703 replies to this topic

[notna]

I've been progressing the resto slow and steady, but I have decided to hold off posting updates here until I have substantial progress to show. Sometimes the little things I do excite me, but to post on here may be a bit insignificant for others.

Anyway, hopefully this will be entertaining enough, as I am pretty damn proud!

I have been using my father-in-law's MIG welder for what seems like forever, and lately I have had the impression that.... he wants it back! Understandable I spose, given that he is paying monthly rental on the gas bottle, and not having the pleasure of using it!

There are 2 remaining areas of bodywork that I will need the welder for. One is fixing the dodgy repair done to the passenger side rear quarter, and the other is a rust repair to the drivers side rear sill. Since the latter is the one I can get to easily with the car in its current position, it was dubbed my next mini-project to tackle.

I initially thought I would get away with wire-wheeling the area that was showing signs of rust bubbles, then welding any holes that broke through....

 002.jpg   114.62K   2 downloads

But that started to get messy and resemble swiss cheese....

 010.jpg   148.89K   1 downloads

So I cut the whole section out!

 012.jpg   132.96K   2 downloads

And it was interesting to see what was hidden inside. Big chunks of bog, none the less! After a little digging and prodding, I found where this had come from.... [note finger showing the exact place, just in case you failed to see]

 019.jpg   160.14K   4 downloads

So I cleaned up this area and welded in a nicely shaped repair section.

 028.jpg   164.4K   2 downloads

And that fixed this area properly.

Then I dug through my numerous spares, and found the rust repair sections that I carefully extracted from the mint UC shell I had previously acquired for this purpose. A nice rear section of sill was cut to fit, as shown here.

 005.jpg   126.61K   4 downloads

Then I carefully welded it all around. There is something about welding... the concentration needed to not blow holes in your job.... and the satisfaction of the end result. I just love it!

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And after some paint stripping and light dressing of welds, I was left with this....

 019a.jpg   77.31K   1 downloads

Looks good in pics, but DAMN GOOD in person. I am very proud of this, and all my repairs. Almost a shame to cover them in paint and hide them!

Next will be the rear quarter repair, then I can give back the MIG and continue with paint stripping and panel finishing.

Cheers!

Edited by notna, 15 July 2012 - 08:17 PM.

[torana_nick]

As always mate top job!! If you where in Melbourne I'd lend you my mig welder it Dosent get much use in my shed I get no time to do nothing..


Cheers
Nick

[notna]

Just turn your screen 180 degrees mate, or your head if that is difficult, and she'll be right!

Cheers for the encouraging words guys!

[notna]

How crazy is it, when that cutting wheel is spinning at a billion RPM, yet it can appear still like that in a photo!

I'm glad those brown magic medicine bottles helped you out there Lee. .... but what does this do for you now....?
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[torana_nick]

i never knew there was a wrong and right way for cut off wheels they cut both ways lol not like a diamond disk.
any updates yet Anton? just went trough the hole thread chasing inspiration.. loving your work!!


cheers
nick

[notna]

I'm on a few weeks leave from work now, and have been busy in the back yard excavating a nice big corner for my new shed. I actually wanted to spend my 4 weeks on the Papaya, but since my garage and old shed were both bursting at the seams, I figured in the long run the shed should come first. Here is a sneak peek...

 021sml.jpg   156.61K   2 downloads

So when I'm not shifting dirt there, I am still finding Torrie time!

Got my son helping again. I like teaching him things, and he loves doing even the dirty jobs like this one....

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I've been cleaning up all the bolts, brackets and bits from this car and all my previous Torana's I owned in the early 90's. It's funny the things we keep over time, and the things we discard. From my very first Torana that I wrote off in 1991, I kept a bucket of bolts and the badges. The bolts are in the mix now, to be used on this SL/R, and the badges I will keep for memories sake.

Bonnet hinges, after a paint strip. They look galvanized. Standard?

 020.jpg   157.01K   2 downloads

And the badges from my very first car....

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Interestingly.... I also have the badges from my old SL/R that I owned in 1993. Back then, debadging was cool, so removing these because they looked "uncool" was an awesome move. Yes, these will restored and take pride of place on Papaya! I think that is pretty damn cool!

