Updates, cut and pasted from os...
April 27 2012:
Seeing as there has been some discussion, this old Japanese diecast I acquired a few weeks ago is basically the inspiration behind how I have visualised this car ending up.
IMG_4809 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_4818 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
Of course, think lower, less tyre, more dish... probably not the siren as I'm definitely not going to drill holes in the roof... but will a 6' whip suffice instead?
June 23 2012:
As some will know, it turned out the the small, relatively innocent looking bubbles of rust that were making an appearance near the base of the front guards/leading edges of the sills (see photo in 2nd post of the hubcap/whitewall for an idea of what they looked like prior to investigation) were in fact representative of a far larger and more aggressive colony of rust, hiding away in the sills having a good old munch on solid metal.
I enlisted the services of a well recommended craftsman metalworker/panelbeater to assist in rectifying this problem - I guess it was only once he'd had a poke around and emarked on the job, that the expense of having a job well-done was apparent. So the story thus far goes as such - the old girl was dropped into the panelshop, panelman has a gander and starts work on the car, several days into it I get a price update, and freak out and suspended progress whilst my already derelict bank account (due to other circumstances) recovers and I can afford to have the job completed.
Today being a beautifully clear, mild mid winter morning, I decided to roll the car from it's cosy little spot in the shed, and attack what little I am able to do on the panels (as per panelbeater instructions) with some modicum of "vim and vigour" associated with the recent mojo I've been experiencing (the KP has seen a share of progress also...).
Pictures speak a multitude of words - so I am told - so below I've taken the opportunity to share some shots of the depressing, expensive, progress hampering mega shitcunt of a thing, rust.
IMG_8362 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_8359 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
Passengers side rust, the brace/bracket which is part of the guard has been rebuilt on this one, and the end of the sill/inner guard is only tacked in place at this point, requiring final fitment.
IMG_8366 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_8371 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
Drivers side rust. Apparent here, is the state in which the end of the sill on the passengers side was also in, prior to being rebuilt. The brace/bracket on this side is yet to be completed. Overall, the steel on the inner sill on this side is actually better than the passengers, with no holes through the steel or close to it.
IMG_8389 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_8393 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
After a clean and removal of all the scaly crap with a range of wirebrushes on the drill. First coat of PA10 applied as per the panelbeaters instructions.
IMG_8383 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_8381 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
Drivers and passengers patch panels, all steel and handmade. Fit well, and look good, should be very little bog required in the finished product.
IMG_8405 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_8398 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
2nd coat of PA10 lies beneath these panels, which are now mocked up and the car's basically ready to drop back in for completion once my wallet feels up to the task.
Hope to have the car solid again within a month, then the next point of attack will be the bootlid, which is the only other part of the car to have any real rust issues.
I've acquired a set of 4 XA Falcon wheels at long last following a few months of searching for the right ones - you'd think such a task would be simple, given how common these things are comparatively, but alas the lions share of these wheels appears to have gone to FoMoCo heaven as they've been overruled by the might of the 12 slot (or something to that effect anyway...). Also in my possession is a set of mint XA/XB poverty spec hubcaps, these are a small centercap style with a slight pointed shape. Eventually, the plan is to have the 14's taken out to around 8" wide, run a small tyre, polished hubcaps and the wheels in a colour which has been decided upon...
There is another wheel possibility in the pipeline, but not yet confirmed... you can never have too many sets of wheels anyway, right?
August 26 2012:
In light of wanting to eventually widen a set of steels for this, I've borrowed a couple of 14x8 -10 offset 12 slots (lolololol) from drftnmaz/Todd... and the result is as follows.
IMG_3966 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_3956 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
The tyres are a 195/60/14 and fit damn near perfectly, still large enough to keep the car driveable also. The rears are rubbing full time on the guard lips, so I'm thinking a touch less offset (maybe run 0) and I'll be home dry, with a safe fitment that'll mean zero rubbing issues after having the guards rolled.
September 05 2012:
Car's all welded now, the sills are super solid and shouldn't trouble me again for the duration of ownership. They're currently in primer, but will be dropping the car in to our mate Grant at GT Refinishers for a lick of paint (just a touch up, not bothering to paint full panels as it's patchy anyway....)
IMG_5997 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_6002 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_6007 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
Looking haggard as with it's shitty primer patches...
Secondly, I picked up some new wheels several weeks ago, from "frosty" en route back from Palmerston North. Enkei "5 spoke" in a super modest 14x6 +10 offset. The only size they come in... Shades of Astro Supreme/Hustler/Cragar etc, for a bit of a Mooneyes Japan influence. Plan with the wheels is to get dipped, polish the lip up to a mirror finish and spray the rest a bright silver. Have a full complement of centre caps coming by way of our favourite ex-pat Kiwi in Japan, Ewan of
Hayatonka fame. May team them up with some half headlight covers or something, for an alternate "look." Either way, not bad for $50...
IMG_6015 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
And finally, thanks to Simon and his closing down wrecker discovery post, I contacted the wrecker in question and scored this early spec 240C grille, which is much simpler than the fussy stock item. Some minor alterations will be needed to the grille, to get it to fit but it should be pretty straightforward.
IMG_6030 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
IMG_6027 by
SnoozinRichy, on Flickr
With regards to wide steels, I had a bit of a rush of blood to the head, and called Elite... subsequently ordering a set of 15x8 centerless bands, that I'm able to weld a 14" center into. So the aformentioned XA Falcon steel wheel centers, will be stitched into the bands, and I'll run a small XA hubcap to finish it off. Offset will be somewhere around -5.
