119 replies to this topic

[Kantong]

Hey all, I've been reading this forum for a long time learning and studying the arts involved in putting a torana back on the road. I have a Hz tonner that I drive when the suns out and I didn't want to put it off the road so I started hunting for a sedan to work on. I came across my lx sunbird close by for cheap so I brought it home for the monumental task of rebuilding it. It's gonna be all done by me as I'm only a young bloke and having bought my first house, like my torana also needs work and takes a lot to pay for and maintain on my own. Anyway I've got stuck right into it

[Kantong]

Antelope sunbird

[purrlx]

Whats the plan for it. We all had to start somewhere.

[Kantong]

Hey purrlx, the goal is to repair all the rust which there is heaps of, add flairs, front spoiler and a 4inch glass reverse cowl bonnet and paint it all in antelope again. Driveline uncertain as yet but hunting some 15x7 and 15x10 drag way Indys. I don't like it too modern haha once I work out photo bucket I'll get the pics underway

[Kantong]

The day it came home. It has really good floors, sills, roof and fairly good plenum but from the rear window back is a rusty mess

Edited by Kantong, 06 February 2017 - 10:35 PM.

[Kantong]

First thing I did was strip the car to a shell, assessed the damage and bought a uc rear cut for rust repairs and a good lx tail light section to graft in

Some of the rust

[Kantong]

It's a juggling act replacing so much metal and layers without letting it move out of shape anyway started putting good metal in


One of the fit up

[purrlx]

That is a serious start, but best to do it properly to start with.

[Kantong]

I spent a couple of days unpicking the uc rear and they have been worth their weight in gold.



And the tail light section

[Kantong]

Next was to attack the rear window rust. I bought a repair section for this and invested in a TIG to help keep the heat down and the metal soft to hammer and dolly.

Playing with the Tig after a couple of days. Finally grew the balls to start.

Gapped it up and started
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Then file finished it off
[URL=http://s304.photobuc...uhebw.jpg.html]

[Kantong]

The repair piece wasn't an amazing fit and the lower section sat high by almost a mill so put a relief cut in and lowered it

Then I TIGd it up and filed it off

Next was the lower section

[Kantong]

I have been hitting it with rattle can flat black to pick the highs and lows with the dolly and slap per work. The shrinking disk has been handy too for the little highs. But keeping it all flat and straight.

My shrinking disk

Lower section TIGd in

[Kantong]

After that attacked the top section using a repair cut from the uc



The piece was good but not perfect, a little rusty so soaked it in deoxC for half a day and came out like new

Coated it in weld through primer

Edited by Kantong, 06 February 2017 - 11:30 PM.

[Kantong]

The whole time I keep testing and gapping the rear window

[Kantong]

Tapped it and filed it up

[Kantong]

Everyone thinks I'm mental for putting so much time into a rusty old Holden but I don't give a shit hahamight take be 10 years or more but that's ok

Edited by Kantong, 06 February 2017 - 11:58 PM.

[neglectedtorana]

Well done Anton,
Great metal work skills, have fun

[BIG KEV]

Great work ......hope the rebuild goes well for you

[IMORAL]

Holy crap.

[myss427]

Looks like you know what your doing, nice welding! Will save another rusty Torana.

[Kantong]

Next I braced up the rear window before I tackled the internals as I was paranoid I'd might move
[/
Then I set about removing the rear window upper internal panel to put the good one in.

Cleaned it up and kbs rust sealed inside
[URL=http://s304.photobuc...nlpmg.jpg.html]

[Kantong]

Then got out the trusty bluepoint sand blaster and cleaned up inside the roof and also coated with kbs rust seal. Then fitted it up til sweet and Migd it in

Next was more bracing, to the rear quarter for the next internal piece

Then unpicked the rubbish rusty panel and also blasted up

Edited by Kantong, 07 February 2017 - 08:46 PM.

[Kantong]

Then blasted clean, hit with kbs and the weld through ready for the new panel

Edited by Kantong, 07 February 2017 - 08:55 PM.

[Kantong]

That's where I'm currently up to. Will slowly keep ticking along when I can

Currently trying to cut a deal on these guys.

Edited by Kantong, 07 February 2017 - 09:00 PM.

[Statler]

Nice work.