703 replies to this topic

[notna]

Cheers for the feedback guys!

Build date is 8/76. Cast date of the L32 I picked up is the same... lol... I kinda like that ;-)

My biggest problem is that I LOOOOVE all the fiddly resto work. I love welding and grinding and perfecting little things..... but when it's all done and finished, I get bored very quick. I'm hoping th break that nasty habbit and keep this one for a looong time. I respect some of you guys on here who have kept your Torries for years and years.

[notna]

Well folks.... update time!

This will be the first of many updates over the next month, as I have the next month off work, and no plans other than this RESTO!

I started early, today, as my holiday doesn't officially start till tomorrow (Monday). I just couldn't wait! I bribed my 2 sons to help me scrape off all the crud off the front end. Amazingly, they didn't give up after 2 minutes, and even argued over wanting to do the worst bits! A miracle, I know!

Scraping off the crud (My first car and Torana in the background there, watching over us.... RIP you poor old soul of a Torana)

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Here is the passenger side, post scraping. This was achieved with a paint scraper only. What is the red primer that Holden used under here? It's damn good stuff!

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...and this is a mere portion of all of the crud that littered my garage floor. Think of the weight saving achieve here!!

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So with all the scraping done, I thought about others on here who have done the same. I drew inspiration from Matt, (aka LH SLR 3300) whom I had the pleasure of meeting recently, along with 2 of his Toranas). I recalled that he used some scotchbrite and paint thinners, or something to that effect, to clean up these surfaces.

I didn't want to waste paint thinners, but I did want to get the 5 year old stale petrol out of my tank, so I figured i would do that AND use it to clean the freshly scraped metal.

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At first I tried a wire brush dipped in the stale petrol...... not so effective.

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So then I broke out the green scotchbrite pads and went nuts!



....and once I had scrubbed, I wiped. For this process, I chose some Ben 10 flannel PJ's. We all know that nothing can beat Ben 10, right! The perfect super hero for such a tough ask!



Once Ben 10 had conquered this arduous task, and the dust had settled, I was left with this....




Nothing can shift those remaining marks. Clean up nearly complete. I wiped over it all with some RANEX so that surface rust wont appear, while I decide whether to wire wheel it all, or leave it at that and blast with stoneguard. Tomorrow I might drop the crossmember and do the bits that can't be reached with that in place. I was goign to drop it today, then thought no, but since all this was only 1 days work, I now figure I will.

More to come.....

[notna]

About Ben 10, Kush?

[notna]

hehehe.... thay's do Ben 10 for sure! He's just a mere boy after all!

[notna]

Matt, I most definitely want to pick your brain some more. You do awesome work and it was great to see it with my own eyes.

Today I scraped and scrubbed some more, and after only 2 days at it, my back is killing. Still.... it will get used to it! I got a month of this to go!!

Today I looked at the 'ol bent K frame, and knew it had to come out....

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I've done a couple of these recently, but made a meal of this today. It slipped off the jack as I was lowering it, and when it hit the ground, my disc rotor dust shields soon acquired a nice flat on the bottom

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Then I had a nice enpty engine bay. Much better for doing a proper job of cleaning and prepping, but the bloody exhaust was in the way now.... out it comes....

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Then I siphoned another 10 litres of finely aged 91 RON from the tank, and set to work again underneath and in the tunnel area....

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Before, with 35 years worth (not bad when you think about it!)



After being massaged with stale petrol and the missus' scotchbrite pad....



And then a tunnel view after the same treatment.



More cleaning for tomorrow..... then I guess i need to think about putting something over it all, before if gets all cruddy again. Do you spray the stoneguard straight over that? Or should I etch prime, prime, then stoneguard?

Edited by notna, 20 June 2011 - 06:40 PM.

[notna]

Yes Matt, colour engine bay, not black. I was going to either stoneguard or GMH black the trans tunnel up to the same point you mentioned. Not sure if stoneguard is a good idea here though. What was the tunnel on an LX from the factory? Body colour? Your thoughts?

[lxsstorana]

Had a chance to meet Anton today and check out his torry in the flesh and I'm impressed.

Doing a great job on the car (real labour of love).

Cheers Mick.

[notna]

Matt, with that advice, consider it done. It's easy to be lazy and blast the lot with stoneguard, but I kinda like the idea of masking up and making it like the guys on the factory floor did, back in '76.

Mick, was great to meet you today. Thanks for dropping in. You must bring your hatch next time and give my neighbours a taste of what is to come when I finish the Papaya! They all thought my Minis were loud... LOL!!!

Lots more progress today.... will post it up soon.

[notna]

Constructive critisism / tips from well seasoned experts / professional critique / I know bloody everything / ..... is more than welcome. This is how I learn stuff and then become all that myself. I did it with Minis and became a guru who wrote for a Mini magazine for 3 years.... so bring it on and let me soak it up like a sponge!

Will remember all that Mr Watson, and within the next couple of weeks put it into action.

Edited by notna, 21 June 2011 - 06:01 PM.