 003.jpg   77.78K   1 downloads

I have also been going through the extra bits I got with the car, and noted these modified rear training arms. Is this a worthwhile mod, or a wank?

 022.jpg   174.61K   1 downloads

So the plan from here is to clean up and paint the underside of the rear end, and finish the last rust repair, the passenger rear 1/4. Pics of this you can expect soon Hope it all goes to plan though!

[notna]

Point noted about clearance. Thanks Matt.

I rebuilt my front end with standard rubber bushes, so was going to do the same in the rear. Never removed a diff housing before though.... not looking forward to that!

[mitchg]

Diff housing isnt as bad as you think. I removed one when I had stubborn axles twisted in there real good with a blown centre... Its pretty heavy with a centre still in there haha.

[notna]

I've been staring at it for days now... You should come over Mitch and do it for me!

Took a heap of bits and pieces to the platers today for silver zinc. Getting the bonnet hinges, latch and catch, sill scuff plates front and rear, door strikers, alternator bracket, and 3 whole cars worth of bolts, brackets, screws, nuts and washers, etc.... I kid you not, all that for $120. I have used these guys before for my magazine car, and they are GOOD. Pickup next week so will show you how it turns out.

OK now for some questions....

I removed the boot spoiler. It's a fibreglass repro one. In the bootlid are some plugged up holes. Are these from an original boot spoiler?

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And on the subject of spoilers, were these dealer fitted? Did they move / remove the boot badges when the spoiler was fitted?

And what's with all these holes? From one badge?

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Are these standard exhaust brackets? Can you buy the rubbers for those?

 SML__11.jpg   200.72K   3 downloads

And is this just some bodge mod to hold an exhaust system? They are welded to the floor!

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I spent hours today scraping crud off the floor at the rear. Still hours more scraping and cleaning ahead before painting, which sux, but not a speck of rust to be seen.

Some show & tell pics next week

[hanra]

I just ordered a pair of these:

http://www.rarespare...product=2819591

[76lxhatch]

The brackets on the floor look like they have been set up for a centre pull hand brake cable perhaps...?

[notna]

Been busy last few days. Dropped the fuel tank... not so difficult, apart from the 10L of VERY stale fuel that I couldn't siphon out. Diff is half out, will probably finish that tomorrow. Spent 2 whole days laying under the car scraping the floor from the middle back (front already done) and then washing it with left over petrol from the tank. Putting that stale 10 year old fuel to good use! Pics tomorrow.... its quite nice to see a spotless underside of a project car. Will be painting that black over the next few days.

Picked up my plated stuff today. I needed to get this all done now so that I can reassemble the front end and get the shell rolling again. It just works better for me with limited space to have it rolling when I paint it.

Bonnet hinges:

 SML__09.jpg   262.11K   1 downloads

Sill plates:

 SML__08.jpg   242.77K   1 downloads

Stuff:

 SML__10.jpg   195.75K   4 downloads

More stuff:

 SML__01 (2).jpg   204.04K   2 downloads

All that for $120 and its a TOP JOB!

Also bought paint today. I'm starting with 2L of 2K colour, for the engine bay and underside of bonnet, boot, and backs of doors. If I can handle that without too much drama, I will do the outside of the car in 2K, otherwise if it's too dangerous I will stick with what I know and do well, and that's acrylic. Hopefully I will have the bay done within the next 2 weeks, then the front end back in.

Edited by notna, 14 August 2012 - 09:32 PM.

[308 Sunbird]

That plated stuff does look good- pity he's in Sydney. My bloke down here charged that just for the hinges
and latches! Good to see you back into the car Anton.

[hanra]

Just post it away to where ever. Ive been posting parts down to Albury... where ever that is?

[308 Sunbird]

What do you mean you dont know where Albury is Brad. Open the shed up & get the kero fumes
out before going in again.

[hanra]

I just put addresses on stuff and stick it in the post. I have no idea where the locations are... They just take my money and send it back. I'd have to google map it.

[308 Sunbird]

I suppose us Mexicans are a lot closer to Albury than you.

[hanra]

Are these standard exhaust brackets? Can you buy the rubbers for those?

 SML__11.jpg   200.72K   3 downloads

Got my replacement rubbers today.

[notna]

How do they fit in?