were a couple of weeks old, sorry bout the mess in the shed... :sucker:

308 (unknown bore size), flat tops, rebuild heads, mildish cam, 600 holley, elec. dizzy. Nothing like fresh paint...

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Subframe is off, will be filling holes in the firewall and repainting.

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Might also upload a new vid to youtube tonight since I havn't in a while.

Cheers

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#16 _nzstato_

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Posted 11 July 2010 - 06:13 PM

Got some more stuff done this week, mostly painting suspension parts...

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and practising my new favorite hobby
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Bought some new doors in case I may need them, otherwise I'll panelbeat them new and resell

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The fact that they have different overspray patterns makes me think
they're from two different factories. Cool to see these markings too.

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Cleaning up some plastic parts with my 'secret recipe', this is an HR dash for my collection

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#17 _nzstato_

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 05:52 PM

Been a while since the last update unfortunally (been away overseas) but finally got time to spend on the old girl. Went a got some sheetmetal to start filling in the holes in the firewall (going for the smooth look)

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Inner fenders alot have alot of additional holes, a LPG system was fitted in the past and the appeared to have mounted the mixer here (plus more holes).

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Filled with weld....

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Thats better...

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Here's what I'm cutting up for steel, they have their uses afterall...

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#18 _Bomber Watson_

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 07:21 PM

Nice work on the boot mate.

I have a 244 series Volvo boot and bonnet im cutting up, when there gone i have a VB commy bonnet to start on, endless supply of scrap steel!!!

Cheers.

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#19 _nzstato_

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 06:19 AM

Nice work on the boot mate.

I have a 244 series Volvo boot and bonnet im cutting up, when there gone i have a VB commy bonnet to start on, endless supply of scrap steel!!!

Cheers.

Yea there's quite a few big scrap dealers round where I live so it's not hard to find steel. The scrap steel prices have gone through the roof so they seem to be buying up everything in sight.

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#20 _nzstato_

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 04:53 PM

Filling in a few more holes today, there seemed to be alot, both factory holes (for optional A/C I think) and alot of others which people have drilled over the years...

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Still got a few signs of originality...

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And a few nice surprises, so there's where the water was coming in....

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#21 _Quagmire_

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 04:58 PM

ohh oach lucky you can weld
do you have duct tape and a hammer?

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#22 _nzstato_

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 05:06 PM

ohh oach lucky you can weld
do you have duct tape and a hammer?

One of the previous owners must have been a builder since I found the remains of some expanding foam used to fill the gap... nice...

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#23 _Quagmire_

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 05:13 PM

expanding foam works real well for sill repairs Posted Image

not that i'd do anything dodgey like that Posted Image

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#24 _nzstato_

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Posted 29 August 2010 - 05:09 PM

Got a bit more done this weekend, the subframe was a little grubby
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Cleaned it up and hit it with some primer

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Got given this too, parents aren't that bad all the time, not bad for an 'engagement present' :spoton:

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#25 _nzstato_

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Posted 02 September 2010 - 05:25 PM

Been laying some paint this week, starting to look a little better

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Also been practising some panel beating (havent really done any before). Bought a couple of doors a wee while back and they've got some pretty nasty dents in them. Prob just sell them after I've fixed up coz the next project probably wont be another Q.

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